‘Where we need vision, we have a vacuum’
WES Streeting has resigned as UK Health Secretary, clearing the way for his leadership bid.
STREETING’s RESIGNATION LETTER:
Streeting resigns as Health Secretary
Tag: Labour Party
Government in crisis as calls grow for Starmer to go
CRISIS CABINET MEETING THIS MORNING
KEIR Starmer’s future as Prime Minister is looking increasingly untenable this morning as he faces growing calls for this resignation.
Labour suffered the worst set of election results in it’s history last week and anger over the party’s performance – and Starmer’s poor decision-making in particular – has built to boiling point.
Keir Starmer came out fighting with another ‘reset’ speech yesterday but critics were unconvinced by the latest pledges and clamour for the beleaguered PM to step down have continued to grow.
It’s understood some cabinet members are among the 70+ Labour MPS who are urging Starmer to go and this morning’s cabinet meeting promises to be a particularly difficult one for a PM who is seeing support evaporating by the hour.
Labour-supporting trade unions have been calling for a change of direction for some time and some have withdrawn funding from the political party they united to form in 1900. Last Thursday’s catastrophic defeat was the final straw:
JOINT STATEMENT FROM LABOUR’s AFFILIATED UNIONS
‘Labour’s affiliated unions are deeply concerned by the Party’s catastrophic election results. They show a stark disconnect between this Labour Government and the working people and communities that it was elected to represent.
‘Voters right across the country have sent a clear message: that this Government are not delivering on the promised change they so desperately want to see. This cannot continue. Voters want to see a radical new direction from Labour, that stems the tide of division and unites workers and communities in every part of the country.
‘TULO unions are united in calling for a fundamental change of direction on economic policy and political strategy, so that Labour do what it was elected to do: govern in the interests of workers.
‘Labour must also deliver the rebalancing of power in the workplace promised in the New Deal for Working People, in full, without any carve-outs or loopholes. The stakes are too high to continue on this path.
‘Labour’s unions have a responsibility to the Party that we created, and as a result TULO have demanded a meeting with the Prime Minister and Party Leadership to discuss the urgent change in direction that we all know is needed.’
Last Chance Saloon? Starmer turns to old guard following election disaster
STARMER RECRUITS BROWN AND HARMAN AS CALLS FOR RESIGNATION GROW
Keir Starmer has appointed two old (‘New’?) Labour figures following disastrous election results on Thirsday. The latest in a long line of ‘resets’ will see Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman taking on roles in government.
Keir Starmer appointed Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation yesterday. The former Prime Minister will advise on how global finance cooperation can build a stronger Britain, boosting the country’s security and resilience.
His appointment comes as the UK prepares to hold the Presidency of the G20 next year.
He will be tasked with developing new international finance partnerships that can support defence and security-related investment, including measures that underpin the UK’s relationship with Europe.
As part of the role he will engage with international leaders and finance institutions as well as private finance partners to establish multilateral finance mechanisms.
Gordon Brown was Britain’s longest-serving modern Chancellor of the Exchequer.
As Prime Minister, he worked with international counterparts as they responded to the worldwide financial crisis.
In April 2009, he hosted the G20 Summit in London where world leaders pledged to make an additional $1.1 trillion available to help the world economy through the crisis and restore credit, growth and jobs.
Gordon Brown will report directly to the to the Prime Minister. This is an unpaid part-time role.
Keir Starmer also appointed Harriet Harman as the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Women and Girls.
Baroness Harman will advise the PM on how to galvanise Government to deliver for women and girls.
She will work with ministers across Government to drive an impactful agenda focusing on tackling violence against women and girls, unlocking economic opportunity, and improving representation.
The role will see her draw on work with women across Parliament to identify action needed to tackle misogyny and deliver greater opportunity for women in parliamentary and public life.
As part of the appointment, she will also work with the Cabinet Secretary to drive a shift in culture across the Civil Service and Ministerial offices, enhancing opportunity for women and enhancing government delivery for women.
Throughout her career, Baroness Harman has been a vocal advocate for women and girls, including on issues such as women’s political representation, maternity rights, and tackling violence against women and girls.
In her previous role as Solicitor General, Harriet led a successful drive within government to make tackling domestic violence a priority.
The campaign led to the introduction of a new law – the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act – to ensure more effective prosecutions for domestic violence and a new network of 60 specialist domestic violence courts.
Her appointment underlines the Government’s commitment to empowering women and girls.
For the first time, this government has declared the scale of violence and abuse suffered by women and girls in this country is a national emergency.
The landmark Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy sets out how we will achieve our pledge to halve these vile crimes in a decade – stopping violence before it starts, relentlessly pursuing perpetrators and better supporting victims and survivors.
Baroness Harman will report directly to the to the Prime Minister. This is an unpaid part-time role.
The appointments come after a dreadful set of election results across the country on Thursday, brought about by increasing criticism of the Prime Minister’s decision-making.
The appointments smack of desperation as Starmer tries to shore up his position – incredible given the scale of his majority just two years ago.
Some (doubtless unwanted) words of advice from another Labour Party leader:
Growing anger within the Labour movement has now seen one backbench MP threaten to challenge Starmer’s leadership if no-one in the cabinet is willing to do so.
Catherine West has given her colleagues until tomorrow (Monday) to put up or shut up. Doubtless some telephones will be red hot over this weekend.
Following a poor Holyrood result that saw Labour sharing a distant second place with Reform, there’s a call for change at the top of Scottish Labour, too.
Campaign for Socialsim said: “Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie have failed to convince working class voters that we are on their side.
“They must now resign with grace and pass on the torch to those who can.”
Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth charged over indecent images
Labour MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged over possession of indecent images of children.
The 52-year-old, who has represented South Scotland at Holyrood since 2016, was arrested at a property in Dumfries earlier this month.
Smyth has been suspended by Scottish Labour and is now listed as an independent on the parliament website.
He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date.
Earlier this week former Fife Labour councillor David Graham was jailed for sexual offences against a teenage girl.
Councillor convicted of sexual offences against a teenage girl
David Graham, a former Labour Party councillor, was found guilty yesterday (23 July, 2025), following a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The offences took place at various locations in Fife and Edinburgh between February and August, 2023.
The Fife councillor, who was suspended by the Labour Party two years ago, will be sentenced at a later date.
Detective Inspector Graham Watson said: “Graham is a manipulative individual who groomed and sexually abused his teenage victim.
“He was well-known and in a position of power when the offending took place.
“I would like to thank the female for her assistance in bringing him to justice.
“We remain committed to investigating all reports of sexual crime and would encourage anyone affected to report it.
“Every report is taken seriously and will be fully investigated, no matter how much time has passed, with support from our specially trained officers and partner agencies.”
Starmer’s Labour all about greed and power, says resigning Labour MP
CANTERBURY MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party, criticising Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – now labelled Free Gear Keir – for accepting thousands of pounds worth of personal items while at the same time removing Winter Fuel Payments from thousands of struggling pensioners.
Ms Duffield will now sit as an Independent MP.
Her scathingly critical letter is below:
Better worker protections are coming
‘Opponents must stop swimming against the tide’
The UK’s long experiment with a low-rights, low-wage economy is drawing to an end, and employers need to recognise now is not the time for foot-dragging (writes TUC’s TIM SHARP).
Rupert Soames, president of business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), was this week driven to acknowledge that improved workers’ rights is “really good for people who are employed”.
This matters because bolstering workers’ rights is central to the Labour Party’s New Deal for working people.
This pledges sweeping but necessary changes including stamping out the exploitative use of zero hours contracts, ending the ability of employers to fire and rehire workers on lower wages, and scrapping the current wait for up to two years for basic workplace protections.
Such reform is desperately needed.
Rise in insecure work
TUC analysis of official figures shows that by the end of 2022 there were around 3.9 million people in insecure employment, a rise of 23 per cent since the coalition took office – almost double the rise of 12 per cent in overall employment growth.
As Soames, having recently spent eight years as chief executive of outsourcing giant Serco, will be well aware: insecure work disproportionately affects groups of workers who are already discriminated against in the workplace, such as Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers.
Over half of those living in poverty are in working households – and this rises to three quarters of children living in poverty.
Even the current government promised 20 times to introduce an employment bill. But the pledge remains unfilled.
Faltering economy
Meanwhile, the flawed idea that weak workers’ rights means a stronger economy and higher productivity has been tested to destruction.
As the Resolution Foundation has pointed out: “Labour productivity grew by just 0.4 per cent a year in the UK in the 12 years following the financial crisis, half the rate of the 25 richest OECD countries (0.9 per cent).”
Moreover, things are getting worse not better. Economic growth is flatlining with the country teetering on the brink of recession.
The relentless undermining of wages and incomes has repercussions on spending in the economy, with household consumption failing.
This is why Richard Walker, boss of grocery chain Iceland, switched support to Labour citing concern about the impact of the rising cost of living on their customers.
Higher pay and greater security are clearly in the interests of both workers and businesses, for they mean more spending and more revenues for business.
Watering down
Soames warned that “European model” of stronger worker rights, while benefiting those in work, is “really bad for people who are unemployed because companies are terrified to take them on”.
This suggests some in business are oblivious to the events of the past decade or so.
The Marmot review, for example, recognised that insecure and poor quality employment is associated with an increased risk of physical and mental health worsening. That in turn leads to absence due to illness, and worklessness.
No wonder businesses continue to complain of staff shortages.
Indeed his language is reminiscent of the apocalyptic and entirely inaccurate warnings that a national minimum wage would lead to two million more unemployed.
The incoming Labour government in 1997 was right to disregard claims from the Right that the minimum wage would cost millions of jobs. Now there is a wealth of evidence, over 25 years of the minimum wage, that it has protected the lowest paid with no employment effects at all.
It should take unevidenced claims about the New Deal in the same spirit.
Behind the times
While some in the business lobby are dragging their heels, previous advocates of unconstrained free markets now advocate reform.
The OECD’s 2018 Jobs Strategy finally put to bed its long standing celebration of flexibility and market fundamentalism.
“Countries with policies and institutions that promote job quality, job quantity and greater inclusiveness perform better than countries where the focus of policy is predominantly on enhancing (or preserving) market flexibility,” it said.
In the UK, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned that: “Higher earnings inequality, with low real earnings growth, and a very different labour market from 40 years ago have placed the world of work in a much more unequal and divisive place. To halt or reverse this trend requires significant attention be devoted to ways to restore and reinvigorate real earnings growth and to generate decent jobs with good career opportunities in an inclusive way”.
Conclusions
A radical and effective programme is long overdue both for workers – whether currently in employment, looking for work or will be joining the jobs market in future – and for the wider economy.
As TUC general secretary Paul Nowak told the CBI conference last year: “Decent employers will recognise the promise of Labour’s economic reset and work with unions to boost productivity, skills and security at work.”
Now is not the time for foot-dragging. The economy needs a major reboot and the opponents of change need to get out of the way.
TUC slams “zero progress” on disability pay gap in last decade
New analysis shows pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers is now 14.6% – higher than it was a decade ago
- Disabled women face even bigger pay penalty of 30% – £3.73 an hour
- TUC says Labour’s New Deal for Working People would be a “game changer” for disabled workers, introducing mandatory disability pay gap reporting and a day one right to flexible work
New analysis published by the TUC yesterday shows that non-disabled workers earn around a sixth (14.6%) more than disabled workers
The analysis reveals that the pay gap for disabled workers across the board is £1.90 an hour, or £66.50 per week – over what the average household spends on their weekly food shop (£62.20).
That makes for a pay difference of £3,460 a year for someone working a 35-hour week – and means that disabled people effectively work for free for the last 47 days of the year and stop getting paid today, on the day the TUC has branded Disability Pay Gap Day.
“Zero progress” on disability pay gap
The pay gap has fallen since last year, when the overall pay gap was £2.05 (17.2%) an hour.
The new analysis shows that the disability pay gap is now higher than it was a decade ago (13.2% in 2013/14) when the first comparable pay data was recorded.
And the gap is only slightly lower than when the TUC first launched Disability Pay Gap Day using 2016/17 data (when it was 15.0%).
Disability pay gap by gender and age
The new TUC analysis reveals that disabled women face the biggest pay gap. Non-disabled men are paid on average 30% (£3.73 an hour, £130.55 a week, or £6,780 a year) more than disabled women.
The research also shows that the disability pay gap persists for workers for most of their careers. At age 25 the pay gap is £1.73 an hour hitting a high of £3.18 an hour, or £111.30 a week, for disabled workers aged 40 to 44.
National, regional and industrial disability pay gaps
The analysis looked at pay data from across the country and found disability pay gaps in every region and nation of the UK.
The highest pay gaps are in Wales (21.6% or £2.53 an hour), followed by the South East (19.8% or £2.78 an hour) and the East of England (17.7% or £2.30 an hour).
The research found that disability pay gaps also vary by industry. The biggest pay gap is in financial and industrial services, where the pay gap stands at a huge 33.2% (£5.60 an hour).
Unemployment
Not only are disabled workers paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be excluded from the job market.
Disabled workers are twice as likely as non-disabled workers to be unemployed (6.7% compared to 3.3%).
And the analysis shows disabled BME workers face a much tougher labour market – one in 10 (10.4%) BME disabled workers are unemployed compared to nearly one in 40 (2.6%) white non-disabled workers.
Zero-hours contracts
The analysis shows that disabled workers are more likely than non-disabled workers to be on zero-hours contracts (4.5% to 3.4%).
And disabled BME women are nearly three times as likely as non-disabled white men (6.0% to 2.2%) to be on these insecure contracts.
The TUC says zero-hours contracts hand the employer total control over workers’ hours and earning power, meaning workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.
The union body argues that this makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, look after their children and get to medical appointments.
And it makes it harder for workers to challenge unacceptable behaviour by bosses because of concerns about whether they will be penalised by not being allocated hours in future.
New Deal for Working People
The TUC is calling for government action to end the discrimination disabled workers’ face in the jobs market.
The union body says Labour’s New Deal for Working People would be a “game changer” for workers’ rights.
Labour has pledged to deliver new rights for working people in an employment bill in its first 100 days.
Labour’s new deal would:
- Introduce disability and ethnicity pay gap reporting.
- Strengthen flexible working rights by introducing a day one right to work flexibly.
- Ban zero-hours contracts to help end the scourge of insecure work.
- Give all workers day one rights on the job. Labour will scrap qualifying time for basic rights, such as unfair dismissal, sick pay, and parental leave.
- Ensure all workers get reasonable notice of any change in shifts or working time, with compensation that is proportionate to the notice given for any shifts cancelled or curtailed.
- Beef up enforcement by making sure the labour market enforcement bodies have the powers they need to undertake targeted and proactive enforcement work and bring civil proceedings upholding employment rights.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “We all deserve to be paid fairly for the work we do. But disabled people continue to be valued less in our jobs market.
“It’s shameful there has been zero progress on the disability pay gap in the last decade. Being disabled shouldn’t mean you are given a lower wage – or left out of the jobs market altogether.
“Too many disabled people are held back at work, not getting the reasonable adjustments they need to do their jobs. And we need to strengthen the benefits system for those who are unable to work or are out of work, so they are not left in poverty.
“It’s time for a step change. Labour’s New Deal for Working People would be an absolute game changer for disabled workers. It would introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work.
“Without this legislation, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to many more years of lower pay and in-work poverty.”
Rosebank APPROVED
The North Sea Transition Authority has today granted development and production consent for the Rosebank field, north-west of Shetland.
The consent has been given by the oil and gas regulator to owners Equinor and Ithaca Energy, following the acceptance of the Environmental Statement.
An NSTA spokesperson said: “We have today approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan which allows the owners to proceed with their project.
“The FDP is awarded in accordance with our published guidance and taking net zero considerations into account throughout the project’s lifecycle.”
GREEN MP Caroline Lucas described the announcement as “the greatest act of environmental vandalism in my lifetime, causing emissions equal to 28 lowest income countries, busting #climate targets & doing nothing for energy security since vast majority is for export” #climatecriminals
Labour’s Environment spokesperson, Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Here’s what it means. Rosebank: £3.75bn of taxpayer subsidy which could have been invested in renewables. 80% of oil exported, not a penny off bills, equivalent to half all UK emissions for a year.
“Colossal waste of taxpayer money and climate vandalism.” However Ed’s boss Sir Keir Starmer has already said that a future Labour government will NOT reverse the decision.
More responses from environmental organisations to follow
Making Britain Work for Scotland?
OUR Scottish Future is to stage a major rally next month to make the case for a plan that makes Britain work for Scotland.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester are confirmed as speakers at the event to be held on June 1st in Edinburgh.
They will be joined by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and comedian and actor Arabella Weir to set out the case for radical reform to political institutions across the UK.
Mr Brown said yesterday that the vision of a new UK can unite people in Scotland and across Britain who are looking for a better future.
Our Scottish Future was formed three years ago to make the case for Scottish devolution and for reform of the UK.
Last year, the Brown Commission published its report on the UK’s Future, proposing major reforms to Westminster, a replacement of the House of Lords, and further devolution across the UK.
The June 1st rally will aim to bring together supporters from across the UK to show the united demands for change both in Scotland and outside it.
Gordon Brown said: “There are many things we are divided about as a country, whether it’s over culture, the constitution, or on the economy. But we can all unite around a mission to change the UK and tackle the great challenges of the 21s century: poverty, inequality, climate change, and sustained economic growth.
“In our politics, people are looking for a hopeful message which shows how Scotland and the UK can work together.”
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour, said: “The current union of the United Kingdom isn’t working for people in any part of this country we are proud to call home.
“We need a new, strengthened union, which guarantees that no one will find themselves unable to eat or relying on a food bank; facing old age or illness at the margins of society. A union which offers strong devolution for all parts of the UK; a union where all four nations are treated as equals.
“In Gordon’s report we have a blueprint for real and lasting change to transform our country for the better.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said: “Just like Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the North of England has suffered from an over-concentration of political and economic power in the South East of the UK.
“This is changing with the devolution of power out of Westminster but in our experience it works best when it goes deep. Places in all parts of the UK should have the ability to build a better future from the bottom up and collaborate with neighbours.
“The creation of Mayoral Combined Authorities in England is enabling places like Greater Manchester to begin to chart our own destiny. But whilst devolution needs to spread throughout England, it’s also important that powers are devolved out of Holyrood and into local areas.
“Gordon has set out a route map for the empowerment of communities and the strengthening of the bonds between all the regions and nations of the United Kingdom.”
The event will take place at Central Hall in Edinburgh, at 730pm on June 1st.
Attendees must register their intention to come and can do so here:
Making Britain Work For Scotland, Thu 1 Jun 2023 at 19:30 | Eventbrite