Politics
Tory minister claims some homeless people decide to sleep rough
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor There has been anger after Tory minister Baroness Williams said homeless people chose to sleep rough. Charities have said "rough sleeping isn't a lifestyle choice" after her remarks in the upper house during a debate. The Communities Minister made her controversial statement as she argued with other peers over the amount of beds available to get people off the streets. Labour's Baroness Armstrong, said rough sleeping had more than doubled since the Tories took power...
Scrapping of rail franchises backed by competition regulator
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have said that extra direct competition would see greater efficiency, lower fares and better use of rail capacity. They said that rival train firms should run services on the same lines, which would see an end to the franchises on major intercity lines. This idea was considered and rejected on operational grounds when railways were first privatised in 1994. This report has been released just before Nicola Shaw’s review into the...
ESA disability benefit cuts forced through by Tories as Lords run out of blocking options
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor It was described by one peer as a “black day for disabled people” as the Lords was forced to accept cuts to ESA (Employment Support Allowance) given to sick and disabled people, the most vulnerable in society. After a brave fight by the Lords they were forced to back down in their opposition to the Government’s brutal plans. The Lords had managed to defeat ministers twice over plans to cut £30 a week from ESA. However,...
The case for a new Third Way
This is the latest guest feature from Richard Roberts, 26, author of Musings of a Young Londoner . If you would like to feature on The London Economic, you can submit your articles here. I’m a pro-capitalist social democrat. No, it’s not an oxymoron. It means roughly this: Philosophically, sure, I have qualms about a system that privileges the accumulation of private financial wealth above all other ends in life. But practically, I see no viable alternative to capitalism....
VIDEO – Jeremy Hunt Presented With His ‘Dick Of The Year Award’
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Jeremy Hunt is not exactly top of the our xmas card lists and as the junior doctors row continues to rumble on; support for the medics seems to be holding, and he looks increasingly under pressure. So maybe is was a good time to win an award, right? Wrong. Channel's 4 The Last Leg awarded him the title "dick of the year" and attempted to give Hunt his accolade, but he refused to accept it,...
Tory equality minister’s department pays men £3,000 more than women
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Shocking figures have revealed that women who work for the Tory minister responsible for closing the gender pay gap are paid almost two pounds per hour less than men in the same roles. Government’s figures state that male civil servants earn £22.30 a hour on average at the Department of Education however women make just £20.54. Nicky Morgan recently said she plans to “name and shame” companies who did not pay men and women equally...
Virtually 100% of “northern powerhouse” top officials work in capital
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A tiny fraction (97.6 per cent) of senior officials at the Department for Communities & Local Government actually work outside of London. This was the department that the chancellor asked to deliver the “northern powerhouse,” which aims to devolve power to the outlying regions and cities. However the government admitted that 97.6% of senior civil servants at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) are based in London. A pitiful 2.4% of the department’s...
George Osborne faces Tory backlash over Sunday trading hours
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Around 50 Conservative MPs are planning to rebel against the Chancellor’s plans to relax the Sunday trading laws, which also includes two ministers who may be ready to resign. The Chancellor, George Osborne, is facing another backlash from his party, this time over extending shopping hours on Sunday. Rumours are that 50 Tories are plotting to rebel on the vote on the issue on Wednesday only a week before his budget. The Chancellor is increasingly...
Afghanistan now deemed safe enough to deport asylum-seekers from UK
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Home Secretary Theresa May has won a case to return hundreds of people back to Afghanistan. The failed asylum-seekers, which also includes former child migrants, will be returned to Afghanistan. The Court of Appeal decided that deportations can now go ahead. Since last August there had been a total ban on deportations to the country, which has suffered immeasurable hardship, due the ravages of war. The Taliban now control swathes of territory in the country and...