Archive of articles from 2006

Labour's family policies 'must go further'

Harriet Harman will put family at the heart of her deputy leadership bid

Harriet Harman will today mark out the family as a key battleground in both the forthcoming Labour deputy leadership and the next general election.

Brown's son has cystic fibrosis

Chancellor Gordon Brown's son, Fraser, has cystic fibrosis

Gordon Brown's youngest son has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, the Treasury confirmed last night.

Blair: Education reforms must continue

Tony Blair makes keynote speech on education

The "monochrome" of traditional state education must be reformed to a new system where young people have the choice to study what is best for them, Tony Blair has said.

Cameron slams Livingstone's 'outdated' race views

David Cameron attacks London mayor over multiculturalism

David Cameron has condemned Ken Livingstone as an "ageing far left politician" for suggesting that there were no downsides to multiculturalism.

Juryless trial plans pass first hurdle

MPs approve second reading of fraud (trial without jury) bill

Proposals to remove juries in complex fraud trials passed their first Commons test yesterday, despite opposition from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Minister dismisses UK-US relations claims

Kim Howells dismisses claims the UK has no influence with the US

A Foreign Office minister has dismissed as "facile" claims by a senior US official that Britain had no influence in Washington any more.

Clarke 'extremely sceptical' about Trident

Charles Clarke says he is "extremely sceptical" about replacing Trident as Downing Street announces a white paper will be published on Monday.

Four planes examined in Russian spy probe

John Reid confirmed four planes were being tested for radioactive material

Four planes are now being tested for traces of the radioactive material that killed former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, the home secretary has confirmed.

Protesters 'tried to sabotage' immigration system

John Reid says immigration centre protest was attempted sabotage

The unrest at an immigration removal centre on Tuesday night was "an attempt to sabotage" the deportation process, home secretary John Reid has said.

MPs debate plans for trial without jury

MPs debate second reading of fraud (trial without jury) bill

Controversial legislation proposing to abolish trial by jury in complex fraud cases will be debated for the first time in the Commons today.

Pension bill sets new retirement age

Government publishes pension reform bill

The government has today published the long-awaited pensions bill, which lays out plans to increase the retirement age to 68.

Missed Jobcentre appointments 'cost £16m'

Missed appointments at Jobcentres cost £16 million last year, a new report from the financial watchdog has found.

'170 CIA flights' used UK airports

MEPs say European countries knew about CIA rendition flights

The government allowed 170 CIA flights carrying terror suspects to secret detention camps to stop over in the UK, MEPs have revealed.

Nato summit bolsters Afghan forces

Tony Blair says 'significant progress' in Nato Afghanistan summit

The meeting of Nato allies in Riga this week has made "significant progress" in bolstering the forces serving in Afghanistan, Tony Blair has said.

Prescott slams 'tosser' Tories

John Prescott turns the Tories' 'tosser' debt ads against them

John Prescott has accused the Conservatives of being "tossers" in a heated House of Commons exchange with William Hague.

BA cross ban 'shows anti-Christian discrimination'

Jeffrey Donaldson complains of anti-Christian discrimination

The ban on British Airways (BA) employees wearing crosses shows British Christians are being "discriminated against", a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP has warned.

Planning shake-up 'will help families'

The government has pledged to make the housing planning system more family-friendly

Councils will be required to ensure the housing needs of children are met, the government has announced, as new research shows 1.6 million are living in dire conditions.

Farepak 'must never happen again'

MPs warn consumers must be better protected

The government must act to ensure the collapse of savings club Farepak "never happens again", a committee of MPs has warned.

'No excuse' for council tax hikes

Local government minister will warn against 'excessive' council tax rises

Councils will see their Whitehall funding rise by £3.1 billion to £65 billion next year, local government minister Phil Woolas has announced.

Tories warn of 'education apartheid'

Tories warn exam changes are creating an education apartheid

England is facing an "education apartheid" as private school pupils increasingly study for different exams than those in the state sector, David Willetts has warned.

Funding boost for school trips

Education secretary Alan Johnson unveils £2.7m for school trips

The education secretary has unveiled £2.7 million in new funding to get more pupils taking part in school trips.

Labour admits major financial problems

Labour and the Tories owe almost £60m in loans

Labour has admitted it is in an "extremely challenging financial position" after new figures show it owes £23.4 million in loans.

Grade departure 'will not delay BBC licence deal'

The resignation of BBC chairman Michael Grade will not affect the negotiations over the corporation's licence fee, culture secretary Tessa Jowell has argued.

Abortion laws 'are arcane'

Britain's biggest pregnacy service has said current abortion laws are outdated

Britain's leading pregnancy service has called for a review of abortion laws and for current restrictions requiring two doctors to authorise terminations to be changed.

Legal aid reforms condemned

Lord Falconer stands firm on controversial legal aid reforms

Opposition parties have condemned the government's plans to shake up the legal aid system, warning they threaten to cut off services to the most vulnerable.

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