A UK Socialist's blog

Most Britons say Nigel Farage is ‘very sleazy’

https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/55146-most-britons-say-nigel-farage-is-very-sleazy

Belief Reform UK is sleazy has grown in the last two years, and is now seen as sleazier than the Labour government

Key takeaways

  • 73% of Britons describe Nigel Farage as sleazy, including 56% thinking he is *very* sleazy
  • This includes 40% of Reform UK voters seeing Farage as sleazy
  • Belief Reform UK as a party is sleazy has increased by 18 points over the last two years, with the public now more likely to consider them to be dodgy than Labour
  • 77% of the public feel British governments are generally sleazy
  • Keir Starmer is seen as sleazy by 51% of Britons, with 42% saying the same of Zack Polanski and 34-36% of Kemi Badenoch or Andy Burnham

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https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/55146-most-britons-say-nigel-farage-is-very-sleazy

Continue ReadingMost Britons say Nigel Farage is ‘very sleazy’

Government watchdog calls for lobbying crackdown

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/government-watchdog-calls-lobbying-crackdown

 People walking over Westminster Bridge with the Elizabeth Tower, or Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament in the background in Westminster, central London, June 22, 2026

IT is time for a clampdown on lobbying abuses, the government’s ethics adviser said today.

In a report widely welcomed by campaigners, the Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) recommended a tenfold increase in amount rule-breaking lobbyists are fined, to £75,000.

The EIC also slammed the system for ensuring transparency by lobbyists as “wholly inadequate.”

The government should urgently create a register of all lobbying activity to replace the current regime, which does not require in-house lobbyists employed by tech giants, arms monopolies and foreign companies to detail their interactions with ministers, the commission said.

Unlock Democracy chief executive Tom Brake backed the report, saying: “The EIC is right — Britain’s lobbying rules are not fit for purpose.

“A single, searchable database bringing together government and lobbyists’ disclosures would be a big win for transparency.

“Instead of today’s fragmented picture, the public would have a clear view of who is lobbying government, on whose behalf and about what.”

…

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/government-watchdog-calls-lobbying-crackdown

Continue ReadingGovernment watchdog calls for lobbying crackdown

More than 3,000 people a day treated in corridors in June as summer strains NHS

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/more-3000-people-day-treated-corridors-june-summer-strains-nhs

 Health Secretary James Murray during a visit to Watford General Hospital in Hertfordshire, July 9, 2026

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More than 3,181 patients were treated in corridors in June, with 2,432 patients in A&E and 749 in other wards, as officials said summer now puts as much strain on the service as winter.

NHS England recorded the increase from May, which saw 2,900 patients receiving at least 45 minutes of care in corridors.

Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) urged the likely next PM, Mr Burnham, to “grasp the seriousness” of the issue, which they say leads to 300 avoidable deaths every week and an “intense mental health toll and burnout of NHS staff.”

Its co-chair Dr Tony O’Sullivan told the Morning Star: “This year-round level of pressure on patients and staff is dangerous, cruel and unsustainable.

“Only investment in public health services and staff will return the NHS to a safe and caring service for the population — and the economy.”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/more-3000-people-day-treated-corridors-june-summer-strains-nhs

Continue ReadingMore than 3,000 people a day treated in corridors in June as summer strains NHS