Lonely Planet/Mirrorpix It was in Bradford that I wounded my spirit in the Great Depression of almost 80 years ago. For me it is a city that contains both wonder and unimaginable…Read more…
‘Totemic’ tax move
As the general election nears, campaign promises are a dime a dozen. Elections are usually a flurry of predictably vague pledges, with politicians revealing just enough of one policy or another but conveniently omitting the fine print. This time round, however, is decidedly different. Labour has hit out with bold, clear policies, and their […]
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NHS squeezing laid bare by top docs
A group of the nation’s senior doctors have come together to deliver a damning indictment of the coalition’s record on the NHS. In a letter published in today’s Guardian, the health professionals conclude that this administration’s record is “characterised by broken promises, reductions in necessary funding and destructive legislation, which leaves health services […]
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Less sotto voce – more loud-hailer
That’s it. The first five-year, fixed-term parliament is over, limping to an exhausted, shabby end. This cursed coalition has disbanded. Yet, with the official campaign finally underway, the voting public is not exactly thrilled at being pursued by the escapees from London SW1. The noisiest sound from the streets is that of millions of […]
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Signing up to save NHS
“The NHS is one of the country’s most treasured institutions. But its future is under serious threat.” That is the warning of more than 40 signatories – including Unite’s Len McCluskey and Hollywood actor Michael Sheen – to a letter published in today’s Guardian to mark the launch of the People’s Convention for the NHS. […]
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Key questions in The Public Services Election
In the third of a series of articles, UNISON Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby lays out UNISON’s plan to get our members’ issues at the centre of the election debates.
"This is the Public Services Election. The outcome will have a huge impact upon UNISON members, their families, communities and the public services in which we work, to protect the disadvantaged and provide a better quality of lifeRead more…
Who does this country work for?
Nothing was more indicative of the Tories’ base of support than a letter published in the Telegraph yesterday, signed by 103 big business leaders, calling on the public to vote Conservative in May. Among the letter’s signatories were Bob Dudley, the American boss of BP, Tidjane Thiam, the chief executive of Prudential who received […]
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Workplace justice access hope
Unite has warmly welcomed an election pledge from Labour to scrap controversial employment tribunal fees brought in by the Tory-led government almost two years ago. The upfront fees – which have been heavily criticised by some bosses as well as trade unions – are believed to have denied millions their rightful access to justice. […]
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Stop this calamitous course
This general election has been dubbed the most important in a generation and – it is for many reasons – not least the protection of our NHS. But another crucial reason that makes this election important and it’s our membership of the European Union. Back in 1975 Margaret Thatcher campaigned to […]
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Could you live on a zero-hours contract?
Labour announced yesterday (April 1) that it would clamp down on exploitative zero-hours contracts, by guaranteeing people who work regular hours the right to a regular contract. The video below features the decisive moment in last week’s ‘Battle for Number 10’ programme, in which presenter Jeremy Paxman presses David Cameron to answer a very […]
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Stop the suffering
Imagine being a single parent struggling on benefits. You look long and hard for some sort of stable job – anything that will pay the bills and feed your child. You’re finally hired. It’s on a zero hours contract, but no matter. At least it’s something. Kelly, this young woman’s father, recalls how overjoyed […]
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The claim, the maths and the reality
As the general election campaign heats up, prime minister David Cameron made a startling claim on Monday night (March 30) – under his watch, he says, 1,000 jobs were created every day, an accomplishment he pledges to continue if a Conservative government were to be elected in May. Sounds great, but just how much […]
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20 days to go. Are you one in a million? Don’t be
1 million people have fallen off the electoral roll since the government changed the way we register to vote back in September. Many won’t even know. If you’re a one in the million then you’ll miss out in the most important election in our times. But there’s still time to make sure that […]
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Where will the axe fall?
The Tories are refusing to set out how they are going to cut £12 billion from the welfare budget. But documents leaked to the BBC show they are looking to hit carers, children and the disabled in the next round of cuts. Labour urged the Tories to ‘come clean’ about where the axe will […]
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Charities bring Easter cheer
Food banks are gearing up to address growing demand during the Easter school holidays. Hard-pressed parents have to step in with lunches normally provided free at a school and may rely on charitable food banks for the kids meals. As well as three-day food parcels, charity the Trussell Trust will provide Easter eggs as […]
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The fight of our lives
As Unite announces a further £1m donation to the Labour Party, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey explains why this is the right thing to do. Unite said that it would not stand by and see a one-side election fight against a Tory party made fat on the gifts from the shady and the […]
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Kitchen sink soap opera
How many column inches, hours of air time and rage in one hundred and forty five characters have we had this last week over a kitchenette? Too many to mention, and I know I’m adding to it all. I do so because the kitchenette saga is symptomatic of what passes for political discussion. Tune […]
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HELL, YES
The first live TV action of this general election was a bruising encounter. But Ed Miliband boosted Labour’s hopes and morale with a focused and passionate performance. Hell, yes, he has truly arrived on the political stage. And hell yes, he’s shown he is capable of winning this election. Miliband looked as if he is […]
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130 years of West Ham North MP’s
Hat tip to excellent local history website “E7 Now & Then” for a fascinating and topical post on the MPs who have served the Forest Gate part of West Ham North.
Amazing that we once had an Austro-Hungarian Baron as our MP, another who was re…Read more…
Union link not for sale
Asseem Allam, millionaire owner of Hull City AFC, wants to completely sever the link between Labour and the organisations that founded the party—trade unions. As the Sunday Times reported on March 15, Allam said he would offer a future one-off donation to Labour if it weakened its trade union ties, and pledged an […]
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