Archive of articles from 2009

Tory MPs face the music - and pay back another £125k

Tories will pay back a further £125,000 in expenses claims after the party's internal discplinary committee published its findings this morning.

Cameron: We'll bring back your freedoms

Cameron wants to give voters a 'right to data'

The government is creating a "control state" but the Tories will undo much of Lasbour's authoritarian legislation, David Cameron has said.

Jewish school 'breaches race relations'

The Court of Appeal ruled in a landmark decision on the admissions criteria used by faith schools

The qualification for admission to the Jews' Free School (JFS) is a test of ethnicity and not religion and is therefore in breach of the Race Relations Act, the Court of Appeal ruled today.

Britain faces Russian and Chinese cyber-attack

Cyber security strategy: the government's response to online threats

Russia and China have already launched cyber attacks against the UK government, it emerged today.

MPs savage the Treasury over Northern Rock

Report accuses the Treasury of being caught "flat-footed" in handling the Northern Rock crisis

The taxpayer was "exposed to enormous risks and liabilities" during the Treasury's handling of the Northern Rock crisis, a damning report by a group of MP's has concluded.

MPs' pension increase abandoned

More taxpayers' cash going into MPs' pensions - not any more

A Conservative U-turn forced Gordon Brown's hand last night as the prime minister abandoned plans to increase taxpayers' contributions to MPs' pensions.

Smith: Expenses revelations were 'horrible'

The former home secretary said she did not feel 'personally ashamed'

The row over expenses was "horrible" and put "immense pressure" on Jacqui Smith's family, the former home secretary has admitted.

Tories review plans for spending cuts in emergency-cabinet

George Osborne considers a two-day emergency cabinet meeting

Shadow chancellor George Osborne is reviewing plans for an emergency two - day cabinet meeting soon after his party is elected which would bind ministers into large-scale spending cuts.

Anger at cybersecurity announcement

Lord West has been made the government's new minister in charge of cybersecurity strategy, amid anger from the Tories over the way the appointment was announced.

Another U-turn on reform

'U-turn': Ms Harman will include Lib Dem's amendment

The government has pulled a sharp U-turn over its decision to restrain the actions of the committee in charge of overseeing the reform of parliament.

Mayor spends £4,000 on taxis

Boris Johnson's spent over £4,000 of taxpayer money on taxis since taking office just over a year ago it has been revealed.

Thompson claimed £2k to fly home after Sachs affair

The BBC released the expenses and salary details from its top 100 earners today

The BBC's director-general claimed more than £2,000 in expenses for cutting short a family holiday after the scandal on Radio 2's Russell Brand show, it emerged today.