Politics

By Pieter Cranenbroek, International Politics Blogger In recent years it has become increasingly difficult to out yourself as a pro-European. The hosanna accompanying the European project in the 1990s that culminated in the move towards a political union seems to have vaporised. Rather than being forced to promote its policies, the EU has been forced to defend its existence and far right parties reap the harvests of this situation. However, it is important to remember that extremists have never got us...

By Adam Walker, Economics Correspondent  Recent figures announced by the Student Loans Company indicate that each year of university graduates entering employment are facing decreased earning potential in their early careers when compared to that of the previous year. Following on from Phil Benton’s article on graduate unemployment and my own discussion on the higher education 'bubble', the question concerning the future economic implications of a market where the supply of graduates vastly exceeds demand is brought to light. Debt and...

By Joe Mellor, In house Reporter  Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford Vs Ex Co-op chairman Rev Paul Flowers   Name Rob Ford Paul Flowers Age 44 63 Location Toronto Bradford Accusation Drug abuse, sexual misdemeanours Drug abuse, sexual misdemeanours Drug of Choice Crack cocaine, Cannabis Crack Cocaine, Ketamine, Crystal meth, GHB (allegedly) Job (Somehow) Mayor of Toronto Ex Co-op chairman, April 2010 - June 2013, gave evidence at the House of Commons Treasury Committee on 6 November. Previous work experience...

By Joe Mellor, In house Reporter  Sir John Major is front page news again, in a comeback as unlikely as a new Gary Glitter release topping itunes. The state-educated former prime minister, whose father Tom was a famous circus performer, had previously kept a low profile since leaving office in 1997. John believes the Westminster circus, and other institutions are now run only by the ringmasters, people who attended public school. Allegedly Major Snr fathered at least five children with...

By Rachel Wilson, Political Reporter  On November 4 2013 the Living Wage rose by 25p to £8.80 an hour in London. Outside of London it rose from £7.45 to £7.65. Focused on stemming the rising tide of 'in-work poverty', the modern UK Living Wage campaign was launched by members of London Citizens in 2001 to address the fact that one in five people in the UK get less than the Living Wage. This phenomenon of ‘in-work’ poverty is highlighted by...

By Joe Mellor, In house Reporter    The police are after the press, the press after the politicians and the press are after police. In this triangle of hate, they are all at each other’s throats. So where does that leave the rest of the public? Well this is a poor analogy, but stay with me. Imagine three ship captains arguing over who should take the helm, ignoring the passengers falling overboard, waving manically, as the vessel sails into the...

By Nathan Lee, Politics and Finance Writer  It would seem we’re missing a crucial economic component. Price rises - as inevitable as the morning sun - are not being met with real wage increases, leading to a proverbial squeeze on households. The Bank of England's two per cent base rate hasn’t been realised for some time which means not only are wage levels stagnant, inflation is high and quite evidently out of the control of monetary bodies, leading to a...

By Jack Peat, Editor of The London Economic Coordinated occupation of armed forces avoids the terrorism label, but it isn't exempt from it. Britain has invaded all but 22 countries in the world in its long history according to analysis contained in All the Countries We've Ever Invaded: And the Few We Never Got Round To. Of the countries  left untouched, only the likes of Guatemala, Tajikistan and the Marshall Islands make the short list, along with the closer to...

By Pieter Cranenbroek – International Politics Blogger The current British administration is hardly in love with the EU. Prime minister David Cameron proposed an ill-considered referendum on Britain’s future in Europe while Chancellor George Osborne has been reported saying that the EU is ‘killing’ the UK economy. It is yet another error of judgment on the part of the Tory government, and two recent reports confirm what we already know: the UK needs Europe. Not only is it preposterous to suggest...