You remember Sid, right? Back when what then passed for the commanding heights were being privatised in the late 1980s, ad agency BMP got taxpayers' money to convince taxpayers to buy shares in the taxpayer-owned British Gas. No doubt Vince Cable is already taking pitches today from Soho ad agencies wanting to help him giveaway shares in the taxpayer-owned Royal Bank of Scotland.

While it may seem obvious on many levels that of course the government should take money from higher earners in a difficult economic environment - in particular when one of the other political debates raging at the moment is about introducing real-terms benefit cuts for those on the lowest incomes, a move likely to plunge even more children into poverty - it has always struck me as singularly unfair that the only higher earners being asked to pay more are those with children.

When David Cameron and George Osborne first coined the phrase "We are all in it together", I started counting the spoons. The idea that these multi-millionaire ex-Etonians, both of who have no experience of life at the sharp end should speak in such a glib manner was shocking enough.

Privatisation is often blamed for the shortcomings of Britain's railways. This is unfair. Genuine privatisation never happened. Nominal ownership may have been transferred to the private sector, but the government remains firmly in control.

I've written previously about 'green' non-governmental organisations and their penchant for protectionism. But as the European Environmental Paper Network met over the past few days in Portugal (my invite must have been lost in the post), I thought I'd bring to you a video worth watching and sharing.

So the Leader of the Conservative party met with people who have made substantial donations. Are we really surprised? If we are then we really shouldn't be.

If George Osborne brings in localised pay it will serve as an admittance that his economic plan is failing and he has given up on economic growth in some of the UK's poorest regions... The Coalition looks set to skip past an independent consultation and has devalued democracy yet again.

There has been a lot in the media over the weekend about Surrey and West Midlands police asking private security firms to bid for contracts to run services currently carried out by police officers, such as investigating crime and patrolling neighbourhoods. It seems that everyone has a view on this and I suppose that I am no different!

Ben Gummer's Ten Minute Rule Bill (to be introduced tomorrow) builds on something we suggested years ago. Well, two things, in fact.

This is the game of capitalism that we are all playing and Sir Richard Branson has been playing it very well; this deal surely not being the last. If we ever find ourselves angry at Virgin or Sir Branson, maybe we just need to start thinking of a new game to play.

The insurance industry gets away with unacceptable abuse. From banking (ie. payment protection insurance), to extended appliance warranties, some of w...

PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Possible legal action by the European Commission over the issue of Britain limiting benefits claims for those overseas could leav...