Millions of households across the UK will see their energy bills soar by around 40% from April after chancellor Jeremy Hunt ruled out extending the government’s rebate scheme which ends next month.
The energy price guarantee (EPG) has capped average household energy bills at £2,500 but this will rise to £3,000 from March. Simultaneously, the government is scrapping the £400...
Pay up or strikes will continue, government told
Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers have vowed to continue their strikes until the government improves its pay settlements.
Half-a-million workers took part in “Walkout Wednesday” with teachers, civil servants, university lecturers, bus drivers, railway staff and security guards...
Policy & Politics
British army no longer tier-one level fighting force, says US general
Defence secretary Ben Wallace has been told by a senior US general that the British army is no longer considered a top level fighting force. Decades of cuts to army...
Policy & Politics
Nadine Dorries breaches ministerial code as Zahawi sacked over tax affairs
Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has been accused of breaking the ministerial code by parliament’s anti-corruption watchdog over hosting a TV show. Dorries failed to consult with the Advisory Committee...
Policy & Politics
Chumocracy – will changes to APPG rules curb business influence?
After every whiff of corruption, commentators reiterate that Britain has long been one of the oldest chumocracies. Although the term is quite self-explanatory, you may want to look up...
Tory funding bias flies in the face of levelling-up promises
For the government, it was all bells and whistles as the details of round two of levelling-up funding were revealed. The £2.1 billion will go to communities up and down the country. But once...
Sunak set for first Commons defeat over online safety bill
Rishi Sunak is facing his first defeat in the House of Commons over the online safety bill and plans to fine social media bosses rather than jailing them for failing to protect children from...
Braverman U-turns on Windrush pledges and wants to X-ray child refugees
Suella Braverman has provoked outrage over a U-turn on key pledges after the Windrush scandal and with her controversial plans to x-ray vulnerable child refugees.
The home secretary is under fire for abandoning commitments the...
Anti-strike law is ‘almost certainly illegal’; Starmer embraces ‘take back control’
Trade unions have vowed to “fiercely resist” Rishi Sunak’s new anti-strike law that will give employers the right to sue unions and sack workers who take industrial action.
The government plans to legislate for “minimum...
Rail strikes could continue past May, says RMT’s Mick Lynch
Commuters and other passengers have been urged to avoid using trains during this week’s rail strikes.
Eight-in-ten trains were cancelled on Tuesday (Jan 3) as RMT members continued their long running strike for better pay...