By Vikki Graves The Equality Bill receives its first reading in Parliament today. The Bill will impose legislation forcing companies which employ over 250 workers to declare average hourly rates of pay for men and women and the government will be able to take legal action if these declarations do not take place. Equalities minister [...]
Argentinian President marks Falklands anniversary in London
April 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves Argentinian President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner is in London today for the G20 summit. The discussions will focus on solving the global economic crisis, but for Argentinians, today’s date has another significance. It marks the anniversary of Argentina’s landing in The Falkland Islands, which sparked a bitter 74 day war. Ironically, President [...]
Jacqui Smith’s £23,000 claim
March 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed £23,000 in tax-payer funded allowances on her second home last year, the maximum claim available to MPs. The news comes as Ms Smith continues to face criticism for an accidental expense claim for adult films watched by her husband, Richard Timney, in April 2008. The timing of [...]
Sir Fred and RBS To Be Sued
March 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves Cherie Blair has been hired by two British local authorities to sue the Royal Bank of Scotland through the US Courts. RBS and its entire board of directors, including ex-Chief Executive Sir Fred Goodwin, are named as defendants. North Yorkshire and Merseyside councils’ pension funds have plummeted in value along with RBS [...]
Have we had enough of Jade Goody?
March 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves Today’s Jade Goody news tells us that a woman with a hammer and large bag visited Jade in hospital yesterday afternoon. She awoke to find the uninvited guest leaning over her bed. It is not clear whether the hammer was in or out of the bag, or whether its presence was relevant [...]
Financial News
March 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves HSBC asks shareholders for £12.5bn Chairman Stephen Green said the funds would be used to see the group through the current uncertain economic climate. The news comes as HSBC announce pre-tax profits of £6.5bn for 2008, a 62% fall on the previous year. There was a drop in share prices across the [...]
The Way We Eat Now
February 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves If you believe everything you read, our eating habits have gone into a steep decline. This time last year, your average Brit was walking home from the farmers’ market chomping an a fluffy organic roll stuffed with freshly roasted pig and apple sauce. But then this nasty credit crunch business came along [...]
Fringe box office project was “fundamentally flawed”
February 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment
By Vikki Graves An independent report into the box office system failure at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe has criticised the Fringe Society’s “lack of strategic direction and transparency”. The report, published today by consultants Scott-Moncrieff, says the replacement of the Fringe’s box office system shortly before the 2008 festival was poorly handled from start [...]
