Taxpayers money spent on childcare is not wasted its an investment | Deborah Orr
Fifteen hours of free childcare a week might not allow mothers to return to work immediately but it lets them know that the state respects and supports their intention to do so in futureThere are more...
View ArticleUK on track to be fastest growing G7 economy despite slowdown
Markets breathe sigh of relief as 0.7% GDP rise proves lower than previous quarter but still meets forecastsThe UK remains on track to be the fastest growing G7 economy this year despite new figures...
View ArticleEU demand for extra £1.7bn from UK prompts emergency meeting
Finance ministers to discuss recalculation of contributions to union, which have hit UK, Italy and the Netherlands hardestEuropes finance ministers are to convene an emergency meeting after the...
View ArticleThe Guardian view on the European Union budget demand: messing with the...
Either David Cameron sought this battle or he was asleep on the job. It is hard to say which is worseThere are two sensible things to say about the UK economys third-quarter growth rate of 0.7%,...
View ArticleHow giving the lowest-paid a big rise could just solve our productivity puzzle
Some claim that low wage growth in the UK will sort itself out once productivity is boosted. But there is another, fairer, wayAs recoveries go, this one brings rich pickings for politicians. The rest...
View ArticleAmerica stems the flow of funds just as China stalls and the eurozone risks...
Janet Yellen of the Fed is winding down its quantitative easing programme, but might she soon have to wind it up again?There is growing unease as the US central bank prepares to turn off its printing...
View ArticleTony Abbott pushes for reform of 'dog's breakfast' of federalism
PM suggests states fiscal responsibilities go down to match revenues or their revenues go upTony Abbott has urged the commonwealth and states to work together to to fix the dogs breakfast of...
View ArticleRecord number of Britons in low-paid jobs, says thinktank
Resolution Foundation says number of people earning less than £7.69 an hour increased by 250,000 last year to reach 5.2mA record 5 million workers are now in low-paid jobs, according to a new report,...
View ArticleAngela Merkel opposes Cameron EU renegotiation plan
German chancellor will not tamper with principle of free movement of workers, which PM seems to want to alterDavid Camerons hopes of an EU renegotiation over the free movement of workers have suffered...
View ArticleRaise UK interest rates now, says Bank of England policymaker
Spare capacity in UKs fast-recovering economy could be used up this summer and add to inflation pressures, says MPC member Ian McCaffertyThe Bank of England should begin raising interest rates now,...
View ArticleInterest rates too low, house prices too high? Blame Chinese wedding planners
Western banks, companies and money markets are attracting more money from vast Chinese savings than they can cope with, pushing up share and property prices, and driving down savings ratesA link...
View ArticleImmigration is vital to neoliberalism but no politician will admit it |...
Michael Fallon and his fellow Tories know it, as do Labour, Ukip too. But they wont tell the ordinary people theyre fighting overThe defence secretary, Michael Fallon, is under siege. He is being...
View ArticlePeople need hope, not more of the Tory austerity fairytale | @guardianletters
Ha-Joon Chang (Opinion, 20 October) is right that the country is in desperate need of a counter narrative to the Tory story on the economy. I believe it should go like this.First, Labour did not leave...
View ArticleHow life for women in Britain is getting tougher
The UK has dropped down a global scale of gender equality to 26th place. Where is the government going wrong and how can we fix politics, pay and promotions?The UK is 74th of 186 in terms of female...
View ArticleEd Balls told to take clearer line on budget deficit
Some shadow cabinet members have privately expressed concerns about recent statements on Labours fiscal plansShadow cabinet members are privately expressing concern that Ed Balls needs to adopt a more...
View ArticleBritons fear rich-poor divide is harming society, poll finds
Almost half of people polled feel the UK has become less fair since the 2010 electionA majority of people believe the gap between the richest Britons and the rest of the country has a corrosive effect...
View ArticleA Tory nightmare: what if Red Ed is right on wages? | Rafael Behr
The Conservatives think theyve beaten Ed Miliband on the economy. They should listen to austerity-hit votersEven the finest political insights congeal into received wisdom over time. Then they rot into...
View ArticleCentral Asia pays the price for Russia's tumbling ruble
Sharp decline in the value of Russian currency is hitting Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistans economies hard. EurasiaNet.org reportsPensioner Jyparkul Karaseyitova says she cannot afford meat...
View ArticleMarkets mixed ahead of decision to end US stimulus - business live
US Federal Reserve expected to call time on QEUK mortgage approvals fall to 14-month lowWorkless households down to lowest level since records began4.56pm GMTAs investors waited for the US Federal...
View ArticleUKs £1.7bn EU bill: Clegg turns to French PM for support
Deputy prime minister to meet Manuel Valls in hope of strengthening case for cut and delay in payment of EU surchargeNick Clegg will deploy his pro-European credentials to try to win the vital support...
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