crap pretend Labour

Green Party welcomes Gaza ceasefire and calls for root causes of the conflict to be addressed

Spread the love
Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.
Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.

Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire and Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said: “I welcome the news of a ceasefire agreement between the Israeli government and Hamas. This is a vital step to halt the devastating violence that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and caused unimaginable suffering, particularly for the people of Gaza. I also welcome reports that hostages are being released, bringing relief to many families.

“The Green Party has been calling for a ceasefire since October 2023, and while this agreement offers hope, it must mark the beginning of addressing the root causes of the conflict. The ongoing occupation, the siege of Gaza, and systemic violations of Palestinian rights cannot continue.

“The UK government must formally recognise the State of Palestine. Recognising Palestine is a vital step toward justice, equality, and a sustainable peace. It demonstrates a commitment to international law and a balanced approach to the region.

“Suspending some arms sales to Israel is not enough. The Green Party has consistently called for a full suspension of all arms exports to the Israeli military. This includes UK-supplied weapons parts, such as components of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which evidence suggests have been used in ways that violate international law and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.

“The UK must support efforts to hold all those responsible for violations of international law accountable. We must ensure that humanitarian aid flows freely into Gaza to address the urgent needs of those who have endured this catastrophic violence.

“True peace requires justice, dignity, and equality for all people in the region. This is a moment for global leaders to act with courage and commitment, working towards a future where Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, free from fear, violence, and oppression. Let us ensure that this ceasefire marks not just the end of the bombs, but the beginning of a pathway to lasting peace and justice.”

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWRE
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWRE
Continue ReadingGreen Party welcomes Gaza ceasefire and calls for root causes of the conflict to be addressed

Labour doubles down on slashing billions from DWP’s disability benefits bill

Spread the love

https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/dwp-disability-benefits-bill-high-court-ruling/

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall speaking in parliament. Image: House of Commons/ Flickr

The Labour government has indicated that it will stick with Tory plans to cut disability benefits after a High Court judge ruled the previous government’s consultation into the plans was unlawful.

The proposals would cut around £400 a month from the disability benefits of hundreds of thousands of new applicants by 2029, compared to what they would receive under the current system.

Earlier today (16 January) Mr Justice Calver ruled in favour of disability activist Ellen Clifford, who had brought a judicial review of the public consultation that was held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in autumn 2023. 

The proposals would change the way the work capability assessment (WCA) functions, by reducing the weight attached to difficulties with mobility and getting around in considering applicants’ level of disability. 

Responding to today’s verdict, a government spokesperson said: “The judge has found the previous government failed to adequately explain their proposals. As part of wider reforms that help people into work and ensure fiscal sustainability, the government will re-consult on the WCA descriptor changes, addressing the shortcomings in the previous consultation, in light of the judgment.

“The government intends to deliver the full level of savings in the public finances forecasts.”

It is not clear if Labour will consult on all the proposals in the original consultation, some of which were subsequently dropped, or whether it will only consult on the proposals that the last government chose to take forward.

The High Court ruling doesn’t force the government to ditch the proposals, although it would make it very difficult to proceed with them without holding a new consultation first. 

…

Article continues at https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/dwp-disability-benefits-bill-high-court-ruling/

Continue ReadingLabour doubles down on slashing billions from DWP’s disability benefits bill

‘National scandal’: The BBC’s Gaza cover-up

Spread the love

I am only able to quote small sections of this detailed copyrighted article.

https://www.declassifieduk.org/national-scandal-the-bbcs-gaza-cover-up/

A pro-Palestine protest outside the BBC. (Photo: Monica Wells / Alamy)

Britain’s ‘public service broadcaster’ is keeping the public in the dark about UK support for Israel’s assault on Gaza, new research finds.

…

Our research into the BBC’s written outputs since October 2023 finds the corporation has mainly not reported at all the major ways the UK government has been working with Israel.  

It found that the BBC has reported just four times in 15 months that the Royal Air Force (RAF) has been conducting surveillance flights over Gaza. 

Only one BBC report on the subject has been written since December 2023, despite the fact that hundreds of such spy missions have been conducted, almost daily, in aid of Israeli intelligence. 

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) says these flights are solely to aid the rescue of hostages held by Hamas. Only one BBC online report mentions the UK may be providing targeting information to Israel or flying weapons to the country. 

None of the articles otherwise raise concerns about the UK being willing to collaborate militarily with Israel at a time it is devastating Gaza.

…

…

Des Freedman, professor of media and communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, said: “The BBC is clearly utterly failing to inform the public about how the UK military and government is complicit in the horrors of Gaza. This is a national scandal, showing how far away the corporation is from being a public service broadcaster.”

He added: “The BBC’s failure to accurately report on Israel’s genocide in Gaza is as much to do with what it refuses to report as with what it does report. It is high time for the corporation to be truly held to account and be reformed in the public interest”.

…

A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC News teams are editorially independent and make their own decisions about what to cover and how to cover it. 

“We have reported the Gaza-Israel conflict in great depth and consistently across our programmes and services since 7 October 2023, ensuring audiences are kept updated with the latest developments as well as providing comprehensive analysis. 

“We hold ourselves to the highest journalistic standards and have reported the conflict impartially – without fear or favour.”

https://www.declassifieduk.org/national-scandal-the-bbcs-gaza-cover-up/

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWRE
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWRE
Continue Reading‘National scandal’: The BBC’s Gaza cover-up

Ministers warned to stop the rush to ‘political suicide’

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/ministers-warned-to-stop-the-rush-to-political-suicide

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference at the QEII Centre, London, November 25, 2024

…

Leading left MP and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell issued the warning to Rachel Reeves as the Chancellor returned from her China trip to confront the bond market crisis.

Mr McDonnell, presently suspended from the Labour whip for opposing the cruel two-child benefit cap, told BBC radio: “There is obviously a problem.

“There’s turbulence in the international markets, and we’ve just got to see those through.

“You don’t turn to cuts, certainly, because not only will that be politically suicidal, that would undermine the political support upon which Labour got elected.

“In addition to that, you would be taking demand out of the economy, and you would be looking at turning a crisis into a recession.

“So I think you just have to see through the turbulence in the markets.”

Mr McDonnell also reminded the government that voters matter more than markets.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/ministers-warned-to-stop-the-rush-to-political-suicide

Continue ReadingMinisters warned to stop the rush to ‘political suicide’