Politics
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...
Over 50,000 people demand Richard Branson’s Virgin Care to hand back £328,000 Surrey contract dispute payout
A huge row has broken out in Surrey after Virgin Care was handed a £328,000 payout after taking legal action against six Surrey clinical commissioning groups, Surrey County Council and NHS England, reports the Get Surrey. Virgin Care lost out on a lucrative contact to provide healthcare in the county and was able to sue over contractual issues, after missing out on the bid. Local residents have launched a campaign to get Virgin care, owned by Richard Branson, “return the...
Stephen Hawking joins fight to prevent Jeremy Hunt privatising the NHS
Professor Stephen Hawking has joined a lawsuit aimed at preventing greater privatisation of the National Health Service. The revered professor, who has been vocal about the dismantling of the NHS, added his name to legal action seeking to prevent the establishment of "accountable care organisations" (ACOs) in the NHS, which threaten to ration certain resources within the system. Trade Union BMA has warned the ACOs ‘risk the potential for non-NHS providers taking over the provision of care for entire health economies’. But Health Secretary...
Philip Hammond blames sluggish productivity on more disabled people in the workforce
Philip Hammond blamed sluggish productivity on more disabled people in the workforce in today's treasury select committee. Responding to high high levels of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, he said: “It is almost certainly the case that by increasing participation in the workforce, including far higher levels of participation by marginal groups and very high levels of engagement in the workforce, for example of disabled people – something we should be extremely proud of – may have had an impact on overall productivity...
Calls for David Davis to resign as impact assessment lies are laid bare
David Davis has been called to resign over lies about the Brexit impact assessments. The Brexit Secretary was today forced to admit that the government has not assessed the impact of Brexit for different sections of economy to the EU select committee. He said assessments across several industries were never carried out because "the range of different outcomes is too wide". But the revelations are in stark contrast to what he said in front of the same committee in December 2016. On...
David Davis’s humbling confession is just this Monty Python scene – without the music
David Davis's appearance in front of the Brexit select committee to explain the whereabouts of the impact assessments this morning is Monte Python's Cheese Shop Sketch without the music, social media observers have pointed out this morning. The Brexit secretary was forced to admit to the EU select committee that the government hasn't done any impact assessment of Brexit on particular sectors of the economy. Reeling off various industries such as automotive and financial services, he said: "The answer would be...