Politics

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Your mum jokes are funny, cruel, but funny, however when the two leaders of the main British political parties descend into a “your mum” slanging match during PMQs, you do wonder that it’s a matter of when, not if, the human race destroys itself. For once Corbyn showed some gumption and attacked the PM on the plight of the NHS and more specifically, junior doctors and their ongoing battle with Jeremy Hunt. It was fierce...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Tory MP Heidi Allen made an impassioned speech against her own party's plan to cut ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) by £30 a week to disabled people. She pleaded with her fellow MPs to "look after the little man," sadly they ignored her and voted to slash the benefit from £102.15 to £73.10 for sick and disabled people deemed fit for "work-related activity". Watch her speech here 

This summer could well be the end of Boris Johnson. If Britain votes to stay in the EU and plans for Heathrow expansion get the go-ahead from the PM, there is arguably no way back for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP who has spent a large chunk of his political career campaigning against both issues. Earlier this week, Johnson’s father Stanley declared on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that his son’s decision to back back British exit from the...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Shockingly MPs have overturned a Lords decision to stop cuts to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) meaning disabled people will now be £30 a week worse off. It is hoped this cut would help people back into work, but it has even left some Tory backbenchers uneasy. The Government had previously been beaten by the Lords, over the reduction of the allowance for people in the work related activity group (WRAG), because they are...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor It looks like the Chancellor’s much heralded “Northern Powerhouse,” is not quite going according to plan, which may come as not much of a surprise to people living there. Osborne will be saddened to hear that more start-ups were launched in a single London postcode than in every city and town in Yorkshire. The capital’s Silicon Roundabout, the UK’s tech hub, created 10,280 start-ups in 2014-15. Conversely, last year Yorkshire and Humberside saw 9,562 start-ups,...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Leading barrister Michael Bowsher says the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) does allow for private US firms to snap up NHS contracts. The legal analysis has also revealed that the controversial TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) deal would mean NHS privatisation maybe irreversible for future governments. The controversial trade deal would give investors new legal rights, which extend beyond both UK and EU law as well as NHS contracts. The US-EU deal is...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Mandy Boycott a UKIP campaigner, and one-time prospective parliamentary MP, has made a pretty special parody version of Baddiel and Skinner's Three Lions. It has to be seen to be believed. The singing is terrible, the lyrics are terrible, you guessed it...it is TERRIBLE. Our best line "They've taken all our fish." Watch here

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The Labour Party leader was trying to respond to Cameron's statement on his deal with the EU, when he said: "Last week, like him, I was in Brussels meeting with heads of government and European leaders of socialist parties. One of whom said to me …” Two Tory MPs: “Who are you?” Hardly hilarious, but the standard of comedy in the Commons is rarely very high, and give the Conservatives a chance to have a dig...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A report has found that 3,500 vulnerable people are languishing in state ran institutions, almost a thousand more than was previously thought. The Government had vowed to ensure these people received adequate care in the community, but this hasn’t been the case. This shocking news comes despite promising to move them into decent community care, in wake of the Winterbourne view scandal in 2011. The report claims that 10,000 extra members of staff are needed...