George Osborne conjured up a populist crackdown on welfare and public sector pay on Wednesday as he sought to minimise the impact of a further £11.5bn of spending cuts, including £2.6bn taken from council budgets and £500m axed from education. Unveiling the results of his spending review 2015-16, the chancellor claimed that it would be possible to achieve £5bn of the sought-after savings through efficiencies, although this will include the loss of a further 144,000 public sector jobs. Police, student grants and charities will also be hit. Claiming the economy was moving from rescue to recovery, Osborne set out a fifth and unscheduled year of austerity. "We have to deal with the world as it, not as we wish it to be, so this country has to continue to make savings," he said. "If we abandoned our deficit plan, Britain would be back in intensive care." In a bid to grab headlines and push Labour into a corner ahead of the 2015 election, Osborne announced an unexpected … [Read more...] about Spending review: George Osborne targets benefits and slashes public sector jobs
Spend 500 get 150
George Osborne defends ‘progressive’ spending review
George Osborne has defended the government's spending review from accusations that it was an election call to people who do not wish to help the poorest and most disadvantaged in society. The chancellor said his unexpected package of welfare reforms – including the extension of the current three-day wait before the jobless can claim benefits to seven days – were part of a "progressive" package. He also said it would be possible to achieve £5bn of the sought-after savings through efficiencies. Asked if he was setting out to appeal to those who wished to rebalance the state towards the "median worker" and away from poorer people, Osborne told Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't accept that at all. A Conservative and Liberal Democrat government is undertaking progressive reform to our public services to help low-income people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to aspire to a better career, better healthcare and education. "The Labour party took the view that they … [Read more...] about George Osborne defends ‘progressive’ spending review
Coloradans favor free trade and strong defense spending
To the degree they track U.S. foreign policy, Coloradans view global trade as a net positive, support strong defense spending and are divided when it comes to energy policy and climate change. Those are some of the findings from more than 125 interviews the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the University of Colorado Boulder Leed’s School of Business conducted. Researchers interviewed state officials, economic developers, teachers and other individuals and groups to better understand their concerns regarding the middle-class and their views on foreign policy. “We are at an interesting moment, where the future of U.S. foreign policy is uncertain,” said Salman Ahmed, a Carnegie Endowment senior fellow who is overseeing a three-state study.Carnegie has been a foreign policy think tank for nearly 110 years. But Ahmed said policies crafted in Washington, D.C., are often done so in a bubble without a full understanding of impacts on middle-class Americans. … [Read more...] about Coloradans favor free trade and strong defense spending
IT company CEO fired after allegedly spending over $75,000 at strip clubs
Companies often give out credit cards to their employees which can be used to deal with prospective clients. Now this may include your regular wining and dining and perhaps no eyebrows would be raised. However as this IT company’s CEO found out that if you go beyond wining and dining then there are severe consequences. A CEO of US-based tech startup has allegedly been fired after he spent vast sums of money at strip clubs. According to a report by Bloomberg, Eric Gilmore, CEO of Turvo spent over $75,000 at “adult entertainment venues” using company credit cards. Another report by Business Insider said that the money was spent over a period of three years. The expenses came to light when the company’s chief financial officer reviewed company credit card expense reports. The total expenses incurred by Gilmore on the company’s credit card were in excess of $1,25,000 Gilmore filed a case against Turvo in August but interestingly he didn’t deny claims … [Read more...] about IT company CEO fired after allegedly spending over $75,000 at strip clubs
Former Mentone aged care home director Gela Newitt to spend 10 months in jail for fraud
Email By court reporter Karen Percy and Steven Schubert Posted December 16, 2019 16:08:15 Photo: Gela Newitt deceived residents by telling them their money was going into a trust account. (ABC News: Gemma Hall, file photo) Related Story: Former aged care director to stand trial on fraud charges Related Story: 'Vulnerable' elderly residents set to receive compensation over bankrupt nursing home Related Story: Aged care facilities are becoming more like hospitals but the services aren't keeping up, doctors say Map: Mentone 3194 A Melbourne woman who defrauded residents at an aged care facility in Melbourne's south-east will spend 10 months in jail. Key points:The company collapsed leaving 42 residents homeless and debts of $4.5 million Two years of the sentence were suspended so Newitt will spend 10 months in jail Judge Peter Kidd said the fraud was not a crime of greed because the money had been spent keeping the business afloat The securities regulator, ASIC, pursued … [Read more...] about Former Mentone aged care home director Gela Newitt to spend 10 months in jail for fraud