Labour has said that the Conservatives are in "disarray" after the resignation of London deputy mayor Ray Lewis. Mr Lewis quit amid claims of financial irregularities and inappropriate behaviour, which he denies. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said the affair had left Conservative leader David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson "embroiled in a mess". A fellow deputy mayor said Labour's reaction was "ungracious" as Mr Lewis had worked hard to help young people. Mr Lewis's resignation follows that last month of Mr Johnson's Deputy Chief of Staff James McGrath.
Labour has said that the Conservatives are in "disarray" after the resignation of London deputy mayor Ray Lewis.
Mr Lewis quit amid claims of financial irregularities and inappropriate behaviour, which he denies.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said the affair had left Conservative leader David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson "embroiled in a mess".
A fellow deputy mayor said Labour's reaction was "ungracious" as Mr Lewis had worked hard to help young people.
Mr Lewis's resignation follows that last month of Mr Johnson's Deputy Chief of Staff James McGrath.
Glasgow East byelection chaos grows for Labour Labour's leading candidate for the Glasgow East by-election officially pulled out of the race yesterday leaving the party in chaos and struggling to unite behind another candidate in time for Wednesday's deadline for nomination. George Ryan, a married father of three, said he decided to withdraw 'with regret' but that he was doing so to prevent 'pressures' on his family life.
Labour's leading candidate for the Glasgow East by-election officially pulled out of the race yesterday leaving the party in chaos and struggling to unite behind another candidate in time for Wednesday's deadline for nomination.
George Ryan, a married father of three, said he decided to withdraw 'with regret' but that he was doing so to prevent 'pressures' on his family life.
It took the party by surprise in the crucial first weekend of campaigning: the first they knew of his hesitation was when he failed to turn up at a selection meeting late on Friday evening. The meeting was eventually called off and the selection vote postponed until tomorrow. Gordon Brown acted quickly though, drafting in a replacement within hours, Margaret Curran - currently a Glasgow MSP - announced she was adding her name to the shortlist yesterday afternoon.
Gordon Brown acted quickly though, drafting in a replacement within hours, Margaret Curran - currently a Glasgow MSP - announced she was adding her name to the shortlist yesterday afternoon.
Why didn't the selection meeting go on with the rest of the shortlist?
This statement may explain something of it;-
I won't say it's a set up, but ..... gordon's in big trouble and that constituency was beginning to look like a bust in the current climate so he's probably putting hissafest available hands into play. keep to the Fen Causeway
Europe's divisions over inflation were highlighted on Friday when José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, defended the European Central Bank against political critics.He said: "When it comes to inflation, I have more confidence in the position of central bankers than in politicians...central bankers are not moved by short-term political pressures."His remarks put him at odds with Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, who berated the ECB for putting price stability before economic growth and raising its main interest rate on Thursday by a quarter-point to 4.25 per cent, a seven-year high.The difference of views has taken on extra significance because France assumed the EU's rotating presidency on Tuesday and will speak for the 27-nation bloc at international gatherings over the next six months.Mr Barroso and the Commission are responsible for EU policies such as world trade negotiations - another area where Mr Sarkozy disagrees with Brussels.The French president contends that higher interest rates will be little use against inflation because they will not contain the rise in oil prices, which has helped push up annual eurozone inflation to 4 per cent - double the ECB's target.
He said: "When it comes to inflation, I have more confidence in the position of central bankers than in politicians...central bankers are not moved by short-term political pressures."
His remarks put him at odds with Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, who berated the ECB for putting price stability before economic growth and raising its main interest rate on Thursday by a quarter-point to 4.25 per cent, a seven-year high.
The difference of views has taken on extra significance because France assumed the EU's rotating presidency on Tuesday and will speak for the 27-nation bloc at international gatherings over the next six months.
Mr Barroso and the Commission are responsible for EU policies such as world trade negotiations - another area where Mr Sarkozy disagrees with Brussels.
The French president contends that higher interest rates will be little use against inflation because they will not contain the rise in oil prices, which has helped push up annual eurozone inflation to 4 per cent - double the ECB's target.
France says Poland's president has pledged not to block a treaty to reform the European Union. A newspaper this week quoted Polish President Lech Kaczynski as saying that signing the treaty would be "pointless" because Irish voters have rejected it. All 27 EU nations must ratify the treaty for it to take effect. French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke by phone with Kaczynski on Friday. According to Sarkozy's office, Kaczynski told the French leader that Poland will not be "an obstacle" to the treaty's ratification.
A newspaper this week quoted Polish President Lech Kaczynski as saying that signing the treaty would be "pointless" because Irish voters have rejected it. All 27 EU nations must ratify the treaty for it to take effect.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke by phone with Kaczynski on Friday. According to Sarkozy's office, Kaczynski told the French leader that Poland will not be "an obstacle" to the treaty's ratification.
The few hundred rioters, many of them mummed, started to walk in opposed direction to the 1000-1500 participants of the Gay Pride march. Police erected cordons along the way, which was voefully inadequate: the rioters attacked police with Molotov cocktails and torn-up pavement, managed to burned police cars at the very beginning, and threw bananas and tomatoes at the marchers.
Police at least caught a group of six who wanted to trow some liquid chemical substance in vials from the balcony of a building.
In the now traditional streetfights, police chased the far-right rioters (chant of the day c.: "Gyurcsány [the PM] fuck off / also take your faggot") ahead of the march, who - another tradition - again knocked out a reporter too.
However, the Gay Parade was to end with a concert, and there things got chaotic, police had to bring away people (including politicians) in police cars under attack from rioters while police itself was dispersing the now 500 idiots. Altogether 13 police cars were damaged.
49 arrests - I must say only. Another blamage for police. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
Disposable income hit hard by rising mortgages and energy bills UK households are 15% worse off than five years ago as rising food and oil prices put the squeeze on household incomes, a report out today said. Ernst & Young's annual discretionary income study showed that after tax contributions and monthly household bills, the average family has just under 20% of its gross income left over, compared with 28% in 2003. The average household now has £772.79 to spend each month after total fixed monthly outgoings, compared with £909.84 in 2003/04. Jason Gordon, director of retail at Ernst & Young, said: "Many UK consumer segments are clearly feeling the pinch as big rises in household costs are far outstripping relatively modest wage inflation." "The worst could be yet to come. If, as predicted, utility prices rise by as much as 40% later this year and interest rates are increased to control rising inflation, consumers and consumer facing businesses will face even bleaker times," he added.
UK households are 15% worse off than five years ago as rising food and oil prices put the squeeze on household incomes, a report out today said.
Ernst & Young's annual discretionary income study showed that after tax contributions and monthly household bills, the average family has just under 20% of its gross income left over, compared with 28% in 2003.
The average household now has £772.79 to spend each month after total fixed monthly outgoings, compared with £909.84 in 2003/04.
Jason Gordon, director of retail at Ernst & Young, said: "Many UK consumer segments are clearly feeling the pinch as big rises in household costs are far outstripping relatively modest wage inflation."
"The worst could be yet to come. If, as predicted, utility prices rise by as much as 40% later this year and interest rates are increased to control rising inflation, consumers and consumer facing businesses will face even bleaker times," he added.
And that's just average numbers, which, as we know, make things look better than they really are... In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Times Graham Secker, UK equity strategist at Morgan Stanley, said the market was likely to fall a further 7% or 8% but there was a risk the gloom was overdone. "There is a lot of hysteria and negative views on the UK economy, from all sorts of parties," he said. "It's not necessarily wrong, but one should always be a bit more rational about these things. "There's a 50-50 chance the UK will have a technical recession. That doesn't mean we will have a really bad recession as we did in the early 1990s."
Graham Secker, UK equity strategist at Morgan Stanley, said the market was likely to fall a further 7% or 8% but there was a risk the gloom was overdone.
"There is a lot of hysteria and negative views on the UK economy, from all sorts of parties," he said. "It's not necessarily wrong, but one should always be a bit more rational about these things.
"There's a 50-50 chance the UK will have a technical recession. That doesn't mean we will have a really bad recession as we did in the early 1990s."
LOL In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Stansted given permission to increase passengers numbers to 40m BAA's controversial plans for a second runway at Stansted will be sent to a public inquiry by ministers this week - but the company will at the same time be given permission for a big increase in passenger numbers at the Essex airport. Numbers could rise from the present 23.5m to as many as 40m following ministers' decision to scrap current restrictions and allow an increase in flights. The move to a public inquiry on the £2.3 billion second runway means a final decision on whether it can go ahead is now not likely before 2011 at the earliest. Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, is expected to announce the two Stansted decisions this week.
BAA's controversial plans for a second runway at Stansted will be sent to a public inquiry by ministers this week - but the company will at the same time be given permission for a big increase in passenger numbers at the Essex airport.
Numbers could rise from the present 23.5m to as many as 40m following ministers' decision to scrap current restrictions and allow an increase in flights.
The move to a public inquiry on the £2.3 billion second runway means a final decision on whether it can go ahead is now not likely before 2011 at the earliest. Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, is expected to announce the two Stansted decisions this week.
Brown hints at fuel duty freeze Gordon Brown has said the delayed 2p rise in fuel duty was something that will be looked at "very, very carefully" over the next few weeks. He refused to say it would not go ahead but told MPs: "I think you will find that in most years since 2000 that the duty has actually been frozen." There has been speculation that the government is to shelve the rise in this autumn's Pre-Budget Report. Chancellor Alistair Darling also said he was "very focused" on fuel duty. On Wednesday, lorry drivers held a second demonstration in London demanding cheaper diesel.
Gordon Brown has said the delayed 2p rise in fuel duty was something that will be looked at "very, very carefully" over the next few weeks. He refused to say it would not go ahead but told MPs: "I think you will find that in most years since 2000 that the duty has actually been frozen."
There has been speculation that the government is to shelve the rise in this autumn's Pre-Budget Report.
Chancellor Alistair Darling also said he was "very focused" on fuel duty. On Wednesday, lorry drivers held a second demonstration in London demanding cheaper diesel.
policies going in the right direction... In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
South Korea has announced the first in a series of measures intended to tackle the cost of rising fuel prices. Thousands of public sector vehicles will only be allowed on the road on alternate days and government buildings air conditioning will be restricted. Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said that if oil prices continued to rise, more extreme measures would be taken. Correspondents say the move is largely symbolic as it covers only a limited number of vehicles and buildings. South Korea has to import all its crude oil supplies and expects to spend $111.2bn (£56bn) on oil this year, up from $60.3bn (£30.4bn) last year.
South Korea has announced the first in a series of measures intended to tackle the cost of rising fuel prices.
Thousands of public sector vehicles will only be allowed on the road on alternate days and government buildings air conditioning will be restricted.
Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said that if oil prices continued to rise, more extreme measures would be taken.
Correspondents say the move is largely symbolic as it covers only a limited number of vehicles and buildings.
South Korea has to import all its crude oil supplies and expects to spend $111.2bn (£56bn) on oil this year, up from $60.3bn (£30.4bn) last year.
