British Rail hits end of the line September 29, 2013 PUB QUIZ question: which Prime Minister abolished British Rail and when? John Major in 1994? Nope, the real answer is David Cameron and, er, today. The former nationalised railway service will cease to exist as a legal entity when the clock strikes 12 tonight, bringing an end to 65 years of existence. Although commuters have [...]
Labour forces Commons vote on future of the UK pub industry January 7, 2013 THE LABOUR party will this week demand action to save Britain’s pubs from closure after scheduling a House of Commons debate on the issue. Shadow pubs minister Toby Perkins will use Wednesday’s opposition day debate to call for action against large landlords, known as “pubcos”, that are accused of abusing their control over thousands of [...]
Benefit rises capped as coalition regulates pubs January 8, 2013 THE SECOND half of the coalition’s parliament got off to a busy start yesterday, as the government pushed through a one per cent cap on increases to most working-age welfare payments, as well as setting out its stall for the new year with plans to speed-up large infrastructure projects and regulate the pub industry. The coalition won [...]
Leveson is wrong – regulation is not the answer to every problem November 29, 2012 THE two scandals which gave rise to the Leveson Inquiry were phone hacking and bribing the police. Both are already crimes. The scandal was failure to enforce the law. Yet Leveson baldly dismisses these issues – asserting without evidence that “more rigorous application of the criminal law does not and will not provide the solution”. [...]
Retail boss: Red tape is worse than ever September 9, 2012 THE COALITION will today announce plans to exempt hundreds of thousands of businesses from health and safety inspections, as one of the country’s leading businessmen criticised the coalition for taking too long to start tackling red tape. Justin King, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, said the coalition’s decision to focus its efforts on economic growth after [...]
DOCTORS AND POLITICIANS CHARGE THEIR OWN GLASSES March 25, 2012 AS the debate rumbles on over setting a minimum price for alcohol, the British Medical Association has shown itself to be a bastion of moral fortitude. Heartily backing the move, which has found favour with the Prime Minister, it spoke out against the “scourge of alcohol abuse” and has lobbied against supermarkets selling cheap booze [...]
DOCTORS AND POLITICIANS CHARGE THEIR OWN GLASSES March 25, 2012 AS the debate rumbles on over setting a minimum price for alcohol, the British Medical Association has shown itself to be a bastion of moral fortitude. Heartily backing the move, which has found favour with the Prime Minister, it spoke out against the “scourge of alcohol abuse” and has lobbied against supermarkets selling cheap booze [...]
RAPID RESPONSES March 27, 2012 Money troubles [Re: Reform of political funding mustn’t result in taxpayers carrying the bill for parties, yesterday] Membership of the three main parties is less than that of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. It will take years for the parties to regain their base, if they ever do. In the meantime, if [...]
There’s no logic behind the workfare proposal February 28, 2012 THE government has introduced a scheme that encourages people on the unemployment benefit to work at selected firms, such as Tesco. They are paid nothing but are alleged to benefit by gaining work experience. This is not slave labour, as some have alleged. No one is forced to do this unpaid work, not even as [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD November 20, 2011 COMPANY NEWS ● Mitie Group announces its half-year results today. The facilities management company offers a range of building and support services, from industrial painting and engineering, to catering and cleaning. ● Mitchells & Butlers announces its final results and De La Rue announces its interim results tomorrow. M&B runs about 2,000 pubs and restaurants [...]