RGF’s foot-dragging and half-measures leave regional economies in the cold
Kevin Meagher explains why even now the Regional Growth Fund money is finally starting to be allocated, everything is far from rosy in their implementation.
Green Politics
Tories leave rural workers stuck in the mud
Huw Irranca-Davies MP argues the Tories’ scrapping of the Agricultural Workers Board shows it is out of touch with the countryside and rural workers.
Tartan tabbies: Fat-cat Scottish judges seek pay rise
Ed Jacobs covers the astonishing claim by senior Scottish judges that their £170k salary leaves them underpaid.
Anger at government’s failure to include shipping emissions in climate targets
Friends of the Earth today described the government’s omission of shipping from its climate targets as “like an alcoholic giving up all booze except whisky”.
On the Financial Transaction Tax, why is Osborne on the side of the one per cent?
Today Dr Rowan Williams came out in support of a Financial Transaction Tax – yet George Osborne still opposes the tax that would raise billions for the poor.
Miliband fails to nail Cameron on bankers, greed and regulation
David Cameron and Ed Miliband clashed over fat cat pay, bankers’ bonuses and banking regulation at a story Prime Minister’s Questions today, reports Shamik Das.
“Underlying picture remains weak”, “paltry”, “bumping along the bottom” – growth reaction
Shamik Das rounds up the reaction to this morning’s growth figures.
Ignore Osborne’s spin; a jobs recession is inevitable
With the outlook for output growth deteriorating, it is hard to see how the UK can avoid falls in employment in the third and fourth quarters of 2010 – a jobs recession.
Fast spending cuts push economy from fastest quarterly growth for a decade towards zero
Today’s growth figures are the latest evidence the coalition’s rapid spending cuts have pushed the UK economy from the fastest growth for a decade towards zero.
Unprecedented growth of 1.3 per cent needed for OBR to meet its projection
Will Straw details what to expect from tomorrow’s OBR figures on growth, why they’re likely to be lower than predicted, and how that affects Osborne’s plans to continue his austerity programme.