The wording of the proposed question for next year's referendum on further Welsh Assembly powers should be redrafted to be more intelligible, according to the Electoral Commission.

Hague aide quits following 'untrue' allegations

William Hague's special adviser Christopher Myers has resigned, citing "untrue and malicious" allegations made about his relationship with the foreign secretary.

32 schools to reopen as academies

There will be 32 schools reopening as academies this month after taking up Michael Gove's offer to apply for academy status, government figures have revealed.

Ballot opens in Labour leadership contest

Voting begins in the Labour leadership election today, as the publication of former prime minister Tony Blair's memoirs dominates the agenda.

David Kidney: 'My life is back under my control'

Former energy minister David Kidney speaks to ePolitix.com about his new role as the head of policy at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and the possibility of a return to Parliament.

Balls frustrated at Miliband 'soap opera'

Ed Balls has hit out at the "soap opera" surrounding fellow Labour leadership contenders David and Ed Miliband, as the contest is increasingly framed as a battle between new and old Labour.

Ministers warned 'not to mess' with construction industry

Conservative minister reveals he is gay

Balls: Coalition cuts 'unfair and unnecessary'

Spending review could be perfect storm for colleges

New MP interview

Julian Huppert - on top of the electoral cycle

Events

Dods Party Conference Events

We look forward to welcoming you to our series of fringe meetings at this year's party conferences.

9 Sept: The 2010 Spending Review & the future of public services

What could the radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy mean in practice for service users, councils and the state more broadly?

27 October: Public Affairs News Awards

The Public Affairs News Awards are to be held on the evening of Wednesday 27 October 2010

4 November: Dods Parliamentary Researchers' Reception

Dods is to host its annual Parliamentary Researchers' Reception, in association with ePolitix.com and The House Magazine.

Latest from Members

129 council chief executives in England paid more than £150,000 in 2009/10 new GMB study shows

As council chief executives are made expensively redundant one day and pop up in another job the next it is no wonder that the top council jobs are being seen as the best of all gravy trains says GMB

Assisted dying arrest highlights urgent need for law reform

The arrest of two people who accompanied a man with a terminal condition to Switzerland for an assisted death highlights the need to reform our domestic law, the British Humanist Association (BHA) has commented today.

RBS staff told of job loss 'horror story'

Unite the Union has described the announcement by The Royal Bank of Scotland to axe a further 3,500 staff in the UK a "horror story."

Age UK response to the National Hip Fracture Database report

Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK responds to the 'National Hip Fracture Database National Report 2010'

Clearing the path to public service complaints

Insomnia linked with high blood pressure, says new research

Member interview

Dangerous dog laws 'complete nonsense'

Lawful Industrial Action (Minor Errors) Bill 2010-11

Freedom (Great Repeal) Bill 2010-11

Editor's picks

Thompson: BBC 'had massive bias to the left'

Adviser discussed phone hacking at NOTW

Don't back me for leader, Miliband urged Blair

Law chief: Let me see Kelly files

IMF warns over UK debt

Hague denies gay affair rumours as aide quits

NHS chiefs offered £130,000 to quit

Clegg issues Pakistan aid warning

World exclusive Tony Blair interview


Dods Party Conference Events





Recent comments

In recent years, the UK criminal justice system has been subject to a constant barrage of new legislation and offences.

Those dealing with criminal cases day in and day out, including our police force, are overwhelmed and overstretched by a constantly changing criminal code.

This expansion of criminal law in recent years has criminalised an increased proportion of the population and further disrupted the balance between the power of the State and the freedom of the individual.

In most cases, a civil penalty may be more easily enforced and act as a better deterrent than using the full force of a prosecution for a criminal offence.

High level breaches of criminal law must still be prosecuted and defendants should always have the right to a fair trial.

The Law Society looks forward to working closely with the Law Commission to ensure that any suggested reforms are in the best interests of the community.

Linda Lee, President of the Law Society

Government agencies could seek alternatives to criminal prosecutions

A TUC poll earlier this year found that over two fifths of employees said they would consider using the right to request time off to train to ask for more training, including a third of employees who say that they currently receive no training from their employer.

To introduce a consultation in the middle of August with a 5 week deadline on a right which has been in existence for only 4 months and which is crucial to support workers who previously had no access to training flies in the face of any pretence this government has to secure an economic recovery based on a high skilled workforce.

The only reason for this consultation is to provide a sop to those employers who have no intention of investing in their workforces with an opportunity to avoid their responsibilities under the guise that it is a burden on business.

Roger Jeary

Workers could lose right for time to train

GuildHE members' submission to Lord Browne's Review of HE Finance supports greater student contributions, higher-earning graduates paying more than lower earners, and revisions to the student loan system.

However, as our submission pointed out, the normal tax system already recognises differential graduate earnings; a Graduate Tax could not improve upon this without greater complexity, and importantly, it does not give adequate guarantees that such new funding would pay for HE specifically.

GuildHE supports a greater graduate contribution through more competitive lending rates and loan thresholds, recognising that those who earn more should pay more back.

Higher Education Institutions have already seized the opportunities for greater efficiency given cuts already made. We expect Lord Browne's recommendations to secure the future stability of HE funding.

GuildHE

Cable's graduate tax will be 'progressive'



The week's business



More from ePolitix.com

RSS feeds

Policy

Archives

The House Magazine

More from Dods

© Dod's Parliamentary Communications Ltd