Setback for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Trident as his plans for Labour members to get a say is “against rules” January 12, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was delivered a blow against his hopes of reversing his party's backing of Trident, after the party's general secretary unambiguously said there would be no change in its policymaking process before September. At a parliamentary meeting Iain McNicol told MPs that any changes in the way the party determined policy would [...]
Theresa May is facing a call to disclose exactly what and when she knew about Softbank’s £24bn acquisition of Arm Holdings October 13, 2016 Theresa May is facing a call to disclose exactly what she knew about Softbank's £24bn acquisition of Arm Holdings from the Cambridge MP whose constituency includes the UK headquarters of the tech giant. The £24bn acquisition of Arm in July has been hailed by the government as an expression of confidence in the UK economy in the [...]
Editor’s Notes: Work on a trade deal has begun, even if the EU hasn’t noticed, Labour turns against the City of London Corporation and Art 4 Grenfell October 20, 2017 Another week, another round of the Brexit dance in Brussels. The Europeans are inching towards the next phase of talks, though with “sufficient progress” not yet being confirmed they’re talking about commencing internal discussions about preparing for the next round. While this slow pace is infuriating, it’s always worth looking behind the public statements to [...]
Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell leave early from Labour’s Christmas party December 16, 2015 Labour had its annual Christmas party yesterday, and despite everyone's differences there were no punch-ups or seething. A recent report in the Telegraph quoted a Labour MP as saying just 43 people would show up, with some planning to pre-drink at home to get themselves through the evening, but apparently there was no need. Everyone was [...]
Nigel Farage warns of political anger “the likes of which we’ve never seen” November 6, 2016 Nigel Farage has added fuel to the fire in the row over how Brexit will be triggered, warning that there would be unprecedented political anger among people who might feel "cheated" and "betrayed". "If the people in this country think they're going to be cheated, that they're going to be betrayed, we're going to see political [...]
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says a Labour government under Jeremy Corbyn would break up the big banks January 21, 2016 A Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn would look to break up Britain’s biggest banks, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said. Speaking at a Co-operatives UK conference in Manchester today, McDonnell said: “Small businesses in general, and not just co-operatives, face dreadful difficulties in getting the funding they need from our high-street banks. “No other major [...]
How Labour has performed in by-elections since Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour party December 23, 2015 There has only been one by-election so far this parliament for a seat in Westminster, which was won by Labour in leader Jeremy Corbyn’s first national electoral test. But there have been many more council by-elections since Corbyn took the reins of the Labour party, and there is a distinct regional pattern to how Labour [...]
Prime Minister Theresa May says UK could continue paying into the EU budget and sticks to guns on Brexit timetable December 19, 2016 The Prime Minister has today indicated the UK could keep paying into the EU budget post-Brexit, provided government feels it is getting good value for money. Responding to a question in parliament from opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn about payments into the EU, Theresa May said it was the government's intention "that those funds will continue [...]
Prime Minister’s Questions: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pushes David Cameron on cancellation of flood protection schemes January 6, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pushed Prime Minister David Cameron on the cancellation, delay and cuts to a number of flood defences that left communities devastated over Christmas when storms hit. Corbyn said a £190m flood defence scheme was cancelled in 2011 in Leeds, a city that was subsequently flooded, and that spending on flood defences in Cumbria was also [...]
Hilary Benn is to chair parliament’s cross-party Brexit watchdog October 19, 2016 Former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn has been confirmed as the chair of a newly established parliamentary Brexit watchdog. Benn defeated Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey to win the spot, which will see him lead 20 other MPs from across party's in scrutinising the work of David Davis' department for exiting the European Union. It marks [...]