A shake-up in government policy could mean 10,000 new council houses being built a year – five times the current rate
Archive for March, 2010
The Russians are coming!
By Jeremy Dear /Friday, March 26th, 2010Mediawatch: With the Independent about to join the Evening Standard in ex-KGB officer Alexander Lebedev’s media group, what future for British newspapers?
When West Auckland was on top of the world
By Ed Waugh /Friday, March 26th, 2010Theatre: A little known tale of football heroes kicks off on stage in Newcastle
MPs urged to make way for favoured candidates
By Chris McLaughlin and David Hencke /Friday, March 26th, 2010Number 10 is targeting sitting MPs in the North in a bid to get favoured candidates selected
Shelter’s table shows wretched record on affordable homes
By Keith Richmond /Friday, March 26th, 2010A new report by Shelter reveals the failure of councils across the country to meet their housing obligations
Colom visit cements ties between Guatemala and Russia
By Marcus Papadopoulos /Friday, March 26th, 2010The Guatemalan president’s visit to Russia further cements the Kremlin’s new interest in Latin America
Nobble a Tory in the election
By Chris McLaughlin /Thursday, March 25th, 2010Tory Westminster hopeful Angie Bray has made a bit of a bloomer in her attempts to secure the three-way marginal seat of Ealing Central and Acton in west London. Former press officer Angie, known as “jolly hockey sticks” because of her bossy head school manner, has sent out a glossy 8-page leaflet to constituents without paying sufficient postage. It’s £1.30 short. And any constituent who complains to the Tories gets a refund.
If hundreds or even thousands did it there would be a sizeable hole in Angie’s budget for the tight contest to wrest it from Labour.
Tip: wait until the election starts then all the refunds are deducted from her expenses limit.
UPDATE 1: Oxford West and Abingdon Tory party have done the same – and Tribune has spoken to a constituent who has just received his £1.30 refund cheque in the post
UPDATE 2: Angie Bray has been on to say the mistake was quickly picked up and that only a dozen copies were sent out and that nobody has required a postage refund. Yet. Full letter in this week’s Tribune.
Darling’s ‘recipe for recovery’ signals the clear general election dividing lines
By Keith Richmond /Thursday, March 25th, 2010Budget roundup
Millions face pay cut under Labour and Tory spending plans
By René Lavanchy /Thursday, March 25th, 2010Post-election cuts could mean thousands of public sector workers’ wages falling further behind those of the private sector