Politics
MPs vote in £1 billion tax credits cut – despite Chancellor’s pledge not to
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Conservative MPs voted to slash nearly £1billion from tax credits, even though the Chancellor swore he wouldn’t cut the benefit; that helps millions of hardworking families across the UK. A little-known catch will hit hundreds of thousands of people and was approved in a very brief vote and with no debate. It was a massive U-turn over his attempts to slash tax credits for over 3 million families by £1,300 in a year, however he...
The EU debate pantomime
By Abeer Sharma You would be forgiven for hoping that the upcoming referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union- the first since 1975- would present a ripe prospect to have a sensible, mature and enlightening debate about how we intend to steer the future direction of our country. Unfortunately (and somewhat depressingly predictably), since David Cameron announced the date of the 23rd June referendum last month, the entire debate is being overshadowed by an onslaught of false statistics,...
PM ‘needed a crib sheet’ to tell him price of milk
By Joe Mellor Deputy Editor David Laws ex-Lib Dem minister has claimed that David Cameron was given a list with the cost of common items of food and the names of hit pop songs; in the event he was asked any normal questions everyone else knows the answer to. The PM was forced to rely on a “crib sheet” to let him know the price of milk and other daily goods, to ensure he didn’t look out of touch with...
New poll sees Labour drawing level with Tories
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Like most people I am fairly dubious of polls these days, however according to an ICM poll for the Guardian Labour has drawn level with the Conservative Party. The poll put Labour on 36% up a huge four points, leaving them tied with the conservatives down 3 points since December’s results. It is the first time labour has match the Tories since Corbyn came to power. UKIP are unchanged on 11%, the Lib Dems up...
Tory MP forced out of MS Society after voting to cut disability benefits
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Angry MS Society members urged Kit Malthouse to resign as their patron over his decision to vote in support of a cuts to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to disabled people. Malthouse had to quit over his decision to slash (ESA) by £30 a week. The North West Hampshire MP handed in his resignation, and said: "I have no desire to remain if their members do not wish me to do so." Chief executive Lucy Byrne...
VIDEO – People THANK Iain Duncan Smith for stopping their benefits…he claims
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Bizarrely, Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary claimed people liked being sanctioned and having their benefits stopped. It is not known if he asked the thousands of people with disabilities, who are to have their ESA cut, if they liked their lowered income. During the shocking outburst he said it help people “focus.” Smith, with a straight face, said that people actually thanked him for cutting their benefits or taking away all together. He...
PMQs Sketch 9th March – I’ve got 99 problems…but you answered none
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The session began with Karin Smyth, Lab, wondering if the PM had failed on the number of apprenticeships being offered to our kids. To be fair they can probably make more uploading themselves jumping from scaffolding onto their You Tube channels, than toiling away in a cement factory in Droitwich, but that is beside the point. Each week Labour claim apprenticeship schemes are failing, more children are in poverty and there is less house building...
Osborne defeated on Sunday trading as Tory rebels join with SNP
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor George Osborne was dealt another bitter blow as he was defeated in his attempts to extend Sunday trading hours. MPs voted to take the policy initiative from the Enterprise Bill. He was blocked by the SNP and 26 Tory rebels. This left the Government losing by a majority of 31. Noting the major changes to businesses and many online services that are now available 27/7 like banking, shopping and even online forex trading platforms, his...
List of MPs who voted to force through ESA disability benefit cut
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The House of Lords was not able to halt a £30-a-week cut to disability benefits forced through by the Government. Charities warned the cut to (ESA) Employment & Support Allowance would make it more difficult for disabled people to find work and many already struggle to afford food at the current benefit level. This is a list of all the MPs who voted for the sharp cuts to disability benefits. Please remember the pay rises they...