Archive of articles from 2012

Sir no more: Former RBS chief Fred Goodwin loses knighthood

Sir Fred Goodwin has been stripped of his knighthood, in a sign of the extent of public anger over bankers and the financial crisis.

Tide turns against Cameron as Commons savages EU veto failure

David Cameron begins the long journey home after yesterday's EU summit in Brussels

David Cameron has endured one of his toughest afternoons in the Commons, as MPs from across the political spectrum attacked his performance in Brussels.

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Byrne tells Miliband: We need to stay on the centre ground

Labour needs to stay on the centre-ground of British politics if it is to win the general election, Liam Byrne has said.

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Plain cigarette packaging: Campaigners jostle for position

Putting it out: Colourful cigarette packets could be a thing of the past.

Initial skirmishes are taking place over plans to impose plain cigarette packaging, ahead of a public consultation this spring.

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Coalition divisions emerging over Hester bonus row

Stephen Hester's RBS bonus has prompted a major political row

Differences of opinion are emerging within the coalition over its response to the RBS bonus row.

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Too late to stop NHS reform? Medical journals launch rearguard defence

Cameron and Clegg make their case during the listening pause. Critics believe it may already be too late to stop the changes going ahead.

Three leading journals have launched a coordinated defence against Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms, despite widespread resignation to the idea that it may already be too late to stop it.

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Public sector pension reform 'makes no financial difference'

Despite the chaos caused by public sector strikes, the reforms ware unlikely to save any money.

The bruising process of reforming public sector pensions will not save the taxpayer any money, a respected economic think tank has argued.

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Miliband appeals to 'progressive' Scotland

Miliband says Scotland's progressive interests are best preserved by rejecting independence

Scotland's progressive instincts can best be fostered if it remains part of the UK, Ed Miliband has said.

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The unauthorised referendum: Campaigners to give people vote on EU

Calls for an EU referendum are being intensified after Cameron's treaty veto

British voters will be able to have their say on the UK's ongoing involvement in Europe this year - in a series of entirely unofficial referendums.

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UK taxpayer faces bill for treaty Cameron vetoed

German and Greek finance ministers discuss the eurozone crisis

The British government is refusing to put up a fight at the latest summit of EU leaders in Brussels over the use of EU institutions, risking the anger of Conservative backbenchers.

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Miliband's Commons bluff kills off Hester bonus

Labour figures claimed victory today after RBS chief executive Stephen Hester gave up his bonus following threats of a Commons vote.

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Five complaints needed to tackle anti-social 'horror stories'

'Community 'triggers' require five complaints

Efforts to tackle low-level crime by forcing police officers to investigate anti-social behaviour complaints are being criticised as "weak" by the opposition.

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Ken onslaught continues with pledge to resign over fares

Ken Livingstone tried to build on his surprising new lead over Boris Johnson today with a promise to resign as mayor if he fails to cut fares.

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Smacking law 'helped cause August riots'

David Lammy talks to Nick Clegg after a night of rioting in Tottenham.

The tightening up of the law around smacking children partly contributed to the riots which hit England last summer, a local MP has claimed.

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Salmond attacks Cameron 'dictatorship'

Cross purposes: Salmond brands Cameron 'dictatorial'

David Cameron's increasingly "dictatorial" approach to the Scottish independence referendum is increasing the likelihood of a 'yes' vote, Alex Salmond has said.

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IDS piles pressure on Hester over bonus

Stephen Hester is under intense pressure to turn down the bonus.

Iain Duncan Smith has joined the growing chorus of voices calling on Stephen Hester to turn down his £1 million bonus.

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Mass opt-out: The plan to repatriate British powers from the EU

David Cameron navigates another tense moment with German chancellor Angela Merkel. Campaigners want Britain to step back from the EU.

Eurosceptics are planning to force the government to repatriate 130 EU crime and policing laws overnight using a mass opt-out clause in the Lisbon treaty.

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A question of honour: Hester's £1m bonus enrages Westminster

Stephen Hester before a grilling from MPs last November

RBS boss Stephen Hester's £1 million bonus has sparked outrage among union leaders, the opposition and even a government minister.

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Cameron's chocolate orange 'failure'

Cameron famously hit out at WHSmith's chocolate orange discounting in 2006

Ed Miliband has hit upon an improbable chink in David Cameron's political armour: the chocolate orange.

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Less police 'doesn't mean worse frontline'

How far will police cuts affect frontline services?

Policing minister Nick Herbert has insisted falling police numbers will not necessarily lead to a worse frontline service.

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NHS reforms escape killer blow

Surgeons will continue working with the government

The coalition's embattled NHS reforms appear to have narrowly avoided a sweeping condemnation from one of the medical community's biggest organisations.

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