Autumn Statement 2015: George Osborne’s speech transcript in full including stamp duty, business rates and corporation tax announcements November 25, 2015 Mr Speaker, this Spending Review delivers on the commitment we made to the British people that we would put security first. To protect our economic security, by taking the difficult decisions to live within our means and bring down our debt. To protect our national security, by defending our country’s interests abroad and keeping our [...]
Devolution bill: George Osborne gives English cities the option to break away from London May 14, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne is giving English cities the chance to become more independent from London under a new devolution bill. During a speech in Manchester, his first since the Conservatives' victory at the General Election, he said things should no longer be run just from the capital, and that this “old model” had unbalanced the [...]
Why Crossrail risks being London’s last major infrastructure project May 5, 2015 It is difficult to believe that it was half a decade ago that Liam Byrne – a Treasury minister in Gordon Brown’s government – left that infamous note for his successor. It apparently read, “Dear chief secretary, I’m afraid there is no money left… Good luck.” Of course, Byrne was only half right. Since 2010, [...]
It’s high time Britain faced up to the risks of radical devolution of power March 25, 2015 In all the sound and fury of the coming election, it’s important not to forget the areas where the parties agree. This includes support for much greater “localism” and devolution of power from central government – and not just to Scotland. One example is George Osborne’s support for an elected Manchester “super mayor”, a move [...]
TfL commissioner and Crossrail chief among top London bureaucrats set for pay probe July 22, 2014 Top bosses tasked with running London could be facing tough questions over their pay today, as a committee of politicians prepares to investigate excessive salaries. Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the Greater London Authority oversight committee, is calling on Mayor Boris Johnson to curb the amount top bosses are paid, after it emerged that [...]
Housing crisis: Greenbelt golf courses cover an area twice the size of Kensington and Chelsea February 24, 2015 There isn't enough room in London to sustain its growing population, with an estimated 50,000 new homes needed each year just to keep up. In 2014, just 20,000 new homes were built in the greater London area – which is far from being on track to meet chancellor George Osborne latest target of [...]
London should take a cue from Paris to build transport of the future February 26, 2015 The Chancellor and mayor of London set out a long-term economic plan for the capital last week, challenging London’s transport authority and business community to make the case for much-needed infrastructure investment ahead of the next spending review. This commitment is hugely welcome. We desperately need to future-proof our transport network, as London’s population is [...]
Focus On…Twickenham: Is a home here worth a try? August 14, 2014 This weekend, a dozen of the fiercest rugby teams in the world will descend on Twickenham Stadium, the largest venue dedicated to rugby union in the world. The suburban town of Twickenham in the London borough of Richmond will welcome athletes from as far apart as New Zealand and Buenos Aires to play in the [...]
Mega-city London will fall behind New York without a radical plan for growth March 11, 2015 At last, a real sense of urgency is starting to define the debate surrounding the future of London. As chancellor George Osborne and mayor Boris Johnson warned in their recent Long Term Economic Plan for London, the capital risks losing its leading status as a pre-eminent global city unless action is taken to plan for [...]
More Londoners will be affected by EU bonus cap under new rules March 4, 2015 More people working in the UK's financial services sector will have their bonuses capped, under new draft guidelines released today by the European Banking Authority (EBA). Last year, the financial watchdog put into force a limit on bonuses among bankers across the EU's 28 member states, stipulating that they could be no greater than twice [...]