Tag: Featured

    With the festive season fast approaching, speculation over whether we could be getting a white Christmas this year has already begun - and it's looking like good news for snow-loving Brits. The Met Office said there is a chance of snow falling in the UK on December 25 in its latest predictions released this weekend. Weather models are still to be updated closer to the day but the latest outlook says "some snow" could be expected over high ground in the north. A statement posted online yesterday said: "High pressure is likely to dominate from mid December, with fairly 'blocked' conditions becoming established across the UK. "This weather pattern would lead to drier than average conditions and lighter winds. "Interludes of more unsettled weather are expected to be fairly lim...

    The government may be preparing to increase the official state pension age to 70 for millions of people currently in their 20s, a former minister has claimed. Steve Webb said documents produced by the Department for Work and Pensions suggested a “more aggressive” timetable on state pension age (SPA) increases than previously planned was being prepared. Steve Webb. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA This could affect tens of millions of workers aged under 55, and bring a pension age of 70 into the official timetable for the first time for people currently aged between 22 and 30, he added. The current official SPA for people in their 20s is 68, though under the existing schedule it could be expected to rise to 69. The SPA is the earliest age someone can start receiving their state pe...

    The Labour Party believe the Tories must uphold their promise of free TV licenses made in the election (Photo: PA) Plans to target free TV licenses for over-75s could spark a Tory rebellion as pressure grows on Theresa May to cancel the scheme. Last year, the government announced plans for the BBC to fund the cost of free TV licenses which will cost £750m by 2020/21 - almost the entire budget of BBC One. And experts said the corporation would have no choice but to abolish or restrict the free licenses. Labour has tabled an amendment to the Digital Economy Bill - currently going through Parliament to ask the government to think again. Labour’s shadow digital minister Louise Haigh wants to protect the entitlement which the Party introduced over a decade ago and return both t...

    The Prime Minister will on Tuesday reveal her long-awaited plans for improving corporate governance that will include empowering workers and shareholders. Theresa May will this week announce an Ed Miliband-style crackdown on executive pay in a move that threatens to inflame tensions with big business. The Prime Minister will on Tuesday reveal her long-awaited plans for improving corporate governance that will include empowering workers and shareholders. Number 10 sees the move as making good on a Tory leadership campaign pledge and addressing what ministers perceive as voter disillusionment with corporate greed. However critics are likely pounce on the fact that the proposals are in some cases word-for-word replicas of Labour policies adopted before the last election. The ...

    As Chancellor of the Exchequer he may be the holder of one of the oldest and highest offices of state, but that has not saved Philip Hammond from being humiliated by his neighbour. Or to be more precise, his neighbour’s cat. Mr Hammond has had to endure the indignity of being forced to keep his dogs locked away in his official No. 11 Downing Street flat to protect them the vicious cat next door. While relations between Mr Hammond and his Prime Minister appear at the moment to be good, the same cannot be said for Rex, the Chancellor’s welsh terrier, and Oscar, his wire haired dachshund, and Larry, the resident cat at No 10. It seems that Larry has taken a dislike to the two dogs, so much so that Mr Hammond has confessed to friends that he has been forced to keep them inside...