The absence of Phil Hogan, the environment minister, from the cabinet’s autopsy of the rollout of the household charge raised eyebrows.

THE Coalition Government has rushed to stamp out any suggestion of a rift between them over plans to scrap premium Sunday and overtime pay rates for low-paid workers.

THE poor may be out of political fashion, but they are not without human needs,” said Ted Kennedy in 1980 during a powerful argument in favour of more social spending and against Ronald Reagan’s proposed tax cuts that were to define the United States economic policy throughout that decade.

A BACKBENCH committee will today ask the Government to revisit legal advice it received from the Attorney General (AG) on controversial new fisheries legislation.

ANTI-SMOKING campaigners in Britain reacted with fury last night to a U-turn that will let people carry on lighting up in clubs and some pubs.