“Politicians are scared of telling the truth”: Circle blames Hinchingbrooke hospital failure on unequal spending cuts across the NHS March 31, 2015 Exclusive: Today, the NHS's biggest privatisation experiment ever comes to an expensive and embarrassing end – Circle Healthcare, which was chosen by the government three years ago to turn around the troubled Hinchingbrooke hospital in Cambridgeshire, is abandoning the project seven years early, leaving behind a deficit of between £7.7m and £12m. What's more, the [...]
General Election 2015: How does Martin Freeman stack up in celebrity political Top Trumps March 31, 2015 One the hallmarks of both UK and US elections is that each party wheels out their celebrity backers to add a bit of glamour to the men in grey suits. Yesterday, Martin Freeman – star of Sherlock, The Hobbit and a host of other hits – explained why he supports Labour. Freeman is far from the first [...]
Greece bailout talks: Greek government defends reform plans against German criticism March 30, 2015 The Greek government last night hit back at claims by Germany that its reform plans are too vague for an agreement to be struck over much-needed bailout payments. Greece and its creditors were locked in tense discussions throughout the weekend, after Athens submitted plans last Friday. The government is tasked with reining in borrowing while [...]
General Election 2015: Row over tax on business erupts between Labour and the Tories March 30, 2015 Labour and the Conservatives will today lock horns over the levels of tax imposed on companies, as business takes centre stage in the fiercely contested General Election campaign. Labour will announce today that, if elected, the party’s first Budget will cut business rates, in a move they say will be worth an average of £400 [...]
General Election 2015: And they’re off… The campaign is finally on March 29, 2015 ELECTION COUNTDOWN 38 DAYS TO GO After months of build up, the election campaign is officially here. Charlotte Henry previews the weeks ahead. David Cameron will today drive the short distance from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace, perhaps for the last time as Prime Minister, and ask the Queen to dissolve parliament. This will [...]
Double General Election poses major threat to construction March 29, 2015 The construction industry could suffer a sharp loss of output if there are two General Elections this year, a public sector procurement specialist said today. A second General Election could occur if the government fails a motion of no confidence without an alternative being put forward. Analysis of data going back to 1955 by Scape [...]
Iain Duncan Smith says David Cameron will not serve full second term March 29, 2015 Iain Duncan Smith has claimed David Cameron will not serve a full second term as Prime Minister if elected, contradicting Cameron's own statements last week. Cameron said he wanted to "finish the job" in a second term but ruled out the possibility of a third term. However work and pensions secretary Duncan Smith veered from [...]
General Election 2015: David Cameron promises seven-day NHS as figures reveal more deaths occur at the weekend March 28, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron will promise voters a “seven-day NHS” by 2020, starting with emergency care and extending to supporting services. At the Conservative spring conference in Manchester, the Conservative leader will say patients are currently “more likely to die" if they turn up at the hospital at the weekend, and that all hospitals in [...]
Boris Johnson beats May and Osborne as public’s favourite for next Tory leader March 27, 2015 Boris Johnson is by leaps and bounds the public's choice to replace David Cameron as Tory leader, should he step down part way through a second term. Earlier this week, Cameron ruled out standing for a third term as Prime Minister, leading many commentators to write that he had effectively fired the starting gun on [...]
