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Budget to set scene for election
Gordon Brown will seek to put the economy at the centre of Labour's bid for a third term in power when he delivers his ninth Budget at 1230 GMT. He is expected to stress the importance of continued economic stability, with low unemployment and interest rates. The chancellor is expect... | 0 | 0 |
Army chiefs in regiments decision
Military chiefs are expected to meet to make a final decision on the future of Scotland's Army regiments.
A committee of the Army Board, which is made up of the most senior defence figures, will discuss plans for restructuring regiments on Monday. The proposals include cutting Sc... | 0 | 1 |
Howard denies split over ID cards
Michael Howard has denied his shadow cabinet was split over its decision to back controversial Labour plans to introduce ID cards.
The Tory leader said his front bench team had reached a "collective view" after holding a "good discussion", but admitted it was "not an easy issue".... | 0 | 2 |
Observers to monitor UK election
Ministers will invite international observers to check the forthcoming UK general election is fairly run.
The move comes amid claims the poll could be marred by electoral fraud. A report by two MPs committees called on Thursday for urgent changes to the electoral registration syst... | 0 | 3 |
Kilroy names election seat target
Ex-chat show host Robert Kilroy-Silk is to contest the Derbyshire seat of Erewash at the next general election.
Labour's Elizabeth Blackman won the seat in 1997 and has a 6,932 majority. She says she will fight on her record "as a hard-working constituency MP". Mr Kilroy-Silk ann... | 0 | 4 |
Donor attacks Blair-Brown 'feud'
The reported feud between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown has prompted a Labour donor to say he will almost certainly refuse to give more funds.
Duncan Bannatyne also attacked the government over Iraq and its "poor" response to the Asian tsunami crisis. His broadside came as ex-Foreig... | 0 | 5 |
Research fears over Kelly's views
Scientists have expressed concerns that new education secretary Ruth Kelly's religious views could hamper vital scientific research.
Ms Kelly, who is Catholic, is reported to be "pro-life" and has opposed embryo research. Medical Research Council Professor Nancy Rothwell said Ms ... | 0 | 6 |
Chancellor rallies Labour voters
Gordon Brown has issued a rallying cry, telling supporters the "stakes are too high" to stay at home or protest vote in the forthcoming general election.
The chancellor said the vote - expected to fall on 5 May - will give a "clear and fundamental" choice between Labour investment... | 0 | 7 |
Fox attacks Blair's Tory 'lies'
Tony Blair lied when he took the UK to war so has no qualms about lying in the election campaign, say the Tories.
Tory co-chairman Liam Fox was speaking after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda". Dr Fox told BBC Radio: "If you are willing to lie ab... | 0 | 8 |
Tories unveil quango blitz plans
Plans to abolish 162 quangos have been unveiled by the Conservatives as part of their effort to show how government red tape can be cut.
Six government units would also be scrapped under proposals which the Tories say would save more than £4.3bn. Among the targets are strategic h... | 0 | 9 |
Hatfield executives go on trial
Engineering firm Balfour Beatty and five railway managers are to go on trial for manslaughter over the Hatfield rail crash in 2000.
Four people died when a section of rail broke and a high speed train derailed. Balfour Beatty's railway maintenance arm was in charge of the upkeep of... | 0 | 10 |
Howard rejects BNP's claim
Tory leader Michael Howard has dismissed claims that his immigration policy was "moving onto the turf" of the British National Party (BNP).
BNP leader Nick Griffin told the Independent he expected some BNP voters to switch to the Tories over the issue. But Mr Howard said he rejected the... | 0 | 11 |
Howard unveils Tory asylum plans
Tory plans to cut immigration to the UK are not racist and will make the asylum system fairer for genuine refugees, Michael Howard has said.
As his party set out detailed asylum reform plans, Mr Howard said they would help smash people smuggling gangs. There would be an annual lim... | 0 | 12 |
Brown and Blair face new rift claims
For the umpteenth time, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are said to have declared all out war on each other.
This time the alleged rift is over who should take the credit for the government's global aid and debt initiatives, particularly in the wake of the tsunami disaster - an is... | 0 | 13 |
Tories plan migrant health checks
Non-European Union citizens wanting to work in the UK will have to undergo tests for Tuberculosis and HIV, under plans unveiled by the Conservatives.
A positive test for TB would mean visa applications being turned down, while HIV would be dealt with case by case. Leader Michael ... | 0 | 14 |
Brown targets OAPs and homebuyers
Gordon Brown has doubled the level at which house buyers pay stamp duty to £120,000 as he put the economy at the heart of Labour's election campaign.
The chancellor also unveiled a one-off £200 council tax refund for pensioners and a rise in child tax credit. Mr Brown put 1p a ... | 0 | 15 |
Ministers deny care sums 'wrong'
Ministers have insisted they are committed to free personal care for the elderly despite research suggesting the cost of the policy was under-estimated.
A report by the Fraser of Allander Institute says the decision to push ahead with the flagship policy was based on flawed resear... | 0 | 16 |
Straw praises Kashmir moves
The UK has welcomed the decision by India and Pakistan to open a bus link across the ceasefire line dividing the disputed region of Kashmir.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, touring South East Asian countries, praised the "spirit of cooperation" in achieving the breakthrough. Media report... | 0 | 17 |
Turkey deal 'to help world peace'
A deal bringing Turkey a step closer to EU membership is of "fundamental importance" to the peace and security of the world, Tony Blair has said.
The deal, struck at the European Council last week, also proved claims of a clash between Muslims and Christians were "wrong", Mr Blai... | 0 | 18 |
Goldsmith: 'I was not leant on'
The attorney general has again denied being "leant on" by Downing Street to make the legal case for invading Iraq.
Claims a written answer on the legality of the war was drafted by Downing Street were "wholly unfounded," he insisted during stormy Lords exchanges. Lord Goldsmith sai... | 0 | 19 |
Escaped prisoner report ordered
First Minister Jack McConnell has ordered a report on the decision to allow a paranoid schizophrenic knife attacker to go on a visit unguarded.
Michael Ferguson, 36, escaped after being allowed out of the high-security Carstairs unit. The SNP's Nicola Sturgeon has demanded to know ... | 0 | 20 |
Analysis: No pain, no gain?
He called it his "masochism strategy" in the run-up to the Iraq war and now Tony Blair has signed up for another dose of pain.
The idea is simple - the prime minister goes head to head with an often hostile group of "real" voters in the full spotlight of the television cameras. The the... | 0 | 21 |
Labour accused of 'EU propaganda'
A "taxpayer subsidised propaganda exercise" on the EU is being used to lull the British public into a false sense of security, say the Tories.
Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram told MPs a new White Paper was part of trying to soften up opinion ahead of the referendum on the... | 0 | 22 |
Tories urge 'change at the top'
Tory delegates are gathering for what is expected to be their last conference before the general election, declaring Britain needs "a change at the top".
The party goes into its spring forum trying to highlight what it sees as a clear choice between it and Labour. Tory co-chairman ... | 0 | 23 |
'Hitler' row over Welsh arts cash
An artist critical of Welsh arts funding being brought under assembly government control has denied comparing the idea with dictatorships in Russia and Germany.
Shani Rhys James is worried that the Arts Council of Wales may be taken over by the Welsh Assembly Government. Culture ... | 0 | 24 |
Whitehall cuts 'ahead of target'
Thousands of civil service jobs have already been cut or moved out of London as part of a major cost-cutting drive.
Chancellor Gordon Brown said 12,500 jobs had gone while 7,800 were being moved out of the South East. He plans to axe 104,000 jobs to free up money for education, he... | 0 | 25 |
Lib Dems demand new inquiry
A judge should look into the David Blunkett controversy as key questions remain unanswered, the Lib Dems say.
Sir Alan Budd's inquiry linked the ex-home secretary to the speeding up of a visa claim by his ex-lover's nanny. But he could not say whether Mr Blunkett had treated the nanny ... | 0 | 26 |
Ban on hunting comes into force
Fox hunting with dogs is now illegal in England and Wales after a ban on the activity came into force overnight.
The law faces a stiff test this weekend, with the Countryside Alliance saying many hunts will be out in force. Chief police officers spokesman Nigel Yeo said he expected... | 0 | 27 |
MPs quiz aides over royal income
Senior officials at the two bodies generating private income for the Queen and Prince of Wales are to be questioned by MPs.
Aides from the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall will appear before the Commons Public Accounts Committee. It has been reported they could be question... | 0 | 28 |
Mayor will not retract Nazi jibe
London mayor Ken Livingstone has again refused to retract a Nazi insult made to a Jewish reporter.
Labour's Mr Livingstone, who says he is "standing by" his remarks, had accused an Evening Standard journalist of being like a "concentration camp guard". At his weekly press conferen... | 0 | 29 |
Lib Dems 'to target stamp duty'
The Liberal Democrats are promising to raise the stamp duty threshold if they win the general election, in a bid to court first-time house buyers.
Vince Cable, the party's Treasury spokesman, said raising the threshold to £150,000 would prevent over 400,000 home-buyers from paying... | 0 | 30 |
Mallon wades into NE vote battle
Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon has been drafted in to boost the Yes campaign as the North East assembly referendum enters its final week.
The former police chief, dubbed Robocop for his zero tolerance style, clashed on Thursday with Sunderland No campaigner Neil Herron. Mr Mallon ... | 0 | 31 |
Labour faces 'cold calls' inquiry
Labour is to be investigated by a watchdog over claims its election campaign has broken the rules on "cold calling" householders.
The information commissioner is to look into a complaint from the Lib Dems about how Labour uses its call centres. The Lib Dems say Labour is telephon... | 0 | 32 |
Blair backs 'pre-election budget'
Tony Blair has backed Chancellor Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report amid opposition claims he was too bullish about the state of the UK economy.
In a speech in Edinburgh, the prime minister said Thursday's report reinforced stability and opportunity. And that would be central to La... | 0 | 33 |
Final hunts held as ban looms
Hunts in England and Wales have begun on the last day that hunting with dogs is legal, with more due out later.
Thousands of supporters are expected to turn out at more than 250 meets, many of which have altered their normal schedules to be out on a Thursday. The ban on hunting with ... | 0 | 34 |
Iraqis win death test case probe
The family of an Iraqi civilian allegedly killed by UK troops have won a challenge against the government's refusal to order a full inquiry.
The High Court ruled on Tuesday that Baha Mousa's death in British custody in Iraq fell within the European Convention on Human Rights. And ... | 0 | 35 |
Parties build up poll war chests
The Labour Party received more than £5m in donations in the final quarter of 2004, new figures show.
This is nearly half of the £11,724,929 received by 16 political parties listed by the Electoral Commission. The Conservatives were in second place with donations totalling £4,61... | 0 | 36 |
England children's tsar appointed
The first children's commissioner for England has been appointed.
Great Ormond Street Hospital professor of child health, Al Aynsley-Green, was chosen by the government and will start the £100,000-a-year job immediately. He will oversee a £2.5m annual budget and have the power ... | 0 | 37 |
Parties warned over 'grey vote'
Political parties cannot afford to take older UK voters for granted in the coming election, says Age Concern.
A survey for the charity suggests 69% of over-55s say they always vote in a general election compared with just 17% of 18 to 24 year olds. Charity boss Gordon Lishman said ... | 0 | 38 |
Tory leader 'cleared' over work
Scottish Conservative Party leader David McLetchie claims he has been cleared over a potential conflict of interest.
The Edinburgh MSP earns up to £30,000 a year from the law firm Tods Murray, where he is a partner. Mr McLetchie said he has taken advice from Holyrood officials abo... | 0 | 39 |
Labour trio 'had vote-rig factory'
Three Labour councillors in Birmingham were caught operating a "vote-rigging factory", an Election Court has heard.
Police found the trio handling unsealed postal ballots in a deserted warehouse in the city during a late-night raid in June 2004, the hearing was told. The votes w... | 0 | 40 |
New drink limit 'would cut toll'
More lives than previously thought could be saved by cutting drink-drive limits by a third, a report says.
University College London research claims cutting the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg would save 65 lives a year. The findings are being published by th... | 0 | 41 |
Labour MP praises Tory campaign
The Conservatives have been "a lot smarter" in the way they have conducted the general election campaign, a Labour backbencher has said.
Derek Wyatt said having a five month campaign "turned off voters" and suggested people were already "rather bored of the thing". He wants a great... | 0 | 42 |
Lords wrong on detainees - Straw
Jack Straw has attacked the decision by Britain's highest court that detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial breaks human rights laws.
The foreign secretary said the right to life was the "most important liberty" and the government had a duty to protect people from terr... | 0 | 43 |
Baron Kinnock makes Lords debut
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock has officially been made a life peer during a ceremony in the House of Lords.
He will be known Baron Kinnock of Bedwellty - after his former constituency. Lord Kinnock - who led Labour from 1983 until 1992 - was until recently one of Britain's EU c... | 0 | 44 |
Drive to 'save' festive holidays
Efforts are being made to 'protect' workers' days off on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Support is being sought for a bill which would ensure that large retailers in Scotland remain closed on Christmas Day and 1 January. The Usdaw trade union said shop workers should be able to... | 0 | 45 |
How political squabbles snowball
It's become commonplace to argue that Blair and Brown are like squabbling school kids and that they (and their supporters) need to grow up and stop bickering.
But this analysis in fact gets it wrong. It's not just children who fight - adults do too. And there are solid reasons why... | 0 | 46 |
Muslim police stops 'more likely'
UK Muslims should accept that people of Islamic appearance are more likely to be stopped and searched by police, a Home Office minister has said.
Hazel Blears said innocent Muslims would be targeted because of the search for Islamic extremists. Qualifications for religious leader... | 0 | 47 |
Falconer rebuts 'charade' claims
Concessions on a bill which critics claim would allow euthanasia "through the back door" were not a political ploy, the lord chancellor has said.
Ministers have been accused of panic in offering last minute changes to the Mental Capacity Bill amid chaotic scenes in the Commons on ... | 0 | 48 |
Brown in appeal for Labour unity
Gordon Brown has made an appeal for unity after reports claimed Mr Blair went back on a pledge to stand down before the next general election.
The chancellor would not comment on the reports, but insisted he would not be "diverted or distracted" from tackling the challenges faced ... | 0 | 49 |
Police probe BNP mosque leaflet
Police are investigating a British National Party leaflet posted to homes in south Wales opposing plans for a new mosque.
Anti-racism campaigners in Swansea have handed copies to South Wales Police. Swansea's Muslim community is raising money to open a new mosque and community cent... | 0 | 50 |
Protect whistleblowers, TUC says
The government should change the law to give more protection to employees who raise health and safety concerns about their workplaces, the TUC has said.
It said data from employment tribunals suggested 1,500 "safety whistleblowers" had lost their jobs since 1999. Some firms found ... | 0 | 51 |
Sport betting rules in spotlight
A group of MPs and peers has called for a tightening of regulations controlling betting on sport.
The Parliamentary Group on Betting and Gaming held a substantial inquiry into betting last year. It followed fears that a massive increase in betting on sport, such as that done using... | 0 | 52 |
Labour's Cunningham to stand down
Veteran Labour MP and former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham has said he will stand down at the next election.
One of the few Blair-era ministers to serve under Jim Callaghan, he was given the agriculture portfolio when Labour regained power in 1997. Mr Cunningham went on to bec... | 0 | 53 |
Blunkett tells of love and pain
David Blunkett has spoken of his love for married publisher Kimberly Quinn for the first time.
The home secretary described how it affected his friends and personal life, but said he was a great believer in personal responsibility. Mr Blunkett is taking legal action to gain access ... | 0 | 54 |
Brown to outline presidency goals
Next year will be "make or break" for development in poorer countries Gordon Brown will say as he sets out UK goals for its EU and G8 presidencies.
The chancellor is due to outline a series of key targets the government will be judged on in 2005. They will include doubling aid fr... | 0 | 55 |
Crucial decision on super-casinos
A decision on whether to allow Westminster to legislate on super-casinos is set to be made by the Scottish Parliament.
The government has plans for up to eight Las Vegas style resorts in the UK, one of which is likely to be in Glasgow. Scottish ministers insist they will still ha... | 0 | 56 |
Blunkett sorry over murder plan
David Blunkett has apologised to MPs after the Home Office announced "prematurely" via press release a review of murder laws.
The home secretary confirmed the review was to get under way in the wake of a Law Commission report which branded the current murder law as "a mess". He sai... | 0 | 57 |
Lib Dems' new election PR chief
The Lib Dems have appointed a senior figure from BT to be the party's new communications chief for their next general election effort.
Sandy Walkington will now work with senior figures such as Matthew Taylor on completing the party manifesto. Party chief executive Lord Rennard sai... | 0 | 58 |
Blair backs 'pre-election budget'
Tony Blair has backed Chancellor Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report amid opposition claims he was too bullish about the state of the UK economy.
In a speech in Edinburgh, the prime minister said Thursday's report reinforced stability and opportunity. And that would be central to La... | 0 | 59 |
Muslims discuss election concerns
Issues that Muslims should be considering before voting in the next general election are to be debated by UK community representatives.
The event is being held by the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), which believes Muslim voters could influence the result in up to 50 constitu... | 0 | 60 |
MPs demand 'Budget leak' answers
Ministers have been asked to explain how Budget details were printed in a London newspaper half an hour before Gordon Brown made his speech.
The Tories said a large chunk of the Budget appeared to have been leaked in what they describe as a "serious breach of Treasury confidential... | 0 | 61 |
PM apology over jailings
Tony Blair has apologised to two families who suffered one of the UK's biggest miscarriages of justice.
The prime minister was commenting on the wrongful jailing of 11 people for IRA bomb attacks on pubs in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974. Mr Blair said: "I am very sorry that they were sub... | 0 | 62 |
Terror powers expose 'tyranny'
The Lord Chancellor has defended government plans to introduce control orders to keep foreign and British terrorist suspects under house arrest, where there isn't enough evidence to put them on trial.
Lord Falconer insists that the proposals do not equate to a police state and strik... | 0 | 63 |
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