Syria air strikes: Labour confirms MPs will have a free vote on bombing campaign November 30, 2015 The Labour party has confirmed that its MPs will have a "free vote" on the government's proposal to extend the military's anti-ISIS bombing campaign into Syria. In a statement this afternoon, a spokesperson for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Today's shadow cabinet agreed to back Jeremy Corbyn's recommendation of a free vote on the Government's proposal [...]
Syria air strikes: 75 per cent of Labour members are against extending strikes into Syria November 30, 2015 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has written to Prime Minister David Cameron asking for a two-day debate on air strikes in Syria. In a letter sent this afternoon beginning "Dear David", Corbyn said the matter is "of such critical importance there must be full and adequate time for any debate". "A one day debate would inevitably lead to [...]
COP21 Paris climate change summit: Barack Obama calls talks an “act of defiance” after terror attacks November 30, 2015 US President Barack Obama has called the climate summit in Paris an “act of defiance”, taking place just weeks after terror attacks that left 130 people dead. Speaking in front of world leaders from nearly 200 countries, gathered to seal the deal on a new global climate agreement, Obama praised Paris and its citizens for [...]
COP21 Paris climate change summit: Reasons to feel more optimistic about a new agreement now than in Copenhagen November 30, 2015 Last week, a UN report declared our planet is halfway to dangerous levels of global warming, bringing into sharp focus the challenge world leaders face at this week’s climate talks. Are they up to the task and can they come away from COP 21 with a meaningful agreement that will drive down emissions and bring [...]
UK business backing strong deal at COP 21 climate change summit in Paris November 30, 2015 With world leaders gathering in Paris on the first day of the COP 21 climate summit, UK business has thrown its weight behind a strong global agreement to tackle climate change. Current international agreements expire in five years, and leaders of over 190 countries have been tasked with producing a new deal covering the years [...]
Skills shortage: One in three say they’re put off hiring apprentices because system is too bureaucratic November 30, 2015 One in three small construction firms is not taking on apprentices because of the bureaucracy involved, according to a new research report out today from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). FMB chief executive Brian Berry said that while a recent survey of his group's members showed that nearly all (94 per cent) of small construction companies [...]
Gender pay gap: Proportion of female high earners remains stubbornly unchanged at 27 per cent November 30, 2015 Just over a quarter of the UK’s high earners are women, and new research shows this proportion hasn’t budged in years, despite initiatives to shrink the pay gap between men and women. In absolute numbers, there are more women earning a high salary, as the number of high earners among both sexes has gone up [...]
COP21 Paris climate summit: Business has role in fighting climate change, says David Cameron November 30, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron will today say that business has a vital role to play in fighting climate change because it is too large an issue for governments alone to deal with. Setting out his priorities for negotiations at the COP21 climate change summit in Paris, he will also say Britain wants to see a [...]
MPs back sugar tax endorsed by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver November 30, 2015 An influential parliamentary committee has called for a new “sugary drinks tax” on full sugar soft drinks. In a report published today, the health select committee says that “bold and urgent action” is required to curb childhood obesity. Committee chair Sarah Wollaston, a GP who has been the Conservative MP for Totnes since 2010, said: “One-third [...]
CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn says mid-sized firms are the “missing link” in the British economy November 30, 2015 Carolyn Fairbairn will use her first major speech as Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director-general today to call on the government to introduce new policies to promote medium-sized businesses. Speaking at CBI event in London, Fairbairn will say that Britain’s 3,000 so-called “scale-up medium-sized businesses” (MSBs) contributed £59bn to the UK economy between 2010 and 2013. [...]