Keir Starmer roasts Reform UK at PMQs over Russian bribes
The Prime Minister’s comments caused much laughter across the Commons, with Farage and his deputy Richard Tice looking annoyed.
Reform councillor poses with far-right Homeland Party member who claims ‘black people can’t be Scottish’
“One of Reform’s leading representatives in Scotland is keeping company with members of the fascist Homeland Party.”
Council sees ‘spike’ in complaints against councillors since Reform took control
“It strikes me as a lack of trust in how the council is being run”
Latest Posts
Poorest families lose the Budget 2013 childcare war
The Budget announced measures to help parents pay for childcare. But those in most need miss out on the biggest chunk of the support, argues Helen Barnard.
Why is Obama hugging Israel today?
Britain and other European countries can play an important supporting role in a US-led process, but the stronger their relationship with both Israelis and Palestinians, the more constructive a role they will be able to play.
The £10,000 personal tax allowance: anything but progressive
In yesterday’s budget George Osborne announced that the personal income tax allowance would be raised to £10,000 from next year, earlier than 2015 as originally planned. Superficially taking people out of income tax does sound like a tantalising prospect – poorer people will have more money in their pockets, will they not? There are two major problems with this.
A bleak budget for the nations
George Osborne’s 2013 budget has received a tepid response in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Road building is not the answer to Britain’s transport problems
As the UK economy continues to flat line, at the centre of the chancellor’s Budget plans to stimulate growth is a £3 billion annual infrastructure budget much of which is earmarked for damaging and regressive road building projects. But experience shows that new roads seldom solve people’s transport problems.
Budget 2013: Osborne’s hidden borrowing pays for tax sweeteners
When we assess the Osborne borrowing record, let’s be clear that it’s not just headline borrowing that is much higher than he promised a couple of years ago. Buried in today’s budget is also the hidden borrowing of future pension promises where he’s already spent some of the money designed to pay for them.
Budget 2013: The fight for tax haven transparency has a long way to go
The budget will increase inequality and the bias against the small business sector. It is another opportunity lost, but if you drink 1,000 pints to drown your sorrows you will save £10. Doesn’t that say it all?
Better to borrow to invest than borrow because your policies are failing
The below graph shows the additional borrowing in each year compared to the estimates at the Autumn Statement in December.
George Osborne’s fairness claim torn apart by graph
George Osborne’s fairness claim torn apart by graph
The Budget barely scratches the surface of what’s required
George Osborne today made improving infrastructure one of the key planks of his strategy to compete in the “global race”. Any move in this direction is to be supported but the small print of the Budget, as so often, shows that his headline announcement today will barely scratch the surface of what the economy needs to get growing again.