Politics
Watch – “You talk sh**e, hen,” Mhairi Black lays into Tory Minister
It appears Mhairi Black is at it again, still only 22-year-old but is already a Commons legend, after many speeches that make the hair on back your neck stand on their end, no matter what side of the political divide you are on. When elected in May 2015, she was just 20 years and 237 days old. The youngest MP in the house but her age has been no obstacle to making a name for herself and fighting against Tory...
“These misguided proposals must be reversed” Mental health charity slams Chancellor’s Budget
In today’s Spring Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond made no mention of the Government’s plans to change the way Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is awarded in the future. PIP is awarded to cover the extra costs that disabled people face, and is gradually replacing Disability Living Allowance. Recently the courts ruled that people who find it difficult to leave the house because of psychological distress should be able to receive the higher rate of PIP. But two...
No plan in Budget from Chancellor to relieve strain on workers, claims Union
Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Budget Statement failed to relieve the strain on workers from a further squeeze on living standards as wage growth is on course fall, GMB trade union warned today. Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget statement, the union said he neglected to support workers facing a decade of pay and had failed to provide proper funding for public services or social care. Hammond also raised National Insurance for the self-employed, turning his back on a manifesto pledge to not...
PMQs 8th March – The roller-coaster ride hasn’t ended Philip, we haven’t even bought the ticket yet
Today’s PMQs was fairly subdued as the Budget followed, it always is in these situations, so I’ll merge the two as seamlessly as the government’s Brexit plan. It is International Women’s Day and the Tories were beaming they have had two female PMs. Thatcher did literally nothing for women’s rights, but that doesn’t matter when you are gloating at the opposition. Victoria Atkins, Con, announced it was 2-0 to the Tories over women PMs. Sometimes results flatter to deceive. Corbyn...
“Worst salary squeeze on public sector since Thatcher must end,” demands Union
Public sector workers have been slapped with a decade long “pay pinch” and now inflation caused by Brexit has worsened the pay problems for midwives, teaching assistants and refuse collectors amongst others. The GMB union claims the public sector is now suffering from the worst salary squeeze since the Thatcher government The government cap on wages means that full-time workers, in the public sector, now actually face a real terms reduction in income. On average this will be a huge...
Watch – Jeremy Corbyn insists Labour CAN win a snap election
A frustrated Jeremy Corbyn told the Victoria Derbyshire show that Labour could win a snap election. The presenter pressed the labour leader for a yes or no answer, he was sick of being asked and replied: “Listen, you’ve asked me the question many times. How many times do I have to tell you? We’re taking our case out there to win because we believe we can win.” Many Corbyn supporters believe that his own party are responsible for the large...
Migration might not decline in post-Brexit UK even when free movement ends, warn Peers
It is news that will anger many Brexiteers, who wanted to leave the EU to curb migration into the UK, but migration might not fall in Brexit Britain. A Lords report has said that ending the free movement of Labour, Post-Brexit, might not actually lead to fewer people coming to the UK to live and work. Various sectors, such as farming, need migrant workers to keep their businesses going. Work is seasonal and they can’t fill the vacancies using UK...
Polls indicate Nexit could be on the cards
The Netherlands would vote 56 per cent in favour of leaving the EU if there was a referendum tomorrow, a new poll has shown. According to the Maurice de Hond poll the country would vote overwhelmingly to leave, with 44 per cent remaining compared to 48 per cent who voted the same in Britain. The poll shows that a majority of Dutch voters would prefer more self-government and are open to different options. For the Nexit supporters, this may mean looking...
PMQs 1st March – We didn’t come down in the last shower
If you had to say what is one thing you would never want to imagine, Theresa May and John Bercow showering together is probably top of my list. Well maybe just after Gary Barlow doing anything. Somehow this cropped up in today’s session, but more of that later, as I need to take my mind off it for a moment. See, a troubled mind can be much more serious than the thought of May wearing loofer mitts and gently exfoliating...