Grimsdale's Ire: 14/01/09

MSPs give initial backing to SNP budget plans
"The Scottish National party's latest budget plans today cleared their first hurdle at Holyrood with minimal resistance after Labour MSPs unexpectedly supported the outline bill.

The Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose the Scottish government's £33bn spending plans when MSPs voted on stage one of the three-step budget process, which accepts the principle of the budget." [Guardian]

Social mobility drive focuses on schools
"Nearly 175,000 bright children on free school meals will be given a chance at the age of 11 to visit a university as part of a drive to lift the aspirations of working-class people and increase stalled social mobility in Britain.

Young people in the top 20% of ability based on test results, and who are eligible for free school meals, are about half as likely to go to university as those who are not eligible for free meals. They will now be offered two chances to visit universities." [Guardian]

Third runway rebels hear from the Labour whips
"Government whips have embarked on a "ring round" to put pressure on rebel Labour MPs not to join forces with the Tories in a Commons vote opposing a third runway at Heathrow airport. As the cabinet discussed the expansion of Heathrow at its weekly meeting yesterday, the rebel MPs said they were prepared to ignore a government three-line whip and vote with the Conservatives.

David Cameron is expected to devote one of the Tories' opposition day debates in the Commons to government plans to allow a third runway to be built at the west London airport. Votes are held after such debates, giving the Tories a chance to embarrass the government by enticing Labour rebels to their side. The vote would have no force in law." [Guardian]

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Grimsdale's Ire: 31/10/08

Child Poverty In London: The Facts 31/10/08
End Child Poverty, providing a crib sheet on child poverty in London [EndChildPoverty]

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Grimsdale's Ire: 29/10/08

Grants for 'middle-income' students to be cut 29/10/08
“The amount of student support available for children of middle-income parents will be cut next year, the universities secretary confirmed today.

Growth in student numbers will also be cut next year to "no more than 10,000" after the government miscalculated increases in the bill for higher education, as revealed by the Guardian.” [Guardian]

On the right track 29/10/08
“He was born in Jamaica, grew up in a deprived inner-city neighbourhood of Birmingham, and has first-hand experience of racial hatred and rejection. He left school without qualifications, was booted out of the army for being too lippy, and latterly has found out just how hard it is to make a living as a farmer in modern-day Britain.

It is not surprising, then, that Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones comes chock-full of opinions. He fumes about social exclusion; he is angry at how black people have been let down by the middle classes; he is hugely critical of corporate Britain, particularly the ever-more powerful supermarkets; and he has little time for the world of finance and banking.

What may be more surprising and interesting is that Emmanuel-Jones is thriving in the Conservative party. He has been invited for tea with David Cameron - despite labelling him a "toff" - and was given a prominent place for the leader's speech at the Tory conference. Most surprising of all, he has become a darling of the Wiltshire blue-rinse set and is to fight the newly minted seat of Chippenham for the Conservatives at the next general election.” [Guardian]

White working class need help in recession, says Phillips 29/10/08
“Special measures are needed to help the true losers from the economic recession - the poorer, white working class - if an anti-migrant backlash is to be avoided, the head of Britain's equality and human rights commission, Trevor Phillips, warned yesterday.

He said that historically ethnic minority groups and women were worst hit in an economic slowdown.

But it had to be recognised today that in some parts of the country "the colour of disadvantage isn't black or brown. It is white."” [Guardian]

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Grimsdale's Ire: 21/10/08

The government must sort out council tax 08/10/08
Chris Leslie and Sunder Katwala write on the need for Labour to grab the mantle of council tax reform, in order to avoid being outmanoeuvred by recent Conservative taxation policy. [Guardian]

Wealth gap narrows faster in UK than other developed countries 21/10/08
“The gap between rich and poor since 2000 has narrowed faster in the UK than any other developed nation, according to a major international study released today. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said the decline of inequality in Britain between 2000 and 2005 was "remarkable"” [Guardian]

Straight to the specialist: Johnson cuts GP referrals 21/10/08
“Patients with back pain will be able to access free treatment from NHS physiotherapists without having to go through a GP, under plans to be unveiled today by the health secretary, Alan Johnson. In a substantial extension of patient choice, he also wants to give people an opportunity to book appointments with speech therapists, dietitians, podiatrists and other health professionals.” [Guardian]

Lloyds chief tells staff: you'll still get bonuses 21/10/08
“The chief executive of Lloyds TSB, one of the banks participating in the £37bn bank bail-out, has promised staff they will receive bonuses this year despite Gordon Brown's promise of a crackdown on bankers' pay following the investment by taxpayers. Eric Daniels has told employees that the historic government intervention will not change the behaviour of Lloyds, which is in the throes of the rescue takeover of HBOS brokered by the prime minister.” [Guardian]

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Heron's Eye: 10/08/08

Unions and MPs back 'dream ticket'
A powerful coalition of mainstream Labour MPs and leaders of Britain's biggest unions is backing a right-left 'dream ticket' of Alan Johnson and Jon Cruddas to lead the party into the next general election, having given up on Gordon Brown's premiership. [Guardian]

Rise up to curb knife culture, PM urges at book festival
Gordon Brown called yesterday for communities across Britain to 'rise up' and help end the spiralling violence of knife crime by making the carrying of weapons socially unacceptable. [Guardian]

Darling backs away from stamp duty cut
The chancellor, Alistair Darling, is prepared to disappoint millions of would-be home buyers by ruling out proposals to revive the housing market, Treasury insiders warned last night. After a chaotic week of claim and counter-claim about Treasury plans to suspend stamp duty for first-time buyers, Darling has hardened his stance against the move, which he believes could cost billions to little positive effect. [Guardian]

The perfect Sunday menu: grilled minister, or something over easy?
After last month's final edition of ITV's The Sunday Programme, its weekly early morning current affairs show, the channel that once produced Weekend World and Walden was left without any specifically political output. It scrapped The Sunday Edition, co-hosted by The Observer's Andrew Rawnsley, at the end of last year, leaving the BBC, which has to cover Westminster under the terms of its licence fee, as the only major broadcaster to offer extensive political coverage. [Guardian]

Rich-poor education gap wider under Labour, claim Tories
The Conservatives today set out their credentials to become the champions of social equality in a document outlining the education gap between rich and poor, which they claim has widened under the Labour government. [Guardian]

A Lib Dem tax revolution?
Michael White analyses Nick Clegg’s party leadership and his new direction for the Lib Dem’s tax policy. [Guardian]

Scramble for tickets to Tory conference
The Tories have begun planning for a record-breaking party conference this autumn which will aim to portray David Cameron as a statesmanlike future leader amid signs that the political and corporate establishment is shifting toward the Conservatives. [Guardian]

Transport: London still gridlocked despite congestion charge
The London congestion charge is losing its battle against gridlock after it was revealed that the capital's streets are as gridlocked now as they were before the levy was introduced. [Guardian]

Labour to offer 'birth to school' childcare
Parents could be offered a seamless system of state-organised childcare from birth to school under proposals being discussed within the government in the battle to win parents' votes. [Guardian]

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