On Wednesday 18 May 2016 the Government will unveil its second Queen’s Speech since the 2015 General Election. Connect’s briefing provides an overview of some of the Bills that may be included in the speech and their likely content. Read more
With the EU Referendum looming and Conservative divisions playing out daily in the media and Parliament, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne faces a real challenge to grab the headlines with this Budget.
Today’s guest DevoIntelligence blog comes from Dr Peter Kenway, director and co-founder of independent think tank New Policy Institute which focuses on local government finance, taxes and poverty.
Devolution cannot escape its context. If it had followed on the heels of the 2007 Lyons Inquiry, devolution would have been taking place at a time when the share of UK economic resources deployed by local government was approaching a post-1945 high. Read more
The face of UK politics is changing dramatically. In 18 months’ time there will be at least five elected Northern Mayors representing 54% of the population of the north.
Parliament is back next week for two weeks before MPs and Peers (alongside with plenty of lobbyists) head off to the Party Conferences. Connect’s Melanie Pope looks at what to expect in the coming weeks and months… Read more
The 2015 Queen’s Speech and State Opening of Parliament will take place on Wednesday 27 May 2015. It is David Cameron’s fifth Queen’s Speech as Prime Minister but the first wholly Conservative Queen’s Speech since John Major’s final Parliament as Prime Minister in October 1996. Connect’s Queen’s Speech Briefing sets out some of the Bills that could be included as well as any potential barriers to their becoming law. Read more
50 days to go until the Election and we have the final Budget of the Coalition. For all the speculation of whether the Chancellor would stand by his ‘no gimmicks, no giveaways’ stance, a complete absence of rabbits means that those hoping to make money from copyrights of rabbit photographs will not benefit from this Budget. However, many on the lowest incomes, we’re told, will. So close to the election this had to be a Budget for everyone, which ultimately meant it was a little boring, aside from George Osborne’s superb joke about Ed Miliband’s fridges. Read more
George Osborne will deliver his final Budget of the Parliament on Wednesday and with more money to play around with than previously thought, will he be tempted into offering voters a bribe ahead of 7th May? Read more
George Osborne will use his Autumn Statement to announce a number of new spending commitments ahead of next year’s election. However, with reports suggesting that Government borrowing between April and October increased by £3.7 billion compared to last year, on the back of lower than expected tax returns, the Chancellor’s room for manoeuvre is limited.
Yesterday’s reshuffle was always expected to be more substantial than the minor rejigs in 2012 and 2013, but the scale of change took everyone in Westminster by surprise.
