Hunt to crack down on “health tourism” “Foreigners will be forced to pay for using an ambulance or visiting A&E under a £500 million crackdown on “health tourism”. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, will announce charges for emergency treatment and travel on all non-British residents for the first time next month, The Times has learnt. […]
Cameron faces grilling over Kids Company letters… “David Cameron faces a grilling by MPs after it emerged Kids Company boss Camila Batmanghelidjh boasted of blackmailing politicians into giving the charity more cash. The Prime Minister is accused of overriding ministerial advice and handing millions in public funds to the failed charity after receiving ‘Dear David’ […]
EU 1) Cameron accused of scaremongering over Norway claims “David Cameron triggered a major row over Europe last night by insisting the UK would suffer if it follows Norway and establishes a looser relationship with Brussels. The Prime Minister told MPs that the ‘Norway model’ could see the UK handing over just as much money […]
Cameron goes to Iceland to warn against Brexit ‘The Prime Minister will for the first time directly address the alternative options to Britain remaining in the EU during a trip to Iceland. Mr Cameron is expected to address suggestions from Eurosceptics that Britain would be better off following the example of Scandanavian countries such as Iceland […]
Osborne vows to rein in Lords after humiliation “George Osborne vowed last night to rein in the power of the Lords after he suffered a humiliating defeat over his plan to cut tax credits by £4 billion. The chancellor said that the unprecedented vote, which left his budget policy in limbo, raised constitutional issues about […]
Morgan warns of constitutional crisis if Lords kills tax credit cuts “Former Tory leader Michael Howard yesterday accused peers of trying to challenge the supremacy of the Commons amid signs that the Lords could inflict a historic defeat on ministers over tax credits today… Tory sources said they feared defeat over a Labour motion which […]
Osborne tries to buy off tax rebels… “George Osborne launched an offensive this weekend to kill off criticism over his cuts to tax credits as he faces a cabinet split coupled with a Conservative backbench rebellion. The chancellor has called in rebel MPs and asked them what he can do to help their constituencies in […]
Tories turn the screws on tax credit peers “The House of Lords is under mounting pressure to drop its resistance to the government’s planned tax credits cuts amid claims of Conservative bullying and warnings of a constitutional crisis. The Lords will vote on Monday on two attempts to either kill off or water down legislation […]
Osborne 1) Chancellor stands firm on tax credits… “George Osborne came under fresh pressure over tax credits yesterday, but claimed Britain will ‘go bust’ unless it cuts its welfare bill. The Chancellor told MPs that controversial tax credit cuts were an essential part of the fight to bring Britain’s finances under control.” – Daily Mail […]
The Commons votes on EVEL today “The controversial plans would see the introduction of a new parliamentary stage for laws that do not affect other parts of the UK. English or English and Welsh MPs would scrutinise such legislation alone and then accept or veto it. All MPs would then continue to debate and vote […]
Welfare 1) Allen uses her maiden speech to express tax credit fears ‘In an opposition day debate in the Commons on Tuesday, new MP Heidi Allen became the latest Conservative to voice concerns over the cuts, using her maiden speech to criticise Mr Osborne’s plans. “To pull ourselves out of debt, we should not be forcing those […]
Tax credit rebellion threatens Osborne “The chancellor was under growing pressure to think again on sweeping cuts to tax credits for low-paid workers last night after it emerged that peers were plotting to derail the plan… the possibility grew of a defeat in the House of Lords on Monday — an outcome that would force […]
Cameron will send home-grown jihadists back to school “Suspected British jihadists returning from Syria will be forced to attend classes confronting their “warped” outlook, David Cameron has declared. The prime minister revealed the measure as he warned that the battle against Islamic extremism was the defining fight of the 21st century. It comes as part […]
Blunt warns EU renegotiation unlikely to be enough to satisfy Tory MPs to back staying in… “The majority of Conservative backbenchers will remain unconvinced even if David Cameron succeeds in renegotiating the terms of the UK’s membership of the European Union, the chairman of the foreign affairs select committee has said. Asked if a successful […]
Cameron promises to unveil EU demands within weeks “David Cameron will finally reveal his long-awaited European Union renegotiation demands at the start of next month. The Prime Minister this afternoon said he would accelerate the discussions as he bowed to pressure to set out a timetable for laying out his proposed reforms. As he arrived […]