Politics
Child poverty statistics declared an “outrage and a scandal”
New statistics that show a third of children are living in poverty have been declared an "outrage and a scandal" by Labour MP David Lammy. A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation revealed half a million more people are “trapped” in poverty than five years ago, with 14 million people living in poverty across the whole of the UK. Over half of those classed as in poverty are working age adults, alongside 4.1 million are children and 1.9 million are...
Tory MPs face backlash for Foodbank publicity stunt
Conservative politicians in Scotland have faced a backlash today after a Foodbank publicity stunt backfired. MPs including Ross Thomson, John Lamount, Kirstene Hair and Luke Graham appeared to use scripted copy to boast about donations they made to an annual food collection organised by supermarkets in conjunction with Trussell Trust. Stephen Paton, online content editor at The National, tweeted: "If you want to give the impression you've spontaneously donated to a food bank, probably best not to mostly copy and...
Stephen Fry compares Leave campaign to Nazi propaganda in Brexit video separating facts from fear
Stephen Fry has waded into the Brexit debate comparing elements of the Leave campaign to Nazi propaganda in a video that separates "facts from fear". The renowned comedian and activist has produced the 11-minute film as Theresa May takes her deal with Brussels to the country in a bid to sell the terms on which the UK will leave the union. Campaigners on both sides of the debate have been critical of the deal that has been tabled, with a common...
EU warns no renegotiation: Only options are Theresa May’s Brexit deal, no deal Brexit or no Brexit.
Ahead of a vote on Theresa May’s deal with the EU which has been attacked by all sides of parliament, the EU has confirmed that at this stage the only option MPs have is the deal on offer, Brexit with no deal or no Brexit. Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker held a joint press conference at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires. Addressing the world’s press, Donald Tusk insisted that the EU member states were “prepared for any scenario.” “A...
Health Secretary Matt Hancock accused of breaking ethics rules
Matt Hancock has come under fire for praising a private app in a newspaper article. The Labour Party want the Health Sec to face an “urgent investigation” after he seemed to endorse, Babylon, a GP app. The piece appeared in the Evening Standard, edited by George Osborne, where he praised the app, even telling the paper he had it on his own mobile device, reports the Huffington Post. The article was printed "in association with" Babylon, which matches patients to...
Ending free movement could cause shortage of workers, sending UK economy into “Shock”
Ending the free movement of labour from Europe could create a major shortage of workers, especially in South-East England, according to a new study on the impact of Brexit. Researchers also found existing employment rights are likely to remain “more or less intact” after Brexit, as many UK laws exceed the minimum standards required by EU employment directives, while leaving the EU is unlikely to have a large impact on UK employment policy or collective representation by trade unions. Both...
Second Brexit referendum could be held in May, claims ex Tory Minister
A Brexit referendum could be held before summer begins, claims a former top Tory Minister. Justine Greening, believes a new vote would only take 22 weeks to organise and conduct. Meaning it could take place on the 30th May. If parliament defeats Theresa May’s Brexit deal on 11 December, wheels could be put in motion for another EU vote. Such a move would see the Article 50 process extended, meaning Brexit would not occur on 29 March as scheduled. Greening...
This teabag metaphor is the smartest thing anyone has ever said on Brexit
Comedian James Acaster has been credited with saying the "smartest thing anyone has ever said on Brexit" after his teabag metaphor went viral on social media. Appearing on Mock the Week the Kettering funnyman compared Britain's exit from the single market to taking a teabag out of a cup of peppermint tea rather than leaving it in. He said although the bag appears to be getting weaker if you leave it in the cup on the whole gets stronger. Whereas if...
May ridiculed for saying People’s Vote will “overturn will of British people”
Theresa May has been ridiculed after she argued a People's Vote would "overturn the will of the British people". J.K. Rowling led the social media onslaught saying May's comments in response to John McDonnell's assertion that Labour will inevitably back a second Brexit referendum "make literally no sense". "Who does she think would be voting? The Chinese?", she said. The shadow chancellor claimed yesterday that Labour will back a People's Vote if the party is unable to force a general election in comments that...