Political news

• Queen And Prince Philip's 70th Wedding Anniversary Celebrated With New Photographs

  19-11-2017 23:44
  Buckingham Palace has released new photos of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to mark their 70th wedding anniversary on Monday.The pictures, taken by photographer Matt Holyoak from Camera Press last month, were shot in the white drawing room at Windsor Castle.To celebrate the 70th Wedding Anniversary of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, new photographs are being released worldwide. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/zQBFjQTx3LNovember 19, 2017
  The portraits of Her Majesty and The Duke were taken b
  
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• 'I'm A Celebrity': Amir Khan Claims Show Is For 'Has Beens' In Resurfaced Tweet

  19-11-2017 23:40
  Amir Khan may just be regretting a comment he made about ‘I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!’ prior to entering the jungle.The professional boxer claimed the ITV reality show was for “has beens” in a tweet sent back in 2012.Amir was responding to a fan who asked if he would ever appear on the series.“No its for has beens [sic],” he wrote.As viewers saw him officially become one of this year’s contestants during Sunday’s (19 November) laun
  
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• 'I'm A Celebrity': Ant And Dec Tackle Subject Of Ant's Rehab Stint In Perfect Fashion As They Reunite On Air

  19-11-2017 23:11
  Ant and Dec wasted no time in addressing the elephant in the room as they reunited on ‘I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!’ on Sunday (19 November) night, cracking a joke about Ant’s rehab stint in the opening minutes of the show.The launch episode marked Ant McPartlin’s return to TV, after checking himself into a treatment facility for an addiction to painkillers earlier this year.And as he and pal Declan Donnelly prepared to introduce the latest batch
  
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• 'No unemployed' gaffe adds to budget pressure on Philip Hammond

  19-11-2017 22:42 via theguardian.com
  Wednesday’s budget seen as make or break for chancellor who is already unpopular with pro-Brexit ToriesPhilip Hammond will face a fight for his political life at this week’s budget, as he was accused of being hopelessly out of touch for claiming there were “no unemployed people” in the UK.The chancellor found himself at the centre of a damaging row over the gaffe as he prepares for a difficult budget on Wednesday at a time of worsening economic forecasts and uncertain Bre
  
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• Philip Hammond dismisses NHS chief's call for £4bn emergency cash injection

  19-11-2017 21:21 via theguardian.com
  The chancellor told the BBC that heads of public services always predict ‘Armageddon’ in the run-up to a budgetPhilip Hammond has dismissed calls from the head of the NHS for an emergency cash injection of £4bn, as he said people running public services always predict ”Armageddon” before a budget.The chancellor hinted the NHS could get more money to cover the cost of ending the public sector pay freeze for nurses and other workers.Continue reading...
  
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• MI5 and police cleared of any liability over terror attacks in UK

  19-11-2017 21:09 via theguardian.com
  Inquiries overseen by independent barrister will make series of recommendations including devising algorithm to spot terroristsOfficial reviews will clear MI5 and the police of making serious mistakes that allowed terrorists to strike Britain in four attacks this year, the Guardian has learned.But the reviews will also make a series of recommendations to minimise the chances of missing future attackers, including a new computer algorithm to detect behaviour that could indicate involvement in ter
  
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• 'Strictly Come Dancing' Result: Jonnie Peacock Voted Off After Debbie McGee Dance-Off

  19-11-2017 21:07
  Jonnie Peacock has become the eighth celebrity to be voted off this year’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.The Paralympian and his partner Oti Mabuse left the competition during Sunday (19 November) night’s results show, after losing the dance-off to Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice.Despite being one of the favourites to win the competition, Debbie found herself in the bottom two after finishing fifth on the leaderboard during Saturday’s Blackpool special.Both couples perf
  
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• Gaia Pope: Teenager Had No Injuries To Suggest Murder, Police Say

  19-11-2017 20:22
  Gaia Pope had not suffered any injuries that would suggest she was murdered, detectives have said.A post-mortem examination “has not identified any injuries to suggest any other person was involved in” the death of the teenager, who was found by specialist search teams in Swanage, Dorset, on Saturday - 11 days after she went missing.Two men aged 19 and 49 and a 71-year-old woman - all from Swanage and known to Gaia - were last week arrested on suspicion of murder but were released un
  
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• The Guardian view on Brexit and the Irish border: Britain’s shameful dereliction | Editorial

  19-11-2017 20:14 via theguardian.com
  From the referendum campaign onwards, Brexiters have ignored the dire implications for Ireland. The neglect is a political and moral failure alikeThroughout his career, Gerry Adams relentlessly singled out the British government for the blame in Ireland’s troubles. In truth, the responsibility for Northern Ireland’s miseries was widely shared, not least with the IRA and Sinn Féin, of which Mr Adams has been for so long the chief strategist. Yet it is ironic that the Sinn F&eac
  
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• Search for new Sinn Féin leader begins after Gerry Adams steps down

  19-11-2017 20:13 via theguardian.com
  Michelle O’Neill, Irish republican party’s leader in Northern Ireland assembly, rules herself out, saying she has ‘enough to do’Sinn Féin is starting the process of selecting its new leader after Gerry Adams announced he was stepping down after 34 years in charge.The Irish republican party’s leader in the deadlocked Northern Ireland assembly, Michelle O’Neill, has ruled herself out of the running to succeed Adams, who played a pivotal role in shifting t
  
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• This government is falling apart, so Labour’s tribes must come together | Zoe Williams

  19-11-2017 19:52 via theguardian.com
  With the great prize in sight, it’s time for Corbynites and their doubters to recognise common groundThe Tories’ main problem with Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, is that they speak human. Critics rush at the opposition like Wile E Coyote, carrying boulders and anvils marked “Maoist cult” (© Tim Farron) and “Marxist radical”, then wonder how McDonnell scuttles behind them with a cheerful “meep meep”. The Labour leaders
  
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• Cabinet ready to back Theresa May’s increased Brexit bill offer

  19-11-2017 19:42 via ft.com
  UK prime minister keen to break deadlock at next month’s EU Council meeting
  
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• Cabinet ready to back May’s increased Brexit bill offer

  19-11-2017 19:42 via ft.com
  UK prime minister keen to break deadlock at next month’s EU Council meeting
  
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• Chancellor, keep a million children out of poverty. Fix universal credit | Debbie Abrahams

  19-11-2017 19:38 via theguardian.com
  If Philip Hammond takes Labour’s advice, his budget can actually help the working poor instead of punishing themIn the last month there has been mounting evidence that the government’s flagship social security programme, universal credit, is not fit for purpose – and Labour believes the budget is a chance to fix it. Related: New universal credit claimants 'will get no money before Christmas'Continue reading...
  
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• Ben Jennings on the chancellor's upcoming budget – cartoon

  19-11-2017 19:38 via theguardian.com
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• Police Force Praised For Tweeting Powerful Open Letter To Women In Abusive Relationships

  19-11-2017 18:36
  A police force in Scotland has been praised for using Twitter to help women in abusive relationships by writing an open letter telling them: “Help is out there.”Officers on the Lochaber and Skye Police force, which covers the highlands ans islands of western Scotland, addressed a woman in the message of support.But they later added the message on social media was to help “anyone who may be at risk”.The series of tweets opens by saying:“A letter to a young woman in S
  
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• The ‘no unemployment’ chancellor needs a budget of compassion | Matthew d’Ancona

  19-11-2017 18:29 via theguardian.com
  The failing Tories are wrong to see Wednesday’s budget as their saviour. But by showing some humility, Philip Hammond can start the rehabilitationLike one of those gloomy American highways lined with liquor stores and gun shops, the road this government limps along is distinguished only by a series of last-chance saloons. Since the Conservatives’ disastrous performance in the election, we have been told that the prime minister’s Florence speech on Brexit would restore her autho
  
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• Home Office admits it is struggling to recruit staff to register EU nationals

  19-11-2017 18:28 via theguardian.com
  Lawyers say current staffing levels mean each caseworker will process 1,500 of 3 million EU registration applicationsHome Office officials have privately admitted the department is having problems increasing its immigration staffing levels as part of its Brexit preparations and may have to recruit Polish and other eastern Europeans to help register the 3 million EU nationals in Britain.Immigration lawyers said UK visas and immigration officials had told a recent business immigration conference t
  
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• Robert Mugabe 'Agrees To Stand Down' As President Of Zimbabwe

  19-11-2017 18:19
  Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has agreed to stand down after 37 years in charge, news agency Reuters has reported.The ruling ZANU-PF party had given the 93-year-old less than 24 hours to quit as head of state or face impeachment, an attempt to secure a peaceful end to his tenure after a de facto coup.A source said the Zimbabwe military was working on a resignation statement by Mugabe, without giving details.Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster ZBC said Mugabe would address the nation shortly.Ea
  
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• Robert Mugabe Defies Demands To Quit As President Of Zimbabwe

  19-11-2017 18:02
  Robert Mugabe is desperately clinging on as Zimbabwe President despite expectations he was about to quit.The news agency Reuters had reported the 93-year-old was to announce he was stepping down during an address to the nation.Instead, by the end of the long, rambling speech he had given no indication he was about to depart and signed off with the words: “I thank you and goodnight.”The ruling ZANU-PF party had given Mugabe less than 24 hours to quit as head of state or face impe
  
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• It is time for Gerry Adams to go, but will his grip on Sinn Féin remain? | Malachi O’Doherty

  19-11-2017 17:39 via theguardian.com
  We will see how transparent and democratic the party actually is as it seeks his replacement as presidentThe maxim that all political careers end in failure will not apply to Gerry Adams. He has managed his departure in such a way as to avert any demand from the party that he go.No one in Sinn Féin was thought likely to step forward as a challenger; this is not a party that caters for the dissenting voice. One of the embarrassments of recent times has been the number of councillors resign
  
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• UK trade minister lobbied Brazil on behalf of oil giants

  19-11-2017 17:38 via theguardian.com
  A telegram obtained by Greenpeace shows that Greg Hands met a Brazilian minister to discuss relaxation of tax and environmental regulationBritain successfully lobbied Brazil on behalf of BP and Shell to address the oil giants’ concerns over Brazilian taxation, environmental regulation and rules on using local firms, government documents reveal.The UK’s trade minister travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and São Paulo in March for a visit with a “heavy focus”
  
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• Royal Blood Concert Sees Man Arrested With 53 Stolen Mobile Phones

  19-11-2017 17:30
  A 22-year-old man has been arrested after police found him with 53 stolen mobile phones after a Royal Blood gig.Officers carried out a “proactive” operation after receiving intelligence that previous gigs by the rock band had been targeted, West Midlands Police said. The man was detained on suspicion of theft in Broad Street, near to the concert at Arena Birmingham, on Saturday night, The Press Association reports.We made an arrest and recovered 50 phones following last night's
  
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• Scots Labour leader vows to follow socialist agenda

  19-11-2017 16:15 via ft.com
  Corbyn hails former trade union organiser’s election victory as a ‘turning point’
  
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• Labour's Rebecca Long-Bailey says budget must 'level up' spending in north

  19-11-2017 16:00 via theguardian.com
  Shadow business secretary urges Philip Hammond to raise investment per head in northern England to match London and the south-eastRebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s shadow business secretary, has urged the chancellor to use this week’s budget to start “levelling up” public investment in the north of England to match spending per head in London, warning that “horrific” deprivation was stoking public anger.“We would want to see a levelling up of investment per
  
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• A Budget For Better Mental Health?

  19-11-2017 15:49
  As the 2017 Budget approaches, there has been a growing call on the Chancellor to ensure that health, and particularly mental health, funding is given a boost in order to meet the Prime Minister’s ambition is tackling the ‘burning injustices’ of poor access to help when people need it.The need for fairer funding for mental health services within the NHS is now widely known and clear. Mental health care accounts for about 12% of NHS spending yet mental ill health represents abou
  
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• Have You Ever Felt Lonely?

  19-11-2017 15:37
  Most of us will have experienced the overwhelming emotions and negative impact of being alone or isolated at some point in our lives, but if we're lucky enough those times will be fleeting and something to write off and forget.Sadly, this isn't the case for many disabled people who tell us that they are chronically lonely - in fact new polling for Scope reveals that a staggering three million working-aged disabled people say they 'always or often' feel lonely.So why is it that so many disabled p
  
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• Climate Conference Makes Progress, Despite US Paris Pullout

  19-11-2017 15:15
  The 2017 UN climate change summit finished on Friday with significant progress made toward converting the landmark 2015 Paris deal into a rule-based framework.Coming amidst growing scientific alarm about global warming, the chair of the event had called for "the vision of Paris" to shine through given growing concerns that the process at a critical crossroads.It is fitting that the Fiji prime minister chaired the meeting given that the very existence of low lying islands is threatened by sea lev
  
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• There are no unemployed in UK, says Hammond – video

  19-11-2017 14:56 via theguardian.com
  Philip Hammond has claimed 'there are no unemployed people' in the UK in a major slip-up as the chancellor prepares to fight for his political life in this week’s budgetThere are no unemployed in UK, says Hammond in TV gaffeContinue reading...
  
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• Hammond's 'no unemployed' gaffe fuels belief that Tories don't care

  19-11-2017 14:49 via theguardian.com
  The chancellor’s untimely slip carried echoes of Lamont’s remark that people out of work was a price worth payingPhilip Hammond’s gaffe that “there are no unemployed” is damaging despite his best efforts to explain it away because it feeds into two widely held beliefs: that the Tories don’t care about the unemployed and that the chancellor may be good at the figures but has no wider political vision.Hammond is already on a yellow card for lacking political nou
  
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• Paul Farrelly denies fracas claims amid Labour probe

  19-11-2017 14:28 via bbc.co.uk
  Paul Farrelly denies "squaring up" to a Labour colleague and swearing at two others.
  
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• Hammond says UK is on ‘brink’ of ‘serious movement’ in Brexit talks

  19-11-2017 14:23 via ft.com
  Chancellor signals UK prime minister Theresa May will raise her financial offer to EU
  
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• Chancellor Philip Hammond's 'no unemployed' remark attacked

  19-11-2017 14:18 via bbc.co.uk
  The chancellor made the comment as he played down the threat posed to jobs by new technology.
  
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• Robert Mugabe Sacked As Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF Party Leader

  19-11-2017 14:06
  Zimbabwe’s ruling party has begun the recall of Robert Mugabe as party leader, to replace him with the fired vice president.While he still refuses to step aside as president, the removal of him as head of the ruling Zanu-PF puts the end of his 37-rule in the country closer.Delegates danced and sang at a party meeting when Mugabe was removed, a move to force a peaceful end to his 37 years in power following a de facto military coup.He was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa, the deputy he s
  
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• Budget 2017: Plans to build 300,000 homes a year

  19-11-2017 14:02 via bbc.co.uk
  The chancellor says he understands the difficulties young people have in saving for a deposit.
  
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• Brexit: Gisela Stuart meets German business leaders

  19-11-2017 14:01 via bbc.co.uk
  The Sunday Politics travelled with Gisela to Germany to meet the business leaders she says will help secure a good trade deal for the UK
  
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• Sunday Show Round-Up: Brexit Hysteria And Spreadsheet Phil's Slip-Up

  19-11-2017 13:44
  Philip Hammond’s pre-budget media round didn’t quite go according to plan.While extolling the virtues of the UK’s ascendance from some turbulent economic times, the chancellor made the bold claim that “there are no unemployed people” in the UK.He was quickly corrected on Twitter by literally everyone - there are in fact more than 1.4 million out of work - and quickly moved to clarify that he simply meant unemployment was at a record low, and that embracing new techn
  
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• Philip Hammond must ditch deficit reduction and invest. But he won't | Larry Elliott

  19-11-2017 13:39 via theguardian.com
  The chancellor should change course but with no majority, no money and no productivity growth there’s no hope of thatPhilip Hammond did not get his nickname of “Spreadsheet Phil” for nothing. The chancellor is a cautious man, who thinks that tackling Britain’s productivity challenge is a better use of his time than trying to wrongfoot his opposite number, John McDonnell, with political gimmicks.Hammond’s instinct in the run-up to his second budget has been to hunker
  
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• Robert Mugabe Sacked As Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF Party Leader And Told To Resign As President

  19-11-2017 13:36
  Zimbabwe’s ruling party has sacked of Robert Mugabe as party leader and given him until 12pm on Monday to resign or face impeachment.While he still refuses to step aside as president, the removal of him as head of the ruling Zanu-PF puts the end of his 37-rule in the country closer.Delegates danced and sang at a party meeting when Mugabe was removed, a move to force a peaceful end to his 37 years in power following a de facto military coup.He was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa, the de
  
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• Andy Burnham demands English regions have say in Brexit talks

  19-11-2017 13:22 via theguardian.com
  Greater Manchester mayor says he fears London-centric approach by ministers is prioritising the City above other industriesRegions across England should have a permanent seat at the table in Brexit discussions to guard against the government’s “London-centric” approach, the Greater Manchester mayor has said.Andy Burnham said Westminster had failed the north of England and that he feared ministers were prioritising the City of London above other industries in their Brexit strate
  
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• Philip Hammond: 'We're delivering homes at record numbers'

  19-11-2017 13:20 via bbc.co.uk
  But the chancellor says to address affordability problems "we've got to be sustainably delivering around 300,000 homes a year".
  
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• How Philip Hammond has been boxed in ahead of the autumn Budget

  19-11-2017 12:57 via ft.com
  Fiscal commitments and economic data leave chancellor with little room for manoeuvre
  
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• Philip Hammond says there are 'no unemployed people'

  19-11-2017 12:54 via bbc.co.uk
  The chancellor insists the 1.4m unemployed in the UK have not been forgotten as he clarifies his remark.
  
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• Tory 'Mutineer' MP Dominic Grieve Says Brexiteer Colleagues Have 'Become Unhinged'

  19-11-2017 12:52
  A senior Tory MP has said some of his colleagues have become “unhinged” amid the “general hysteria” over Brexit.Former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who opposed Brexit before the referendum, was among those labelled a “mutineer” on the front page of The Telegraph this week for preparing to vote against a government amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill which would see the UK’s Brexit date enshrined in law.Anna Soubry, one of the MPs pictured l
  
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• Hammond: Driverless cars will be on UK roads by 2021

  19-11-2017 12:22 via bbc.co.uk
  The chancellor says the country must embrace new technologies in order to succeed.
  
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• 'I'm A Celebrity' Contestants Face Fears In Terrifying Challenges Before Even Entering Jungle

  19-11-2017 12:14
  If the ‘I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestants thought they were going to be eased in to their jungle experience, they soon learned that was not going to be the case.This year’s line-up have already been put through a series of gruelling challenges, and they’re yet to even set foot in camp.After meeting for the first time at a luxury villa, hosts Ant and Dec informed them they’d be taking part in some trials en route to the jungle.Amir Khan,
  
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• There are no unemployed in UK, says Hammond in TV gaffe

  19-11-2017 12:05 via theguardian.com
  Chancellor is accused of being out of touch after making slip-up as he prepares for politically difficult budget later this week Philip Hammond has claimed “there are no unemployed people” in the UK in a major slip-up as the chancellor prepares to fight for his political life in this week’s budget. Hammond’s gaffe came as he made the case on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that driverless cars will not necessarily lead to more unemployment. Continue reading...
  
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• Budget 2017: UK to launch self-driving cars on British roads by 2021

  19-11-2017 11:41 via theguardian.com
  Embattled chancellor will sweep away regulation to allow testing of cars and put up £1bn for techDriverless cars will be on Britain’s roads by 2021 as a result of sweeping regulatory reforms that will put the UK in the forefront of a post-Brexit technological revolution, Chancellor Philip Hammond will say this week. In his budget on Wednesday Hammond will allow driverless cars to be tested without any human operator inside or outside the car, and without the legal constraints and rul
  
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• Philip Hammond Tells Andrew Marr 'There Are No Unemployed People'

  19-11-2017 11:29
  Philip Hammond has provoked a backlash after telling the BBC’s Andrew Marr that “there are no unemployed people” in the UK.The Chancellor made the gaffe while asserting the country was on the up following a long economic downturn.“Where are all these unemployed people?  There are no unemployed people,” he said, prompting a flurry of incredulous responses on Twitter.This is Norman Lamont singing in the bath levels of political cloth-earedness. Prepare to see thi
  
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• 'Strictly Come Dancing': Alexandra Burke's Blackpool Performance Has Judges Reaching For Their '10' Paddles

  19-11-2017 11:22
  The pressure was on as ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ headed to Blackpool on Saturday (18 November) night, but one contestant who certainly pulled it out of the bag was Alexandra Burke.The singer had three of the judges reaching for their ’10′ paddles after her impressive Quickstep routine to ‘We’re in the Money’ by Ginger Rogers.Former ‘X Factor’ winner Alexandra and her partner Gorka Marquez topped the leaderboard, bagging 39 points out of a possi
  
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