A UK Socialist's blog

Morning Star Editorial: Water disgrace: Labour’s contortions keep the privatised gravy train rolling

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/water-disgrace-labours-contortions-keep-privatised-gravy-train-rolling. Many articles from the Morning Star today.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (centre front) next to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner (front row, third from left) and Chancellor Rachel Reeves (front row, fourth from right) stand with Labour Party MPs, some of whom won seats in the 2024 General Election, at Church House in Westminster, central London, July 8, 2024

CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves is right to say that steep increases in our water bills are a “bitter pill to swallow” — especially since her government could stop them if it wanted to.

Maybe its reluctance to take the obvious step — nationalisation — is linked to the lucrative rewards waiting for former ministers who play ball. After all, Water UK, the trade association lobbying for still steeper rises, is headed by former Labour minister Ruth Kelly.

Water UK slams Ofwat’s refusal to endorse its own proposed increases as “the biggest-ever cut in investment.”

…

No other country has surrendered its water to private companies in this way and it is unlikely that any will, given that the outcome here has been poisoned waterways, sewage-strewn beaches and soaring bills. Earlier this year, over half the people polled said the sewage scandal would affect their vote. It may well have driven the Tory collapse across swathes of southern and coastal England. An even higher proportion, 69 per cent, want water back in public hands.

Labour says the cost of renationalisation is prohibitive and lands the public with private-sector debt.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/water-disgrace-labours-contortions-keep-privatised-gravy-train-rolling. Many articles from the Morning Star today.

Image of a burst water main.
Image of a burst water main.
Continue ReadingMorning Star Editorial: Water disgrace: Labour’s contortions keep the privatised gravy train rolling

Amnesty launches tells new Labour government ‘a lot needs fixing’

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/amnesty-launches-ads-tell-government-lot-needs-fixing. Many articles from the Morning Star today.

One of Amnesty International’s adverts in the London Underground, July 11, 2024

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL launched an ad campaign featuring yellow and black hazard tape on the London Underground today, telling the government that “a lot needs fixing.”

The posters, set to run until the end of the month at Westminster station, also say that “human rights are the answer.”

A to-do list has been made by the group for the first 100 days of the new Labour government, which includes an immediate suspension of arms to Israel, addressing homelessness and the housing crisis, and a major overhaul of the asylum system.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/amnesty-launches-ads-tell-government-lot-needs-fixing. Many articles from the Morning Star today.

Continue ReadingAmnesty launches tells new Labour government ‘a lot needs fixing’

Welsh First Minister accused of lying

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/welsh-first-minister-accused-of-lying. Many articles from the Morning Star today.

First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething gives a speech during King Charles III and Queen Camilla visit to the Senedd in Cardiff, to mark its 25th anniversary, July 11, 2024

News outlet Nation.Cymru says Vaughan Gething is ‘unequivocally’ lying about Hannah Blythyn being its source

NEWS outlet Nation.Cymru said today that Hannah Blythyn was not the source of its deleted texts story that led to her sacking from the Welsh government — and accused First Minister Vaughan Gething of lying.

Nation.Cymru’s chief executive Mark Mansfield said Mr Gething had failed to behave with integrity by suggesting he had “incontrovertible evidence” that the former social partnership minister was the source of their story.

He said that following his response on Wednesday to her personal statement to the Senedd, “in this unprecedented situation, the board of Nation.Cymru does not consider we can stand by and see Ms Blythyn’s reputation unjustly besmirched by the First Minister.”

…

“We can state unequivocally that Mr Gething is not telling the truth when he suggests that he has incontrovertible evidence that Ms Blythyn was our source,” Mr Mansfield said.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/welsh-first-minister-accused-of-lying. Many articles from the Morning Star today.

Continue ReadingWelsh First Minister accused of lying

Just Stop Oil activists found guilty over M25 disruption plans

UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention Michel Forst attended the trial of five Just Stop Oil supporters at Southwark Crown Court. He attended as an observer because of his serious concerns.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/just-stop-oil-activists-found-guilty-over-m25-disruption-plans Many articles from the Morning Star today

JUST STOP OIL (JSO) supporters convicted of causing public nuisance by planning to disrupt the M25 to demand an end to new oil and gas licencing have been found guilty.

JSO co-founder Roger Hallam, Daniel Shaw, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Louise Lancaster and Cressida Gethin have been remanded until their sentencing hearing next Thursday and face lengthy prison sentences, despite the United Nations’ condemnation of the trial.

The jury entered guilty verdicts against all defendants yesterday, ruling that the climate crisis was “irrelevant” to the trial.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/just-stop-oil-activists-found-guilty-over-m25-disruption-plans Many articles from the Morning Star today

Continue ReadingJust Stop Oil activists found guilty over M25 disruption plans

Is the new UK government breaking it’s no new oil and gas licences commitment?

Rishi Sunak on stopping Rosebank says that any chancellor can stop his huge 91% subsidy to build Rosebank, that Keir Starmer is as bad as him for sucking up to Murdoch and other plutocrats and that we (the plebs) need to get organised to elect MPs that will stop Rosebank.
Rishi Sunak on stopping Rosebank says that any chancellor can stop his huge 91% subsidy to build Rosebank, that Keir Starmer is as bad as him for sucking up to Murdoch and other plutocrats and that we (the plebs) need to get organised to elect MPs that will stop Rosebank.

I think that the relevant section of Labour’s manifesto at https://labour.org.uk/change/make-britain-a-clean-energy-superpower/ says

“We will not issue new licences to explore new fields because they will not take a penny off bills, cannot make us energy secure, and will only accelerate the worsening climate crisis. In addition, we will not grant new coal licences and will ban fracking for good.”

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/UK-Government-Denies-Claims-Ed-Miliband-Has-Banned-New-North-Sea-Oil-Licences.html

UK Government Denies Claims Ed Miliband Has Banned New North Sea Oil Licences

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has denied reports that Ed Miliband has banned the North Sea oil regulator from issuing any outstanding drilling and exploration licences, calling them “a complete fabrication”.

Earlier today, The Telegraph claimed that the new energy security and net zero minister had overruled his officials to stop the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) from issuing new licences, even those that were in the final round of approval with the regulator.

But Miliband’s department hit back at the claims, telling City A.M.: “This piece is a complete fabrication – it invents meetings and decisions that have not taken place.

…

Were Miliband to have withdrawn the licences, it could have left some North Sea oil firms millions of pounds out of pocket having prepared bids before the general election was called that were in the final throes of being approved.

…

It would appear that they are incompatible positions: The manifesto says “We will not issue new licences to explore new fields … ” but yet it’s a complete fabication that Ed Miliband has banned the North Sea oil regulator from issuing any outstanding drilling and exploration licences and licences yet to be approved are going to be granted? So, which is it?

Continue ReadingIs the new UK government breaking it’s no new oil and gas licences commitment?