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Academics call on Braverman to end lawyer attacks

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https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/academics-call-on-braverman-to-end-lawyer-attacks/5117156.article

Image of Fascists Mussolini and Hitler
Image of Fascists Mussolini and Hitler

Over 140 academic lawyers have signed an open letter to home secretary Suella Braverman calling for an end to public criticism of lawyers.

It comes after media coverage criticising and attacking a Leigh Day partner, Jacqueline McKenzie, and other immigration practitioners.

The letter addressed to the home secretary expressed ‘solidarity’ with McKenzie and accused members of the government of ‘attacking lawyers for advising and representing their clients.

‘It is shocking that the Conservative Party has compiled a “dossier” on Ms Jacqueline McKenzie, a reputable and effective solicitor, and that a media outlet obtained a copy and published the contents,’ the letter reads. ‘We are additionally concerned because Ms McKenzie is a Black woman. Those responsible must have known that inviting negative media attention would expose her to misogynistic and racist threats from some members of the public.’

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Image quoting Suella 'Sue'Ellen' Braverman reads ‘Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati’.
Image quoting Suella ‘Sue’Ellen’ Braverman reads ‘Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati’.

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/academics-call-on-braverman-to-end-lawyer-attacks/5117156.article

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The political and economic consequences of Liz Truss

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/the-political-and-economic-consequences-of-liz-truss/

12 months after her shambolic premiership commenced, we look at the lasting impact of our shortest-serving PM’s disastrous attempt to remould Britain into a low tax, deregulated economy.

Lettuce complains about being compared to Liz Truss. The lettuce says "It's bd enough getting compared to a Tory, never mind an imbecile"
Lettuce complains about being compared to Liz Truss.

Liz Truss. A political figure you are probably trying to forget, but a reminder that the short-term actions of politicians can have long-term outcomes. She was the prime minister who started her No 10. tenure on September 6, 2022, and oversaw a catastrophically unfunded, tax-cutting ‘mini’ budget, which cost the country a staggering £30bn. She then set about making a series of screeching U-turns and abandoned her entire policy programme, as she battled to settle the market meltdown and save her own skin.

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One year on after Truss took office and mortgage rates have hit a 15-year high, inflation remains uncomfortably high, and the growth the UK’s shortest-serving PM promised is nowhere to be seen, as millions fret about how they will afford their bills when winter comes.

After criticism that the Tory government was ‘rudderless’ in the face of soaring inflation, Liz Truss promised to make tackling the cost-of-living crisis her number one priority if she became PM. Recession is ‘not inevitable’ she had said as she pushed to stand out in the crowd of hopefuls during last summer’s Tory leadership campaign.

Instead of helping Britons tackle soaring living costs, Truss, together with her chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, managed to do the exact opposite.

The sweeping tax cuts announced by Kwarteng triggered investor panic over the future health of the UK economy. The mini-budget (called ‘mini’ instead of just ‘budget’ to avoid scrutiny by the Office for Budget Responsibility) prompted a sharp fall in the value of the pound and drove up government borrowing costs.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/the-political-and-economic-consequences-of-liz-truss/

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Calls for Spanish-style ‘solidarity tax’ to come to UK, as majority of public want higher wealth tax

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/calls-for-spanish-style-solidarity-tax-to-come-to-uk-as-majority-of-public-want-higher-wealth-tax/

Potential options for taxing wealth – based on Spain’s model – could raise significant funds for the public purse.

Image of loads of money
Image of loads of money

A new poll has revealed there is widespread support for ensuring the richest in society pay more in taxes in Britain. The survey was commissioned by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), ahead of its annual Congress, which starts in Liverpool this weekend.

The research found that over six in 10 people are calling for the wealthy to pay higher taxes, including over half (53 percent) of Tory voters in 2019. Three in four are also in favour of capital gains to be taxed at either the same rate or higher than income tax. This included 73 percent of Tory 2019 voters. Only 4% of the public think wealthy people should pay less tax, the survey found.

Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, said it is time to “end the grotesque inequality of the Tories,” and that a national conversation about wealth tax needs to be had. The union body added that the Tories have allowed the wealthiest in Britain to “feather their nests” while working people have suffered the worst pay crisis for two centuries.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/calls-for-spanish-style-solidarity-tax-to-come-to-uk-as-majority-of-public-want-higher-wealth-tax/

Continue ReadingCalls for Spanish-style ‘solidarity tax’ to come to UK, as majority of public want higher wealth tax

The public think everything has got worse under the Tories, a new poll has found

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/the-public-think-everything-has-got-worse-under-the-tories-a-new-poll-has-found/

Image of InBedWithBigOil by Not Here To Be Liked + Hex Prints from Just Stop Oil's You May Find Yourself... art auction. Rishi Sunak, Fossil Fuels and Rupert Murdoch appear.
Image of InBedWithBigOil by Not Here To Be Liked + Hex Prints from Just Stop Oil’s You May Find Yourself… art auction featuring Rishi Sunak, Fossil Fuels and Rupert Murdoch.

Rishi Sunak’s government gives of the strong odour of failure. From the cost of living crisis to collapsing school buildings and from high interest whacking mortgage holders to shocking NHS waiting lists, there’s a growing sense that Britain under the Tories just isn’t working.

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The poll, reported first by Byline Times shows that the public think the Tories are failing on almost every major issue. It’s damning stuff. Here are the results:

  • 61% of voters say public services overall have got worse under the Tories
  • 67% say the NHS has got worse under the Tories
  • 54% say schools have got worse under the Tories
  • 49% think crime has increased under the Tories (with just 8% thinking it’s gone down)
  • 53% think the UK is doing worse than other similar countries economically

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/the-public-think-everything-has-got-worse-under-the-tories-a-new-poll-has-found/

Continue ReadingThe public think everything has got worse under the Tories, a new poll has found

These damning stats tell you everything you need to know about Tory Britain

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps. Credit: Simon Dawson / 10 Downing Street, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/these-damning-stats-tell-you-everything-you-need-to-know-about-tory-britain/

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A new report from the National Federation for Education Research (NFER) has exposed the shocking scale of child poverty in England. The NFER surveyed senior leaders and teachers at state funded primary and secondary schools, and the results were staggering:

  • 90 per cent of all schools were found to be providing uniforms and clothing to pupils
  • 70 per cent of schools were found to be providing food through parcels, food banks, food vouchers or subsidised breakfasts.
  • 84 per cent of senior school leaders report that the cost of living crisis has increased the numbers of pupils requiring additional support and the level of need they have.
  • More than a quarter of pupils in mainstream school require additional support for mental health and wellbeing.
  • 80 per cent of school leaders agree that cost of living pressures have increased safeguarding concerns and/or incidents in their schools.
  • More than three fifths of mainstream school leaders report that 50 per cent or more of pupils receiving additional support are not eligible for pupil premium (a scheme that provides additional funding for disadvantaged pupils).

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/these-damning-stats-tell-you-everything-you-need-to-know-about-tory-britain/

Continue ReadingThese damning stats tell you everything you need to know about Tory Britain