Posts tagged with ‘government’

Freedom of Information: a refreshingly sensible decision

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

Many commentators have expressed surprise that the government’s Freedom of Information Commission has proposed no significant changes to the Freedom of Information Act, the law that allows any member of the public to request information from the government or a public body, thereby ensuring openness and transparency. Also a surprise is that the government have […]

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Immigrants’ jobs prove they are worth welcoming

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Another day, another government initiative to reduce immigration. They feel they need to do something so as to satisfy those on the right, particularly the tabloids, that they are trying to cut immigration. So they have announced measures that will make it even harder for people from outside the EU to work in the UK. […]

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Two and a half weeks on, the first scandal

Saturday, 29 May 2010

It didn’t take long for our new government to face its first scandal and resignation of a minister. What’s more, after all the promise of a clean break with a new parliament, the MPs’ expenses saga has reared its ugly head again. David Laws, a treasury minister, claimed £40,000 in rent for a second home […]

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Science funding: Cox-up not conspiracy

Sunday, 17 January 2010

Last week, pop musician turned particle physicist turned TV presenter Brian Cox wrote two articles in the New Scientist blog about the STFC‘s proposed funding cuts to particle physics and astronomy. Cox claims that the cuts are some sort of conspiracy by un-named people who sit somewhere between government and the scientists at the sharp […]

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Advisers are there to advise

Monday, 2 November 2009

I have to say I find myself broadly on the side of the government in the recent row over the sacking of the government’s drug adviser. Scientific advisers are there to advise, but ultimately it’s the politicians whom we have elected to take the decisions. If we don’t like the decisions they take, we can […]

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There are bigger heroes than athletes

Tuesday, 26 August 2008

Following the Olympics, it was hard to escape the return home of the “Olympic Heroes”, which was the main headline in the media, which seemingly found this far more important than a major air disaster or a war in the Caucasus. While not wishing to disregard the undeniable achievements of the Olympic athletes, and recognising […]

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Income tax: they took my idea!

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

Today the Chancellor finally announced what the measure would be to compensate people who have lost out due to the income tax changes. They are going to give all basic rate taxpayers an extra £120 by raising the personal tax allowance by five times that amount. That was the solution to the problem that I […]

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Income tax and bank charges

Monday, 28 April 2008

Last week the government seemingly did a u-turn over the scrapping of the 10 pence rate of income tax, although it is far from clear what form the compensation will take for people on lower incomes who will lose out under the new tax regime. It’s difficult to see how the government could have thought […]

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Smoking licences a good idea

Friday, 15 February 2008

Today it was proposed that smokers should have to buy an annual permit if they want to be able to buy cigarettes. The proposal, by government advisory board Health England, is that smokers would have to choose to “opt in” to buying tobacco by paying £10 a year for a permit. The permit would have […]

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In praise of the smoking ban

Monday, 1 October 2007

It is now three months since smoking was banned in enclosed public places in England, bringing it into line with the rest of the UK. I have to say that, while Tony Blair’s government have been unpopular on some issues, and have been criticised for producing too much legislation, the Health Act 2006 is one […]

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