The United States presidential election of 2016, scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2016, will be the 58th quadrennial U.S. presidential election.

Article Two of the United States Constitution provides that for a person to be elected and serve as President of the United States, the individual must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for a period of no less than 14 years. Candidates for the presidency typically seek the nomination of one of the various political parties of the United States, in which case each party devises a method (such as a primary election) to choose the candidate the party deems best suited to run for the position. The primary elections are usually indirect elections where voters cast ballots for a slate of party delegates pledged to a particular candidate. The party's delegates then officially nominate a candidate to run on the party's behalf. The general election in November is also an indirect election, where voters cast ballots for a slate of members of the Electoral College; these electors in turn directly elect the President and Vice President.

The incumbent, President Barack Obama, a Democrat and former U.S. Senator from Illinois, is ineligible to seek reelection to a third term due to restrictions of the Twenty-second Amendment; his term expires on January 20, 2017. In the 2008 election, Obama was elected president, defeating the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, receiving 52.9% of the popular vote and 68% of the electoral vote. If incumbent President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden serve out the full remainder of their term, the voters will elect the 45th President and 48th Vice President of the United States, respectively.

Source: Wikipedia

Cork South West Labour Party TD Michael McCarthy has welcomed the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office which show that 29,000 more people are in work than in December 2014.

Deputy McCarthy commented: “The fact that so many more people are back in work than in December 2014 again demonstrates that Labour’s plan to create jobs and get people back to work is working.  

“Up to 1,000 jobs are now being created each week, which is in stark contrast to before Labour entered government when unemployment stood at 15.1%. Importantly, jobs are being created in every region of the country.

 “Behind these statistics are people who now have greater certainty in their lives because they are back at work and have a dependable income.  

“For the Labour Party, the focus is not just on the number of jobs created but also the quality of the jobs. We want to see decent, sustainable, well paid jobs created.

“This is why we have increased the minimum wage by 20% since entering government and we have strengthened the rights of workers to improve their pay and conditions.

“This year I am confident we will see more jobs created and incomes continue to increase for low and middle income workers. This is no small part down to the work Labour has done in government to deliver an economic and social recovery.” 

Happy Christmas to our Orthodox Christian visitors

Many Orthodox Christians in the UK attend special liturgies on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The Christmas Day liturgies may begin at midnight (00:00) between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day or during the morning on Christmas Day. Some people receive Holy Communion at the liturgies. Some Orthodox Christians also hold communal meals or children's parties on Christmas Day.

Orthodox Christians who use the revised Julian calendar celebrate Christmas Day on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. Orthodox Christians who use the older version of the Julian calendar, celebrate this occasion on December 25 in the older calendar, which is January 7 in the Gregorian calendar.

The Agenda

Oral questions: Energy and Climate Change, including Topical Questions

Business Statement: Leader of the House

Backbench Business: Effect of the equalization of the state pension age on women

Backbench Business: Children in care

Adjournment: Primary school admissions criteria and exceptional circumstances 

Suella Fernandes MP (Fareham, Conservative)

Commons Chamber is a debate on Womans Pensions

Bereavement benefits

The Committee Meeting kicks off at 09:30AM

Witnesses: Lucy Coulbert, Managing Director, The Individual Funeral Company, Coulbert Family Funerals, Nigel Lymn-Rose, National Association of Funeral Directors, Mohamed Omer, Muslim Council of Great Britain, and Melvyn Hartog, United Synagogue.

Watch it live below. 

Labour Youth has today reaffirmed its position on tackling precarious work by making a submission to the expert consultation group which will look into legislation to end the use of If and When Contracts, as recommended by a study conducted by the University of Limerick.  

National Chairperson of Labour Youth, Grace Williams comments: "It is important that legislation to end the use of If and When Contracts is prioritised.  

"Precarious contracts pose a significant threat to ensuring stable and quality employment for workers, something which we, in Labour Youth, believe is essential.

"Minister Ged Nash has made great strides in improving the rights of workers in this government. We hope to see this legislation brought to cabinet in the coming weeks to complete these achievements.

"We believe there are three main points which must be included in this legislation which will ensure quality employment for all and end the prevalence of precarious work.  

"Workers should be given a significant notice period, 72 hours, to start work, allowing them to organise their lives around their work schedule in advance.  

"They should also have a minimum amount of guaranteed hours for a week of work, giving workers financial stability so that uncertainty does not dictate their every purchase.  

"We also believe that a minimum of a three hour consecutive shift is necessary to ensure that pay for one shift does more than cover the cost of transport to and from their place of work."

Labour Youth Policy and Education Officer, Hazel O'Driscoll adds: "During this term in government the Labour Party has worked tirelessly to improve working conditions for low paid workers and legislating against If and When Contracts is the final part of this proud legacy." 

High Pay Centre Lunchtime Lectures

Do you ever feel that someone else is grabbing all your 'cheese'? 

The High Pay Centre are running two thought provoking lunchtime lectures. Well worth a visit if you are in London.

Figures show that with 11,345 new businesses in Wales in 2015, Wales had fewer business births than the rest of the UK.

Plaid Cymru's Shadow Economy Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has pledged to tap into Wales' entrepreneurial spirit as figures reveal that the number of business start-ups in Wales is amongst the lowest in the UK.

From all at the ABC - Happy New Year