Industry News

28th May 2008

Brown Oils Energy Future

Writing in the Guardian newspaper, the Prime Minister has called the current oil price rises "the third great oil shock in recent decades". Gordon Brown said: "The oil price, just $10 a barrel a decade ago, has reached $135 in recent days, pushing up the price of petrol and domestic heating as well as contributing to higher food prices....every country must find ways of being more efficient and diversifying supply. And as continuing high oil prices present us all with an immense challenge, the way we confront these issues will define our era". Read all about it

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27th May 2008

MPs Second Home Lump Sum Payment Plan Mooted

The Times newspaper reports that one suggestion of the Members Estimate Committee, that is looking into MP's expenses, could be to award them an automatic lump sum payment of £23,000 a year for second homes. This would get around MPs having to disclose receipted claims.

27th May 2008

Lorry Drivers Take to London Streets in Fuel Protest

Lorry drivers have begun demonstrating in London against the rising costs of fuel and associated fuel duty. In the largest protest of this type in the capital, truckers are taking over parts of the A40 in central London before a rally in Marble Arch then a delegation descending upon Downing Street to air demands for essential user rebates. In response, the Business Secretary John Hutton has hinted that the planned 2p fuel duty increase detailed in the Budget might again be postponed. Chancellor Alistair Darling is reported to be in listening mode with backbench Labour MPs over the issue. Read more about the campaign at the TransAction 2007 website

23rd May 2008

Labour Suffer Dramatic Crewe & Nantwich Defeat

The Conservative candidate, Edward Timpson, secured a massive 17% swing to take the Crewe and Nantwich Parliamentary seat in the by-election following the death of long-serving MP Gwyneth Dunwoody. With 20, 539 votes he beat Labour candidate Tamsin Dunwoody into second place on 12,679.  Elixabeth Shenton finished third for the Liberal Democrats with 6,040 votes. It is the first Tory victory over Labour in a by-election for 26 years. Conservative Leader, David Cameron said: "I know that winning a by-election and winning a general election are two different things and we've still got a huge amount of work to do". He continued that the result marked "the end of New Labour".

23rd May 2008

Johnson To Stand Down as Henley MP

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has confirmed that he will stand down as MP for Henley, which he has held since 2001 when he took over the seat from Michael Heseltine. The by-election looks set to take place at the end of June or early July. Johnson won at the last general election with a 12,793 majority for the Tories.

21st May 2008

Equal Treatment of Agency Workers Agreement Announced

An agreement has been announced by BERR that will mean agency workers will receive the same rights as full time employees after a 12 week qualifying period of being at an organisation. The deal from the Government comes on the back of Andrew Miller's Private Members Bill and the proposed EU measure on Temporary Agency Workers. The CBI has called the agreement the "least worst option" whilst the TUC hailed the result as a "victory". Business Secretary John Hutton said "This is the right deal for Britain. Today's agreement achieves our twin objectives of flexibility for British employers and fairness for workers. It will give people a fair deal at work without putting their jobs at risk or cutting off a valuable route into employment". Read the press releases here from the CBI & TUC.

21st May 2008

Dalai Lama Addresses Parliamentarians in Westminster

The Dalai Lama today addressed members of both Houses of Parliament. The Prime Minister has been criticised for not granting the Tibetan spiritual leader an audience in No. 10 Downing Street. The Dalai Lama will also meet the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.

21st May 2008

Abortion Time Limit Reduction Amendments Defeated

MPs have voted against proposals to reduce the time limit for abortions from 24 weeks in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill . See how MPs voted in the amendments defeating a 20 week time limit by 332 to 190 and 22 week time limit by 304 to 233.

20th May 2008

Hybrid Embryo Research Supported by MPs

The Government survived attempts to defeat plans for the use of hybrid human animal embryos in a free vote, by 336 to 176.

18th May 2008

Brown Backs Controversial Embryology Bill

The Prime Minister has said that in Monday's Commons vote, he will be voting in favour of stem cell research using human-animal embryos. Writing in the Observer, Gordon Brown said "The scientists I speak to are committed to what they see as an inherently moral endeavour, that can save and improve the lives of thousands and over time, millions".

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