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The biggest vested interest in the UK is surely <drumroll> the local counc...
- 11:09
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Next Left | Cameron's confusions over vested interests
- 11:00
- Next Left
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Martin Bright | Tony Judt's Manifesto for the Left
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There's something quite funny about Cameron seeing the barons in 1215 as being o...
- 10:35
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Iain Martin | WSJ: Clegg would demand Clarke as Chancellor in Tory coalition
- 10:29
- Iain Martin Blog
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Tim Montgomerie | Is this Cameron's big new message: anti-bank, anti-union, anti all vested intere...
- 10:27
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Ed miliband hints at sigificant increases in the minimum wage.(this is shaping u...
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Iain Roberts | Four Lib Dem MPs censured over second home allowances
- 10:20
- Liberal Democrat Voice
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Iain Dale | Dangers of the PM's Tea Party
- 10:19
- Iain Dale
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Charlie Beckett | "Ashcroft lawyers force BBC to shelve film" Indy http://is.gd/aQ0li Of course, i...
- 10:15
- Charlie Beckett
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Tom Harris MP | Fur coat, nae knickers
- 10:06
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Keith Kahn-Harris | JNews: a potential voice for peace | Keith Kahn-Harris
- 10:00
- Comment is Free
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CCHQ need to tell us if the bank levy would be a bone-crunching risk-adjusted pr...
- 09:58
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Is there a sinister Labour plot to stop British troops voting in the election?
- 09:37
- John Rentoul
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Guido Fawkes | Saturday Seven Up
- 09:32
- Guy Fawkes' Blog
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lucy manning | Cameron on bank levy might not be popular in city but fair and necessary
- 09:23
- Lucy Manning
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Charlie Whelan | @lucymanning Oh dear. Cam lost plot going on about Thatch. What happened to chan...
- 09:20
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lucy manning | Cameron says pm wouldnt support ba workers crossing picket lines cos unite bankr...
- 09:16
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Archbishop Cranmer | Spring of discontent
- 09:16
- Cranmer
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Robert Giddings | The university challenge: how to meet it
- 09:15
- Tribune
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LFAT | Where is the anger and disgust at Tony Blair’s financial dealings?
- 09:15
- Letters from a Tory
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John Street | Objectively wrong
- 09:15
- Tribune
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lucy manning | Early start for david cameron in putney . .his message so far margaret thatcher ...
- 09:13
- Lucy Manning
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Tim Montgomerie | New Tory poster: 'Brown is doing sweet BA' about Unite http://is.gd/aPU15
- 09:02
- http://is.gd/aPU15
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Guest | Lib Dem tax policy: Our response to your responses
- 09:00
- Left Foot Forward
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Next Left | Miliband's manifesto to defend universalism
- 09:00
- Next Left
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Henry Macrory | "I simply will not let a Lab govt go back to the past, cave into the unions or b...
- 08:55
- Henry Macrory
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Charlie Whelan | Mail on Sunday morning update. If the stringer is still outside my Highland home...
- 08:50
- Charlie Whelan
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David Crookes | Cleaning up the Augean stables with a feather-duster
- 08:49
- Slugger O'Toole
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Neil Robertson | Why I’m not voting at the next election
- 08:00
- Liberal Conspiracy
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ConservativeHome | David Cameron to invoke the spirit of Thatcher in challenging the vested interes...
- 07:24
- ToryDiary
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Ashcroft has poured £250,000 into Pendle trying to unseat Gordon Prentice whos...
- 07:21
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John Redwood | Labour governments end in economic chaos
- 07:13
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David Herdson | Will this ground Labour’s come-back hopes?
- 06:35
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Martin Rowson | Martin Rowson: Cameron invokes Thatcher spirit
- 00:39
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Richard | Somebody has to be wrong
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Tories way out in front on Facebook as Lib Dems push Labour into 3rd: http://bit...
- 22:10
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Boateng, Milburn, Smith | Letter to George Osborne
- 22:02
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Letter to Chris Grayling
- 22:01
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Letter to Caroline Spelman
- 22:00
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Local police showed me online how easy it is to buy meow meow in seconds from UK...
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Amazing response to Mail story on prosecuting underage sex. Imagine what it woul...
- 21:50
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Norfolk Blogger | Are you raising the level of debate Iain ?
- 21:09
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Southern Europe was never meant to join the euro
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Denis MacShane | W Hague says on Any Questions that Ashcroft donates "just" 1% of Tory income. As...
- 21:01
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Malcolm Tucker | Malcolm Tucker's election briefing
- 21:00
- Comment is Free
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Oliver Kamm | The Times and the Pope
- 20:34
- Oliver Kamm Blog
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Mark Kleinman | Exclusive: Cadbury Bosses Lose Out In Kraft Shake-Up
- 20:33
- Mark Kleinman
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Lynsey Hanley | The cultured classes | Lynsey Hanley
- 20:30
- Comment is Free
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David Leigh | To prevent future Ashcrofts, Britain should name its non-doms | David Leigh
- 20:00
- Comment is Free
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Mike Smithson | What happens if there is no GREEN/UKIP/BNP standing?
- 19:59
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John Lanchester | These ingeniously reckless Repo men must be stopped | John Lanchester
- 19:30
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Telegraph Opinion | Will Unite's socialists become Cameron's stormtroopers?
- 19:27
- Telegraph blog
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Ed Balls | Driving into Leeds for Any Questions at the Grand Theatre with William Hague, Si...
- 19:27
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Michael Crick | A tale of two unions
- 19:24
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Telegraph Opinion | Radio 4 should not change its tune
- 19:20
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Robert Peston | Clashing views on pay at the top of Barclays
- 19:11
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The left are spinning very hard about something in this weekends tabloids. I sen...
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Kevin Maguire | Nasty feeling Cons and allies in Right-wing meeja will scapegoat unions for econ...
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Telegraph Opinion | Bad Laws: Labour has clowned around with our freedom
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ADMIN USE ONLY (BBC News) | The battle for Stoke-on-Trent Central
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Fraser Nelson | Why Cameron must never say "deficit".
- 18:26
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Toby Young | Best week of the election campaign for the Tories — so far
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Martha's week
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ConservativeHome | Lord Pearson tells UKIP he wants his party to stand down candidates in "seven or...
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Guest | The whole country benefits from Union Learning Fund
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James Forsyth | These strikes are a gift to the Tories
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Benedict Brogan | Are the Tories saying too much?
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Dashboard
Latest from The Green Box
Today's Storys
- 1
- The Pope speaks out on abuse scandal
- Expand panel
Added05:32 Last updated08:49
Pope Benedict is set to outline his plan for dealing with the child abuse scandal that has badly damaged the Catholic church in Ireland.
Selected Sources
- 2
- Cameron attacks Labour over BA staff strike
- Expand panel
Added05:14 Last updated11:09
Passengers travelling with British Airways face three days of delays and cancellation as cabin crew go on strike in protest at staff cuts. David Cameron accused Gordon Brown of caving in to vested interests in a speech later today attacking the Labour government for its close ties to the Unite union.
Selected Sources
- 3
- Tories announce bank tax plan
- Expand panel
Added05:17 Last updated10:35
David Cameron announced in a speech today that he favours a tax on the banks, even without the support of other countries. The FT reports that Alistair Darling will use the Budget to give detailed backing to a global bank levy.
Selected Sources
- 4
- Brown says web revolution will save billions
- Expand panel
Added05:47 Last updated06:00
Gordon Brown is set to outline plans that will give everyone in the country a personalised webpage for accessing government services. The scheme aims to save the government billions of pounds.
Selected Sources- 5
- Ed Miliband outlines Labour's manifesto
- Expand panel
Added05:37 Last updated10:24
The Labour Party will make the creation of a people's bank a centrepiece of their election manifeston and general campaign according to Ed Miliband.
Selected Sources
- 6
- SNP to combine with Plaid Cymru
- Expand panel
Added06:41 Last updated10:25
Alex Salmond is expected to disclose plans at his party conference today to jointly campaign with Plaid Cymru in the event of a hung parliament.
Selected Sources
- 7
- Budget 'to freeze fuel duty'
- Expand panel
Added07:13 Last updated07:55
The Budget is expected to include a freeze of fuel duty and announce extra help for the unemployed, according to reports.
Selected Sources- 8
- Talks planned to avert rail strike
- Expand panel
Added05:28 Last updated07:32
Talks will be held next week aimed at averting a strike by railway signal workers. Hopes are being raised that the strike action could be avoided.
Selected SourcesLatest
- Clegg's demands for Tory-Lib coalition
- Expand panel
Added11:01 Last updated10:29
Nick Clegg will demand he becomes home secretary, Ken Clarke becomes chancellor and Lord Ashdown is made defence secretary as the price of a coalition with the Tories if there is a hung parliament, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Selected Sources- Iran lacks 'basic human rights'
- Expand panel
Added09:07 Last updated10:21
Foreign Secretary David Milliband has issued a message to mark the Iranian New Year, saying it was a 'legitimate matter of international concern" that Iranians were not free to express their own aspirations.
Selected Sources
New this morning
- 'Racist' university to favor local students
- Expand panel
Added06:32 Last updated10:06
Edinburgh university has been accused of racism after it said it would favor applications from people living in Scotland and the north of England for its most popular courses.
Selected Sources- Obama in last push for healthcare
- Expand panel
Added06:44 Last updated09:03
President Obama yesterday urged members of congress to head the call of history and pass the $940 billion health care reform bill.
Selected Sources
- Debt of £9m hangs over Labour
- Expand panel
Added05:51 Last updated05:51
The Labour Party will have to pay out £3m in interest over the next parliament to businessmen who bankrolled the 2005 election campaign, and up to £8.9m in outstanding loans by 2015.
Selected Sources
- 150 bravery awards for deadliest summer
- Expand panel
Added06:24 Last updated06:56
The deadliest period of the war in Afghanistan has produced an unprecedented roll call of almost 150 awards for exceptional gallantry and leadership.
Selected Sources- UKIP to focus on immigration at election
- Expand panel
Added06:42 Last updated08:00
The United Kingdom Independence Party will make a five freeze on immigration the centrepiece of their general election campaign.
Selected Sources- Brown urged to act on Blair's business interests
- Expand panel
Added06:55 Last updated09:15
Gordon Brown is being urged to look into Tony Blair's ties to foreign businesses after the former prime ministers ties to a South Korean oil firm were published.
Selected Sources- Israel criticised for settlements plan
- Expand panel
Added05:56 Last updated07:52
The quartet powers of the US, EU, UN and Russia have condemned the latest plans by Israel to build new settlements in the disputed area of East Jerusalem.
Selected Sources
- Photographer chosen as 'election artist'
- Expand panel
Added06:34 Last updated04:47
A photographer, Simon Roberts, has been commissioned by the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art to document campaigning activity in the run up to polling day.
Selected Sources- Rise in cousins marrying endangers kids health
- Expand panel
Added06:36 Last updated06:36
A leading professor is to highlight the dangers of first cousins marrying with a warning that they are putting their childrens lives at risk of genetic defects.
Selected Sources- Brown hopes for Obama summit bounce
- Expand panel
Added06:50 Last updated06:50
Gordon Brown is preparing to attend an international summit in Washington that will take place during the general election campaign in the hopes that a good performance there will boost the Labour Party campaign.
Selected Sources- Barclays boss could get £60 million bonus
- Expand panel
Added07:28 Last updated07:53
The president of Barclays bank Bob Diamond could recieve a bonus package worth £60 million pounds with his two top lieutenants set to share a bonus of £40 million pounds. The bank reported a large profit last year.
Selected Sources- Household bills will rise by £350 over next year
- Expand panel
Added07:33 Last updated07:33
The Daily Mail reports that households will spend on average an extra £350 on essential bills in the next 12 months.
Selected Sources- Gen. Petraeus tipped as potential 2012 candidate
- Expand panel
Added07:57 Last updated07:58
America's most well known soldier, General David Petraeus is being tipped as a potential Republican candidate in the 2012 presidential election.
Selected SourcesMSM Catching up
- Another parliamentarian may face charges
- Expand panel
Added05:23 Last updated06:04
Another parliamentarian may face prosecution after police handed a file relating to alleged expenses abuse to prosecutors. Meanwhile, four Lib Dem MPs were told to repay money after a Commons probe found they broke rules over payments relating to second home allowances.
Selected Sources- Anne Moffat MP is deselected
- Expand panel
Added07:41 Last updated07:43
The Scottish Labour MP Anne Moffet has been deselected by her local party members after complaints about her style of work.
Selected Sources- Tories unveil energy plan
- Expand panel
Added06:03 Last updated06:17
The Conservatives' gave a boost to the UK's nuclear power industry yesterday when the party pledged to introduce a tax on carbon powered power stations.
Selected Sources
Insider Research
Understanding the heart of Westminster
Thursday 5th November 2009 | 14:59
MP pay rise: sensible idea but it won't happen
Increase in MPs salary would be fair, but political climate makes it unlikely
A rise in the salary received by Members of Parliament would be appropriate, although it is not seen as likely, according to Westminster insiders.
The reaction comes after The Daily Telegraph reported this morning that senior MPs were lobbying for a pay rise, in light of the recommendations in the Kelly Report which will strip MPs of many of the expenses they were previously entitled to.
Overall, 56% of insiders support the policy, whilst 43% oppose it.
Right-leaning insiders were in favour of the policy, left-leaning insiders were divided, and Liberal Democrat-aligned insiders were against.
The Phi100 surveys MPs, peers, strategists and think tank leaders, to determine the collective political sentiment at the highest level of British politics.
"Insanity after the mess over expenses"
A Conservative MP said, “I think MPs currently get paid about right.”
Another Conservative MP said, “Pay MUST now be decided by the Independent Regulator. It is however inconceivable that MPs’ salaries will continue to be significantly less than the salary of British MEPs in Brussels.”
A Liberal Democrat MP said, “I would support it, but only if that's what is externally and independently recommended.”
A left-leaning strategist said, “No. Many backbench MPs are lucky to get £65,000 that they wouldn't get in the real world.”
Another Liberal Democrat MP said, “It would be insanity after all the mess over expenses."
A right-aligned strategist said, “It should be £100,000 - otherwise you will simply get muppets, machine politicians and empty headed lobbyists. And then the nation would be truly sorry when they totally fail to provide any kind of leadership at all.”
"Not a chance in hell!"
However, a majority of insiders believe any pay rise will not happen for the foreseeable future. 51% believe this, whilst 39% believe a pay rise will happen in the next Parliament. Only 1% believe it will happen shortly.
“Not a chance in hell!” a Liberal Democrat MP said.
A Conservative MP said, “My best guess is that Prime Minister Cameron would find some way of stifling it: a man who's seen off his backbenchers as Leader of the Opposition should have the clout to do it again during his early years as Prime Minister.”
Another Conservative MP said, “It is supposed now to be decided entirely by the Senior Salary Review Body, but I think any government of either colour would try to block a significant rise - same old story.”
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