Gordon Brown

Britains to go Online

March 22, 2010 By opal2009 Leave a Comment

by Wendy Wan

Under new plans by Prime Minister Gordon Brown every person in Britain would be online with their personalised website, saving billions of pounds by creating a paperless state.

With the new scheme online transactions are proposed for everything from claiming benefits, paying the council tax and even passport applications.

The proposed plan is to be rolled out over the next 4 years and may risk thousands of public sector workers at risk of redundancy. Union leaders and privacy experts have also warned of major concerns over privacy, data protection and fraud.

However, huge savings are expected by phasing out call centres and benefit offices, as well as reducing the cost of postal services and telephone calls.

It is hoped that the personalised websites will be introduced for every person in Britain within a year of the sheme being launched.

Gordon Brown is expected to unveil the new plans tomorrow.

Filed Under: News in Brief Tagged With: benefits, Britain Online, Council Tax, Gordon Brown

New light shed on ‘Empire of the Son’

November 17, 2009 By ADF Innes Leave a Comment

By Al Innes

British children await passage to Australia

Gordon Brown looks set to issue a formal apology to the child victims of a forced migration policy. Brown is believed to have commented that in the new year he feels the “time is right” to say sorry for a scheme that sent 150,000 children, some as young as three years old, abroad to a life of abuse and hardship. Between 1920 and and 1967 children in state or charitable care were sent abroad, often alone, to live and work in places such as Australia and Canada. Many had parents in the UK who were told the children faced a better life, while most ended up as unpaid labour abroad.

Ed Balls, the Children’s Secretary, remarked that the policy had been “a stain on our society.” Balls further commented saying:

“The apology is symbolically very important, I think it is important that we say to the children who are now adults and older people and to their offspring that this is something that we look back on in shame, It would never happen today. But I think it is right that as a society when we look back and see things which we now know were morally wrong, that we are willing to say we’re sorry.”

"Apology is symbolic" says Balls

Australia’s premier, Kevin Rudd, went one step further than the British Prime Minister with his own apology to the 7,000 victims of the policy who still live in Australia.

“Sorry that as children you were taken from your families and placed in institutions where so often you were abused. Sorry for the physical suffering, the emotional starvation and the cold absence of love, of tenderness, of care. Sorry for the tragedy – the absolute tragedy – of childhoods lost.

The British government were believed to be offering the children a chance of a better life, while other evidence suggests they were seen as a burden to the British state and were more useful as labour for the colonies. In 1998 a British parliamentary inquiry reported findings that suggested:

“A further motive was racist: the importation of ‘good white stock’ was seen as a desirable policy objective in the developing British Colonies.”

According to the official files released by the National Archives, the representative of the governor of Tasmania in 1951, Sir John Norris stated:

“In this vast country of ours we must populate or face the possibility of losing it to some of the millions of Asiatics that menace us.”

He went on to request that re-population from European ethnic groups was essential.

“We want migrants of British stock.”

Kevin Rudd has recently apologised for the ‘lost generation’ of children who were sent out to institutions ranging from foster homes to orphanages and, under state protection, were subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Rudd described these environments as “utterly loveless.”

Only ending in 1970, Rudd directed a parliamentary bill at the tens of thousands of mixed-race children who were taken from their families in a process of white assimilation.

Brown looks set to apologise for Britain's shameful policies of the past

The question of the Black War, during which accusations of genocide against the indigenous inhabitants of Tasmania have been leveled at the British army, is one that still causes controversial debate among academics as well as politicians. Most controversial for many is the collaboration of both civilian and military in the removal and extermination of Aboriginals on the island.

Many of the victims of the child migration policy are seeking legal aid in order to sue the Government for compensation.

Tony Blair apologised in 1997 for the suffering caused to the Irish people during the potato famine, and in 2007 he issued a statement of regret for Britain’s role in the slave trade with many claiming this was far from the unconditional apology required.

Filed Under: All Politics, Life and Society Tagged With: Australia, Forced Migration, Gordon Brown

Brown ‘must not fail’ in Afghanistan

November 6, 2009 By francesallan Leave a Comment

By Frances Allan

British troops will not be withdrawn from Afghanistan, the Prime Minister announced this morning.

Gordon Brown spoke out after seven soldiers have been killed in seven days, five by an Afghan Police Officer who was being trained by them.

He said: “Britain cannot – and will not – walk away from the military mission in Afghanistan.”

Gordon Brown has issued a warning to Afghanistan's President Harmid Karzai

Mr Brown said that he was not willing to put the lives of British men and women in “harm’s way.”

Mr Brown also said that anyone who did not believe that troops should be in Afghanistan should “reflect on the terrorist atrocities since 2001″.

He also addressed the public’s fear that the mission has not been a success, saying: “Our mission must not fail. It is not easy, the choices are not simple, there is no strategy that is without danger and risk, but that is the responsibility of leadership.”

Public opinion is believed to be waning on whether or not British troops should stay in the war-torn country.

An Ipsos Mori poll in July showed that 31% of people believed that we should withdraw immediately, and the same number of people believed we should stay until the end.

However, 52% of people asked opposed the war in Afghanistan.

The PM also described the Afghanistan Government as a “by-word for corruption”.

Harmid Karzai, the re-elected Afghanistan President, is supporting the measures to improve security inside the country.

Mr Brown spoke to the controversial President warning that changes would have to be made, and the first priority is to “take decisive action against corruption”.

A total of 230 soldiers have been killed in the conflict since October 2001, and the UK has spent £740 million in the last eight years in the country, paying the wages of healthcare assistants and teachers in the country, as well as on British civilian staff and the British embassy.

Listen Here:

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: Gordon Brown, Harmid Karzai, Ipsos Mori, Troops

PM U-turns TA cuts

November 2, 2009 By benjaminzand Leave a Comment

By Benjamin Zand

Gordon Brown and Bob Ainsworth have been forced to ponder original decisions to cut TA funds (Courtesy of the Daily Mail)

Gordon Brown and Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, have been forced to back track on original plans to cut £20m from the Territorial Army budget, amid mass pressure from MPs of all parties.

The U-turn came in advance of an opposition-led Commons debate last Wednesday that threatened to see a backbench revolt reminiscent of the government’s defeat over the rights of former Ghurkhas to remain in Britain.

The original plans were to stop TA training and coincidentally payments altogether until April, and then re-consider options from there. This left many soldiers pondering their future with the TA, who use this to either coincide with their civilian job, or as full-time employment altogether. The majority were then left with only two options, to leave or move to fully deployable Army Barracks.

‘Joining the Army full-time, and becoming a fully commissioned officer is definitely my ambition, but this is a major problem. If it stays like this I might have to leave and get another job, the Army is my long-term aim, but I’m a student first and foremost, and I need a way of paying my bills.’ said a member of the Edinburgh OTC, which although is a group B non-deployable branch of the TA, features some of the sharpest and brightest students from the likes of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, with the majority hoping to join the Army full time.

Another expressed his sadness at potentially not receiving the correct training to become commissioned at Sandhurst, which is the British Army initial training centre, by saying it was ‘disappointing’ and ‘upsetting’.

The TA provides up to 10% of the British troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, with around 500 TA soldiers currently serving abroad, and, although the PM and MoD have decided to still allow some funding for the TA, many think the amount allocated is still not adequate, with cuts only being reduced from £20m to £17.5m. Due to this, many training exercises will still have to be cancelled, such as the ability to use live rounds, which hinders training considerably, and tank drivers only being allowed to travel 9 miles a month, which many believe to not be enough to even reach the training grounds. Drill nights will also be restricted to only one a week, and weekends to only one a month. This has lead many to believe soldiers will not be fully trained, and will not only be a risk to themselves but a liability to the people they serve with.

Another fear was that many soldiers with invaluable experience would have been forced to leave due to financial problems.

Tory leader David Cameron brandished the PM’s decisions as ‘unacceptable’ and said they ‘contradicted his pledge to ensure each soldier in Afghanistan was fully trained and equipped’. Comments like this, combined with the fierce reaction of many reservists and MPs, could be said to be a strong factor in the PM’s and MoD’s U-turn.

Gerald Howarth, shadow defence minister, said that the government’s climbdown was a victory for Cameron. “David Cameron raised this issue at PMQs two weeks ago and we welcome this climbdown from Gordon Brown,” he said.

Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, said: “The state of the TA is much too important to be used as a political football in this way.

“It was a shocking error of judgment for the government to have contemplated this cut in the first place.”

Many prefer to applaud the Prime Minister’s decision to U-turn, praising the fact that he listened to the majority of voices and decided to make the right choice. John Reid a Labour back-bencher praised Brown for listening to the objections, saying he had taken time out from the recession and pressing European issues to listen to his concerns.

Saying “I very much welcome the fact that the prime minister has been prepared to listen to the issues and personally intervene to make sure that the Territorial Army training budget is retained,”.

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business Tagged With: Army, £20m TA cuts, Bob Ainsworth, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, John Reid, Nick Harvey, TA cuts

The End for First Past The Post?

October 13, 2009 By gemmashaw17 Leave a Comment

By Gemma Shaw

A recent survey has confirmed that the majority wants to change Britain’s current voting system, known as First Past The Post.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in his 28 September speech, promised Britain a referendum on the voting system, if Labour are re-elected. The survey by YouGov was of 673 adults in Britain who watched Brown’s speech, and showed that 77% agreed that the referendum is a good idea, with 18% believing that it is a bad idea. When asked how they would vote in a ‘First Past The Post vs Alternative Vote’ referendum, 58% would vote for AV, while 30% would stick with FPTP. 2% would not vote.

Alternative Vote, commonly regarded as a more complicated but accurate voting system than First Past The Post, involves a ballot on which voters rank the candidates, instead of choosing a favourite as in FPTP. It also means that usually candidates have to have more than half of the vote in order to win the election.

The survey also asked whether the participants think that local referendums on whether to recall local MPs are a good idea. This means that the public get the chance to get rid of MPs who have not done their job well enough. 88% of the people who voted believe that this type of referendum is a positive thing, with 8% disagreeing.

This move by Labour promises the people more power in the event of the party’s re-election. The most recent YouGov voting intentions survey – 9 October – shows that 27% of participants intend to vote Labour, while 44% currently favour Conservative.

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: Alternative Vote, Elections, First Past The Post, Gordon Brown, voting

Gordon Brown looks to sell assets

October 12, 2009 By robbo09 Leave a Comment

Courtesy of Telegraph

By Matthew Robertson

Gordon Brown, has proposed several solutions to reducing the rising budget deficit by raising £16bn from the sale of assets.

Brown’s intention is the auction and sale of a “portfolio of non-financial assets” held by Whitehall and local authorities over two years.

During his speech on the economy, the prime minister outlined sales which may raise £3bn, including the Tote, Dartford crossing and the student loan book. And his opposition MP’s have been quick to criticise his plans as they suggest that he will have to do much more if he hopes to be successful in his attempt to cut public spending and turn things around during this economic slump.

According to Downing Street, the sale marks the beginning of a radical assessment of what other non-core government business activities can best be done by, or in partnership with, the private sector.

Aides added that although these actions are important, a crucial force for the reduction in debt will be the restoration of strong, sustainable growth within the economy.

In April, Chancellor Alistair Darling forecast that public borrowing would reach a record £175bn over the next two years.

The funds raised will help finance new capital investment and pay down debt, Mr Brown said.

The initial offering will also include the Channel Tunnel rail link.

The government’s 33% stake in Urenco, a European consortium which supplies equipment to enrich uranium for the nuclear industry, will be offered but the PM will insist there will be no threat to national security.

The government will also look to sell surplus real estate which is part of the £220bn owned by its departments and agencies, as another way to generate income in their attempt to re-coop capital.

From the Conservative’s viewpoint the sale is “probably necessary” but “no substitute for a long-term plan”.

Leader David Cameron said: “Obviously we do need to do this, but we must make sure – as every family knows – if you sell something it can help you in the short-term, but it doesn’t actually help you live within your means in the long-term.

“So, we’ve still got to get to grips with public spending, get to grips with the deficit – and we must make sure we get good value for money”.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable felt that there was a fundamental flaw within the policy and that the government would struggle to raise the required funds as they would be dealing in depressed markets which wouldn’t be entirely prosperous.

He said: “What worries me about the government proposal is that they’re proposing to sell off in very depressed markets, under very depressed markets for land and for shares.”

With the economy struggling, it appears that the government, lead by a defiant Gordon Brown, will leave no stone unturned in their attempts to raise the necessary, and crucial funds to get this country back to the way it was.

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business, News in Brief Tagged With: Conservative Party, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Labour party, Liberal Democrat party

Joyce’s Resignation Raises Same Old Question

October 12, 2009 By sianlower Leave a Comment

courtesy of independent.co.uk

by Sian Lower

In September Falkirk MP Eric Joyce issued his letter of resignation as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Defence Secretary, stating that Britain is ” punching above it’s weight” with regard to the war in Afghanistan, and Gordon Brown needs to do more for the soldiers and their families, including more funding for kits. Now the question is raised again – why are the soldiers still there?

Joyce,48, is a former Army Major and had been involved in politics since becoming MP for Falkirk in 2000 by by-election. He has always taken a firm viewpoint on the subject of Afghanistan and now believes the Government need to change their attitude to the situation. In his resignation letter he stated:” I do not think that the public will accept for much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater terrorism on our streets”. When questioned further on the subject, he said,

“Britain is very highly committed in Afghanistan, much more so than European allies. That’s not a criticism of them, I think they have their ears very close to the gound when it comes to their respective public’s opinion, but it does suggest we need to look at what that means in the context of keeping UK streets safe from international terrorism. My own view is that UK public opinion is prepared to support present, or even slightly higher levels of commitment, but only if they have a clear sense of an end-game – that means, I think, substantial withdrawal well before the end of the next government’s term. The present election results in Afghanistan look like being the subject of manipulation by not only the Afgh govt, but also potentially the UN itself. Over the next couple of days, the result will be announced and will give president karzai 50.4% of a vote in which at least 10% was fraudulent. If we sweep this under the carpet, many will accuse the allies of propping up a crook and there is a risk that the UK public will increasingly withdraw their support from the Afgh operation. We should therefore insist on another round, or a full new election next year.”

Joyce also wrote that British allies are not pulling their weight and many people are losing sight of what the point of the war is and as such are turning against it, ” We do punch a long way above our weight, many of our allies do far too little…it should be possible now to reduce our forces there (Afghanistan) substantially”.

courtesy of wowowow.com

50 British soldiers were killed in Afghanistan over the summer, clocking the total British body-count at 212 since 2001. Gordon Brown hit back after Joyce’s resignation letter was published, insisting, ” The UK’s aims in Afghanistan are realistic and achievable… it remains my judgement that a safer Britain requires a safer Afghanistan”.

There are currently more than 9000 UK troops in Afghanistan. Brown claims that that military spending has increased from £180,000 per year in 2006, to £390,000 for each soldier in 2009. Yet Joyce still believes the entire task is under-resourced , and said, ” It’s all about securing people in the UK, but also important that lots of other countries just as big as Britain don’t contribute the way we do… America are so vast they could do the job themselves”.

Yet Brown is convinced he is doing the right thing, ” We are taking the right action, the action that us necessary, to safeguard both our country and promote security in the world”.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg agrees with Joyce, ” Joyce confirms what I have been saying for along time, our approach in Afghanistan is over-ambitious and under-resourced”.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: afghanistan, eric joyce, Gordon Brown, Politics

New strategy to deal with terrorism

April 27, 2009 By elizabethgorrie Leave a Comment

Gordon Brown meets with Afghanistan President Karzai

By Elizabeth Gorrie

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a new strategy today to deal with terrorism, as he warned of a “chain of terror” breaking out in the mountainous region of Afghanistan and linking to capital cities worldwide.

Brown called for British provinces to be handed over to the Afghanistan Government as happened in Iraq. He also wants to expand the Afghan army from 75,000 to 135,000, in addition to expanding the police force. Britain will also contribute financially toward the elections in Afghanistan.

Speaking to the BBC today while visiting British troops in Helmand Province, Brown said: “These border areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan are the breeding ground, the crucible of terrorism…We will tackle it because security in these mountainous border areas, which may seem distant and remote from home, will mean more security in Britain.”

After speaking to President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, Mr Brown said that Britain could not “sit by” and watch on. He also commented that the two countries need to work together to eradicate this terrorism, ensuring that terrorism does not reach the other side of the Pakistan border.

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: afghanistan, Britain, Gordon Brown, Hamid Karzai, terror

Labour MP’s sex photo shame

April 26, 2009 By Infotrace - Andrew Moir Leave a Comment

by Andrew Moir

Disgraced Labour MP Nigel Griffiths

Married Labour MP Nigel Griffiths has failed to prevent details of a late night sex romp in his office being published by a Sunday newspaper.

The former minister made a vain attempt to stop The News of the World publishing photos of his mistress posing for him in his commons office by raising an injunction action. The publication of these photos was deemed to be in the public interest by High Court Judge Mr. Justice King.

Having first denied the existence of the pictures Mr. Griffiths the claimed the night had been a barely remembered drunken haze. Mr. Justice King took a different view saying, “At the very least he was being economical with the truth. It could be said to be a lie but I don’t have to go that far.”

Mr. Griffiths economy extended not only to forgetting the night in question but also downloading 71 pictures to his laptop. These pictures should provide an aid to memory as they were time stamped. The illicit liaison took place Remembrance Day 2008 and began at 11.35pm. After publication Mr. Griffiths’ recall did not improve claiming “I am, of course, ashamed that my conduct did fall below acceptable standards. I have little recollection of the evening but that does not make it right.”

The public now have a coherent view of the MP’s activities that night. Griffiths took 27 pictures of his unnamed brunette lover in his office before taking 44 more at another location. They show his mistress in a number of poses including flashing her leg through stockings and spread out naked on a rug on the office floor.

There could be further problems for the MP as he may be in breach of the Parliamentary code. Paragraph 15 of the code states:

“Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner which will tend to maintain and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament and never undertake any action which would bring the House of Commons, or its Members generally, into disrepute.”

Last week complaints were received by John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, regarding Mr. Griffiths’ conduct. It is the Commissioner’s responsibility to monitor and code of conduct for MPs and to investigate complaints. However on Thursday Mr. Lyon concluded that these complaints did not warrant a full enquiry saying that, “The code states that it ‘does not seek to regulate what members do in their purely private and personal lives’.” However the interpretation does not take into account that the incident took place within the House of Commons, intended only for serious parliamentary business. With the press continuing to run this story, further complaints could be made.

Nigel Griffiths is the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South. He was a member of the first New Labour Government with the portfolio of Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry. He has served on many committees during the Labour administration. His last ministerial job was deputy to the Leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw. He resigned over the renewal of the British Trident system in 2007. The 53-year old politician has been married to his wife Sally for 30 years.

It is an embarrassing week for Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Griffiths’ close friend and former best man. It was also revealed at the weekend that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had claimed parliamentary expenses for adult films viewed by her husband.
Mr. Griffiths is no stranger to controversy. In 2002 it was claimed that he misled a committee on his own financial affairs. He was quizzed over £10,000 worth of claims on a property that he already owned. Despite the complaint being upheld and Tory calls for him to resign, no further action was taken after the then Chancellor Gordon Brown stepped in on his friend’s behalf.

Sex and politics are no strangers and revelations have caused the downfall of many prominent figures going back to the Profumo affair in 1963. 2006 saw prominent Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten resign over his affair with a male prostitute. He was married with two daughters. In the same year Tommy Sheridan was accused by the News of the World of attending swingers’ clubs. He successfully sued for defamation but he was forced to leave his role as leader of the Scottish Socialist Party.

Yet perhaps it is Nigel Griffiths’, with his happy snapping, who has become part of Scottish politics’ most notable sex scandal.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: drunk, Gordon Brown, Labour, mistress, MP, news of the world, Nigel Griffiths, parliament, photos, Scandal, sex

Argentinian President marks Falklands anniversary in London

April 2, 2009 By andovertoyou Leave a Comment

Gordon Brown meets Christina Kirchner

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 Kirchner will be marking the anniversary on British soil. She will attend a commemorative event at the Argentinian Embassy in London.

Last weekend, British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, met President Kirchner at the Progressive Governance forum in Vina del Mar, Chile. While Mrs Kirchner was keen to discuss Argentina’s claim to sovereignty of the islands, Mr Brown had stated in advance that there was “nothing to discuss from our side”.

The talk is reported to have lasted 35 minutes of which 15 were devoted to discussing the Falklands. It was described as “constructive” by both sides, who also, according to a British official, “agreed that they have differences of opinion”.

But this seems to be the only thing they agree on. Argentina’s claim to the islands, known in Spanish as ‘Las Malvinas’ is a powerful tool in domestic politics. Opinion is particularly strong in Tierra del Fuego, the province at the southern tip of the country, 300 miles from the islands. One Argentinian claims “for the world Malvinas are forever Argentinian”.

A British tourist, who visited Argentina in 2007, during the 25th anniversary of the war, confirms the strength of public feeling on the issue. “When I was in Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego, there was a lot of grafitti saying things like ‘Malvinas for Argentina!’ and ‘The English are Pirates’. If you speak to the locals, many of them will agree that the Islands should join Argentina and become part of their province.”

Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Jorge Taiana, said “the President clearly established that in the 21st century the persistence with an archaic colonial enclave [by the British] is something not consistent with the world’s rhythm”. Gordon Brown, however, focussed not on a British sovereignty claim, but on the rights of the island’s inhabitants.

“The essential principle has always been that the Islanders should determine the issue of sovereignty for themselves and, let us be clear, our first priority will always be the needs and wishes of the Islanders.” – Gordon Brown

But what do the Islanders want? They were granted British citizenship in 1983, but the consitution supports their right to self-determination. They are ruled by a Governor, appointed by the Queen and advised by Executive Council and an elected Legislative Council.

A statement release by the Falkland Islands Government on Monday made its position on the Argentinian sovereignty claim very clear.

“…our Argentine neighbours remain in a time warp, still pressing their anachronistic claim to territorial sovereignty. In short, they wish to colonise the Falkland Islands.

We have been encouraged by the UK Government’s clear and unshakeable position that the sovereignty issue is not for negotiation. There is no turning back from this.

Falkland Islanders have expressed their views freely and unequivocally over many years. We wish to remain British. Our constitution enshrines the right to determine our own future. Surely no-one who supports democracy and human rights can oppose this?”

Yesterday, yet another coincidence befell President Kirchner. On the the eve of the anniversary of the beginning of the war, it was announced that Raul Alfonsin, the democratically elected president who took over at its end, died in his sleep aged 82.

Alfonsin’s government replaced the military dictatorship which started the war and, controversially, put nine of its former rulers on trial. He is widely seen as a symbol of a return to democracy for Argentina. The announcement of his death could well overshadow any plans Mrs Kirchner may have to restate her claim to the Falklands.

Filed Under: All Politics, News in Brief, World In Depth Tagged With: Argentina, Britain, Christina Kirchner, Falkland Isalnds, Gordon Brown, London, Malvinas, Raul Alfonsin, Tierra del Fuego, uk, Ushuaia

Labour MP’s sex photo shame

March 30, 2009 By Infotrace - Andrew Moir Leave a Comment

by Andrew Moir

Nigel Griffiths has failed to prevent details of a late night sex romp in his office published by The News of the World.

Nigel Griffiths

The Labour MP made a vain attempt to stop The News of the World publishing photos of him by raising an injunction action. But publication was deemed to be in the public interest by Mr Justice King.

The incident took place on Rememberance Day 2008 and began at 11.35pm. After publication Griffiths responded: “I am, of course, ashamed that my conduct did fall below acceptable standards. I have little recollection of the evening but that does not make it right.”

The newspapers have a clearer idea as Mr Griffiths took 27 pictures of his unnamed brunette lover in his office before moving and taking 44 more at another location. Those pictures were timestamped by his digital camera. The pictures were downloaded to the former minister’s computer suggesting he had a better recollection than stated.

The pictures show the woman in his office in the House of Commons wearing stockings and posing naked on a rug.

There could be further problems for the MP as he has broken the Parliamentary code. Paragraph 15 states

Complaints were received by John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, last week regarding Griffiths’ conduct. It is the Commissioner’s responsibility to monitor and code of conduct for MPs and investigate complaints. However on Thursday Mr Lyon concluded that these complaints did not warrant a full enquiry saying that, “The code states that it ‘does not seek to regulate what members do in their purely private and personal lives’.” However the interpretation does not take into account that the incident took place within the House of Commons, a place intended for serious parliamentary business. With the press continuing to run this story further complaints could of course be made.

Nigel Griffiths is the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South. He was a member of the first New Labour Government with the portfolio of Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry. He has served on many committees during the Labour administration. His last ministerial job was deputy to the Leader of the House of Commons to Jack Straw until 2005 when he resigned over the renewal of the British Trident system in 2007. The 53-year old politician has been married to his wife Sally for 30 years.

It is an embarrassing week for Gordon Brown, Griffiths’ close friend and former flatmate . It was also revealed at the weekend that Home Secretary Jaqui Smith had claimed parliamentary expenses for adult films viewed by her husband.

Mr Griffiths is no stranger to controversy. In 2002 it was claimed that he misled a committee on his own financial affairs. He was quizzed over £10,000 worth of claims on a property that he already owned. But despite the complaint being upheld, and Tory calls for him to resign, no further action was taken after the then Chancellor Gordon Brown stepped in on his friend’s behalf.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Gordon Brown, house of commons, Labour, MP, New Labour, news of the world, Nigel Griffiths, Scandal, sex

Jacqui Smith’s £23,000 claim

March 30, 2009 By andovertoyou Leave a Comment

By Vikki Graves

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith

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 these revelations is not good for the Home Secretary, whose expense claims are currently under investigation. She claims her ‘main’ residence is with her sister in South London which allows her to make claims on her ‘second’ consituency home in Redditch, Worcestershire, despite her family living there permanently.

Despite his full time job as his wife’s parliamentary assistant, Mr Timney found plenty of time for watching movies. As well as the two unnamed ‘adult’ features, he also saw Ocean’s Thirteen, widely regarded as the weakest of the trilogy, and Surf’s Up, a mock-documentary for children that received mixed reviews back in 2007.

Following the news of the mistaken claim, Ms Smith released a statement saying the £67 she received for the television package, billed as part of her internet connection, would be repaid in full and Mr Timney yesterday issued a public apology.

“As soon as the matter was brought to my attention, I took immediate steps to contact the relevant parliamentary authorities and rectify the situation.” – Jacqui Smith

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown defended the Home Secretary at a Downing Street news conference today, and yesterday Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show he thought Ms Smith was doing an “outstanding job”.

Listen here:

But political pressure on Ms Smith is certainly mounting, with Labour MP Paul Flynn today calling for her resignation. A full review of MPs expenses is due to begin in September, but it remains to be seen whether the Cabinet, and the public, can separate Ms Smith’s ministerial responsibilities from her financial wrong-doings.

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: Andrew Marr, David Miliband, Downing Street, expenses, Gordon Brown, Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, MPs, Paul Flynn, richard timney

Time for gathering together

March 30, 2009 By Phyllis Stephen Leave a Comment

Twenty of the world’s influential leaders meet this week in London at the Excel Centre on the banks of the Thames. They meet during a period of almost unprecedented financial turmoil.

But will they come up with world-changing solutions?

The United Kingdom chairs the Group of Twenty in 2009 and this week it hosts the G20 summit.

The Washington Summit held in November 2008, on the international response to the global financial and economic crisis, set out an agenda for G-20 Finance Ministers to take forward work in areas of financial management such as the promotion of integrity in financial markets. It is also proposed that the G20 should reinforce international cooperation and that International Financial Institutions should be reformed.

World leaders gathered in a G20 meeting

Four working groups were set up to undertake this work in anticipation of the London Summit and now this week they come together to discuss what might still be required to restart the global economy.

World leaders are set to reiterate a pledge to avoid protectionism and complete stalled global trade talks but offer little to those calling for more economic stimulus.

The G20 now has a crucial role to drive forward work betweenboth advanced and emerging economies to tackle the international financial and economic crisis, restore worldwide financial stability, lead the international economic recovery and secure a sustainable future for all countries.

The financial markets and the world economy both continue to face serious global challenges and the severity of the crisis and ongoing uncertainties demonstrate need for urgent action. During the United Kingdom’s Chair, the immediate priority will be to gain further agreements for a concerted and managed international response.

The G-20 will need to send a strong message that it will do whatever is necessary to stabilise the financial system and to provide further economic support. The Financial TImes says that the group must commit to maintaining open trade and investment, to avoid a retreat to protectionism, and direct necessary additional support to emerging markets and developing countries. It is understood that it could be emerging markets who actually help other countries out of this dilemma.

Whilst China holds much of the US debt in its hands it is also exporting many cheap goods to the US, which can only be seen as a relationship which is beneficial to China, a so called emerging market.

In China the economy continues to grow.

The G20 should develop proposals to restore growth in the medium term, including the unwinding of emergency measures taken in response to the crisis.

President Barack Obama is voicing optimism that this week’s crucial G20 summit will set the framework for recovery, saying that world leaders know they must “deliver a strong message of unity” for the sake of the global economy but he played down talk of a split between the US and the leading continental European economies, notably Germany and France.

Gordon Brown said: “The world is coming together and the results of this week will show that global problems… require global solutions.

PM Gordon Brown

“I believe the world will rise to the challenge and defeat those who say doing nothing is an option and defeat those who say protectionism is an option.”

Meanwhile Ministers were struggling to maintain momentum for the G20 summit last night after it emerged that any spending decisions would be deferred to a later meeting.

Yesterday, Kevin Rudd, the Australian prime minister who will hold pre-summit talks with Brown tomorrow, said it was now up to the International Monetary Fund to determine how much additional support the world economy would need next year, and that there had never been any expectation that the decisions on that package would be taken in London.

The so called Casino Capitalism in the City of London has been severely criticised by our neighbours in Europe. The light touch regulation so much revered by Gordon Brown and his Government in 2006 has not worked. The need and desire to reduce the burden of paperwork has allowed loopholes to develop.

Transparency is now the watchword of the G20 and they want more regulation done more obviously.

Lord Turner of the FSA thinks that, for example, AIG was the worst case of an institution falling between the stools of the US and the UK regulatory processes. Madoff was also regulated in the UK and the US. But that too was missed by both sets of regulators.

Now we have toxic assets being sold around the world. Some believe that tax havens such as The Isle of Man, Jersey or Monaco with their shadow banking systems may have to be brought to an end. France has already threatened that Sarkoy will resign as Prince of Andorra and now Andorra has agreed that it will give up its special status. Common standards will have to be applied. There cannot be a separate banking system evading the national jurisdiction in the opinion of Peter Mandelson, Business Secretary, who also thinks that in this country there was a sound regulatory framework but that the powers could have been used more “intrusively”.

Separately five British people have been arrested in connection with a suspected plot involving explosives to disrupt the G20 summit.

The individuals were arrested at addresses in Plymouth and they are being held under terrorism legislation.

Despite the involvement of explosives, a police source with knowledge of the investigation has told the Guardian that initial inquiries indicate the five were “not planning a Guy Fawkes plot”.

“I think it was more designed to disrupt than injure or kill,” the source said, adding that reports that the individuals were Greek nationals were false. It is understood that the “suspicious devices” found suggest a small-scale stunt. Unconfirmed reports said the individuals may have had “flares” in their posession.

What is the G20?

The G 20 is otherwise known as the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. It is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 states, 19 of the world’s largest national economies and includes the European Union.

It is a forum for cooperation and consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. It studies, reviews, and promotes discussion among key industrial and emerging market countries of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, and seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Barack Obama, France, g20, Germany, global economy, Gordon Brown, Group of 20, Kevin Rudd, London, London Summit, Plymouth, US, Washington

Ten into one doesn’t go

March 16, 2009 By elizabethgorrie Leave a Comment

courtesy of the Telegraph

By Elizabeth Gorrie

Ten people are in competition for each job in the UK, according to new figures released by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) today.

In response, the government is set to divert many civil servants back to job centres which were until recently under threat of closure. The Department for Work and Pensions has already brought in four thousand new staff.

The Isle of Wight is said to be the hardest hit area with an average of sixty people applying for each vacancy. Scotland’s Western Isles come a close second, with over forty jobseekers per advertised vacancy.

Edinburgh is under similar pressure. The Tron Tavern in the city centre is currently looking for a new bar supervisor. Speaking to Dunedin Napier News the bar manager revealed: “We’ve already received twenty applications for this one position and there’s still three days till the closing date”.

Similarly a recent job vacancy at an Edinburgh primary school saw over ninety people applying.

There are calls for the Chancellor, Alistair Darling to offer more support to the unemployed, ahead of next month’s budget.

Referring to today’s TUC figures Shadow Work and Pensions secretary Philip Hammond told The Scotsman: “This goes to show how complacent Labour has been about Britain’s growing unemployment crisis”.

“Instead of providing extra support when unemployment began to rise, Labour continued their programme of Job Centre closures. Now unemployment is almost doubling in some parts of Scotland and there simply aren’t the resources to cope.”

The official unemployment figure in the UK has already reached two million, with the British Chamber of Commerce claiming that this figure will reach over three million by the end of 2010. Across Scotland more than fifty Job Centres have closed over the last six years, some in areas which are now experiencing mass unemployment.

In response to the TUC figures Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government is undertaking a range of work, through its economic recovery programme, to help individuals and organisations”.

“We have committed an additional sixteen million pounds to increase apprenticeship recruitment in Scotland. I have already been involved in discussions with major employers to explore how we can support employers across Scotland to increase the opportunities for modern apprentices.”

Scotland’s first Apprenticeship Summit will be held on 28th April 2009. This, according to the Scottish Government, will help “develop the jobs and skills needed during the economic downturn”.

Steps to improve the dismal employment situation have so far been well received. However, financial experts have commented that today’s TUC figures highlight that Prime Minister, Gordon Brown’s promise of bringing an end to the ‘boom and bust’ economy is still a long way from being realised.

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business Tagged With: Alistair Darling, Apprenticeship Summit, Edinburgh, Fiona Hyslop, Gordon Brown, Isle Of Wight, Job Centre, Philip Hammond, scottish government, The British Chamber of Commerce, The Department for Work and Pensions, Trade Union Congress

Minimum Prices for Alcohol to be set

March 16, 2009 By elizabethgorrie Leave a Comment

photo courtesy of smh.com

Pressure is increasing on the government to set minimum prices for alcohol in England, following the publication of Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson’s annual report.

This follows similar proposals made by the Scottish Government earlier this month.

According to Sir Liam: “Cheap alcohol is killing us like never before”. He hopes that setting a minimum price for alcohol could lead to over 3000 fewer alcohol related deaths and cut hospital admissions by 100,000 every year. 2007 saw 8724 alcohol related deaths in the UK alone.

If ministers at Westminster pass this proposal a minimum price of 50p could be set per unit of alcohol. This would make it illegal to sell a standard bottle of wine for less than £4.50. The price of an average six-pack of lager would increase to £6.00; almost triple the current supermarket price.

However, it is understood that Sir Liam’s proposal is likely to be rejected after it was met with strong opposition from Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He is concerned over the effect minimum price setting will have on “responsible drinkers”.

Scotland’s own plans were dealt a blow over the weekend after the Scottish Whisky Association voiced concerns over the legality of setting minimum alcohol prices.

Nevertheless the Scottish Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon insists that this move is still under consideration in both Scotland and England:

“Alcohol misuse is a major problem north and south of the Border, and we welcome reports that the UK government are taking the first steps in following key aspects of the Scottish Government’s proposals. As in the ban on smoking in public places, it is clear Scotland is again ahead of the game”.

Filed Under: All Politics, Life and Society Tagged With: alcohol, England, Gordon Brown, Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland, scottish government, Scottish Whisky Association, Sir Liam Donaldson, Westminster

CCTV Footage helps with Real IRA murders

March 9, 2009 By stewartprimrose Leave a Comment

By Stewart Primrose

CCTV footage may have captured crucial information on the identity’s of those who killed the two British soldiers in Northern Ireland.

Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimka

Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimka, 21, were killed at their army base in County Antrim by members of the Real IRA.

When Detective Chief Inspector Derek Williamson was questioned on whether the police had any clues he confirmed that “some of the events” of the murders had been caught on camera.

He also Stated a green Vauxhall Cavelier TDZ 7309, found about 5 miles from Massereene Army base, was the getaway vehicle in which the killers used to escape from the scene.

Colleagues of the two soldiers have expressed their admiration of the work they carried out and were tipped for great things within the British army.

Lieutenant Colonel Roger Lewis, commanding officer of 38 Engineer Regiment, said of Azimka:

“During training for our deployment to Afghanistan, Sapper Azimkar showed his true grit and determination, making absolutely certain that he was fully prepared for the exacting and demanding conditions to come.

It was his performance during this training, and in particular his commitment to supporting his mates, that showed his full potential for training as a non-commissioned officer.

The regiment and I have been shocked and stunned by the death of this very promising young soldier.”

Sapper Quinsey, from Birmingham, was said to have had a great sense of humour and had huge potential as a soldier. Lt Col Lewis said:

“Sapper Quinsey was an outwardly calm, resolute and motivated young soldier.

A social livewire and hugely popular across the regiment, he was rarely away from the centre of the action.

Professionally his approach reflected his infectious enthusiasm for life.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is currently in Northern Ireland and has had talks with the political leaders in the country. After these talks he does not believe teat the recent events will have any impact on the current peace process and described it as “unshakeable”

“What I’ve seen this morning is the unity of the people of Northern Ireland, and the unity of the political parties,” he said.

“That they are going to continue to work together and they want to send out a message to the world – as I do – that the political process will not and never be shaken.

“In fact, the political process is now unshakeable”

Sein Fein leader Gerry Adams echoed the Prime Minsiters words and his “thoughts are with the families of the two men”

“It was wrong. It was counter-productive.

“My thoughts are with the families of the two men who were killed and who were injured,” he said.

“And you might take some succour from the fact that whoever was involved, they have no support and no strategy and no popular will to back up their actions.”

The Real IRA have existed since 1997 after a the split of the Provisional IRA. They were responsible for the Omagh bombings in August 1998.

Filed Under: All Politics, World In Depth Tagged With: Azimka, cctv, Detective Chief Inspector Derek Williamson, gerry adams, Gordon Brown, Massereene, Northern Ireland, Peace process, Quensey, Real IRA

Political parties row over 48 hour working week

December 18, 2008 By nicoljcraig Leave a Comment

MSPs discuss European plans

Labour MEPs have voted against Gordon Brown over the scrapping of Britain’s opt-out from the maximum 48 hour working week.

The European Parliament voted to remove Britain’s opt-out meaning the new resolution could be in place by 2011.

Labour MPs and MEPs disagreed on the move, with MEPs voting down the opt-out by 421 to 273.

Listen to working week:

The SNP have sided with the Prime Minister, arguing that the opt-out is necessary to retain the integrity and flexibility of many public services, particularly in rural and island areas.

SNP MEP Alyn Smith told Dunedin Napier News: “Some MEPs are trying to hoodwink people into thinking that this is somehow a victory for the rights of workers.” He added: “It is rare I find myself in total agreement with the UK government but when I do, as does my own government in Scotland, I’ll work with them.”

The issue has had increased pressure due to the economic downturn, with many member states wanting the option to exceed the 48 hour week.

A number of rural organisations, in particular the retained fire-fighters union, fear that some 321 of Scotland’s 391 fire stations will be drastically affected by this decision. NFU Scotland is similarly concerned over the position of farming workers.

Supporters of the resolution argue that it provides sufficient short-term scope for working longer hours if necessary.

“Scottish workers, like those in the rest of Europe, have a right to common decent working and living conditions”, said David Martin, Scottish Labour MEP.

He concluded: “And the new 12-month averaging of working time, as opposed to the previous four-month average, offers great flexibility for work time planning.”

But opponents said it should not be up to the EU to determine the working patterns of different employment cultures in the member states.

Alyn Smith said: “I fundamentally disagree that working time should be regulated across 27 different states from the Algarve to the Arctic Circle. The impact of this decision, if actually implemented, would be quite unworkable for vast swathes of the country. It might look good in a centrally heated Brussels office but it assuredly will not do what it says on the tin.”

The dossier will now enter a conciliation process where Member States will negotiate the minutia’s, meaning continued legal uncertainty for Europe’s workers.

Filed Under: All Politics, Science and Technology, World In Depth Tagged With: 48 hour, disagreement, Gordon Brown, hours, Labour, MEP, MP, parliament, parties, Politics, row, SNP, working

News in brief

December 18, 2008 By guthrienicole Leave a Comment

By Nichole Guthrie

Troops out of Iraq by summer

On a visit to Basra yesterday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated that British troops will end combat operations on May 31 2009, although they will provide a two month stay of grace before the majority of the 4,100 troops will withdraw from Iraq.

Dentists overcharging patients

NHS dentists are under the spotlight for allegedly overcharging patients to the tune of £109 million. The Conservative party states that dentists are finding loopholes in the system to charge patients twice.

Church of England to split from state

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams thinks there are benefits from being detached from the state. He said there would be a “certain integrity” to decisions in the church not being run by parliament first.

Millionare sex romp at Gleneagles

Millionaire property tycoon Philip Anderson was arrested along with his girlfriend after being aggressive towards the people complaining of their drunken behaviour at Deseo restaurant in Gleneagles.

20 year Lockerbie bombing anniversary

The 20th anniversary of the bombing of PanAm flight 103 this weekend sees the locals planning a low key ceremony running parallel to a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC. Steven Spielberg is also planning to make a film about the tragedy.

Glasgow bomber jailed for life

NHS doctor Bilal Abdulla was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 32 years yesterday. He was convicted of terrorist attacks on London and Glasgow.

Rwanda genocide killer jailed

Former senior defence official Theoneste Bagosora has been convicted and sentenced to life in jail for plotting the 1994 genocide that killed more than 800,000 people. This conviction marks the first time Rwandan courts have convicted anyone for the killings.

Sky 3D television

Satellite broadcaster Sky has revealed it’s trying out a new 3D television platform that could see viewers watching the 2012 Olympics in this new dimension. Viewers will have to wear polarised glasses and have a 3D enabled television.

Filed Under: News in Brief Tagged With: 20th anniversary, 3D TV, Archbishop of Canterbury, Bilal Abdulla, Church of England, Dentists, Deseo restaurant, Dr Rowan Williams, Genocide, Glasgow bombing, Gleneagles, Gordon Brown, Iraq, Lockerbie bombing, NHS, NHS doctor, PanAm flight 103, Philip Anderson, Rwanda, Sky, terrorism, Theoneste Bagosora

“The outcome will be minimal”

December 11, 2008 By Charlotte Morgenthal Leave a Comment

MEP Alyn Smith

Scottish Member of the European Parliament Alyn Smith (SNP) joins in the criticism of the UK’s plan to heal the British economy.

Interview by Charlotte Morgenthal

What impact will the European Central bank intervention have on Scotland?

It will have a minimal impact and the meeting will moreover be about international coordination of the financial crisis.

Do you wish that Scotland has somebody sitting at the EU Council table? What difference would it make?

Yes, it is pretty much SNP policy that we have an independent Scotland within Europe. Yes, I do wish that we have access to all the levers. Our Ministers currently have a seat in the Council but they don’t have speaking rights. From the European Parliament perspective: Unless you have the right to participate you don’t really make the law for your country.

With all the voices criticising the Westminster tax cut approach this morning and yesterday: what do you think about it?

I do agree with them. There is a lot of sloppy decision making at the moment. Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown allowed the economy to get that far and it is a catastrophic failure of regulation. It is pretty much an Anglo-Saxon problem which doesn’t exist to that extent in say France or Germany. If you leave the market to itself it will pretty much destroy itself.

Filed Under: All Politics, Uncategorized Tagged With: Alistair Darling, EU Council, European Central Bank, France, Germany, Gordon Brown, MEP Alyn Smith, Scottish economy, SNP, tax cut, uk

Prime Minister reveals ‘Mortage Aid’

December 4, 2008 By srhouston Leave a Comment

By Sven Houston

Amidst public fear of home repossesion, Gordon Brown has revealed plans that would allow people to defer mortage payments by up to two years.

The plan aims to ease the financial strain on those facing reposession and will cover mortgages up to £400,000. Home repossession numbers are predicted to hit 75,000 next year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

All eight major mortgage lenders have agreed to the deal that could allow homeowners to defer up to 100% of their payment for two years. The plan will cost the government £1 billion as they guarantee the money to the banks, should homeowners fail to make the eventual payments.

This is the latest step in Gordon Brown’s quest to provide financial stability for families during the economic downturn, and he insists the latest scheme will allow people time to get their family finances ‘back on track’.

Mr. Brown said: “The result will be more affordable monthly payments for homeowners who are needing a bridge through difficult times.”

The plan has been met with open arms by housing charity Shelter Scotland. Director Graeme Brown has urged more lenders to approve of the plan.

He said: “We echo the call to all lenders, in particular sub-prime lenders, to sign up to this commitment, which is the first step in making sure that the 75,000 households across the UK, expected to be repossessed next year, is only a prediction rather than a reality.”

In a related move, lenders Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley have agreed to defer repossession proceedings until homeowners are six months behind on their payments. This follows the lead taken by the Royal Bank of Scotland following calls from the PM for banks to help ease the strain on homeowners.

Radio Clip:mortgage-voxes

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business Tagged With: Gordon Brown, home repossession, mortgage, Queen's Speech

Tax Dispute Rumbles on at Westminster

November 12, 2008 By mikeheggie Leave a Comment

Brown & Cameron

By Michael Heggie

A Conservative proposal to cut payroll taxes for businesses that take on unemployed people was dismissed by the Prime Minister, who argued that it would not inject new cash into the economy.

A Conservative proposal to cut payroll taxes for businesses that take on unemployed people has been dismissed by Mr. Brown.

The global downturn has prompted the government to consider borrowing to lower taxes. Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted that the very point of using tax cuts is to stimulate the ailing British economy.

The Prime Minister declared at his monthly press conference: “You have to take action that is initially unfunded. That is the idea of a fiscal stimulus”

But Mr Cameron says that Britain cannot afford to add to public debt – which could put the Tories in the unfamiliar position of having the least aggressive tax-cutting stance.

Mr Cameron said: “Unfunded tax cuts will saddle this generation and the next with a burden of debt that could take a decade or more to pay off.”

He insists that unfunded tax cuts now will mean higher levies later, a claim that Tony McNulty, the Employment Minister, appeared to confirm when he agreed that taxes would have to rise “over the longer term”.

Mr Brown again fuelled speculation that Alistair Darling would announce tax cuts in the PreBudget Report, expected this month.

At the Conservatives’ annual conference both Mr Cameron and George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, insisted that they would not change direction, arguing that Britain should return to the “fiscal conservatism” of Margaret Thatcher.

With tax cuts now expected this month and amid the depressing economic backdrop, the Tory leadership wanted to signal that they too would help people through the downturn. Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne proposed national insurance holidays for companies that hired the unemployed, claiming the measure would create 350,000 jobs.

David Frost, chairman of The Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Small businesses would be better helped by long-term reductions in national insurance contributions rather than short-term breaks. Encouraging businesses to employ those out of work for three months could provide a disincentive to take on those entering unemployment.”

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business Tagged With: David Cameron, Gordon Brown

West asks East for Financial help

October 29, 2008 By mikeheggie Leave a Comment

A happy Gordon Brown

By Michael Heggie

Europe turned to Asia and the Middle East for help yesterday as the financial crisis threatened to overwhelm Hungary and other struggling economies.

Western leaders including Gordon Brown urged China and the oil-rich Gulf States to provide billions of dollars for struggling countries.

Mr Brown urged oil-rich nations with big foreign exchange reserves to replenish the coffers of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to facilitate loans to struggling European countries such as Iceland. Many other European nations are expected to seek help.

Mr Brown said: “We have seen in recent days the financial crisis spreading to other countries – middle-income countries, Eastern European countries. In the last few days I have discussed the risk of contagion and the need to stabilise economies right across Eastern Europe.”

The Prime Minister and other European leaders believe that the IMF’s current $250 billion (£157 billion) bailout fund will be insufficient to tackle the crisis emerging in many countries, which makes the untapped reserves of the East so attractive.

Mr Brown is set to raise the issue during a trip to the Gulf, when he will visit the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He also plans to speak to Wen Jiabao the Prime Minister of China.

The Chancellor, Alistair Darling has called for the emergence of a new “economic world order” claiming that fresh ideas are required if financial market is to be maintained.

The IMF has a ‘general agreement’ to borrow, under which countries with large reserves of cash make sums available to lend to states in financial difficulties.

Mr Brown has said that there are reserves of $250 billion available. However it is believed that this will not solve the problem.

He added: “This may not be enough … it is becoming increasingly clear to me that we cannot delay and that we now need substantial resources.

“We don’t rule out anything in this, because everybody has got to play their part in helping. But I think that, as happened in the Seventies, the big surplus countries, those with big reserves, are in a position to help most and we will be urging them to do so.”

Filed Under: All Politics, Uncategorized Tagged With: Gordon Brown, International Monetary Fund, Middle East