News

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor I’m quite paranoid and believe the whole world is a conspiracy (against who, I’m not certain), but I am sure there was a very elaborate planned “joke,” during today’s PMQs. The sting began with Robert Jenrick, Con, who said of Miliband’s economic policy, “to be blunt” “James Blunt!” his partner in crime sitting beside him, chipped in, “he would send the UK back to bedlam,” he finished. Then Robert Redford (played by the PM) stepped...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor I was brought up in Newcastle upon Tyne and watching pub fights escalate was a common occurrence. Surprisingly the two leaders reminded me of one of these skirmishes, albeit it in an Oxbridge, educated duel way, rather than a bottling on Shields Road, Byker. After watching a number of these confrontations, the violence tends to only escalate once the door staff have broken it up, then both parties can really throw insults at each other,...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Moments before PMQs began the news reported that twelve journalists and policemen had been shot, due to their controversial cartoon satire. The PM condemned the attack, as did Ed. Prior to the terrorist atrocity the only story leading the news was the NHS crisis and Ed would not let the Cameron bury bad news today. Almost every Labour (and Lib) question focused on the problems in our health service. In the early exchanges there was...

By Michael Boxwell Eco-friendly cars have long been a good investment for Londoners. Driving an electric vehicle means you are exempt from both congestion charges and VED (road tax) both pet hates of the average motorist. There are an abundance of charging points around the City and local government offer a grant that will give you up to 75 per cent off the cost of installing a domestic charge point. With no fuel charges and the majority of car journeys...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Tonight (10th December) sees the latest film from the Africa Investigates series, a groundbreaking show that exposes corruption and abuse across Africa. On a continent where investigative reporters face intimidation and beatings and where death threats are an occupational hazard, African journalists go undercover to find the wrongdoers and put them under the spotlight. In this episode reporter Emmanuel Mutaizibwa and director Karim Shah have uncovered corruption in Uganda. It broadcasts on Al Jazeera English, tonight at...

By Charlotte Hope, Lifestyle Editor @TLE_Lifestyle Susan Boyle has her first boyfriend At 53 years young, Susan Boyle has confirmed that she has her first boyfriend. Isn’t that wonderful? Yes, yes it is. You’ll probably remember from her Britain’s Got Talent audition that she alleged that she’d ‘never been kissed’. Then she did a weird hip gyrating thing. But that’s by the by, ancient history, old news. Because now she’s in a relationship with an American doctor. A doctor who...

By Samuel Fawcett Voter turnout will be a hot topic in the run up to the General Election in May 2015. Disillusionment seems to be the word of the day amongst the politically active in the UK and with public figures such as Russell Brand championing revolution through political inaction, it's clear that something must be done to re-engage the electorate. In his first vlog for The London Economic, Samuel Fawcett discusses whether a Democracy Day could help prompt more people turn...

By Charlotte Hope, Lifestyle Editor @TLE_lifestyle On Sunday night we were treated to the American Music Awards - a yearly celebration of fine fine music. And also other stuff that isn’t Beyoncé. Did you watch them? Of course you didn’t, you were hungover and probably asleep. To counter that, I’ve taken the liberty of rounding up the news from the evening. You’re welcome. One Direction inadvertently make a man famous One Direction performed an emotional rendition of their new song...

Vlog from Ellis Palmer  Ellis Palmer's new vlog on Spanish politics for The London Economic this week focuses on the latest insurrectionary force in Spanish politics, the Podemos or 'We Can' party. In this edition of the vlog, he analyses: 1) Who Podemos are? 2) How they came about? 3) The different explanations behind their rise to prominence. 4) What effect they will have on on the future of Spanish politics? He'll be back next week, with an analysis of...