Monthly Archives: October 2023

Britain on course for lowest benefits rates in history

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-on-course-for-lowest-benefits-rates-in-history

Tory Chancellor Jeremy Hunt condemned after announcing harsher welfare sanctions in an ugly resurgence of its austerity-era ‘shirker’ rhetoric

Official portrait of Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP crop 3
UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. (He always looked pinned to me. )

BRITAIN is on course for the lowest benefits rates since records began, a new report found as the Tories were yesterday condemned for announcing harsher welfare sanctions in an ugly resurgence of its austerity-era “shirker” rhetoric.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt told the Conservative conference the government is replacing the work capability assessment and examining the sanctions regime.

Save the Children UK branded his claims that 100,000 people are leaving the labour market every year for a life on benefits were based on a “complete fallacy.”

The charity’s head of child poverty Becca Lyon said: “In fact, the so-called ‘safety net’ of universal credit is so low that 90 per cent of low-income households are regularly going without essentials like regular meals, a hot shower, or heating.”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-on-course-for-lowest-benefits-rates-in-history

Continue ReadingBritain on course for lowest benefits rates in history

Thousands of doctors protest Tory Party conference over pay

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/thousands-of-doctors-protest-tory-party-conference-over-pay/

“We are fed up of giving sub-standard and delayed care”

Doctors protest at Conservative party conference 2023
Doctors protest at Conservative party conference 2023

Thousands of doctors have gathered in Manchester outside the Tory Party conference to demand the government listen to their pay demands.

Around 2,000 doctors are expected to be at the national rally this Tuesday organised by the BMA union, with doctors travelling from across the country to join, including junior doctors, consultants and radiographers who are all on strike today.

Doctor Emma Runswick of the BMA said this morning that doctors were ‘fed up’ with giving sub-standard and delayed care to patients under the current conditions. She said doctors were in Manchester in the hope of talking to Tory delegates.

“We’ll be here literally on the doorstep, if they want to come and talk to us they can step outside and we will start negotiations today or tomorrow,” said Runswick.

“We’re hoping that we will be able to put some pressure on the government to resolve this dispute.”

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/thousands-of-doctors-protest-tory-party-conference-over-pay/

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Poll reveals the one word voters most associate with the Conservative Party

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One of the many occasions UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak uses a private jet.
One of the many occasions UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak uses a private jet.

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/poll-reveals-the-one-word-voters-most-associate-with-the-conservative-party/

With Conservative Party conference in full swing, a poll carried out by Savanta asked voters for one word that they most associated with the Tories.

The result was pretty grim for Rishi Sunak’s party, with the word ‘useless’ the most popular among voters when asked to associate one word with his party.

The word cloud made up of responses of 2,000 voters also saw words such as ‘rubbish’, ‘bad’, ‘incompetent’ and ‘corrupt’ feature prominently.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/poll-reveals-the-one-word-voters-most-associate-with-the-conservative-party/

Continue ReadingPoll reveals the one word voters most associate with the Conservative Party

Disgraceful Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson says ‘nonsense’ to claim there is poverty

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/disgraceful-tory-deputy-chairman-lee-anderson-says-nonsense-to-claim-there-is-poverty/

The End Child Poverty Coalition revealed that an extra 600,000 children were plunged into poverty in a year as ministers got rid of extra support for families on Universal Credit.

Lee Anderson
Lee Anderson

In the latest incident of vile and disgraceful remarks made by Tory ministers at the party’s conference, Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson has said that it’s ‘nonsense’ to claim there is poverty.

The MP for Ashfield made the comments while on the fringes of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday, where he went on to add that people just needed to “get off their arse”.

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“This poverty nonsense. Go in a time machine back to when I was growing up in the 1970s — that was real poverty.”

He went on to add: “If you want something you can get it. You need to get off your arse and go and get it for yourself.”

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/disgraceful-tory-deputy-chairman-lee-anderson-says-nonsense-to-claim-there-is-poverty/

Continue ReadingDisgraceful Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson says ‘nonsense’ to claim there is poverty

Slow route to net zero will worsen global climate crisis, IPCC chief warns

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/02/slow-route-to-net-zero-will-worsen-global-climate-crisis-ipcc-chief-warns

Protesters demonstrate against the British government’s approval of the Rosebank oil field’s development. Photograph: Lucy North/PA

Even if the 2050 goal is still met, postponing action – as the UK has done – will cause more heat and damage

Postponing action and taking a slower route to net zero emissions by 2050 will worsen the climate crisis even if the goal is still reached by that date, the new chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned.

Prof Jim Skea also said that approving new oil and gas fields only increased the already large amount of reserves that will have to be kept in the ground if global heating limits are to be reached.

The IPCC is the world’s foremost authority on climate change, under which thousands of the world’s best experts give advice to the 195 nations that founded the body. It does not comment on the climate policies of individual nations, but Skea’s comments on Monday clearly indicate that the recent actions of the UK government has slowed climate action, despite IPCC scientists warning of “a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all”.

Rishi Sunak weakened or abolished a number of green measures recently, including pushing back a ban on the sale of new petrol cars from 2030 to 2035. The UK also approved the exploitation of the large Rosebank oil field near Shetland on Wednesday.

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/02/slow-route-to-net-zero-will-worsen-global-climate-crisis-ipcc-chief-warns

Continue ReadingSlow route to net zero will worsen global climate crisis, IPCC chief warns