Archive for the ‘Political News’ Category
Monday, October 22nd, 2012
Although MPs are supposed to be setting the rest of the country an example of how to save money on travel, it has been revealed that a quarter of MPs are still claiming first class train travel as an expense. Among those who prefer the taxpayer to pay for their luxury travel rather than sit with them in standard class are Cabinet Office Minister Norman Baker, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Patrick McGoughlin, the Transport Minister.
The revelation comes as Chancellor George Osborne has again been observed trying to sit in first class with a standard class ticket. The minister was apparently spotted by a journalist who tweeted that Mr Osborne was trying to blag a first class seat.
The accusation has been denied by one of his aides who claims Mr Osborne had always intended to pay for an upgrade. It has been shown that 185 MPs have claimed money back after buying first class train journeys even though the government said in 2009 that such practices were unacceptable.
Taxpayers’ Alliance head, Matthew Sinclair, said it was unfair that commuters were being forced to hand over money for standard tickets while MPs were spending the taxpayers’ cash for luxury seats.
A source close to the Chancellor said he had chosen to move to first class because economy was crowded. He then apparently paid £189.90 to upgrade two tickets.
Tags: first class, George Osborn, MPs, tickets, trains, travel
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Monday, September 24th, 2012
In an effort to protect US airlines from having to contribute to Europe’s carbon trading scheme, the US Senate has passed a bill against what has been called an illegal tax. The Emissions Trading Scheme has been in place since January and applies to all planes flying in and out of Europe.
Although most international carriers are currently complying with the scheme some countries including India and China have threatened retaliation and there have even been fears that a trade war could be sparked.
Senator John Thune, Republican sponsor of the bill, said the bill was sending a strong message that Europeans are not permitted to impose taxes on Americans. He added that The US needed to concentrate on investing in its own economy rather than paying off Europe’s debt.
Claire McCaskill, Democratic sponsor of the bill, said she was pleased that there had been cross party support for Americans not to have to pay a European fee while travelling in US airspace. The European Union has said that it would be happy to work with the US and the International Civil Aviation Organisation to come up with a global solution to the problem of airline carbon emissions.
According to Environmental Defence Fund lawyer, Annie Petsonk, the passage of the bill will mean the UN will feel more pressure to come up with an international solution for the problem of airline pollution.
Tags: airlines, carbon, emissions trading scheme, polution, Senate, UN
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Friday, April 6th, 2012
The French Prime Minister has asked the European Commission to resolve a global fight over airline carbon emissions. Francois Fillon wants to see a resolution over the Emissions Trading Scheme that has angered countries including China, India and the United State and which has set off threats of a trade war.
In a letter to Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, Mr Fillon said all efforts are needed to find an acceptable solution. Mr Barroso has since replied by saying that a global deal was being sought which will justify a modification to EU legislation.
He said that the EU was working closely with its international partners to come to an agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organisation. At present the law, which came into effect on 1 January this year, requires that all airlines flying in and out of a European airport pay a tax on their carbon emissions as a way of combating climate change.
However, the international community has been angered over the move and China has already said it has cancelled orders with European planemaker Airbus to the tune of $14 billion. Companies in France have also warned that the situation could cost as many as 2,000 jobs.
The ICAO is now working hard to find a resolution, but environmental groups are doubtful that a viable resolution will be found. There is currently a small window for a solution as no airlines will receive a bill until emissions are calculated next year.
Tags: airlines, emissions trading scheme, European Commission, Francois Fillon
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Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
A group of campaigners opposed to the government’s decision to give the go ahead to a high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham is now proposing to take its battle to the courts.
The HS2 Action Alliance says it will seek two judicial reviews into how the authorities handled the consultation on the scheme. It claims that the government failed to carry out a proper assessment of compensation and also failed to assess the environmental impact adequately.
The alliance is being backed by 70 opposition groups and is maintaining that the proper processes were not adhered to in the approval of the project. The group claims that the decision to approve HS2 was made without proper justification by ministers who were ignoring their own criteria and who were also relying on undisclosed material.
The government is claiming that it got the balance right and green-lit the project in January. Justine Greening, the transport secretary, maintains that more trains and a faster travel time between London and the Midlands will create growth, jobs and prosperity. The first phase of HS2 is expected to be up and running by 2025.
The line is then supposed to carry on to the cities of Leeds and Manchester, and consultation on this phase of the scheme is due to begin in two years time. Meanwhile the government has been given 21 days in which to respond to the alliance’s legal claims. If it fails to do so then a judge will take over the matter and decide whether the HS2 Action Alliance has a solid legal case.
Tags: high speed rail, HS2, HS2 Action Alliance, Justine Greening
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Thursday, March 29th, 2012
Since taking over as London’s Mayor from Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson has seen a sharp decrease in the number of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union deciding to walk out on strike. According to figures leaked by the RMT, the number has dropped by 43 per cent.
During Mr Livingstone’s two terms in office there were eight strikes called by the RMT and 19,052 members of the union walked out. Under Mr Johnson there have been a total of 15 strikes called by RMT union leader Bob Crow, but only 10,865 members decided to take part.
Tony Travers an expert in transport at the LSE said that although the current state of the economy was having an effect on the number of union members choosing to strike, there is also the feeling that they are becoming slightly less militant.
Mr Johnson has taken the opportunity to say that the figures show that union bosses were becoming even more out of touch with transport workers. If he is re-elected, Mr Johnson has vowed to tackle the unions to make sure that they are unable to hold commuters to ransom through industrial action.
If he gets back into office, Mr Johnson wants to see a change in strike legislation that would cause a strike ballot to be invalid unless at least 50 per cent of union members cast their votes.
Tags: Bob Crow, boris johnson, Ken Livingstone, rmt, transport
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2012
A group representing the interests of American airlines has dropped its lawsuit against the European Union. The suit had initially been presented to the High Court in London by United Continental, American Airlines and the Air Transport Association of America and argued that a carbon tax on airlines was unlawful.
However, it was referred to the European Court of Justice where it was ruled that the EU’s scheme to tax airlines for the carbon emissions they produce was legal. The issue was due to return to London later this week but the Air Transport Association of America has decided that dropping the challenge is a more productive way to proceed with the matter.
Under the name Airlines for America, the association claimed that opposition to the law was so widespread throughout the world that it was now time for governments to intervene. The organisation has not taken its failure to convince the ECJ that the rules on emissions are contrary to international law to heart.
The body said that its actions had succeeded in bringing the matter to a wider audience and created an agenda for others who are opposed to the legislation.
Chief executive and president for Airlines for America, Nicholas Calio, said that the group’s action had been instrumental in showing that a scheme which was originally meant as an environmental safeguard had become nothing more than a money grabbing mechanism.
Tags: Airlines for America, american airlines, carbon emissions, EU, Transport Association of America, United Continental
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Monday, March 19th, 2012
David Cameron wants to see the UK’s road network receive a significant boost from private funding. He has asked the Department for Transport, as well as the Treasury, to look into the possibility of getting cash from sovereign wealth funds. He has also suggested that road tolls should be introduced.
The Prime Minister would also like to see congestion reduced at pinch-points with road widening schemes and more use of the hard shoulders on motorways at times when traffic is particularly heavy. He said it is important that the country builds for the future with ambition and confidence to reverse decades of degradation.
However, acknowledging that the financial situation is tight, Mr Cameron said he wanted to encourage innovative ideas on how to tackle the problems with the country’s infrastructure. Getting more goods and people onto the trains would be part of the solution, he added.
The proposals come as a poll suggests people are not impressed by the government’s pledge to be one of the greenest ever. The survey commissioned by the RSPB and Greenpeace found that only two per cent thought the promise was being kept.
RSPB chief executive Mike Clarke said this week’s budget could be bad news for the environment. He added that evidence showed that smart regulation of environmental concerns was not a hindrance, but a stimulus for growth.
Tags: David Cameron, Department for Transport, Greenpeace, roads, RSPB, trains, Treasury
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Friday, March 16th, 2012
A hustings featuring the frontrunners for the position of Mayor of London has focused on the issue of transport. Labour’s candidate Ken Livingstone said that if he takes the office he will slash the price of travel on the buses by 11 per cent and cut Tube fares by seven per cent.
Current mayor Boris Johnson, the Conservative candidate, said it would be cretinous to reduce spending on the Underground while demand continues to rise. Mr Livingstone accused Mr Johnson of sitting on money which could be used to help cash-strapped commuters.
He also said that he would create deep tunnels beneath the city to improve transport links including a line between Waterloo and Euston which would be capable of carrying 25 trains every hour. Mr Johnson said he intended to modernise the Underground system and make trains driverless.
Jenny Jones, candidate for the Green Party, said she wanted to see a congestion zone established around Heathrow Airport and Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick said he wanted to increase capacity at the airport.
On the subject of the Tube unions all of the candidates agreed something needed to be done about the tactics being used by RMT boss Bob Crow. Ms Jones said that he was screwing the system for money, and Mr Paddick said it was high time that London had a mayor capable of standing up to the unions.
Tags: boris johnson, Heathrow, Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, rmt, transport, tube, Underground, Waterloo
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Friday, January 27th, 2012
The son of the US Transport Secretary is not being permitted to leave Egypt. Sam LaHood, son of Ray LaHood, was prevented from boarding a flight following a raid by the authorities on the offices of International Republican Institute, the non-profit pro-democracy organisation he works for.
The military government in Egypt has said that it will be investigating the funding of all such human rights and pro-democracy organisations currently operating within its borders. The authorities have said that foreign interference into how Egypt conducts its affairs will not be tolerated. The government has so far conducted raids on another 17 organisations.
Mr LaHood was stopped by an official in Cairo on Saturday as he tried to pass through the airport. He said that he asked her why he was not being allowed to fly, to which she replied that she did not know. The 36-year-old was then given back his passport and told he would be allowed to leave the airport.
According to Mr LaHood, 300 NGOs are currently being investigated by the authorities. Michael Posner, a US State Department human rights official, said that the move by the Egyptian government raised questions over its intention to move towards democracy following last February’s uprising against Hosni Mubarak.
Mr Posner said that if the issue was not addressed, future aid to Egypt could be compromised. Although the list of those not allowed to leave Egypt has not yet been made available, other NGO officials believe the move is directly related to the recent raids.
Tags: airport, egypt, human rights, Ray LaHood, US State Department
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Thursday, December 1st, 2011
In his autumn statement, Chancellor George Osborne said that the UK would be getting 35 new transport schemes to help revitalise the country’s economy. Projects outlined include spending around £400 million on developing the hard shoulders of motorways in order to ease congestion at times when traffic is at its busiest. This will involve improving road surfaces, adding better signs, and introducing cameras.
Using the hard shoulders is seen by many as a more cost effective solution to the country’s traffic problems than widening the roads. Motorways earmarked to benefit from the scheme include the M3 in Surrey, and parts of the M6.
Many of the projects announced by Mr Osborne have already passed through the process of public consultation. They were put on hold while the government conducted its wide reaching spending review last year. A project to establish a new link between Kent and Essex was also confirmed, although consultation on the scheme is not expected to go ahead before 2013.
New rail schemes include a link between Bedford and Oxford, which has a budget of £270 million. The TransPennine Express is also due to be electrified under a project which is estimated to be worth £290 million.
The London Underground will get two more stops on the Northern Line when it is extended to Battersea. Mr Osborne pointed out that the project would not require much public cash as developers who would gain from the construction would be expected to put up the capital.
Tags: George Osborne, London Underground, motorways, Northern Line, TransPennine Express, transport
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