Yearly Archives: 2023

‘It’s time Keir Starmer showed some humanity’

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https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/it-time-keir-starmer-showed-some-humanity

A wounded Palestinian baby receives treatment at the al-Shifa hospital, following Israeli air strikes on Gaza City, central Gaza Strip, October 23, 2023

Labour leader told to back Gaza ceasefire in Wednesday’s Commons vote

PEACE and labour movements across Britain have told Sir Keir Starmer to back a Gaza ceasefire in Wednesday’s Commons vote.

The Labour leader faces a further challenge to his endorsement of Israel’s onslaught on the Palestinians when MPs vote on an amendment demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Thousands of peace protesters are also set to rally outside the Commons Wednesday to ensure that MPs get the message that British support for the Gaza attack must end now.

More than 100 MPs of all parties have signed a cross-party letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling on him to “support a ceasefire, end the horrendous levels of killing of civilians and find a political path to lasting peace for the region.”

Sir Keir risks losing up to 18 members of his front-bench team, who are already on record as supporting a ceasefire, while the Labour leader calls for no more than “humanitarian pauses” in the conflict.

Labour whips were understood to be frantically scrambling to minimise the rebellion last night by trying to find parliamentary diversions to head off or dilute a straight vote on a ceasefire.

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https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/it-time-keir-starmer-showed-some-humanity

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Rishi Sunak has appointed a ‘minister for woke’ and it hasn’t gone down well

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/rishi-sunak-has-appointed-a-minister-for-woke-and-it-hasnt-gone-down-well/

The Tory leader appointed Esther McVey, the MP for Tatton, to the role, which has now been dubbed the ‘minister for woke’.

Following the sacking of Suella Braverman in yesterday’s cabinet reshuffle, Rishi Sunak has tried to reach out to the infuriated Tory right by appointing a ‘common sense tsar’, tasked with leading the government’s anti-woke agenda.

The Tory leader appointed Esther McVey, the MP for Tatton, to the role, which has now been dubbed the ‘minister for woke’.

McVey, whose official title is minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, will be tasked with campaigning on culture war issues.

McVey’s appointment signals that Sunak is still interested in culture war issues and fanning the flames of division, despite his decision to bring David Cameron back into government which was seen by some as a move to return his party to the ‘centre ground’.

Even right-wing Tory MP and arch Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said the move to appoint a ‘minister for woke’ was ridiculous. He said: “I welcome Esther’s return because I think she’s highly capable and a good presenter of the Tory cause.

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/rishi-sunak-has-appointed-a-minister-for-woke-and-it-hasnt-gone-down-well/

Continue ReadingRishi Sunak has appointed a ‘minister for woke’ and it hasn’t gone down well

Attempted right-wing takeover of National Trust backed by Nigel Farage fails!

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The anti-woke group, Restore Trust, had launched a renewed campaign to win seats on the Trust’s council this year after failing in their attempts last year, and this time they had the likes of Farage, along with the right-wing press backing them. 

An attempt by a right-wing group to take over the National Trust, the UK’s largest charity, has failed after the candidates backed by the likes of Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg, failed to secure a place on the National Trust’s council in this year’s elections.

The anti-woke group, Restore Trust, had launched a renewed campaign to win seats on the Trust’s council this year after failing in their attempts last year, and this time they had the likes of Farage, along with the right-wing press backing them. 

Why do the National Trust’s elections matter? Because what was at stake was the future not only of the UK’s largest charity but also one which owns more than 1,300 farms, 775 miles of coastline and 250,000 hectares of land, making it Britain’s largest private landowner. The right recognises the importance of an institution like the National Trust, and did all it could in the council elections to help its candidates.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/attempted-right-wing-takeover-of-national-trust-backed-by-nigel-farage-fails/

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David Cameron’s appointment as Foreign Secretary has everyone pointing out his disastrous record

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/david-camerons-appointment-as-foreign-secretary-has-everyone-pointing-out-his-disastrous-record/

“David Cameron isn’t a “safe pair of hands”. He’s the man who introduced austerity which led to 330,000 excess deaths…”

Cameron's deep throat
Cameron’s deep throat

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Labour MP Nadia Whittome tweeted: “David Cameron isn’t a “safe pair of hands”. He’s the man who:

– Introduced austerity which led to 330,000 excess deaths

– Led the disastrous bombing of Libya

– Called the EU referendum and lost it

– Used his connections to lobby for Greensill

“Rishi Sunak is scraping the barrel.”

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/david-camerons-appointment-as-foreign-secretary-has-everyone-pointing-out-his-disastrous-record/

Continue ReadingDavid Cameron’s appointment as Foreign Secretary has everyone pointing out his disastrous record

UK to loosen post-Brexit chemical regulations further

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/14/uk-to-loosen-post-brexit-chemical-regulations-further

Experts warn UK’s regulations now lag behind those of the EU and that Britons will be exposed to more toxic chemicals as a result

The government is to loosen EU-derived laws on chemicals in a move experts say will increase the likelihood of toxic substances entering the environment.

Under new plans the government will reduce the “hazard” information that chemical companies must provide to register substances in the UK. The safety information provided about chemicals will be reduced to an “irreducible minimum”, which campaigners say will leave the UK “lagging far behind the EU”.

The UK’s scheme, called UK Reach, is falling behind the EU’s as it is. The UK has not been part of the bloc’s chemicals regulations scheme, EU Reach, since 2021. Eight rules restricting the use of hazardous chemicals have been adopted by the EU since Brexit, and 16 more are in the pipeline. The UK has not banned any substances in that time and is considering just two restrictions, on lead ammunition and harmful substances in tattoo ink.

Campaigners have called for the government to follow EU chemicals regulations as standard, diverging only if and when there is a good reason to do so. This would free up time and money for regulators and mean dangerous chemicals banned by the EU do not enter the environment before there is time to ban them.

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/14/uk-to-loosen-post-brexit-chemical-regulations-further

Continue ReadingUK to loosen post-Brexit chemical regulations further