Archive of 2014

Prisoner book ban enemy Carol Ann Duffy honoured
Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, who protested against justice secretary Chris Grayling's ban on prisoners receiving books earlier this year, has been made a dame in the new year's honour's list.
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There's two politician-sized holes in Britain's new anti-corruption plan
There's two gaping holes in the government's much-delayed anti-corruption plan which was finally released today – and it's the politicians who are escaping scot-free.
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Austerity, what austerity? Councillors are getting a secret pay bump this Christmas
Despite all the austerity faced by local government, councillors were handed an unnoticed tax break in this year's autumn statement. It's outrageous – but who in Westminster is going to complain?
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Parliament's strangest protest: The mass face sit-in
Parliament faces one of its most bizarre protests as liberal-minded campaigners demonstrate against pornographic censorship by sitting on each other's faces
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'Systemic discrimination' against non-believers
Non-religious groups face "systemic discrimination" in Britain, an international report has found.
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Exclusive: English votes for English laws won't happen before the election
Backroom coalition talks over English votes for English laws have failed to reach agreement - leaving the Lib Dems poised to block a vote on the issue before the general election.
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Victory: Court overturns prisoner book ban
The high court overturned the prisoner book ban today, in a humiliating ruling for justice secretary Chris Grayling.
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Voters are disappearing from the electoral roll – so why won't the watchdog act?
Labour fears that coalition reforms will effectively disenfranchise millions of people have been rebuffed by the elections watchdog.
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Treasury presses ahead with powers to take money out of your bank account
New powers allowing the government to take disputed funds from people's bank accounts are being watered-down following an outcry - but remain in place.
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Boris Johnson refuses to face investigation into land deal
London mayor insists no investigation is needed into controversial deal with Chinese developers
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The Care Act's dark secret: A nightmare is brewing for old people's homes
A loophole in the Care Act is threatening to create "catastrophic failures" in old people's homes, ministers are being warned.
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Running on fumes: Iain Duncan Smith's universal credit 'throwing good money after bad'
Iain Duncan Smith's faith in universal credit's ability to deliver value for money just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
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The Grayling meme: Top authors insert justice secretary villain into their novels
Top authors and playwrights, including Stephen Fry and David Hare, have decided to include a character called Chris Grayling into their work, as the protest over the prisoner book ban rumbles on.
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Coalition's NHS reforms stoke tension on Scottish border
NHS patients are facing a 'tartan curtain' caused by bickering health officials either side of the English-Scottish border.
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Miliband's woes compounded by money trouble
Labour continued to lose ground in the battle for cash ahead of next year's general election, new figures show.
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It's official: No-one knows who is in charge of the NHS
Relations with the Department of Health and NHS England, a report out today states, are "extremely complicated and still evolving". This is another way of saying 'we have no idea who is actually in charge'.
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Ministry of Justice in retreat over prisoner book ban
Ministers have made an important concession in the fight for books for prisoners, with an easing of the rules over how many books are allowed in cells.
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Climate deniers: Ukip in bed with corporate America
Ukip MEPs are actively supporting an American right-wing corporate lobbying body which its critics say denies climate change.
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Tory 'stitch-up' fears over EVEL as coalition talks hit impasse
Coalition talks over English votes for English laws have reached deadlock, Politics.co.uk can reveal.
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Norman Baker: 'Genie is out the bottle' on drug reform
Westminster has finally reached a tipping point in the drug debate and radical change is now becoming possible, Home Office minister says
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Did minister mislead public over probation sell-off?
Questions raised about ministerial comments related to the sell-off of privatisation, following Simon Hughes' appearance on the Today programme
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Prison crisis: Scale of officer cuts revealed
Number of officers in public sector prisons has been cut by 41% in less than four years, according to new figures
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Tory MP: Treat patients with herbs instead of drugs to save money
Tredinnick: Alternative medicine would save NHS 5% of its budget
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No-one is safe: Ukip's revolution takes Westminster
Ukip has proved it is as dangerous to Labour as the Tories, after it elected it first MP and came within a whisker's breadth of depriving Labour of a seat
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Nick Clegg comes out fighting against Ukip and the 'politics of fear'
Lib Dem leader makes combative case for staying in government.