Sharon Graham

Unite to forge ‘authentic voice for the working class’ if it quits Labour

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unite-forge-authentic-voice-working-class-if-it-quits-labour

 Sharon Graham speaks at the Durham Miners’ Gala, July 13, 2025

Durham Miners’ Gala 2025

UNITE will forge an “authentic voice for the working class” if it votes to disaffiliate from Labour for attacking striking Birmingham bin workers, general secretary Sharon Graham has told the 139th Durham Miners’ Gala.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s name was booed by the crowd as Ms Graham chanted “shame on you” over her handling of the long-running strikes, as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that he agreed with her “absolutely.”

Delegates at Labour’s biggest union backer voted to rethink their relationship with the party and suspend Ms Rayner at their policy conference last week.

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The Unite conference also called for the recognition of the state of Palestine and vowed to support “worker-led campaigns to boycott the handling of Israeli goods and services in their workplaces and campaigns for divestment from Israeli companies in their workplaces and the wider economy.”

Mr Corbyn hailed the decision as “historically important because we will stop the supply of weapons to the Israeli Defence Forces to kill people in Gaza.”

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Following attacks from Durham Reform councillors over not being invited to the gala’s platform, Durham Miners’ Association chairman Stephen Guy told the Morning Star that the local Labour MP and Israel supporter Luke Akehurst wasn’t invited either.

“The message is the same, whether you are Labour or Reform, if you don’t share our values or beliefs you don’t get an invite. We have Labour MPs here today on the platform and they’ve been selected because they share our values,” he said.

Nigel Farage explains the politics of Reform UK: Racism, Fake anti-establishmentism, Deregulation, Corporatism, Climate Change Denial, Mysogyny and Transphobia.
Nigel Farage explains the politics of Reform UK: Racism, Fake anti-establishmentism, Deregulation, Corporatism, Climate Change Denial, Mysogyny and Transphobia.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him. 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. He says that Reform UK has received millions and millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
Continue ReadingUnite to forge ‘authentic voice for the working class’ if it quits Labour

No more jam tomorrow – it’s time for Labour to deliver

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/no-more-jam-tomorrow-its-time-labour-deliver

 Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the launch of the government’s 10-year health plan, July 3, 2025

The electorate see no evidence of the government’s promises of change, and the good jobs and decent pay that people are crying out for. Bold action is needed right now, warns SHARON GRAHAM

IT IS true that Labour have taken over an economy ravaged by 14 years of Tory austerity. But that should mean a profound opportunity to deliver change. Britain is broken, yes. But they cannot keep making everyday people pay.

Today MPs will be voting on the government’s despicable plan to cut disability benefits. Just as with every other wrong decision, such as scrapping the winter fuel allowance, rowing back on investment in British industry or failing to ensure proper local authority funding, the excuse will be the same — “we have no choice.” And again it will be absolute rubbish. Of course they have choices.

We are the sixth-richest economy in the world. But the way that wealth is divided is increasingly unequal. The richest 50 families are worth about £500 billion, the same as half the entire UK population. In 1990 there were just 15 billionaires in the UK, but since then their number has jumped to 156.

So, there is a choice. If we taxed the richest 1 per cent just 1 per cent, that would generate about £25 billion. That is a choice. We need a wealth tax now.

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Continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/no-more-jam-tomorrow-its-time-labour-deliver

Yougov: Would you support or oppose introducing a wealth tax of 2% on wealth above £10 million?
Yougov: Would you support or oppose introducing a wealth tax of 2% on wealth above £10 million?
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership all feel a small part of Scunthorpe.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership all feel a small part of Scunthorpe.

Continue ReadingNo more jam tomorrow – it’s time for Labour to deliver

Unions welcome Labour action to cut industrial energy costs – but Unite presses for public ownership

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unions-welcome-labour-action-cut-industrial-energy-costs-unite-presses-public-ownership

 A view of the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm amongst existing electricity pylons on the Romney Marsh in Kent

MORE than 7,000 manufacturing businesses will have up to 25 per cent cut from their electricity costs under the government’s 10-year industrial strategy.

Under a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme announced today, they will be exempted from levies on bills including the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market from 2027 — reducing bills by up to £40 per megawatt hour.

Around 500 of the most energy-intensive firms, including the steel industry, will also see their network charges cut with bigger energy discounts, along with measures to speed up the time it can take to connect new factories and projects to the energy grid.

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Unite general secretary Sharon Graham welcomed the moves to cut energy costs, but said: “Unite would like to have seen the government go further.

“Our energy system is broken beyond repair; it will never function in the interests of business and consumers until it is brought back into public ownership.

“That must start with the National Grid to ensure industry can get the power it needs when it needs it and is not left waiting forever for new connections.”

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Original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unions-welcome-labour-action-cut-industrial-energy-costs-unite-presses-public-ownership

Continue ReadingUnions welcome Labour action to cut industrial energy costs – but Unite presses for public ownership

Unite says bin strike deal closer if council puts public promises in writing

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unite-says-bin-strike-deal-closer-if-council-puts-public-promises-writing

Rubbish bags are taken away on Poplar Road in Birmingham, Aril 16, 2025

THE Unite union called out Birmingham City Council today over the ongoing bin strike negotiations, warning they would be much closer to a deal if the authority “put in writing what it is saying in public.”

More than 350 refuse workers have been on strike since March 11 over plans to cut the vital role of waste recycling collection officer (WRCO).

According to Unite, it will lead to 150 of its members having their pay slashed by up to £8,000 a year.

On Monday, workers rejected the council’s latest offer. Unite said the proposal still involved substantial pay cuts and failed to address other potential wage reductions for 200 drivers.

Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton said that the council made a “fair and reasonable offer that means that no-one has to lose any pay at all, with alternative roles offered within the service, or indeed a promotion to work as a driver.”

He tried again to reassure the public today, telling the BBC “we’re in a position where nobody needs to be losing income.”

But Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said they appeared to be living in a “parallel universe.”

She said: “Yet again, John Cotton is saying one thing in public while his local officers are saying another in the negotiating room and in writing.

“If the council puts in writing what it says in public then we would likely be much closer to a deal.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unite-says-bin-strike-deal-closer-if-council-puts-public-promises-writing

Continue ReadingUnite says bin strike deal closer if council puts public promises in writing

Surprise energy bill rise set to hit families and pensioners the hardest

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Image of cash and pre-payment meter key
Image of cash and pre-payment meter key

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/surprise-energy-bill-rise-set-to-hit-families-and-pensioners-the-hardest

PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer was told to apologise after Ofgem approved a surprise 6.4 per cent rise in average energy bills set to hit working families and pensioners the hardest yesterday.

Sir Keir was accused of breaking general election pledge to slash bills by £300 after the energy regulator announced a rise of £111 from April to £1,849 a year for the typical household.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the third consecutive increase in the cap on gas and electricity charges “is a cruel increase which is going to hit the elderly and low-paid workers the hardest.

“How can this be acceptable when energy companies are making billions in profits and millions of people are struggling to keep warm?

“The government should be making sure that everyone in the UK is able to stay warm, not making it harder.

“It can start by reversing its disastrous policy of cutting the winter fuel allowance and by returning key energy companies to public ownership, starting with the National Grid.”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/surprise-energy-bill-rise-set-to-hit-families-and-pensioners-the-hardest

Keir Starmer says pensioners can freeze to death and poor children can starve and be condemned to failure and misery all their lives.
Keir Starmer says pensioners can freeze to death and poor children can starve and be condemned to failure and misery all their lives.
Continue ReadingSurprise energy bill rise set to hit families and pensioners the hardest