The government is sticking to its guns over cuts to tax credits. To persuade the public (and their own MPs) of a plan that the electorate didn’t vote for, they’ve released figures that claim these…Read more…
Steel in the blood
On January 14 this year the future of steel, according to David Cameron was as follows: “We are working as hard as we can to make sure we keep steel production growing in our country….Under…Read more…
Broken promises and tax credit cuts
They’ve been described as plans based on “political and class dogma, and not economic necessity” by Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey; part of an economic package that will worsen inequality, by…Read more…
Threat to democracy
Some of the country’s top trade union leaders gave evidence to MPs at a committee hearing over the trade union Bill yesterday (October 15). The general secretaries of Unite, GMB, Unison and…Read more…
‘Steel heart’ strategy plea
As the business secretary Sajid Javid opens today’s steel industry summit (October 16), Unite has demanded the government “pursues an industrial strategy with a ‘steel heart’.” …Read more…
House prices soar
House prices soared by 3.8 per cent for first-time buyers in August, according to the latest figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The surge in prices pushed the value of a…Read more…
Fresh housing pain for millions
The challenge can be put simply: how do we provide enough affordable homes to buy and rent where they are needed? Not by the dog’s breakfast of Tory housing plans. The Tory housing Bill now…Read more…
Spiralling debt
As society benefits from continual progress in science and technology and other advances, the idea that you would be materially better off than your parents – and that your children would be better…Read more…
You are welcome here
On Saturday October 10, members of Unite Community South Yorkshire branch, charities and local activist groups took to the streets to send a clear message to the government: refugees are welcome…Read more…
When the archbishops say no
First it was Conservative MPs David Davis and Steven McPartland. Then it was The Sun – long the mouthpiece of the Tory party. And now this week, former leaders of the Anglican Church –…Read more…
NHS: deficit balloons
The National Health Service’s deficit has ballooned to nearly £1bn in the first three months of the year, figures released on Friday (October 9) revealed – sparking what experts have called the worst…Read more…
Plunged into poverty
In his address to the Tory Party Conference on Wednesday (October 7), prime minister David Cameron insisted that in order “to make Britain greater”, social problems had to be tackled including the…Read more…
On the brink of crisis
Ambulance response times in England have reached record poor levels, with ambulances arriving late to more than 2,600 life-threatening emergencies every day, figures have revealed. In the last…Read more…
What lies beneath?
Prime minister David Cameron has again announced in his Tory Conference speech yesterday (October 7) that his is the party of working people. It’s his latest in a number of attempts to stretch the…Read more…
Dave down the rabbit hole
‘Call me Dave’ has had a dream which he shared with me. It was when we were walking through the sunlit uplands of his unexpected election victory waving the Union Jack. At this…Read more…
‘Too clever’ Osborne vs ‘rooted in reality’ McDonnell
The approach could not be starker. Tory Chancellor George Osborne is going to hammer those on lower pay to close the budget deficit by 2020. He’ll then throw a few slogans at the economy, and…Read more…
En-tyre workforce slashed
Unite today (Wednesday October 7) accused Goodyear of a ‘sham consultation’ after the company confirmed it would be closing its only UK plant. The mixing and re-treading facility in…Read more…
A very clear message
More than 60,000 people joined a TUC march on Sunday (October 4) during the Tory Party Conference in Manchester to demonstrate against government austerity and the trade union Bill. The march…Read more…
“A real workable alternative”
Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland in her capacity as Labour Party NEC member, spoke last week (September 29) at the Labour Party conference, moving an NEC statement and a commission…Read more…
From anger to devastation
The immediate future of 3,000 workers at the SSI steelmaking plant in Redcar is up in the air after owners SSI UK went into liquidation last Friday (October 2). The move followed an…Read more…