Osborne announces new anti-“tax dodge” measures ‘Britain is to declare war on tax dodging by making it a criminal offence for residents to hide income in tax havens overseas. The tough new measure, announced by George Osborne at a meeting of finance ministers in the U.S., could help recoup some of the £15 billion in personal […]
Scottish Secretary warns that the nationalists are gaining momentum “Scotland is in danger of sleepwalking into a split from Britain unless the pro-UK campaign shows more ‘hunger’, a Cabinet minister has warned. … Alistair Carmichael, the Scottish Secretary, cautioned that the Yes campaign was gaining momentum and could win the 18 September referendum. … His […]
Dugher denies Labour campaign resignation threat as the party’s poll lead falls… “Furious Shadow Minister Michael Dugher told the Labour leader he wanted to resign, claiming he could no longer work with Douglas Alexander, who is masterminding the party’s General Election strategy. Mr Dugher is said to have told Mr Miliband: ‘Douglas is totally bloody […]
A senior minister tells the Guardian: an independent Scotland could keep the pound “‘Of course there would be a currency union,’ the minister told the Guardian in remarks that will serve as a major boost to the Scottish first minister … The minister, who would play a central role in the negotiations over the breakup […]
Energy firms respond to competition inquiry with blackout blackmail ‘Customers of the Big Six energy companies may have been paying more because of “tacit co-ordination” between them, the regulator claimed yesterday, announcing a competition inquiry into the energy market…The industry is warning that the inquiry could deter investment in the next generation of power stations. […]
YouGov poll finds Farage to be victor in first debate with Clegg “A YouGov survey of 1,003 viewers found that 57 per cent thought the Ukip leader had performed better, with 36 per cent backing the Deputy Prime Minister. A tracker analysis of viewers’ and listeners’ responses by Blurrt, however, suggested the hour-long debate had […]
Frack now to stop Putin, says Cameron ‘David Cameron told opponents of fracking yesterday that it was their duty to embrace the new technique as part of efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy supplies. President Putin’s annexation of Crimea was a “wake-up call” that should make exploiting different sources of energy a political priority, […]
I will act on death taxes, says Cameron “The Tories will revive their £1 million inheritance tax pledge at the next election. David Cameron said the threshold should rise to ensure only the rich pay death duties. Without action, the number of families paying the 40 per cent levy will double to one in ten […]
Cameron challenges Miliband over pensions… “David Cameron will today accuse ‘dithering’ Ed Miliband of not trusting people with their own cash as he makes his party’s pensions revolution a key election issue. … The PM will say Labour is ‘all over the place’ as it tries to respond to last week’s Budget revelation. … Around […]
A Budget bounce? Tories and Labour neck-and-neck in the polls “The Tories are neck and neck with Labour after a post-budget poll bounce, prompting senior figures to urge Ed Miliband to sharpen his policies and stop speaking like a ‘Hampstead academic’. … Today’s YouGov poll for The Sunday Times puts the Conservatives on 36%, just […]
BBC licence fee to be decriminalised ‘The abolition of the BBC licence fee came a step closer yesterday when Downing Street backed plans to decriminalise non-payment. All three main parties will vote on Tuesday to end the threat of prison sentences for fee dodgers. More than 180,000 viewers – almost 3,500 a week – appeared […]
Budget 1) Strong backing for pensions change “Giving workers the freedom to spend their retirement savings as they choose is backed by two thirds of voters, a new poll shows in a big boost for George Osborne. The Chancellor’s dramatic announcement in Wednesday’s Budget is supported by 66 per cent in the YouGov survey published […]
Budget 1) A Budget for savers “Savers were placed at the heart of Britain’s economic recovery after George Osborne announced the biggest overhaul of pensions for a generation. … The centrepiece of the Chancellor’s fifth Budget was the scrapping of rules that force most Britons to use their pension savings to buy an annuity. … […]
Budget 1) Cameron defends the £2,000-a-year childcare subsidies… “Getting more parents out to work with up to £2,000 a year in childcare subsidies for every child will be ‘good for the economy’, David Cameron said last night. … The Prime Minister said the scheme, details of which will be confirmed in today’s Budget, was not […]
Budget 1) Osborne announces new Garden City for Ebbsfleet “A new body will kick-start the development of Ebbsfleet, Kent, and create a new town to mirror Welwyn Garden City in 1920. Armed with £200million and new planning powers, the development body will oversee the construction of 15,000 homes on the Thames Estuary…Planning permission for Ebbsfleet […]