By Mark WallaceFollow Mark on Twitter The media is intent on a "Tory splits" narrative. Given the obsessive focus on any hint of disagreement on the blue side of the House, it is surprising that there has been so little reporting of Labour's splits. They do have them – three in the last four days, in fact. Here […]
Earlier in the week, I wrote about Len McCluskey's development of a "party within a party" of Unite MPs on the Labour benches. Now, further concerns are mounting about the extent of the unions' power over the Labour Party's selection procedures. Jim Pickard of the Financial Times has carried out research which shows that 16 […]
By Mark WallaceFollow Mark on Twitter. Oh dear. It seems that having bailed out the Morning Star, a paper which has coincidentally been very flattering about him of late, Unite's Len McCluskey now expects other left wing news outlets to dance to his tune. Guido has revealed a letter sent by Len to the Editor of the […]
I have discussed before the indulgent attitude that Ed Miliband takes towards the far left and also noted how blatant Len McCluskey of the Unite union had been about his intentions. Mr Miliband poor judgment was recently confirmed by his schmoozing of George Galloway. Peter Watt, a former Labour Party General Secretary, has warned Ed […]
By Harry PhibbsFollow Harry on Twitter That faction on the Left that has been busy over the past 48 hours denouncing Margaret Thatcher has been so blinded by prejudice that facts have been disregarded. In the Daily Telegraph this monring Allister Heath points out that manufacturing output rose during her time in office. Does anyone really […]
The Municipal Journal reports(£) on some good progress made by Conservative-run Staffordshire County Council in reducing sickness absence by 8%. That amounts to 9,000 fewer sick days a year. The new policy means the council’s absence rate is an average of 7.68 days per employee, the same as for the private sector. It estimates the […]
Many councils, including Conservatives ones, that are increasing the Council Tax this year claim hey have "no alternative" that they "have done all they can" to find savings. Yet often the same councils are continuing to use Council Taxpayers money to fund the salaries of trade union officials. Harrow Council, for example, increased spending in […]
Will Hutton is in a state of shock. Writing in the Observer he explains why: “I was stunned to read in a recent IMF working paper, with the hardly catchy title Income Inequality and Current Account Imbalances, that the whole – yes the whole – of the deterioration of the British current account deficit between […]
By Harry PhibbsFollow Harry on Twitter Ed Miliband expresses irritation at being given the label "Red Ed." The Labour leader can reasonably point out that he is not a Communist – he does not want to abolish capitalism or overthrow Parliamentary democracy. However, while he is not on the far left himself, he does show signs […]
by Paul Goodman It's worth reproducing it on the site, and here it is from Labour List. You will see from the illustration on the right that most are Conservative-held. There are only eight Liberal Democrat ones in the top tranche, which I have marked in gold. 1 North Warwickshire 2 Thurrock 3 Hendon 4 […]
The Taxpayers Alliance has published research comparing the amount of taxpayer's money spent funding trade union officials for 2010/11 and 2011/12. The total cost is steady at £113 million. In one sense the situation has become even more outrageous as the proportion of state funded union officials in the public sector has risen: While total […]
Congratulations to Conservative-run North Lincolnshire Council which is ending its funding for the trade unions. They will cease paying salaries for union officials or providing free office space and thus save the Council Taxpayer £50,000. Instead they are boosting their apprenticeships programme. The council leader Cllr Liz Redfern, says: "We have an ambitious plan to […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter To mark Ed Miliband's decision to join the TUC's anti-cuts march tomorrow it's worth noting who is sponsoring the Labour leader as he walks alongside the spend-like-there's-no-tomorrow union leaders… This fun table comes from a new Conservative Party website that reminds people of Labour's record in office, Labour's dependence […]
Speaking to a Freedom Association fringe meeting during the Conservative Conference in Birmingham, the Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: "I am delighted to announce today in relatively short time we will be offering advice to local authorities both in terms of trade union time and check-off. I want to retain the independence […]
By Harry PhibbsFollow Harry on Twitter I thought my free market Conservative comrades Allister Heath (in his City AM column this morning) and Lord Forsyth (interviewed on BBC Daily Politics at lunch time) were ungenerous in their response to the Chancellor's proposal that workers should be allowed to trade with their bosses more flexible working conditions […]