Ed Miliband News

Last week Google was branded "devious," "calculating" and "unethical," as furious MPs stepped up pressure on the internet giant over its efforts to shelter its multi-billion profits from UK taxes.

The internet giant denied trying to "disguise" the way its business operated to minimise its tax bill in the UK.

Google UK boss Matt Brittin insisted he stood by evidence he gave last year that all the firm's advertising in Europe was sold through its offices in Ireland.

Read more: Google 'devious over tax bill'

Committee chairman Margaret Hodge said his claims were contradicted by documentation MPs had seen and evidence from a "stream" of whistleblowers.

Mr Brittin said the evidence related to the period before he joined the company six and half years ago and that suggestions that Google was trying to "disguise" the way it operated were "just not true".

"I stand by what I said. I described very clearly how we operate," he said.

• Politics
• Ed Miliband
• Google

Labour leader Ed Miliband has condemned internet giant Google for their efforts to avoid paying tax in the UK. In a blog on The Huffington Post UK he wrote of the responsibility of new online companies to stand up for the values they appear to espouse:

At the same time as the internet breaks down old hierarchies, it can also create new vested interests. And, even as the internet connects people across the world, footloose companies can use the global market to avoid facing up to their responsibilities.

Google is said to have paid only £10million in corporation tax in the UK between 2006 and 2011, despite revenues of £11.9billion.

Again, it is not just the right thing to do, it is essential for a prosperous country.

Google shouldn’t be going to extraordinary lengths to avoid paying its taxes. It has an obligation to do more than simply comply with the letter of the law.

Google has done much to open up markets and opportunities for entrepreneurs. It has done some great things for the world.

But it also has an obligation to wider society and to live up to its own foundingprinciples.

Read: Google 'devious, calculating and unethical over tax bill'

• Technology
• Google
• Ed Miliband

Labour leader Ed Miliband has tweeted that Google's failure to pay tax shows a culture of "corporate irresponsibility" which is "totally unacceptable".

Google going to extraordinary lengths to avoid paying tax shows a culture of corporate irresponsibility which is totally unacceptable.

From @Ed_Miliband on Twitter: ( 3:07 pm, Thu 16 May 2013)

• Business
• Labour
• Ed Miliband

The Labour Leader Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of being the leader of a weak and divided party, as the Conservatives split over the issue of Britain's membership of the European Union.

"What we see today is a Labour Party focused on jobs and living standards and sorting out our economy and a Conservative Party where David Cameron has completely lost control" he said.

"They're arguing amongst themselves about Europe and not sorting out the problems of the country".

"Frankly, this has not just become an issue about Europe, but about David Cameron's weak leadership of his party".

• Politics
• Ed Miliband
• David Cameron

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the Government has a "reality problem" and today's Queen's Speech will do nothing to help people facing real problems.

The Leader of the Opposition said he was prepared to work with the Prime Minister on alternatives - insisting David Cameron did not need to be beholden to right-wingers on his own benches.

Mr Miliband said Labour was willing to assist with issues such as plain cigarette packaging, a communications bill on media monopolies and a lobbying bill.

He said youth unemployment was up, the cost of living was rising and wages were falling.

Mr Miliband said, "You can't provide the answers the country needs because he is not in control of his party - as someone once said, you are in office but not in power".

"You are not dealing with the problems of the country. No wonder this Queen's Speech has no answers", he added.

• Politics
• Ed Miliband
• Queen's Speech

Tory former defence minister Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire) has been given the honour this year of proposing a motion of Humble Address to the Queen at 2.30pm.

Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Williams (Bristol West) will second the motion before Labour leader Ed Miliband and Prime Minister David Cameron give their responses shortly after 3pm.

• Politics
• David Cameron
• Ed Miliband

Labour leader Ed Miliband said he is "very pleased" his party has won both mayoral elections in Witney and Doncaster:

Very pleased that both Witney and Doncaster mayor have gone Labour... on my way to congratulate @ros4doncaster

From @Ed_Miliband on Twitter: ( 6:22 pm, Fri 03 May 2013)

Witney is David Cameron's constituency while Doncaster North is Miliband's.

• Politics
• Ed Miliband
• Election

Lord Prescott has highlighted that the Conservatives lost a county council seat in David Cameron's Oxfordshire constituency to Labour:

So @ed_miliband wins in his constituency. @david_cameron loses in his #justsaying #vote2013

From @johnprescott on Twitter: ( 4:58 pm, Fri 03 May 2013)

“@seanlwoodcock: @johnprescott Tories lose control of Oxon!” < Cameron's constituency county

From @johnprescott on Twitter: ( 4:48 pm, Fri 03 May 2013)

• Politics
• Lord Prescott
• David Cameron

• Politics
• Ed Miliband
• Labour