Five-month gap in skills between middle-income children and their more affluent peers, study says

Changes to family and tax policies would boost the economy

Britain's most prestigious think tank published a report by a lobbyist on a subject in which his client had a direct interest, The Independent has learnt.

Egypt is on course to enter an uncharted era of Islamist rule after preliminary election results yesterday suggested the Muslim Brotherhood could secure nearly half the seats in parliament.

A call to give MPs more money and more time off may not sound like much of a vote winner. But a think tank says that could be one way to attract a different kind of person into Parliament. The Institute for Government estimates that candidates can run up bills of tens of thousands of pounds, more than enough to deter most people, which helps explain why so many MPs come from the same narrow, public school- educated elite.

As politicians shift ground on high earners, City workers admit public sector gets raw deal

There are just four weeks to go to his autumn statement, and the Chancellor needs all the help he can get with ideas for hitting borrowing targets that look increasingly challenging, given the way growth continues to disappoint. One contribution definitely worth considering comes from Centre Forum, a think tank with close links to George Osborne's Liberal Democrat Coalition partners. It proposes a cut to pension tax breaks – the challenge for Mr Osborne would be to explain why such a policy, characterised in the past as an attack on middle England, is actually more of the "we're all in this together" kind of thinking.

There are just four weeks to go to his autumn statement, and the Chancellor needs all the help he can get with ideas for hitting borrowing targets that look increasingly challenging, given the way economic growth continues to disappoint.

Drinkers who regularly exceed the government alcohol limits without getting drunk are unknowingly increasing the risks of cancer, liver disease and mental health issues, says a report published today.

One in 20 police officers is carrying out roles that could be fulfilled by civilians, wasting almost £150 million a year, a think-tank said today.

Parenting style is one of the strongest influences on how much alcohol a child will drink as a teenager and young adult, new research has revealed.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) could disadvantage the poorest students, it was warned today as pupils collected their GCSE results.

200,000 of this year's A-level candidates are expected to miss out on a university place this year

Many argue that the jobs created are simply displaced from other areas, and that costs outweigh the benefits