Monthly Archives: September 2023

Abbott vows to fight back after Labour’s ‘fraudulent’ investigation

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/abbott-vows-to-fight-back-after-labour-fraudulent-investigation

Union leaders and MPs demand justice for first black woman MP

Image of Dianne Abbot
Dianne Abbot MP

DIANE ABBOTT has called on Sir Keir Starmer to prove his commitment to fighting anti-black racism amid growing anger over Labour’s “fraudulent” investigation into the left-wing MP.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, TUC president Matt Wrack and scores of socialist MPs and activists have joined the campaign to restore Britain’s first black female MP’s Labour whip.

Speaking to the Morning Star, Ms Abbott said: “I appreciate the support. But this is all about much more than me.

“The issues are Labour Party democracy and the leadership’s commitment to recognising and fighting anti-black racism.”

Labour faces increasing pressure to conclude its investigation into the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP’s comments about racism after she branded the process “fraudulent” in a statement earlier this week.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/abbott-vows-to-fight-back-after-labour-fraudulent-investigation

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BBC Question Time: Nurse takes apart the government over NHS strikes

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/bbc-question-time-nurse-takes-apart-the-government-over-nhs-strikes/

‘The government needs to get real and address the situation.’

A nurse nails the government's refusal to negotiate in NHS strikes. BBC Question Time
A nurse nails the government’s refusal to negotiate in NHS strikes. BBC Question Time

A nurse has been praised after taking apart the Tory government’s response to ongoing NHS strikes, as she defended the strikes over poor pay and conditions.

Junior doctors and consultants chose to take joint industrial action for the first time in history this week, with more walkouts planned across October.

While Tory MP and panellist Kevin Hollinrake MP sought to defend the government’s refusal to negotiate over pay, the nurse exposed just how awful the government’s position is.

Joining in on the debate on what should be done differently to resolve the doctors pay dispute, the audience member said: “I’m a nurse, I voted to strike in the last ballot, when I’m balloted again, I will vote to strike again, and I’ll do that continually until pay talks open and they’re realistic.

“We are striking for pay, we are striking because we feel undervalued but we are also striking for patient safety, so when we’re accused of putting patients at risk, I say, patients are at risk every single day of the week.

“We’ve got 7 million people on waiting lists, we’ve got 140,000 vacancies, people are dying on waiting lists, people are dying in the back of ambulances, and this cannot go on.

″The government needs to get real and address the situation.”

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/bbc-question-time-nurse-takes-apart-the-government-over-nhs-strikes/

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Manchester launches first locally controlled bus service in four decades

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/manchester-launches-first-locally-controlled-bus-service-in-four-decades/

“I hope it signals the start of a public transport revolution across the whole of England,” says Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham.

Greater Manchester has retaken control of its buses after almost 40 years of deregulation.

As bus services were deregulated across the UK in 1986 – except in London where services remained under local control – the move represents the biggest change to public transport in a generation.

The privatisation of Britain’s bus sector was introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s government. At the time, the government predicted that the move would lead to “lower fares, new services, and more passengers,” while removing “any potential liability on the taxpayer.”

Instead, bus use has been in decline ever since, and today, much of the sector is in crisis, with taxpayers subsidising corporate profits. In Greater Manchester, the number of passengers using buses has fallen from 355m in 1986/87, to just over 182m at the end of 2019, just before Covid.

From September 24, a fleet of 50 zero-emission Bee Network-branded buses (ZEBs) will be in service. The buses offer a range of improved features for passengers, including two bays for wheelchair users, anti-slip flooring, audio and visual announcement systems, and hearing induction loops. Over the next two years, existing buses in Greater Manchester will be gradually upgraded to Bee Network buses.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/manchester-launches-first-locally-controlled-bus-service-in-four-decades/

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Boris Johnson let off the hook over ‘clear breach of rules’ over Daily Mail column

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/boris-johnson-let-off-the-hook-over-clear-breach-of-rules-over-daily-mail-column/

Image of Elmo and former Prime Minister Tory idiot Boris Johnson
Image of Elmo (left) and former Prime Minister Tory idiot Boris Johnson (right)

‘Here we go again. There is no real democracy without real accountability.’

The former prime minister will not face action despite having been found to have committed a ‘clear and unambiguous breach’ of the rules over his column in the Daily Mail.

Johnson had sparked a backlash when, in June, he gave Parliament’s anti-corruption watchdog just 30 minutes’ notice that he had taken a job as a columnist for the Daily Mail.

Under Parliamentary rules, former ministers are forbidden to take up new appointments, prior to receiving advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba). They must consult Acoba on any jobs they take within two years of leaving government.

Lord Pickles, Acoba chairman, said Johnson had ‘clearly flouted the rules,’ but said it was up to the government to take action. Pickles had also called for urgent reform of the ‘good chaps’ approach to ministerial jobs.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/boris-johnson-let-off-the-hook-over-clear-breach-of-rules-over-daily-mail-column/

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