PMQs 15th March – The lady is for U-turning
With about twenty minutes to go before PMQs the government announced a u-turn on raising NI for the self-employed. My guess is the aim was to throw Corbyn a curve ball and see if he could punish them from his back foot and think on his feet. It started with the most planted question since Charlie Dimmock buried one of Neil Hamilton’s under a bed of petunias in 1994 when he knew the police were onto him. Huw Merriman, Con,...
The Touristic Tribes of Goa
By Will Robinson Goa is a very interesting place indeed. Despite being the smallest of all Indian states it sees some of the highest levels of tourism anywhere in the country, with significant diversity to be found amongst these visitors which can be distilled into five primary groups. Firstly you have the yoga loving, cold pressed vegetable juice drinking, shakra cleansing healthy liver. Let's call this deeply smug set 'glowers'. Glowers tend to accumulate in designated yoga retreats across the...
Why London should have a classless commuter system
Of all the smug upper class perks one is afforded in London I bet few compare to the thrill of looking over a copy of the Financial Times to see the nose of a regular commuter smudged up against the partition door. Home to one of the most congested transport systems in the world it is beggar's belief that a class system still operates across London's commuter belt. Figures from the Department of Transport recently revealed rail passengers in the capital...
Beer of the Week – Lowlander Poorter
Brewed: Amsterdam, Netherlands Strength: 6% ABV Heavily inspired by the often forgotten history of Dutch brewing, using herbs, spices and fruits brought home by Dutch sailors, Lowlander Beer use botanicals during the brewing process of all of their beers. Named after the literal meaning of The Netherlands (‘Low Lands’), the brewery source all of their botanicals, herbs and spices from Jacob Hooy, the oldest spice store in Amsterdam and intend to ‘create great tasting beers which are full of both character and...
The Top 5 jockeys of all time
Both Flat and jumps racing have been blessed with superstars in the saddle and, when discussing famous jockeys, Sir AP McCoy would be a fitting place to start. Now retired, he unfortunately won’t make your Cheltenham tip of the day, but the man from Northern Ireland’s CV reads like a roll call of the top races over hurdles and fences. The 42-year-old claimed the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, on board Mr Mulliganin 1997 and Synchronised in 2012, and many more...
PDSA vets save cat after boiling water attack
A beloved family cat was left scarred for life after suffering horrific burns when boiling water was poured over her head and back. Seven-year-old Tuppence almost died following the incident, but has pulled through following intensive treatment from vet and nursing staff at PDSA’s Bournemouth Pet Hospital. The white-and-black cat was rushed to the charity’s hospital in January by her elderly owner, Vivienne Percy (70) from Poole, after returning home soaking wet and in obvious shock. PDSA Head Nurse, Stella...
Union slams “zero certainty” of nearly a million workers on zero hours contracts
The Office for National Statistics reveals 440% increase in number of people on zero-hours contracts since 2010. People across the UK are living in totally unstable situations, where they don't know if they will be able to pay the rent at the end of the month. No guarantee of paid work is living people on a knife edge. GMB union today commented on new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing the number of people on zero hours...
Were Brexit voters Brainwashed by Russia?
Much has been written about fake news originating from Russia influencing the US election, stirring up unrest in Germany, and opening up divides across Europe. But how much did Russian fake news determine Brexit voters decision to leave the EU? Russian drive to destabilise the West As a result of international sanctions placed on Russia following support in facilitating the annexation of Crimea, Russia has experienced dire economic repercussions. Russian military intervention in Ukraine began in early 2014 and prompted...
Eye-watering size of “dead money economy” revealed
The dead money economy is worth an eye-watering £721 billion, new research has found, with a staggering amount of cash laying dormant and unused in pensions, bank accounts and ISAs. With levels of consumer spending expected to be slashed in the coming months as the reality of the falling pound hits home, the UK could be caught between a rock and a hard place with many well-off people sitting on cash they have no intention of using. Close to a...