Piers Corbyn, the man who has successfully forecast, weeks or even months ahead, much of this summer's extreme weather events, has issued a warning of further heavy rainfall on 5th-9th and 18th-23rd August. He also warns that there is a…

Time was that the first questions that -The Economist-, confronted by a proposal, would pose were: "is it a good idea?" and "is it economic?" No longer, under the regime that has ruled there for the past eighteen months or so. They really…

**Government  ** A squeeze on capital spending on schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure could be in prospect as billions of pounds worth of private finance initiative projects are poised to come back on to the government's…

While we're on the subject of MP finances, the Tories have taken a very cynical view of the government and its attempts to bury bad news - such as MP wages and expenses rising by 5.5% or the 8% rise in the cost of private cars by government…

Our 646 MPs are an expensive bunch, aren't they?  MPs' salaries work out at £54.9m a year. A further £95.48m pays for MPs' expenses and staff which is a rise of £4.973m over the previous year.  Of the £95.48m, £57.9m goes on staff and their…

I am much obliged to Paul Nollen, with whom I have been having a discussion about the Basic Income concept, for pointing me at Bernard Lietaer. Here is how Professor Lietaer's Wikipedia entry begins: Here is what Professor Lietaer has to…

Another recurring story on PL - the benefits system. Anyone who can get their head round the complexities of this system deserves a few financial handouts and tax credits. It seems those who control it are not up to speed, they have been…

Home Office Watch Blog has pointed me in the direction of this interesting piece on Computing.com. Computing pursued a Freedom of Information request with regard to consultancy and the new ID card system. It turns out the government has…

Government Defence companies and politicians were furious last night after the Prime Minister axed an organisation responsible for promoting Britain's arms exports. On a day of major announcements, Gordon Brown said that the Defence Export…

Government   Alex Salmond has said he will soon publish a white paper on Scottish independence. The Scottish first minister, who heads a minority nationalist administration, told the BBC on Thursday that he would press ahead with the plan…

Government   Farepayers will nearly double their contribution to the cost of running the railways by the middle of the next decade, the government said yesterday. A big expansion in rail capacity, including 1,300 new carriages and an…

Once again, yesterday's rail white paper has left me asking - what exactly is this government's policy on climate change, carbon emissions and transport?  In order to increase capacity of the railways, commuters will be forced to pay yet…