Joe White

2 weeks ago | tortoisemedia.com | Bex Sander |Jeevan Vasagar |Joe White

A new interactive tool from Tortoise shows how online untruths about the climate are growing, changing shape and spreading The climate has shifted: 2024 was the hottest year in history, with record-breaking temperatures in the atmosphere and warmer oceans ushering in what scientists have described as a dangerous new era of wildfires and floods amplified by climate change. The political climate has shifted too.

Nov 21, 2024 | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan |Joe White

The number of peers on a formal leave of absence from parliament jumped dramatically after new rules were introduced requiring them to declare income from foreign states. So what? This is about who pays peers, and what they’re paid for. Taking a leave of absence is open to misuse as a way round the rules on foreign income disclosure. But it’s a loophole. This is not what absences were meant for.

Nov 20, 2024 | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan |Joe White

Total travel expenses claimed by peers for the period reached £5.4 million, of which flights accounted for nearly a third. Rail, ferry and coach costs accounted for £2.53 million, while just over £1 million was expensed for car journeys. In addition, nearly £300,000 was claimed for taxis, tolls and parking. Although a category exists for motorbike expenses, nothing was claimed for this method of transport (the average age of peers is 72). Why this story?

Nov 20, 2024 | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan |Joe White

Peers are not paid a salary like MPs, but can take a tax-free daily allowance of £323 for any sitting days they attend. Some have not claimed any allowance, but others have registered a high level of attendance without voting, speaking in debates, submitting written questions or taking part in other business such as select committees. Why this story?

Nov 20, 2024 | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan |Joe White |Katie Riley

So what? That is not how parliaments are meant to operate. Under the new Labour government, the House of Lords is heading for reform. But a comprehensive new analysis of how the upper chamber works shows that Labour’s plans to scrap hereditary peers only scratch the surface of potential changes that could be made to improve the parliamentary system. Last week MPs backed a bill that would abolish the 92 seats reserved for hereditary peers, who inherit their titles through their families.