MPs’ expenses

‘Cabinet ministers face questions after full details of their expenses claims were published by the Daily Telegraph.’ – BBC

‘Gordon Brown came under renewed pressure after it emerged last night that more than half the Cabinet face embarrassment over expense claims.’ – Sam Coates, The Times

Income gap widens

‘Larry Elliott looks at why the government has failed to halt the rising inequality it inherited from the Tories’ – Larry Elliott, The Guardian

‘Britain under Gordon Brown is a more unequal country than at any time
since modern records began in the early 1960s, after the incomes of the
poor fell and those of the rich rose in the three years after the 2005
general election.’ – Larry Elliott and Polly Curtis, The Guardian

‘The Government’s ambitions to halve child poverty by 2010 and to eradicate it by 2020 looked achievable during the boom. But with the economic downturn the chances of achieving the 2010 goal are nil. And with the mess the public finances are in, the 2020 target also recedes into the realms of “aspiration”.’ – Sean O’Grady, The Independent

Equal rights for agency workers

‘About 500,000 agency workers will receive the same pay and conditions as permanent staff under proposals to be published by ministers today in an effort to redeem a pledge made by government to unions.’ – Patrick Wintour and Haroon Siddique, The Guardian

Cameron under fire from Tory MEPs

‘David Cameron was embarrassed by one of his MEPs who received a standing ovation after attacking the Conservative leader in the European Parliament.’ – David Charter, The Times

Economic optimism

‘A consensus is forming among investors and policymakers that the worst of this global downturn is behind us. Hopeful signs of recovery have been spotted in several places. Stock markets have been rising for a few weeks. Some of the world’s largest banks have been reporting profits, with Barclays the latest to do so. The Obama administration’s “stress test” of America’s major banks yesterday ruled that none is at risk of insolvency (although some will have to raise more capital).’ – Leader, The Independent