\n<\/p>\n
Andrea Egan<\/strong>, the new, leftwing general secretary of Unison, one of the most powerful unions in Labour politics, has claimed that the survival of the labour movement is \u201con the line\u201d because of the mistakes being made by Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n In an article for Tribune, she is particularly critical of the decision to block Andy Burnham from being a byelection candidate in Gorton and Denton. But she argues that this is just part of a wider problem, and that a \u201cradical change in direction\u201d is needed from Downing Street.<\/p>\n She says:<\/p>\n Today in Britain, the first far-right government in our history is a very real prospect. Nigel Farage in power would be the biggest triumph for the enemies of the working class since his idol Margaret Thatcher took office almost five decades ago \u2013 and could make the 1980s look like an easy ride. It would be a global victory for a billionaire-backed ethnonationalist project represented by the administration of Donald Trump, whose contempt for democracy was so brutally demonstrated by the murder of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by ICE agents.<\/p>\n For every worker, active trade unionist, or anyone who wants to live in an open and democratic society, the political stakes of the coming months and years are potentially existential. We are staring down the barrel of a historically devastating offensive against our class.<\/p>\n But from witnessing the recent behaviour of Labour\u2019s ruling faction, you wouldn\u2019t know it. Spearheaded from Downing Street, this narrow Westminster grouping often gives the impression it would rather hand the country over to Farage and put the labour movement\u2019s survival on the line than consider any change in policy direction or lose the slightest control over the party machine.<\/p>\n Egan says the reasons given by Labour for Burnham being blocked were \u201can insult to the intelligence of anyone unfortunate enough to have read them\u201d. She says:<\/p>\n One, at least, was revealing: the idea that the risk of losing the Greater Manchester mayoralty to Reform UK was too great. In other words, this Labour government is so unpopular that the party might well lose an election it won last time with 63% of the vote. The solution? Bar your most popular figure from returning to national politics.<\/p>\n She concludes:<\/p>\n I know that I speak for many of my colleagues across the trade union movement, and in chorus with a significant number of Labour MPs, when I say that we cannot allow those currently in charge of the party to take us down with them. A radical change in direction \u2013 in party culture, in policy for the country, in how we deal with the far-right threat \u2013 could not be more urgently needed. I am confident that a broad, pluralist coalition across our movement will now come together to ensure we see that change.<\/p>\n The prime minister should know that this latest act of control freakery was, above all else, a mistake. He cannot afford any more.<\/p>\n <\/span>Andrea Egan.<\/span> Photograph: Andrea4GS\/PAShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.33 EST<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n <\/span>Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Pippa Crerar<\/span><\/p>\n US intelligence agencies disagree with Donald Trump\u2019s newly found opposition to the Chagos deal, Keir Starmer<\/strong> has said, as he underlined how the US administration had supported the deal as it bolstered their defences. Pippa Crerar<\/strong>, who is in China covering the PM\u2019s trip, has the story.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n The latest edition of the Guardian\u2019s Politics Weekly podcast is out. It features John Harris <\/strong>and Kiran Stacey<\/strong> discussing the selection of Matt Goodwin was the Reform UK candidate in Gorton and Denton.<\/p>\n John has also interviewed Esther Ghey, mother of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, on the case for a social media ban for under-16s.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n A reader asks:<\/p>\n Does the More In Common poll take into account the lowered voting age that comes into effect at the next election?<\/p>\n All the polls seem to still be 18-plus. What steps are pollsters taking to remedy these changes?<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth looking at, given how these young uncounted voters are likely to skew to the left and especially the Greens \u2026<\/p>\n Luke Tryl<\/strong> from More in Common tells me the seat projection figures in the MRP poll do not take into account the voting age going down to 16. He points out that this has not happened yet, and says he thinks they will shift when the change becomes law. He thinks other polling companies are adopting the same approach.<\/p>\n Given that the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in the country is relatively small, and that turnout figures for the young are low anyway, the change will probably make little difference to overall results. But Tryl points out that \u201cin an era of 5\/6\/7 party politics\u201d even marginal changes could make a difference in some seats.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Hannah Al-Othman<\/span><\/p>\n Hannah Al-Othman is the Guardian\u2019s North of England correspondent.<\/em><\/p>\n Lucy Powell<\/strong>, Labour\u2019s deputy leader, has dismissed claims that the Greens are the party with the best chance of defeating Reform UK in the Gorton and Denton byelection.<\/p>\n Speaking at the launch of an advertising campaing in the constituency, Powell said:<\/p>\n I think there\u2019s been some mixed messages and there\u2019s been some things coming through in the media, but the Greens can\u2019t win here.<\/p>\n So voting Green is really risky because it risks letting Reform in. We lost a byelection in Runcorn, not that far from here, by six votes because people voted Green. And that Reform MP in Runcorn, she\u2019s going around saying she doesn\u2019t want to see black and brown people on the telly.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what happens if people vote for any other party other than Labour in this straight fight between Labour and Reform.<\/p>\n There are no Green councillors across this constituency at all, we are very strong on the ground here. This is a Labour area and this is about whether Reform come into a Labour area or whether Labour stops Reform coming into a Labour area.<\/p>\n She also said Reform had \u201cmissed the mark\u201d in their choice of candidate, which she saw as an advantage to Labour.<\/p>\n Reform are dangerous and are quite poisonous in my own view, and Matt Goodwin is them almost on steroids. He is a version of their really bad brand of politics, and I think they\u2019ve missed the mood completely of Manchester by selecting Matt Goodwin.<\/p>\n And I think that he will, people will discover his views on things. And I\u2019m very confident that people around here will reject Reform and elect a Labour MP.<\/p>\n It is clearly what Labour currently views as its best selling point; beside a bar graph that shows Reform leading the polls by 2%, the ad van declares: \u201cOnly Labour Can Stop Reform.\u201d<\/p>\n Countering claims that Labour can no longer appeal to leftwing voters, Powell pointed to policies including lifting the two-child benefit cap, bringing rail and buses back into public ownership, investing in public services, and recognising the state of Palestine.<\/p>\n <\/span>Lucy Powell launching an advertising campaignfor the Gorton and Denton byelection. <\/span> Photograph: Joel Goodman\/The GuardianShare<\/p>\n In her speech this morning Kemi Badenoch implicitly criticised Prosper UK<\/strong>, the new group set up by Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Tory leader, and Andy Street, the former West Midlands mayor, calling for moderate Conservatism. (See 9.21am.)<\/p>\n Prosper UK does not seem to bothered. A spokesperson said:<\/p>\n We welcome Kemi Badenoch\u2019s remarks promising to make economic growth a bigger focus as she rebuilds the party. More of that please.<\/p>\n But while the party rebuilds itself, as it must, we will be out there meeting the wider group of voters who don\u2019t yet identify with any party and offering ideas and solutions to the matters they care most about \u2013 the cost of living, jobs, housing and more.<\/p>\n So, whilst she cracks on, we\u2019ll do the same.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n The government\u2019s promise to make private rented homes fit for habitation will not be enforced for almost a decade, a decision campaigners describe as \u201cabsurd\u201d. Jessica Murray<\/strong> has the story.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Campaigners have criticised as too lenient the punishment handed to a Conservative hereditary peer who has been found to have broken the House of Lords rules for the second time, Rob Evans<\/strong> and Henry Dyer<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n A reader asks:<\/p>\n Patricia Ferguson wasn\u2019t on the list you published at 11.39 of MPs down to ask a question at PMQs.<\/p>\n Yet she got to ask a question anyway – how does this happen?<\/p>\n Is it because another backbench UK Labour MP stepped aside to provide a soundbite for Anas \u201cDesperate Dan\u201d Sarwar on his daily news slot arraranged by his press team at BBC Scotland\u2019s 6.30 10 Minute SNP hate session? Or did Hoyle just add her to help with his retirement peerage?<\/p>\n It is because the list of MPs down to get a question published on the Commons order paper (a list chosen by lot from MPs who apply) is only a starting point. The speaker has the discretion to call other MPs not on the list. And he has to alternate questions, so that an opposition question gets followed by a government-side question, which in turn gets followed by an opposition question etc. This means that, if too many opposition MPs win a question in the ballot, he has to call more Labour MPs anyway to make up the numbers.<\/p>\n As for why Ferguson got called, I don\u2019t know. MPs wanting to ask a question have to \u201cbob\u201d \u2013 jump up after each question has finished, trying to catch the speaker\u2019s eye. I presume Ferguson was bobbing.<\/p>\n Some of them let the speaker know in advance what topic they want to raise, in the hope of persuading him that it is a subject that needs to be addressed at PMQs, but, as you say, this was quite a partisan question, and so I doubt it was granted as a special favour.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.15 EST<\/p>\n Downing Street has said that the Daily Telegraph report today headlined \u201cStamer led \u2018witch-hunt\u2019 against Iraq veterans\u201d is full of inaccuracies.<\/p>\n Kemi Badenoch said that Keir Starmer should apologise to veterans when she was asked about the report at her press conference earlier. (See 10.41am.)<\/p>\n But, asked about the story at the post-PMQs lobby briefing, a No 10 spokesperson<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n The story broken last night contains flagrant inaccuracies. The prime minister did not represent the claimants in this case. The prime minister did not work alongside Phil Shinner in this case. The prime minister was not the lead barrister in the claim.<\/p>\n The prime minister represented interveners, including the Law Society of England and Wales. Interveners did not advocate for either side. Their role is to assist the court on points of law during his career.<\/p>\n The prime minister has represented British soldiers who were killed in action and who were wrongly accused.<\/p>\n The prime minister will never forget the courage, bravery and sacrifice made by British servicemen and women for their country.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Andrea Egan<\/strong>, the new, leftwing general secretary of Unison, one of the most powerful unions in Labour politics, has claimed that the survival of the labour movement is \u201con the line\u201d because of the mistakes being made by Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n In an article for Tribune, she is particularly critical of the decision to block Andy Burnham from being a byelection candidate in Gorton and Denton. But she argues that this is just part of a wider problem, and that a \u201cradical change in direction\u201d is needed from Downing Street.<\/p>\n She says:<\/p>\n Today in Britain, the first far-right government in our history is a very real prospect. Nigel Farage in power would be the biggest triumph for the enemies of the working class since his idol Margaret Thatcher took office almost five decades ago \u2013 and could make the 1980s look like an easy ride. It would be a global victory for a billionaire-backed ethnonationalist project represented by the administration of Donald Trump, whose contempt for democracy was so brutally demonstrated by the murder of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by ICE agents.<\/p>\n For every worker, active trade unionist, or anyone who wants to live in an open and democratic society, the political stakes of the coming months and years are potentially existential. We are staring down the barrel of a historically devastating offensive against our class.<\/p>\n But from witnessing the recent behaviour of Labour\u2019s ruling faction, you wouldn\u2019t know it. Spearheaded from Downing Street, this narrow Westminster grouping often gives the impression it would rather hand the country over to Farage and put the labour movement\u2019s survival on the line than consider any change in policy direction or lose the slightest control over the party machine.<\/p>\n Egan says the reasons given by Labour for Burnham being blocked were \u201can insult to the intelligence of anyone unfortunate enough to have read them\u201d. She says:<\/p>\n One, at least, was revealing: the idea that the risk of losing the Greater Manchester mayoralty to Reform UK was too great. In other words, this Labour government is so unpopular that the party might well lose an election it won last time with 63% of the vote. The solution? Bar your most popular figure from returning to national politics.<\/p>\n She concludes:<\/p>\n I know that I speak for many of my colleagues across the trade union movement, and in chorus with a significant number of Labour MPs, when I say that we cannot allow those currently in charge of the party to take us down with them. A radical change in direction \u2013 in party culture, in policy for the country, in how we deal with the far-right threat \u2013 could not be more urgently needed. I am confident that a broad, pluralist coalition across our movement will now come together to ensure we see that change.<\/p>\n The prime minister should know that this latest act of control freakery was, above all else, a mistake. He cannot afford any more.<\/p>\n <\/span>Andrea Egan.<\/span> Photograph: Andrea4GS\/PAShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.33 EST<\/p>\n Labour will be \u201cwashed away in a tide of discontent\u201d at the next general election unless it tackles the decline of Britain\u2019s high streets, a study has warned, as Guardian analysis lays bare the changing face of town centres. Michael Goodier <\/strong>and Josh Halliday<\/strong> have the story.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n It is easy to criticise Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch at PMQs every week \u2013 some of us even do it for a living \u2013 but, as with other people performing a job regularly with millions watching (TV news reading is a good example), it is a lot harder than it looks. We knew that, but it is helpful to get a reminder. And that was the main takeaway from today.<\/p>\n Andrew Griffith was the unfortunate chap who ended up as the conduit of this lesson. He is shadow business secretary and, drafting his questions, he decided to use them to make some critical points about Labour\u2019s record on business: that the pub rescue package announced yesterday is a bit weak, and won\u2019t help other sectors with rising business rate costs; that Labour has made hiring young people more expensive, which is bad for youth unemployment; that Labour ministers in general have a blind spot when it comes to business, because most of them have never run a business themselves. All of these are solid points, that can easily be defended. But Griffith did not successfully land any of them. Question by question, he lost 6-0.<\/p>\n Quite why is a bit harder to explain. Partly, it was nerves and confidence (although he probably was no worse than other PMQs first-timers). Partly it was because his jokes were poor, and his deliveray worse; he got the most laughs unintentionally, when he declared the Conservative party was getting stronger. Partly it was because he could not find anything that particularly embarrassed Lammy personally. And partly it was because his script and delivery were just underpowered. In the chamber, you have to boil down a political message into just a few sentences, and make them sound novel and engaging. As I say, it\u2019s harder than it looks.<\/p>\n Lammy got through it all easily, and he will be glad that he has now buried the memory of his first PMQs stand-in for Keir Starmer, which was a bit of a disaster. His jokes were a lot better than Griffith\u2019s. But it was notable that he did not engage much with the specific arguments that his opponent was making, and this was not a performance that at any point made him sound more accomplished or authoritative than his boss.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.33 EST<\/p>\n Keir Starmer<\/strong> told business delegates they were \u201cmaking history\u201d as he kicked off his trip to China, PA Media reports.<\/p>\n Addressing business figures in the lobby of their hotel in Beijing, the prime minister said:<\/p>\n They say eight days is a long time in politics, try eight years, because it\u2019s eight years since a British prime minister stepped on Chinese soil.<\/p>\n On this delegation, you\u2019re making history. You\u2019re part of the change that we\u2019re bringing about.<\/p>\n That\u2019s consistent with everything we\u2019ve done in government, particularly internationally.<\/p>\n We are resolute about being outward-looking, about taking opportunities, about building relationships \u2026 and always being absolutely focused on our national interest.<\/p>\n <\/span>Keir Starmer speaking to the business delegation travelling with him at a hotel in Beijing, China.<\/span> Photograph: Kin Cheung\/APShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.59 EST<\/p>\n Bob Blackman<\/strong> (Con) says something described as a anti-zionist rally is taking place outside parliament today. Chants at these rallies are antisemitic, and the intention behind them is antisemitic. He says we have seen where that leads, with the killings in Manchester. Will the goverment drive antisemitism out of the country?<\/p>\n Lammy<\/strong> says he has worked on this with Blackman before. He says the nature of antisemitism at some of these protests is unacceptable.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Patricia Ferguson<\/strong> (Lab) asks if the government backs calls for the former first minister to give evidence to the Glasgow hospital infected water scandal inquiry.<\/p>\n Lammy<\/strong> says this is a huge scandal, and an example of why Scotland needs Anas Sarwar as first minister.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n James McMurdock<\/strong> (independent) asks about a steel firm in his constituency. He says contracts are going offshore. Why is that?<\/p>\n Lammy<\/strong> says the government stepped in to save British Steel. And it will publish a steel strategy shortly.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New Unison leader says labour movement’s survival ‘on the line’ because Starmer’s ‘control freakery’ helping Reform UK Andrea Egan, the new, leftwing general secretary of Unison, one of the most powerful unions in Labour politics, has claimed that the survival of the labour movement is \u201con the line\u201d because of the mistakes being made by<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[1120,134,4852,132,1897,5731,124,2362,2719],"class_list":{"0":"post-42987","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"tag-boss","9":"tag-labour","10":"tag-line","11":"tag-live","12":"tag-mistakes","13":"tag-movement","14":"tag-politics","15":"tag-starmers","16":"tag-union"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}US intelligence agencies disagree with Trump\u2019s opposition to Chagos deal, says Starmer<\/h2>\n
Lucy Powell says voting Green in Gorton and Denton ‘really risky’ because it could let Reform UK in<\/h2>\n
Decent homes standard for UK private renters delayed by government until 2035<\/h2>\n
Tory peer\u2019s punishment for fiddling expenses criticised as too lenient<\/h2>\n
No 10 say Telegraph report claiming Starmer led legal witch-hunt against Iraq veterans contains ‘flagrant inaccuracies’<\/h2>\n
New Unison leader says labour movement’s survival ‘on the line’ because Starmer’s ‘control freakery’ helping Reform UK<\/h2>\n
Labour risks election wipeout unless it improves Britain\u2019s high streets, study finds<\/h2>\n
PMQs \u2013 snap verdict<\/h2>\n
Starmer says he is \u2018focused on our national interest\u2019 as he begins China visit<\/h2>\n