Cameron accused of “cronyism” over the New Year’s Honours list “David Cameron was accused of ‘cronyism’ last night after handing gongs to friends, Tory donors and even the woman who runs his supper club. … Alan Parker, a City public relations chief who has holidayed with the Prime Minister, was handed a knighthood in the […]
Tory discontents 1): fears that Salmond could break Union “David Cameron has been warned that the future of the United Kingdom is in jeopardy as the campaign to save the Union founders. Senior Tories have spoken of their fear that Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister and nationalist leader, could defy the odds and pull […]
“Moderniser” attacks Cameron… “David Cameron is guilty of “pandering to prejudice, uncertainty and anger” as he responds to the threat posed by the UK Independence party by championing a “negative and uninspiring” form of politics, a leading moderniser has warned. Ryan Shorthouse, the head of the Bright Blue thinktank, warns No 10 that it cannot […]
Today’s newslinks: The UN meddles in welfare reform (again); Osborne is The Times’ Briton of the Year; plus, rate rise row
Hunt: There will be a named doctor and nurse for every hospital patient “The move – announced today by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt – will allow patients and families to know where the buck stops. The idea of identifying individual doctors and nurses has all but died out after once being commonplace in the NHS. […]
Vince flips his lid on immigration… ‘In an extraordinary attack, the Lib Dem Business Secretary claimed the Tories were speading ‘panic’ about immigration and compared their ‘populist policies’ to Mr Powell’s notorious ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech from the 1960s. And in a bizarre attack on the public, he suggested voters were ‘schizophrenic’ because they wanted […]
Clegg willing to block more curbs on migrants “The deputy prime minister and Liberal Democrat leader insists that proposed restrictions on benefits for migrants are enough to protect Britain from an influx from eastern Europe. He has signalled that there will be no further negotiations on the issue with Conservative colleagues before 2015. Writing in […]
Cameron threatens to block Serbia and Albania from joining the EU, if migration isn’t curbed “David Cameron threatened last night to veto any new members of the EU unless he won sweeping curbs on freedom of movement. … The Prime Minister said he would block Serbia and Albania from joining unless there were stringent restrictions […]
Cameron blocks plan for EU army… “David Cameron has blocked plans for European Union owned military forces and told a summit of Europe’s leaders that Nato is the “bedrock” of defence in Europe. The Prime Minister has told a Brussels summit that there can be no question of British support for proposals from Baroness Ashton […]
Cameron and Europe 1: Could an EU Referendum be law BEFORE 2015? “David Cameron is prepared to use special constitutional powers to ensure that plans for an EU referendum become law before the next election. … The Prime Minister has pledged to use the Parliament Act to overpower the House of Lords and get the […]
‘MPs believe that killers and sex fiends should get the vote’ “A Parliamentary committee has called on the Government to allow ALL prisoners to take part in elections in the final six months of their sentences. They say lags serving 12 months or less should also get the vote, to comply with a ruling by […]
Two Heathrow options and Gatwick lead the airport commission – but Boris Island stays in the fight “New runways at Heathrow and Gatwick are among the options that have been short-listed by the Airports Commission. The three short-listed options include adding a third runway at Heathrow, lengthening an existing runway at Heathrow, and a new […]
May’s immigration cap “would force Britain to leave EU” “Britain would have to leave the European Union or attempt to renegotiate agreements struck in the Treaty of Rome if it were to implement plans floated yesterday by Theresa May. The Home Secretary was accused by Conservative colleagues of burnishing her eurosceptic credentials after a leaked Home […]
No.10’s plan to cap child benefits at two children “Downing Street has drawn up controversial plans to slash up to £5 billion a year from the welfare bill by limiting child benefit to families’ first two children. … Under the proposal, revealed today, families would also lose their entitlement to child tax credit for any more […]
Universities back down on sexual segregation after Cameron speaks out “Islamic speakers at universities will no longer be allowed to demand that men and women sit apart after vice-chancellors withdrew their controversial guidance that sex segregation was acceptable. Universities UK was forced into a humiliating climbdown yesterday after David Cameron intervened, saying he felt very […]