Archive of February 2014

Farage: I want to be kingmaker in 2015

Nigel Farage plans to play the same role in the 2015 general election as Nick Clegg played in 2010, he reveals

Water cannon a 'creeping infringement' on right to protest

There is "no convincing argument" for using water cannon against the public, the Metropolitan Police are warned.
Australia holding up royal reform bill

Legal moves which would end the practice of male heirs to the throne taking precedence over females are being held up by Australia

Merkel dashes Cameron's hopes for fundamental reform of EU

David Cameron's hopes of renegotiating Britain's relationship with Europe suffer a major blow, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel rules out any "fundamental reform" of the EU.
Facing facts? Salmond mulls the future after a 'no' vote

Alex Salmond openly contemplates his future in the event of a 'no' vote

Nick Clegg: European elections 'not a test of my leadership'

Nick Clegg denies the European elections will be a test of his leadership after polls suggest the Liberal Democrats are heading for fifth place in May.
Miliband urged to rule out Lib Dem coalition

Ed Miliband under pressure to rule out a future coalition with the Liberal Democrats, after the party's biggest union backer urged him to make it clear Labour would govern alone.

The new special relationship: Cameron rolls out the red carpet for chancellor Merkel

Angela Merkel will enjoy a state visit in all but name tomorrow, as David Cameron tries to use his warm relationship with her to secure European objectives
Salmond 'caught between a rock and a hard place' over Scottish currency

No good options for future of Scottish currency if the country votes for independence, experts warn

Rough sleeping soars under the coalition

Rough sleeping in England rises by more than a third since the coalition government came into power, despite David Cameron's promises to tackle the issue.
Tories rebrand themselves as the 'Workers' Party'

The Conservative Party rebrand themselves the "Workers' Party" in an attempt to change their image as a party for the rich.

New Labour-Daily Mail battle sees both sides trade accusations of paedophile support

Harriet Harman lashes out at the Daily Mail, in an attack which sees her accuse the paper of publishing photos of "very young girls"
Airlines report no surge in migrants from Romania and Bulgaria

Fears that Bulgarians and Romanians would flood into the UK when work restrictions were lifted at the start of the year prove unfounded, after airlines and coach companies find no increase in traffic from the two countries.

Michael Gove slammed for punishing children with sport

Thousands of people sign a petition against Michael Gove's decision to punish children with exercise, after leading athletes, head teachers and even Conservative supporters spoke out against the plans.
War for oil - Cameron and Salmond trade blows over the North Sea

David Cameron and Alex Salmond hold Cabinet meetings just seven miles from each other, as the prime minister tries to neutralise arguments about oil income

Miliband pessimistic over PMQs reform prospects

Ed Miliband refuses to rule out attempting to reform prime minister's questions – but admitted doing so would be "incredibly hard"
An appeal for help: Funding cuts pushing GPs 'into crisis'

General practices pushed into "crisis" which will see 34 million patients fail to get an appointment in 2014

Scottish independence debate: North Sea oil is next battleground

Both the London and Edinburgh governments prepare to decamp to Aberdeen on Monday
'Another stitch-up': Snooping state makes half a million private data requests every year

Britain's intelligence agencies could receive a rebuke from the snooping watchdog after it emerged there were over half a million requests for access to private data in 2012.

It's on: Farage accepts Clegg's invitation for public debate on EU

Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage will go head-to-head in a public debate on Britain's relationship of the EU, it has been confirmed
Minister under fire for encouraging women to take up 'feminine' cheerleading

Women should be open to doing more "feminine" sports like cheerleading, sports minister says

Bowie gets political: 'Scotland, stay with us'

Nationalists get in a froth after David Bowie's referendum appeal at the Brits
Clegg prepares for war over the EU

Rumours of an upcoming Nick Clegg assault on eurosceptics pick up pace, as he attempts to wrestle back the political agenda ahead of European elections

Charge of the bishops: Religious leaders shock coalition with massed attack on welfare reforms

Religious leaders unite to condemn the government's welfare reforms, in an outspoken letter broadening the faith community's assault on the coalition
Blair, Murdoch and the offer of phone-hacking help

Tony Blair offered to provide informal assistance to Rebekah Brookes and Rupert Murdoch at the height to the phone-hacking scandal, it has emerged.