Politics
“Parliament has taken back control” – reaction to Theresa May’s humiliating Brexit defeat on Amendment 7
After a tentative agreement was finally achieved in the first phase of Brexit negotiations, Theresa May was not expecting a major defeat on her Brexit plans in the House of Commons. Eleven Conservative rebels voted with the opposition for Amendment 7 - an amendment by former Conservative Attorney General Dominic Grieve to ensure that parliament has a meaningful vote on the Brexit Deal negotiated by the Government. Tumultuous cheers broke out across the house of Commons as the shock result...
Prime Minister accused of “one law for her own constituency” as Parliament hears it’s the least hit by austerity
In a question about sprinklers being urgently needed in tower blocks after the Grenfell Tower disaster, Prime Minister’s Questions today heard how the Prime Minister’s constituency has been protected from the austerity cuts that have ravaged other local authorities around the country. “Not one penny to fit sprinklers to Birmingham’s 230 tower blocks from Government,” said Jack Dromey, MP for the Birmingham constituency of Erdington. "Now the city suffering the biggest cuts in local government history is to suffer a further...
Electoral data highlights stark racial divide in Alabama
White Alabamans voted enthusiastically for Donald Trump's Republican candidate in yesterday's election. Doug Jones became the first Democrat in 25 years to win a US Senate seat for Alabama after a bitter campaign against Roy Moore. His unexpected victory deals a blow to President Donald Trump, who backed Mr Moore, and narrows the Republican majority in the Senate to 51-49. Mr Moore has been criticised for being a white supremacist in the past and has alleged sexual assaults against his name....
Tory aide accused of raping woman in MP’s office
A Tory aide raped a woman in his MP boss's office after a night of drinking in a parliamentary bar, a court heard. Samuel Armstrong, 24, the chief of staff to South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay, is accused of carrying out the attack on October 14 last year. The distressed woman was then found wandering the corridors of Westminster before being found by cleaners, it was alleged. He is on trial at Southwark Crown Court charged with two charges of...
Government bows to public pressure over animal sentience
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has bowed to public pressure over animal sentience, saying he will "make Brexit work for animals". In a speech today he said he will enhance animal welfare standards, increasing the maximum prison sentence for 'animal cruelty' from six months to five years in England and Wales. He said: "Animals are sentient beings who feel pain and suffering, so we are writing that principle into law and ensuring that we protect their welfare. "We are a nation of...
Shadow Health Secretary tells Parliament of “NHS pushed to the brink” as NHS managers back Kerslake’s warnings
After the chair of one of the country’s top NHS trusts resigned in protest against government NHS cuts making his and other hospital's job impossible, the shadow health secretary made an emergency statement to the House of Commons today. "Lord Kerslake said our NHS faces the tightest spending figures in recent times,” said Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth. “Doesn’t that mean like at Kings - continued hospital deficits, growing waiting lists, greater rationing of care, the dropping of the 18 week target,...
Jeremy Corbyn: “It is impossible to believe this is a government capable of negotiating a good deal for this country”
After a weekend of highly publicised squabbles among the soft and hard Brexit supporting elements of the Tory party, Theresa May reported to parliament on the first stage of Brexit negotiations, which she insisted was "good news" for both people who want to remain in the EU and those who voted to leave. Jeremy Corbyn, referring to the Tory splits and Brexit Secretary's conflicting statements on dire issues such as the future of Northern Ireland, the Brexit bill and revealing...
Labour makes gains on SNP in Scotland – could this be the key to unlocking a Westminster majority?
The Scottish Labour Party is making gains on the SNP in a shift that could unlock a Westminster majority for Jeremy Corbyn. According to a political poll for Sunday Post Labour has gained three points on the SNP, with the Conservatives also losing ground. The latest voting intention in Scotland reveals that SNP are on 38 per cent with Labour now on 29 per cent. Based on Martin Baxter’s Electoral Calculus seat predictor that would mean a gain of six seats...
Failure to rehouse Grenfell Tower survivors “a disgrace”, says Jeremy Corbyn
In a statement, regarding the disaster, the Labour leader said: “It is a disgrace that the majority of Grenfell residents have still not been given homes and that tower blocks across our country have still not been made safe. We need answers from the government and we need action. “Grenfell was an entirely avoidable human disaster. The government must act now to prevent it from being repeated.” After the disaster, PM May promised that all survivors would be found a...