Archive of articles from 2009

Hain guilty of breaching standards

Labour MP and former work and pensions secretary Peter Hain has been found guilty of "serious" and "substantial" breaches of the code on donations.

Renewed fears over short-selling follow banking collapse

Fears over hedge funds short selling bank shares have prompted frantic activity in the corridors of Westminster.

MPs vote on expenses

MPs have agreed to change the way their expenses are published.

BBC stars pay 'should be made public'

Beeb would have to reveal Ross' pay under Tories

Salaries of the BBC's highest paid talent should be revealed to encourage greater transparency within the media industry, according to the Tories.

Politicians 'causing racial disharmony'

Ill-informed myths are threatening race-relations in Britain, according to a new book by two of the most prominent experts in the field.

Armed forces day launched

The government will today launch a new national armed forces day to pay tribute to members of the forces past and present.

Police enter MP's office

A Tory MP has alleged police entered his office in Westminster without a warrant to search for a letter from a constituent.

Clarke on the Tories: 'A bit silly'

Ken Clarke's recent return to the shadow cabinet has embarrassed the Conservative leadership after a report surfaced in which he called the party's stance on Europe "a bit silly".

FSA head: Banks have caused 'real harm'

Banks have caused real harm to the economy and urgent reform is needed, the head of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) warned in a speech last night.

Darling 'kept in the dark' over short-selling return

Chancellor Alistair Darling was only told the Financial Services Authority (FSA) would lift the ban on short-selling an hour before it happened, media sources have indicated.

£461 million bailout for 2012 Olympics

London 2012 bus at the Beijing closing ceremony

The government is injecting £461 million to bail out two venues for the 2012 Olympics after private sector investment disappeared.

Straw rapped for rules breach

MPs "disappointed" in Jack Straw's rule-break

Justice secretary Jack Straw failed to register £3,000 donated to him in 2004 despite being prompted to do so, it has emerged.

Class more important than race, report finds

The issue of class inequality is making a resurgence in the political agenda once again as a new report is unveiled focusing on the 'white working-class'.

Home Office guilty of breaching Data Protection

The Home Office has been found to have breached the Data Protection Act when it lost a USB stick holding the details of thousands of convictions last year.