[ Rishi Sunak has suffered a lot of bad days since he arrived in Downing Street, but Thursday 2 May is shaping up to be one of the very worst. Barring an electoral miracle, the results of next month’s council and mayoral contests are likely to bring more gloom to a Prime Minister yearning for … Read more
[ The UK economy has grown for the second month in a row, raising hopes that it is on its way out of recession. The economy grew by 0.1 per cent in February, following growth of 0.3 per cent in January, according to the Office for National Statistics. This is an early estimate, but signals … Read more
[ Experts have cautioned Mel Stride against making mental health a “new front in the culture wars” after he said he takes an “old-fashioned” approach to the issue and believes “work is good for your mental health.” The Secretary for Work and Pensions made the comments on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, just weeks after … Read more
[ The first stage of the Government’s pledge to expand free childcare begins today, with parents in England now able to benefit from 15 hours of taxpayer-funded care for two-year-olds. The Prime Minister said the plan would “build a brighter future for families and help to grow our economy”, and “tens of thousands” of parents … Read more
[ The Easter period is just around the corner and in the midst of a cost of living crisis, this can prove to be an expensive time for many households. This means it is important to know when your money is coming in and out of your bank account. Claimants who receive benefits and pensions … Read more
[ The Conservative Party has appointed two new deputy chairs following a latest round of ministerial resignations that forced Rishi Sunak into a mini-reshuffle on Tuesday. Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathan Gullis said he was “honoured” and “ready to take the fight” to Labour after being named a Tory deputy chair, with Guildford MP Angela Richardson … Read more
[ Energy ministers have called for the regulator Ofgem to hold suppliers to account after it was revealed nearly four million smart meters across the UK are not working properly. Lord Callanan said the number of meters not operating in smart mode “fell short of what I expect to see”, and called for greater Ofgem … Read more
[ Everyone has an email disaster story, whether it’s writing an insulting message about someone only to send it to that person, not hiding recipients on a mass-mailout, or putting an inappropriate kiss at the end of an email to the CEO. Perhaps the grandest of all time came in the NHS, in 2016, in … Read more
[ Universal credit claimants should be guaranteed annual increases in payments in the same way pensioners are, MPs have said. A cross-party committee has argued that the uprating of benefits should happen every year automatically, unless in specific circumstances. They also say the emergency support fund given to councils to help vulnerable people struggling with … Read more
[ NHS hospitals are burying evidence of poor care, the health service ombudsman has claimed. Rob Behrens also claimed ministers, NHS leaders and hospital boards are not doing enough to end the health service’s deeply ingrained “cover-up culture”, which is resulting in avoidable deaths and victimisation of staff who become whistleblowers. The ombudsman, who is … Read more
