Archive of November 2007

Police begin criminal inquiry into proxy donors
The Metropolitan police have launched an investigation into the use of intermediaries to launder donations to the Labour party.
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Conservatives eye election-winning lead
The Conservatives have pulled ahead to their strongest lead in two decades in a dramatic reversal of fortunes from two months ago.
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Ministers defend early years learning
Ministers have been urged to rethink plans to make all toddlers follow a so-called national curriculum from next autumn.
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Harman downplays rift with Brown over donations
Downing Street and the Labour party have sought to play down speculation of a rift between Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman over the proxy donor row.
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Cameron shares 'positive' meeting with Bush
David Cameron met with George Bush yesterday as he attempts to repair his party's ties with the Republicans.
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Sports head quits as DoH tackles inactivity
Government plans to transfer anti-obesity efforts from Sport England to the Department of Health (DoH) have forced Derek Mapp, the head of Sport England, to resign.
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MoD told to prioritise military housing
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been told to get its priorities straight after it resurfaced tennis courts while many troops were living in substandard accommodation.
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Calls for criminal investigation into proxy donors
Opposition politicians are increasing calls for a criminal investigation into the proxy donor row as the Labour party launches its own internal investigation.
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Smith welcomes guns crackdown
The home secretary has welcomed a crackdown on guns and gangs, which took place yesterday in four cities across England.
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Speaker saves Harman from Commons grilling
Harriet Harman has appeared before MPs to defend her vulnerable position as leader of the House of Commons and deputy leader of the Labour party.
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Lords uphold fox hunting ban
The Law Lords have upheld the government's ban on fox hunting after ruling it is not a human right.
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Ministers set out vision for Thames Gateway
The government has set out how it plans to deliver the Thames Gateway project by 2016.
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King warns of "uncomfortable" economic outlook
Britain's economic outlook is "uncomfortable", the governor of the Bank of England has said.
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Straw orders urgent review into magistrates cases
The justice secretary Jack Straw has been forced to open an urgent inquiry into how potentially hundreds of criminals were allowed to walk free.
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Labour proxy donor investigation continues
The Labour party has begun its own investigation into the Abrahams donor scandal as the Electoral Commission and commentators look for the smoking gun.
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Union flag 'should include Welsh dragon'
The union flag should be emblazoned with the Welsh dragon, a Labour MP has said.
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'Imprudent' government office space criticised
The government could save £300 million a year if it was more efficient in its use of office space, a report has claimed.
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Labour funding chief knew of secret donor
Gordon Brown was today left defending another colleague over the proxy donor scandal.
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Long hours employment law 'not being enforced'
Government attempts to curb excessive working hours are not being enforced, with too many employers flouting the law, the TUC has claimed.
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Opposition anger as rail fares rise
The government was today accused of pricing people off the railways after it emerged train fares are set to rise by as much as 14 per cent.
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Govt says children 'too busy' to read
The government has urged parents to enthuse children about books after a global comparison shows British schoolchildren are reading less than five years ago.
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Govt to 'look again' at ID cards in wake of HMRC loss
The government's controversial plans for ID cards will be reviewed in the light of the loss of 25 million people's personal data.
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Brown slumps to 27-pt low
Labour's approval rating has slumped to 27 per cent after Gordon Brown's potentially endured one of his worst weeks as prime minister.
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Calls for maternity 'promises' to be kept
The government has been urged to do more to ensure that women are given more choice in where they give birth.
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Cameron promises "big change" from 'bureaucratic' Brown
David Cameron today attempted to prove that the Conservatives and not Gordon Brown have the vision to govern the UK.