Tag: turmoil

Government in turmoil, but King’s Speech ‘to build a stronger and fairer Britain’

The King’s Speech – the second under this Labour government – is expected to unveil over 35 bills and draft bills ‘facing up to the big challenges our country faces and put the UK on a stronger, fairer path that unlocks hope for people across Britain’. But will it be Starmer’s last?

  • King’s Speech will strengthen public services, reform the state and reverse decline
  • Ambitious programme to break with the status quo
  • New laws reflect big challenges country faces and bolsters UK’s economic, energy and national security

A stronger, fairer country that can weather the storm of global shocks and restore hope will be the focus of the new legislation set out in The King’s Speech today [13 May].

The King’s Speech – the second under this government – is expected to unveil over 35 bills and draft bills facing up to the big challenges our country faces and put the UK on a stronger, fairer path that unlocks hope for people across Britain.

The package of bills is targeted at strengthening the UK’s foundations through measures to bolster economic, energy, national security.

This includes laws to restore order and control to the immigration system, strengthen our public services and reform the state to support a more active government that is on the side of British people.

Under fire Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The British people expect the Government to get on with the job of changing our country for the better.

“Cutting the cost of living, bringing down hospital waiting lists and keeping our country safe in an increasingly dangerous world.

“Britain stands at a pivotal moment: to press ahead with a plan to build a stronger, fairer country or turn back to the chaos and instability of the past.

“My government will deliver on the promise of change for the British people.”

The government’s first session of Parliament delivered 50 government bills, including the Children and Wellbeing Act, Employment Rights Act, the Great British Energy Act, the Renters’ Rights Act and the Planning and Infrastructure Act.

The legislation passed delivered on core promises made to the British public – making our country safer, stronger and fairer through landmark laws to drive change. That includes help for parents with everyday school costs, stronger rights for victims and survivors, creating the first smoke-free generation to help people live healthier lives, tougher police powers to crack down on antisocial behaviour, and giving communities a say in the decisions that affect them. 

This second session will deliver change to our communities.

Economic, energy and national security

The world today is more volatile and dangerous than at any point in recent history. A war on two fronts – in the Middle East and in Ukraine – threatens living standards. The government’s economic plan has put the UK in a better position to weather these storms.

We will rebuild our economy to make us more resilient – and the King’s Speech will drive forward this progress through more protections for small businesses, reforms to regulation to drive growth and innovation, and changes to give businesses the confidence to invest and grow.

Delivering on the government’s manifesto commitment to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU, new laws will deliver more trade, more opportunity for young people and help to reduce the cost of living.

We need to get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster with clean, homegrown power we control and electrification of our wider economy. The King’s Speech is expected to unveil the Energy Independence Bill which will give government more power to tackle the affordability crisis and speed up the delivery of clean energy technologies and vital grid infrastructure.

Building on the progress already made to restore order and control to our borders, legislation will be brought forwards to deliver a firm but fair immigration system that restores control and earns public trust.

Bills will also be introduced to meet the evolving threats facing the UK head on, strengthening our defences and keeping pace with modern technologies from cyber-attacks to new powers to counter state threats so we can better disrupt the sharing of extreme content online.

As the Prime Minister set out earlier this week, the King’s Speech will also set out legislation to protect the UK’s steelmaking capacity by giving government options to nationalise British Steel, so that necessary action can be taken if needed while we continue to rebuild the steel sector.

Ending the opportunity crisis

Ending the opportunity crisis requires an active state that can deliver on the government’s commitment to fight for every child. The King’s Speech is expected to include legislation to deliver government’s landmark reforms to transform the school system so that all children get access to an inclusive, high quality mainstream education, and parents don’t have to battle a system just to get their kids the support they deserve.

Removing barriers to opportunity and helping people get on in life is at the heart of the government’s drive to reverse the decline felt across the country. Laws to deliver the manifesto commitment to put an end to the unfair and outdated leasehold system will give people more control over how they live in their own homes and provide stronger rights for homeowners.

Strengthened public services and reformed state

Landmark public service reforms in the NHS, police and special education needs will also strengthen our country. This government is reversing the decline and neglect of our NHS so that it’s built to support people at every stage of their life, as well as preventing them from getting sick in the first place.

A new Bill is expected to be brought forward to accelerate the reform needed to strip back bureaucracy, improve patient care and support early intervention. Legislation to protect much needed social housing stock and better protect domestic abuse survivors will also be included, making sure families have safe, secure, affordable homes to live in.

The new legislation comes alongside the government’s action to ease the cost of living crisis for working people, remove barriers to growth, create more highly paid jobs and equip people with the skills and routes to get on in life.

That includes rolling out free breakfast clubs and supporting parents with free childcare, freezing rail fares, capping the price of bus journeys, and fixing the broken welfare system by tackling the disincentives that pushed too many people away from work and investing £2.5 billion in a youth employment package that will support almost one million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

Meanwhile, following yesterday’s turmoil:

The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:

  • Nesil Caliskan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
  • Natalie Fleet MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office
  • Catherine Atkinson MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
  • Preet Kaur Gill MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
  • Gen Kitchen MP as Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip)
  • Deirdre Costigan MP as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
  • Shaun Davies MP as Assistant Whip, House of Commons

Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Jess Phillips MP, Alex Davies-Jones MP and Dr Zubir Ahmed MP have left the Government.

AND THIS MORNING, A STATEMENT FROM LABOUR AFFILIATED UNIONS:

Labour’s affiliated unions have been clear that Labour cannot continue on its current path.

Whilst we recognise progress has been made, such as aspects of the Employment Rights Act and the increase in the minimum wage, the results at the election last week were devastating.

Labour is not doing enough to deliver the change that working people voted for at the General Election.

Our focus is on the fundamental change of direction on economic policy and political strategy that unions have been clear is needed, and not on the personalities and unfolding political drama in Westminster.

It’s clear that the Prime Minister will not lead Labour into the next election, and at some stage a plan will have to be put in place for the election of a new Leader.

This is a point where the future of the Party we founded will be debated and determined, and we are working closely as unions to shape a shared vision on policy, political strategy and economic policy that will re-orient Labour back to working people, so Labour do what it was elected to do: govern in the interests of workers.

Children offer to donate pocket money to help pay for Christmas

ONE IN SIX WORKING PARENTS SURVEYED IN SCOTLAND WORRY THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANY PRESENTS

  • New Action for Children research finds one in five children of working parents (22%) surveyed in Scotland will offer to donate their gift or pocket money to help their parents cover costs of festive season.
  • One sixth (15%) of working parents polled in Scotland worry they won’t be able to afford any Christmas presents.
  • Almost all (98%) working parents in Scotland said they had worried about money in past six months, more than half (52%) having worried often – resulting in trouble sleeping, worse mental health, getting upset and losing temper with kids.
  • One mum said: ‘“There are some days we won’t put the fire on and just have blankets around us. I don’t eat much anyway but some days I just have some beans on toast once or twice a day so my kids can have a proper meal.”

New Action for Children research released today uncovers the cost-of-living turmoil facing millions of working families in the run-up to Christmas.

To launch its annual Secret Santa campaign to help the country’s most vulnerable children, the charity commissioned a unique Savanta ComRes poll of 2,700 UK working parents and their children (nearly 5,500 in total), as well as a nationwide survey of its frontline staff. The research shows how the financial burden families are facing is taking an emotional toll on relationships, mental health and Christmas celebrations.

With the highest inflation rate in over 40 years, nearly all (98%) working parents the charity surveyed in Scotland said they have worried about money over the past six months, with more than half (52%) of those having worried often. Of those:

  • Almost six in 10(59%) have had trouble sleeping
  • more than two-fifths (44%) have tried to hide their money worries
  • more than two-fifths (44%) have noticed their mental health worsen
  • almost a quarter (22%) have become upset or stressed in front of their children, and
  • Just under a fifth (19%) have lost their temper with their children. 

The research also shows one in six (15%) of working parents surveyed in Scotland worry they won’t be able to afford any presents this Christmas. And despite their money worries, more than two in five (41%) said they will put on a brave face and try to act happy, with many children also thinking their mum and dad will be faking their festive cheer (37%).

The polling also recognises the severity of the situation and emotional pressures felt by the children and teenagers of the parents surveyed with:

  • Over a quarter (28%) of those who’d seen their parents worry in the last six months had also seen their parents become upset or stressed in front of them due to money worries and under a quarter (24%) experienced their parents losing their temper with them.
  • Almost a third (32%) thinking their parents will be worried about not having enough money to pay the bills over the festive period, and
  • One in five (22%) saying they will offer their pocket or gift money to help their parents cover costs this Christmas.

As a charity that delivers children’s services, Action for Children is instead increasingly having to provide emergency relief to families as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

In a nationwide survey of nearly 200 of its frontline staff during November, it found over two-thirds of those surveyed (69%) are currently supporting a child, young person or family that is experiencing poverty or extreme financial hardship.

Nearly half (45%) reported they were extremely worried about the health and wellbeing of the children, young people and families they support due to their financial situation, and one in ten (10%) had even donated their own household items or clothing to families, such is the urgent need.

Three quarters (75%) of children in poverty are in working families¹ with rates expected to worsen² as the cost-of-living crisis continues.

Some of the issues highlighted by the charity’s frontline workers included:

  • a family having to pawn all their electricals to buy food for their children
  • a child who sleeps on a pile of blankets as its parents can’t afford a bed, and
  • a single parent to several children with additional needs working seven days a week trying to balance support for their children and earning enough money to make ends meet.

One worker asked a young girl if there was anything she would like from Santa this year, to which she replied: ‘I’m not asking for anything and I’m not writing it down on paper (then nodded towards her mum) because she would get too sad.’

Paul Carberry, National Director for Scotland at Action for Children, said: “For most of us the festive season is a happy time, yet as our shocking research shows there will be children across Scotland who face a very different Christmas this year.

“Instead of enjoying a safe and happy time, many children will wake up on Christmas morning to no presents, food or warmth. Every day our frontline workers are helping families keep their heads above water, making sure they have the basics like hot meals and proper winter clothes, as well as offering emergency support to keep homes warm and help families pay the bills.

“In yet another year when children and families have been pushed deeper into crisis, supporting them is more important than ever.

“Poverty is not inevitable, it is about political choices. The Scottish government has made a big step in the journey to end child poverty via their Scottish Child Payment, which we supported and called for, but families now require urgent giant leaps from both the UK and Scottish Government to make child poverty consigned to the past.

“Until every family can keep their child warm and well fed, we’ll be there to help them – that’s why we’re asking people to donate to help us make a life-changing difference to vulnerable children this Christmas and beyond. With your help we can be a vital lifeline for even more children across Scotland.”

Case study: 

Tina Buchan, 43, lives in Inverness and has five children with her partner Moni Buchan, 52. Tina works full-time as a Deputy Store Manager B&M store and her husband is a chef. He has struggled to find work near home and is currently working in London, leaving him apart from his family. Like so many families in Scotland, they are struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.

Tina was already struggling to make ends meet before household bills increased and, despite a recent promotion in work, is still being forced to take drastic measures to feed her children.

“There are some days we won’t put the fire on and just have blankets around us,” said Tina. “I don’t eat much anyway but some days I just have some beans on toast once or twice a day so my kids can have a proper meal.

“I’m pay as you go for my electric and I’m paying around £50 more a month just now. For heating, we have a coal fire and the price of coal has gone up a lot. The coal used to be £10 per bag and now it’s gone up to £15 a bag so it’s having a big impact on our budget.

“I’m good at budgeting which is a godsend because if I wasn’t the stress would overwhelm me. I’m on a salary so my pay is the same each month which helps me know what I’m working with. Once I’ve paid my bills and bought some food for the house I’m hardly left with anything.

With five children, Christmas is a particularly difficult period for Tina. Her children are aware of the family’s financial struggles and do not have any expectations for Christmas presents.

“I’m lucky in that my kids don’t expect much and don’t ask for a lot because they know how expensive things can be,” she said. “They’re quite happy to have things like socks, pyjamas, and maybe a couple of wee toys. I speak to them properly about it. The youngest still believes in Santa Clause so he gets a couple of extra things but the others all know roughly what I’ll be giving them.

“I’m not one to ask for help, I’m too proud but last Christmas our support worker from Action for Children, Sarah Sproul, brought food hampers and some presents for all the kids. Having five kids is expensive so that made a big difference.”

The pressure of making ends meet is not only affecting Tina but the children as well. Her 16-year-old son Aiden has suffered from anxiety which led the family to initially coming into contact with Action for Children for support around two years ago.

Thankfully Aiden has come a long way since then and has “come out of his shell completely to the point that he’s a completely different person now”, according to his mother.

Unfortunately, Tina is now seeing her 10-year-old son Amir’s mental health impacted by the stress of the cost of living crisis and is arranging for him to receive support from Action for Children.

“I told the school two years ago that he was struggling to deal with his anxiety and I was told by the doctors that there’s nothing they could do at the moment because the children’s mental health waiting lists are so long.

“I’ve spoken to Sarah and she’s going to make sure Amir receives the support he needs through Action for Children. She has been amazing for this family and I can’t possibly thank her enough for everything she’s done to help us all. If it wasn’t for Action for Children, I don’t know where we’d be.”

To become a Secret Santa for Action for Children visit iamsanta.org.uk

Nationwide survey shows drop in confidence across business leaders as economic turbulence bites

A major new survey of small and medium-sized businesses across the UK has shown a dramatic dip in confidence amidst rising inflation and wider economic turbulence.

The Be the Business Productive Business Index (PBI), now in its fifth edition, shows business owners and directors forecasting a negative shift in their prospects over the next three months due to the difficult economic environment.

The Productive Business Index, unique amongst UK business surveys, tracks changes in five key areas of business activity shown to impact on productivity. Management capability; Technology adoption; Training, Development and HR; Operating efficiency; and Innovation.

Key findings include:

  • The first-ever negative change in headline figure since the Index launched;
  • Two in five businesses are seeking efficiencies as a direct result of inflation;
  • Business leaders feel less confident that they have the management skills to handle the current economic situation, but are fighting back with plans to improve

Anthony Impey MBE, CEO of Be the Business, said: “These findings tell a stark story – following two years of unprecedented challenge, many businesses are struggling to cope with the latest turbulence in the UK economy.

“For the first time ever, our Productive Business Index shows a decrease in the optimism and outlooks of business leaders. Having been through the challenges of the pandemic and the ongoing supply chain and workforce issues, it highlights how heavily the economic situation is weighing on them.

“The headline figures are concerning, but it’s encouraging to see more leaders digging deep and looking for ways to improve themselves and their business to help navigate the next year. Business owners are tired, but they’re being forced to pedal harder in response to the difficult conditions they’re facing. It’s vitally important that they’re given all the support they need so that improving their business and boosting productivity is as easy as possible.”

The Be the Business’ Productive Business Index’s headline score, running from 0 to 200, decreased for the first time this quarter, from 121.1 to 115.6, indicating a fall in the productivity of firms.

In response to inflation, two-fifths (38%) of business leaders are planning to respond by finding efficiencies, one quarter (26%) will prioritise growth opportunities, and about one in six (15%) are considering reducing headcount to help their business survive.

Despite fighting through the previous two years of ups and downs, business outlook has fallen for the first time since Q4 2020, with half (50%) of leaders not confident in their business’ ability to respond to sustained inflation.

However, leaders are increasingly looking to improve their businesses and performance as they look to survive these new challenges.

Beneath the figures: Bruised UK firms are still looking to improve in the face of decreasing confidence

The consistent pressure on business leaders over the last several years – from the pandemic through to supply chain issues and now the escalating cost of living crisis – appears to have had a negative impact on them.

Business leaders feel less confident in their management skills as they look to navigate an increasingly challenging autumn and winter.

While belief in capabilities is down, business leaders continue to respond positively, by looking to bolster their skills as managers and invest time and money in their business over the next year:

  • Over half (56%) of UK business leaders believe their management teams have the right blend of skills, an 8% decrease from Q1 2022.
    • However, determination and the drive to improve shine through, with 45% expecting to spend more time on management and leadership activities – a 9% increase in only 6 months.
  • Just 54% of business leaders believe they have the skills and talent needed to succeed, a 10% decrease from Q1 2022
    • But 4 in 10 (40%) have plans to reassess pay, rewards and incentives to improve employee motivation, an increase of 8% on the last PBI.
  • There has been a significant drop (9%) in the number of business leaders that feel their company fosters innovation and new ideas from employees.
    • Yet, 41% of business leaders plan to develop new ideas, an increase of 7% compared to the beginning of the year.

The contrast between lower confidence and intent to improve is striking in the data on capabilities, and demonstrates the determination from business leaders to succeed in spite of the volatile economic context.