… on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing

Category: Labour Party

  • Government choosing not to cut energy bills, say Greens in response to latest energy price cap

    Spread the love
    Green Party MP Hannah Spencer by ©House of Commons, CC BY 3.0
    Green Party MP Hannah Spencer by ©House of Commons, CC BY 3.0

    Responding to the hike in energy prices to the highest level for three years, under the regulator Ofgem’s latest price cap, Green MP Hannah Spencer said:

    “It’s a repeat story for millions of households – energy bills up just in time for winter, and now to their highest level in three years. Meanwhile, oil and gas companies rake in billions in profits.

    “Bill payers are being ripped off, and while Burnham keeps talking about giving struggling households breathing space, today’s rise in the price cap will see his measly £45 a year bill reduction more than wiped out.

    “The government could immediately cut bills by removing policy costs and the costs of servicing energy debt off bills and onto wealth taxes. They are choosing not to.

    “The Green Party knows that small tweaks won’t cut it. Only by scaling up renewable energy, ending rampant profiteering by energy giants, insulating millions of homes, and fully decoupling the price of gas from electricity can we bring down bills for good. Giving the green light to new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea won’t cut bills, it will only worsen the climate crisis.”

  • Greens slam Burnham’s ‘free labour for Sainsburys’ con

    Spread the love

    https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/08/27/burnham-sainsburys

    Lambeth’s Green council leader has slammed PM Andy Burnham for his ‘free youth Labour for Sainsbury’s’ plan – which just happens to benefit one of Burnham’s major donors. Burnham went to Lambeth to launch his stunt – many say con – yet did not invite local council leader Martin Abrams.

    And Abrams pulled no punches in outlining the scale of the free workforce Burnham’s workfare scheme is handing to his billionaire donor’s company:

    Sainsbury’s: cut jobs, gain forced labour

    Sainsbury’s, according to the government’s spin, has “created 10,000 work experience opportunities for young people”. Like army recruitment, the scheme will target poor communities:

    New programme launching from October will target schools with higher levels of free school meal uptake and communities where young people face some of the biggest barriers to work

    But the young people will be paid benefits from the public purse, not wages from Sainsburys’ fat accounts – and will face ‘conditionality’ that means they will lose benefits if they don’t agree to work for nothing.

    Sainsbury’s, meanwhile, will fatten its profits even further – and have free workers to replace the 3,000 it made redundant last year while announcing an annual profit of over £1bn.

    …

    Continues at https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/08/27/burnham-sainsburys

  • Fears raised for 40 children still missing from asylum-seeker hotels

    Spread the love

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/fears-raised-40-children-still-missing-asylum-seeker-hotels

     Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during a meeting with representatives from criminal justice agencies at number 10 Downing Street, Westminster, April 30, 2026

    FORTY children remain missing from asylum-seeker hotels and could have become victims of trafficking or exploitation, MPs warned today.

    More than 400 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children went missing from Home Office hotels, it emerged in 2023. 

    The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) said today that 40 of the youngsters, two of whom remain under 18, had still not been found as of June. The use of hotels to house lone child asylum-seekers was banned in 2023.

    Last year then border security and asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle told the committee that some of those found were “located in exploitative situations and may have been trafficked or victims of other forms of exploitation.”

    The JCHR said that it continues “to be extremely concerned about the fact that some children who went missing from asylum hotels in previous years remain missing.”

    …

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/fears-raised-40-children-still-missing-asylum-seeker-hotels

  • Burnham’s words ‘don’t inspire confidence’ for households facing rising energy bills, campaigners say

    Spread the love

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnhams-words-dont-inspire-confidence-households-facing-rising-energy-bills-campaigners

     Prime Minister Andy Burnham reacts as he speaks with young people during a visit to the Oh Yeah centre in Belfast, as he makes his first visit to Northern Ireland since coming to office, August 27, 2026

    FUEL poverty campaigners warned today that Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s words “don’t inspire confidence” for households facing rising energy bills.

    The End Fuel Poverty Coalition (EFPC) hit back after government sources suggested there would be no further support before October’s price cap rise.

    …

    End Fuel Poverty Coalition co-ordinator Simon Francis told the Morning Star that ministers must go “further and faster in bringing in support for households and reform of energy bills.”

    Mr Francis added: “Bringing down energy prices must be at the centre of the Budget.

    “But forcing households through a sixth winter of sky-high energy bills, caused by the power that volatile gas prices have on our energy system, is not going to help anyone.

    …

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnhams-words-dont-inspire-confidence-households-facing-rising-energy-bills-campaigners

  • Burnham drops support for political funding cap aimed at curbing mega-donors

    Spread the love

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/aug/26/burnham-political-donations-influence-elections-bill

    Labour MPs have urged Andy Burnham to strengthen ‘timid’ elections bill with amendments. Photograph: Richard Pohle/AFP/Getty

    PM said he would set bar at £500k, but trade unions say funding reforms could undermine their ability to donate to Labour

    Andy Burnham has dropped his support for capping political donations, causing anger among activists and Labour MPs who have long campaigned for change to the way parties are funded.

    The prime minister has decided not to back amendments to the elections bill, which would cap the amount a person or an organisation can give in a single donation, according to government sources.

    The decision comes after a lobbying campaign from Labour’s trade union backers, who said amendments to the bill, which returns to parliament for its remaining stages next week, could undermine their ability to donate to the party. It is also a retreat from the support Burnham gave to the idea just a few weeks ago, when he emailed a campaigner for electoral reform to say he would support a donations cap of £500,000.

    Stella Creasy, one of the Labour backbenchers who has tabled an amendment calling for a donations cap, said: “Millionaires are increasingly treating British politics as their plaything – splashing the cash to get the outcome they want and the next election as their cup final.

    “The public won’t forgive us if we miss this chance to clean up Westminster because we are squabbling with each other.”

    …

    Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/aug/26/burnham-political-donations-influence-elections-bill

    UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham admits to blatently lying and engaging in deception to become leader of the UK Labour Party and Prime Minister.
    UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham admits to blatently lying and engaging in deception to become leader of the UK Labour Party and Prime Minister.
    Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country's economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
    Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
    Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
    Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.