“Europe last night imposed the toughest sanctions against Russia since the Cold War, sending the rouble into a tailspin and prompting warnings that British firms will be hit hard. … EU leaders agreed unanimously to embargoes against vast sectors of the Russian economy, designed to cripple its banks, energy firms and defence capabilities. … However, the embargo will apply only to future contracts, so one big deal that won’t be affected is the heavily criticised 1.2billion-euro sale of two French helicopter carriers to Russia, which has already been agreed.” – Daily Mail
And comment:
“Britain is spending £5billion a year on tax credits for migrant workers, it has emerged. … Official figures show that 415,000 foreign nationals are benefiting from the perk, worth the equivalent of almost £100million every week. … The bill dwarfs the total savings achieved by David Cameron’s latest crackdown on out-of-work welfare payments to migrants, which was unveiled amid great fanfare on Tuesday. … These proposals, which include limiting access to jobseekers allowance to a period of three months, will reduce the benefits bill by just £100million a year.” – Daily Mail
“David Cameron was urged to get real on tackling immigration – as his high-profile benefits clampdown was branded a flop. … Sir Andrew Green of Migration Watch said halving the length of time jobless migrants can claim benefits was a step in the right direction. … But he said the change was nowhere near ‘sufficient’ to reduce the inflow of workers from EU countries taking low-skilled jobs.” – The Sun (£)
And comment:
> Today: ToryDiary – ‘Migrant cop-out’…‘Why won’t Cameron come clean?’…‘Window dressing’ – the new immigration ‘crack-down’ falters
> Yesterday: ToryDiary – On immigration, and on economics too, Conservative language has become far too bureaucratic
“The Prime Minister said Pride Brighton and Hove, which takes place this weekend, was a reminder of why Britain ‘continues to be recognised as number one in Europe on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGB&T) equality and rights’. … He said it was a ‘momentous occasion’ when the first legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples took place at midnight on 29 March.” – The Independent
“A City grandee who helped advise the chancellor, George Osborne, on the restructuring of banking regulation has emerged as a leading contender to head the BBC after the favourite, Lord Coe, unexpectedly pulled out of the race. … Nick Prettejohn, who was recently appointed chairman of pensions and investment firm Scottish Widows, is understood to be one of four or five candidates set to be interviewed later this week to take over from Lord Patten as chairman of the BBC Trust.” – The Guardian
“Driverless cars will start appearing on British roads next year, ministers will announce on Wednesday. … The Government wants to change the rules to allow companies to start running trials of cars that do not need a human driver on UK streets, industry sources said. … It means the first computer-controlled vehicles will be seen on quiet British streets by January next year.” – Daily Telegraph
“HMRC was accused yesterday of taking ‘a smash and grab’ approach with its demand for new powers to seize money directly from people’s bank accounts. … Britain’s leading tax experts warned the taxman risks being ‘unconstitutional’ with the controversial plans, which could come into force within months. … The proposed new powers – which were published in the Budget and subject to a public consultation which closed yesterday – have triggered an outcry among tax experts.” – Daily Mail
“Women’s groups have called for MP David Ruffley to step down immediately, after he announced that he would leave parliament next May, months after accepting a police caution for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Eleanor Rehahn, of the Bury St Edmunds branch of the women’s rights group the Fawcett Society, said the Conservative party was continuing to avoid dealing with the matter.” – The Guardian
> Yesterday: ToryDiary – Once the Dean’s letter was published, Ruffley’s resignation was inevitable
“The London mayor was asked three times on the BBC’s World at One about whether he intends to re-enter parliament, after a survey of Londoners found that they would want him to quit rather than do both jobs at once. … He refused to answer on each occasion, merely saying that he would make sure London has an ultra-low emissions zone whatever happens.” – The Guardian
And comment:
“Now the Lib Dems are drifting back to their roots, campaigning seat-by-seat for individual MPs, respected for good deeds in their patch. There are worse ways to get by in politics and, given the difficulty Labour and Tories face building a majority, a shrunken band of Lib Dems might yet find their way back into government in 2015.” – Rafael Behr, The Guardian
> Yesterday: LeftWatch – The Lib Dems’ underwhelming review of their own finances
“The UK Independence Party received as much money in membership fees as the Conservatives did last year, new figures show. … Nigel Farage’s party – which has nearly 32,500 members – raked in £714,492 from its members’ in subscription fees during 2013. … The Conservatives, who do not reveal official membership figures but are thought to have around 135,000 members, managed to get just £749,000. … That is less than £6 per member, but the Conservatives say most of their membership fees go to local associations, and little of the money is held by the central party.” – Daily Mail
And comment:
“Labour is still deeply in the red despite slashing its net liabilities by more than £20m since 2006, when there were fears the party could be sunk by its spiralling debts. … The opposition party has not yet paid off all its legacy debts from the 2005 general election, when it borrowed £14m from a dozen millionaires – prompting the ‘cash for honours’ scandal. … As a result it still had an outstanding £5.7m of net debt at the end of last year, compared with £591,000 for the Conservative party.” – Financial Times
“The fall in earnings under the coalition will be greater than under any Government for more than 130 years, Labour will claim today. … Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls will say average wages after inflation are down by more than £1,600 a year since 2010. … And he will claim David Cameron will try to cut the top rate of tax again – from 45p to 40p for those earning over £150,000 if the Tories win next year’s election.” – Daily Mail
And comment:
“Labour’s health spokesman Andy Burnham was accused of ‘political posturing’ for calling for a halt to private companies running NHS services. … Mr Burnham backed Jarrow-style protest marches against the coalition’s health reforms, claiming the ‘privatisation’ of the health service is ‘indefensible’. … But his speech in Manchester came under fire because as health secretary in the last Labour government he extended the use of the private sector services.” – Daily Mail
And comment:
“Labour has resurrected plans for a 15 per cent ‘death tax’ to pay for people’s care in old age. … Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, said he wants Labour to ’embrace’ a system where social care is funded by imposing a tax on estates when people die. … The Conservatives said that official figures show that a 15 per cent ‘death tax’ could mean a levy of £46,000 for the average Briton.” – Daily Telegraph
And comment:
“Britain’s first elected Muslim mayor is to face trial over claims he committed widespread voting fraud. … Lutfur Rahman, 48, is accused of using illegal tactics to win the mayoral election in Tower Hamlets, East London, in May. … People were allegedly promised council houses if they backed him and Islamic voters were told they should be ‘good Muslims’ and support him. … His supporters are accused of doctoring ballot papers, manipulating postal voting and sabotaging the chances of his main rival, Labour candidate John Briggs, by branding him racist and anti-Islamic.” – Daily Mail
“The Bank of England will on Wednesday unveil a tough new regime intended to stamp out misconduct in the City, including powers to claw back bonuses up to seven years after they have been paid and a new law that would see reckless bankers sent to jail. … The move comes as the board of Lloyds Banking Group prepares to meet to discuss withholding pay from traders involved in the Libor rigging scandal. The bank prompted a political outcry this week after admitting to manipulating rates to cut the cost of a financial crisis rescue scheme, effectively costing the taxpayer millions of pounds.” – Financial Times
And comment:
> Yesterday: David Fagleman on Comment – When it comes to the banks, financial stability isn’t enough
“Her mistake was to try to do a three-point turn outside the home of new Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. … as her disastrous attempt soon became a seven-point turn, plain-clothes protection officers became suspicious. … After questioning her and searching her vehicle, they discovered she was driving without a licence and called in back-up to the narrow street in Belgravia, one of London’s wealthiest areas. … Armed police officers arrived on motorbikes moments later to issue the hapless driver with a ticket. She then watched as her black car was towed away.” – Daily Mail
“A hen party were left stunned when William Hague gatecrashed their celebrations. … The former Foreign Secretary was pictured with the group when they turned up at a sausage and beer festival in Rochdale, Lancs. … He happily posed for pictures with bride-to-be Rhiannan Adamson and her friends. … One was uploaded to Facebook, where some people thought Mr Hague was a stripper.” – The Sun (£)