George Osborne's : 2013 Budget

The chancellor extended the 1% public sector pay cap by one year to 2015/16 but Service personnel to be exempt from public sector 1% pay rise cap. He used his Budget to cut corporation tax by 1% to 20%, and...

George Osborne's boring, steady as she goes budget

On Wednesday, the chancellor must take the opportunity to respond to the squeeze on living standards facing families, not only because it may help his declining popularity but because it is vital to the...

UK emerges from double-dip recession

George Osborne says 1% growth in the third quarter of 2012 shows the 'economy is healing'. The figures, announced by the Office for National Statistics on Thursday, mean the chancellor will be able to deliver his...

George Osborne 'forced to pay £160 first class train upgrade'

George Osborne has been forced to pay for an upgrade after sitting in a first class train carriage with a standard class ticket. An aide to Mr Osborne initially refused to pay the £160 supplement and said the...

George’s we’ll pay for the right to fire you with useless shares

George Osborne announced a new and bizarre scheme during his Tory Party conference speech this morning. The Treasury put it like this: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right Honourable George Osborne MP,...

Economists call for a George Osborne U-turn on UK austerity

Rachel Reeves, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "With a double dip recession made in Downing Street and the economy shrinking, not growing, since the spending review, it's no surprise that even ...

My Plan B? Replace bankrupt Osborne

Britain’s business community is becoming worried about Mr Osborne’s ability to take control of the maelstrom that would unleash itself if, or rather when, the euro starts to break up. And I fear his credit...

The UK Chancellor must cancel August's 3p increase in fuel duty

My office postbag had been bristling with constituents’ anger all week and I imagine ever other MP was experiencing the same level of feedback and voters have a right to be angry. The fact is this: the cost...

UK Government U-turn on Cornish pasty tax & charitable donations

Cornish pasties and caravans The government is to reverse its plans to impose VAT on Cornish pasties, the BBC has learned. Ministers have also reduced the intended 20% charge which was due to be levied on static...

Today's Top Ten UK Must-Reads April 26th 2012

George Osborne, the kamikaze chancellor Will Hutton, The Guardian "History will be unforgiving about George Osborne's chancellorship. The British economy in May 2010, when he began his term, had just gone...

Today's Top Ten UK Must-Reads April 20th 2012

Today's Top Ten Must-Reads 1 May I suggest to the PM what he’s thinking? Philip Collins, The Times (£) "All governments have a beginning, a muddle and an end. This Government...

Cameron & Osbourne, out-of-touch with the British public?

I have just found myself agreeing, wholeheartedly, with Tory MP Nadine Dorries who has branded the leader of her party - David Cameron - and his Chancellor of the Exchequer - George Osborne - 'arrogant posh...

What's the problem – a lack of vision, or George Osborne?

The government should do all it can to make sensible and down to earth decisions to show the British public that they know what they're talking about, and can be trusted to bring in fresh ideas to improve the...

No 10's woes, good news grows deeper by the minute.

As rosy projections come up short, you can't realistically expect much more in the way of Tory good news ... The Conservatives policies have enjoyed deepening widespread demonstrations & riots, unemployment,...

Petrol, pasties and the politics of panic: No.10 is in a shambles

This balmy government can't get anything right from pasties to petrol, whilst the public talk openly of the policies of madmen and the need for our leaders to take a long, long rest.... Ministers appear to give...