labourlist--2020-05-12--Extension of furlough scheme offers “big relief for millions”, says TUC

The TUC has welcomed the extension of the coronavirus job retention scheme announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak today , calling the move a “ big relief for millions ” .
General secretary Frances O ’ Grady said : “ We are pleased ministers have listened to unions and extended the job retention scheme to the autumn .
This will be a big relief for millions .
“ Changing the rules to allow part-time working is key to enabling a gradual and safe return to work .
And maintaining the rate at 80 % is a win for the pay packets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic consequences of Covid-19 become clear , unions will keep pushing for a job guarantee scheme to make sure everyone has a decent job.
” Labour ’ s Anneliese Dodds , the new Shadow Chancellor , commented : “ The furlough scheme is a lifeline for millions .
The government was right not to pull it away .
“ It is welcome that the Chancellor has heeded the call by Labour , trade unions , and businesses for more flexibility in the scheme , to support employees to go back to work part-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when employers will be required to start making contributions , and how much they ’ ll be asked to pay .
“ If every business is suddenly required to make a substantial contribution from the 1st August onwards , there is a very real risk that we will see mass redundancies.
” There will be no changes to the scheme until the end of July , and it will continue for all sectors and UK regions from August until October – but it will be changed during this extension period .
After July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furloughed staff back to work part-time .
However , they will also have to start sharing the cost of paying the salaries with the government .
It is not yet clear whether the cost-sharing rates will be based on sector , on profits of the individual business , or whether the contribution required will be the same across the board .
Rishi Sunak has promised that further details of these changes will be revealed by the end of May .
They will likely determine whether employers lay off workers or keep them furloughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today is that workers on the scheme will receive the same level of support as they currently do , with 80 % of their salary up to £2,500 a month covered .
Making the announcement in the Commons this afternoon , the Chancellor said : “ This scheme has been a world-leading economic intervention , supporting livelihoods and protecting futures .
“ 7.5 million jobs have been furloughed – jobs we could have lost if we had not acted .
Nearly a million businesses supported who could have closed shop for good .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will need to support people back to work .
We will do so in a measured way .
I can announce today that the job retention scheme will be extended for four months until the end of October.
” Labour had called for the job retention scheme to be made more flexible , allowing for part-time work , which the government has agreed to implement in its latest announcement .
Reacting to the news , UNISON ’ s Dave Prentis said : “ It ’ s good news for millions of workers… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August is a sensible move which gives employers time to ensure workplaces are safe.
” But there are still concerns over the furlough scheme having a cap but no minimum income floor , which means workers normally on minimum wage can be furloughed on less .
GMB union said : “ Important issues are still to be addressed , including the need for all workers to be paid at least their full minimum wage rates for their normal hours of work.
” Acting general secretary John Phillips added : “ This announcement doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced back to work this week on crowded public transport , or the absence of PPE or enforceable social distancing measures when they get to work .
“ We call on ministers to engage with the unions over the coming weeks to develop the details of the job retention scheme extension .
”

The TUC has welcomed the extension of the coronavirus job retention scheme announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak today, calling the move a “big relief for millions”.
General secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We are pleased ministers have listened to unions and extended the job retention scheme to the autumn. This will be a big relief for millions.
“Changing the rules to allow part-time working is key to enabling a gradual and safe return to work. And maintaining the rate at 80% is a win for the pay packets of working families.
“As the economic consequences of Covid-19 become clear, unions will keep pushing for a job guarantee scheme to make sure everyone has a decent job.”
Labour’s Anneliese Dodds, the new Shadow Chancellor, commented: “The furlough scheme is a lifeline for millions. The government was right not to pull it away.
“It is welcome that the Chancellor has heeded the call by Labour, trade unions, and businesses for more flexibility in the scheme, to support employees to go back to work part-time.
“The government must clarify today when employers will be required to start making contributions, and how much they’ll be asked to pay.
“If every business is suddenly required to make a substantial contribution from the 1st August onwards, there is a very real risk that we will see mass redundancies.”
There will be no changes to the scheme until the end of July, and it will continue for all sectors and UK regions from August until October – but it will be changed during this extension period.
After July, employers will be able to bring furloughed staff back to work part-time. However, they will also have to start sharing the cost of paying the salaries with the government.
It is not yet clear whether the cost-sharing rates will be based on sector, on profits of the individual business, or whether the contribution required will be the same across the board.
Rishi Sunak has promised that further details of these changes will be revealed by the end of May. They will likely determine whether employers lay off workers or keep them furloughed.
The guarantee made by the government today is that workers on the scheme will receive the same level of support as they currently do, with 80% of their salary up to £2,500 a month covered.
Making the announcement in the Commons this afternoon, the Chancellor said: “This scheme has been a world-leading economic intervention, supporting livelihoods and protecting futures.
“7.5 million jobs have been furloughed – jobs we could have lost if we had not acted. Nearly a million businesses supported who could have closed shop for good.
“As we reopen the economy, we will need to support people back to work. We will do so in a measured way. I can announce today that the job retention scheme will be extended for four months until the end of October.”
Labour had called for the job retention scheme to be made more flexible, allowing for part-time work, which the government has agreed to implement in its latest announcement.
Reacting to the news, UNISON’s Dave Prentis said: “It’s good news for millions of workers… Supporting a part-time return to work from August is a sensible move which gives employers time to ensure workplaces are safe.”
But there are still concerns over the furlough scheme having a cap but no minimum income floor, which means workers normally on minimum wage can be furloughed on less.
GMB union said: “Important issues are still to be addressed, including the need for all workers to be paid at least their full minimum wage rates for their normal hours of work.”
Acting general secretary John Phillips added: “This announcement doesn’t remove the issue of workers forced back to work this week on crowded public transport, or the absence of PPE or enforceable social distancing measures when they get to work.
“We call on ministers to engage with the unions over the coming weeks to develop the details of the job retention scheme extension.”


labourlist--2020-05-12--Former Labour MEPs tell Starmer to push for Brexit transition extension

Hundreds of party activists , including several former Labour MEPs , have called on new leader Keir Starmer to push for an extension to the Brexit transition period .
Organised by Labour for a Socialist Europe , the open letter warns that failing to extend the phase – due to end in December – would “ cost lives ” amid the Covid-19 pandemic .
It has been signed by 450 Labour members , including former European Labour leader Richard Corbett , plus ex-MEPs Seb Dance , Theresa Griffin , Julie Ward and Jude Kirton-Darling .
The UK has until 30th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be extended , but Downing Street has insisted that no such request will be made – despite the impact of Covid-19 on Brexit talks .
Negotiations have now resumed via videoconference , but two planned rounds of talks were cancelled in the meantime and officials spent weeks arranging the remote discussions .
The Prime Minister ’ s spokesperson has said that any extension would mean the UK having to follow EU rules at a time when the country “ needs flexibility ” in its Covid-19 response .
Keir Starmer was a leading advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public vote on Brexit , and was the only Labour leadership candidate to defend the party ’ s 2019 Brexit policy .
But asked about the extension issue by an LBC caller on Monday , Starmer refused to call for a delay – though he said it was unlikely that a deal could be struck in time .
“ The government says it ’ s going to get negotiations and a deal done by the end of the year , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve always thought that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to hold them to that and see how they get on.
” He added : “ I would seek to ensure that the negotiations were completed as quickly as possible .
I ’ ve not called for a pause because the government says it ’ s going to get it done by the end of the year.
” If no extension is agreed , the UK would leave the European single market at the end of 2020 either with or without a deal in place .
Critics have said this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Below if the full text of the open letter .
On Thursday 16th April , the government publicly stated that it would reject any extension to the Brexit transition period beyond 31st December 2020 .
In the midst of the coronavirus crisis , this is a deeply dangerous move for our rights , livelihoods and public services .
As Labour members , activists and supporters and trade unionists , we are calling for our party and unions to push for a major extension to the Brexit transition period .
Efforts must now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 at a national and global level .
We call for the new leadership under Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner to speak out forcefully to articulate this growing demand coming from across society .
Even before this crisis , possibilities for a UK-EU deal looked bleak : now negotiations are effectively suspended .
In the context of the huge economic and social dislocation already caused by the pandemic , the further shock of a hard Brexit in less than nine months ’ time would be disastrous .
Leaving the EU ’ s Early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicines Agency , as per the government ’ s current plans , could substantially delay UK access to an effective vaccine and other treatments , as well as limit our ability to deal with future pandemics .
This will cost lives .
We believe the whole labour movement should unite to demand an extension , as well as continued membership of the relevant European bodies , regardless of wider views on Brexit .
This is a fundamental issue of defending working people ’ s living standards and rights , including rights to health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current crisis .
If Labour speaks out and campaigns on this crucial issue , we can force the government to change course , safeguarding the economy and living standards and protecting our communities .
Julie Ward , former MEP for the North West Richard Corbett , former MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber and leader of European Parliamentary Labour Party , GMB Jude Kirton-Darling , former MEP for the North East , Unite and GMB Seb Dance , former MEP for London , GMB Theresa Griffin , former MEP for North East and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Moloney , Slough GC Delegate , PCS Assistant General Secretary Mark Boothroyd , Camberwell and Peckham CLP , Unite Guys and St Thomas NHS Hospital Branch Secretary Kas Witana , Penistone & Stocksbridge CLP , care worker and Unison member Ben Selby , Grantham and Stamford CLP Tracy McGuire , Darlington , Chair West Branch , NEU NEC Joan Twelves , Vauxhall CLP , EC member , Unite the Union Community , branch treasurer Abbie Clark , Stevenage CLP Secretary , Unite Magi Young , Exeter GC and EC delegate , NUS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2019 parliamentary candidate , Unite workplace rep Andrea Pisauro , Oxford West & Abingdon , coordinator , “ Take a Break from Brexit ” campaign Michael Chessum , Streatham CLP , Unite Matthew Fulton-McAlister , councillor , Norwich CLP , NASUWT Regional Official Jill Borcherds , Stevenage , 2019 parliamentary candidate , NEU Tom Pottrill , Stourbridge Josh Lovell , Stevenage , County Councillor , UCU Margaret Eames-Petersen , Herts county councillor for Hatfield North , Previously union rep AUT Sandy Paul , Poplar and Limehouse .
Membership Coordinator , EC Delegate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite Julia Welbourn , Unite Community Kim Vodden , Pudsey , Deborah Hansen , Harborough CLP , Unite Community Martin Thomas , Islington South and Finsbury , NEU Heidy Kempe-Bottcher , Manchester Withington , UCU Ana Oppenheim , Hackney North and Stoke Newington , IWGB Seema Syeda , Limehouse & Poplar , UVW Stephen Smith , Pollards Hill , Mitcham and Morden Rosalyn Newell , International Dr Camila Bassi , Sheffield Central , Branch President , SHU UCU Alexander Sim , Uxbridge and South Ruislip , Unison Hannah Sawtell , Nottingham East Helen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Fulham CLP Member Lynn Davies , Devizes John Presley , Totnes , CWU Daniel Round , Stourbridge CLP , NEU Hongjian Luo , York Central/Member , TSSA/Delegate to the Labour Party Phil Whitney , Derbyshire Dales ( Auditor ) , Previously Vice Chair and European Officer , NUT Charles Ernest Leggat , Bosworth Deborah Finberg , Cambridge , Unison member Meg Wood , Wolverhampton North East , Unison Nick Clark , Wealden , Andrew Kitchen , Cotswolds Ann Terry , Mid Suffolk , RCN Margaret Ducketty Barbara Slowikowski , Woodhouse , Unison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moore Andy Nicolaou , Jennifer Cox , Battersea , NEU Andy Sims , Eastbourne CL , Retired Joseph Hodson , Buckingham Ian Jones , Totton Joe Sollitt , Fylde Labour Party Natasha Steele , Beighton , Sheffield , NEU Rep Beverley Gill Gavin Edwards , Walthamstow CLP , UCU Gerard Johnson , Lewisham Deptford CLP Linda Turner , City of Chester , Member Jemma Irvine Ruth Milsom , Sheffield Hallam , Unite Mike Vessey , Chelsea & Fulham , GMB Paul Scolari Daniel Nichols , Romford , UNISON Philip Inglesant , Vauxhall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , York CLP Sarah Jones , Milton Keynes CLP Paul Bond , Dulwich & W Norwood , Bive chaur RMT London Taxi Nye Goodwin , Oldham East & Saddleworth , National Education Union Joanne Simpson , Kingston upon Hull Emma Witney , Edinburgh Southern , Unison Ann Corner , Ex Unison branch secretary and senior steward for social care and health Nottinghamshire County Council Chris Allen , Leicester West CLP , Unite Pete Radcliff , Broxtowe – expelled in 2016 for being supporter of the AWL , Unite Community branch committee Russell Carr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United 101034 , Branch Organiser Femi Oshatogbe , Islington South and Finsbury , Labour Member Yolanda Leask , Thanet South Daniel Randall , Assistant Chair , RMT Bakerloo branch ( personal capacity ) Emily Walsh , Bristol West , UCU Christopher Hunt , yes , No Sheila Ravnkilde , Broxtowe , Unite Community Pantelis Mina David Cullen , Stevenage .
Councillor , ex-TASS ex north Thames regional secretary Julia Moore , Lewisham East , Diem25 member Alex Evans , Colne Valley Daniel Edward Higgins Natacha Kennedy , Eltham , UCU Sacha Ismail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Reddish CLP , Unison Steward Eddie Hornby , Stevenage John Medhurst , Hove , GMB Nik Barstow , Stretford and Urmston , Unite the union Abel Harvie-Clark , Newcastle East CLP , Unison Rowena Foote Ian Smith , Scarborough , NAPO – local rep Vijay Jackson , Political Education Officer , Edinburgh Central CLP , CWU John Gaskell , SW Surrey , Retired Ailsa Milnes , North Somerset – exec member Lynne Armstrong , Bognor Regis and Littlehampton James Stonhold , Brighton Kemptown , Unite Dominic Jackson , Bury North , Unite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , member , Unite ( retired ) Andrew Wincott , Selby and Ainsty Dr Jenny Watts , UCU member Pauline Moylan , Elmet and Rothwell Catherine Reynolds , Eddisbury CLP Treasurer , Unison retired member Matthew Dodson , NEU member Grace Polina Sparks , Trafford , NUJ Patrick Jenkins , Greenwich and Woolwich , GMB Pauline Di Chiara Lisette Stux Audrey Gaffney , Garston and Halewood , Unison Ruth Fryer , Canterbury Susan Quinlan , Walton , Retired Pauline Spencer , Wavertree , self-employed Michael John Banks , Wigan Steve Power , Wirral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite ) Jacqueline Jones , Workington , Unite Sue Baxter , Wirral South , now retired , Formerly IPCS Paul Ronayne , Wirral South , NEU Treasurer , Wirral District Moira Winder , Liverpool West Derby , NEU Robert Buckingham , Wirral South CLP , UNITE Jimmy Sergi , Birkenhead CLP , Chair of Wirral Young Labour Janie Seal , Sefton Central Vicky Matthews , Wirral South , Unite Joan Darwin Maureen McDaid , Garston & Halewood Vivienne Clark Rosemary Stewart Liz Miller , Riverside Christina McCabe , S Cambs , Unite member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chester , foot soldier Judith King , Walsall South Antony Wilson , Hill North , NEU Pauline Stafford , Leeds NW , Retired Carl Asher Paul Waterhouse , Holborn & St Pancras , GC delegate & Labour Activist Jenny Gilders , Kate Blair , West Dorset Michele Wilson , Stretford and Urmston , – retired .
Previously BECTU Jenna Ford-Knubley , Mid Norfolk , was a shop steward with GMB Julia Bardsley Ellie Ford-Knubley Philip Rowlands , Kettering branch , Retired David Wood , Chair , Stevenage CLP , UCU member Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member ) Michelle Gardner , Labour women ’ s forum chair , Unite Chris Webb , Stevenage , Campaign Coordinator Kate Foale , Rushcliffe , GMB Georgine Whiting , Stevenage , UNISON ( retired member ) Gillian Phillips , Chester Maximilian Czekalski , Warrington South CLP John Searby , Brighton Pavilion Jill Ebrey , Withington CLP ( Chair Chorlton Branch ) , UCU Valerie Wallace Suzanne Horton John Porter , Portsmouth North member , NGA , NUJ , Postal Workers Union Gerard Burke , Milton Keynes , Chris Paul , Manchester Withington CLP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite Roni Digir , Warrington South Cosima Doerfel , Wallasey Pauline McDonnell , Gateshead Polly Wicks , Ordinary member , GMB Tim McCann , Warrington South , Prospect Gareth Robson , Lewisham West and Penge Calix Eden , Lewisham West and Penge , Vice Chair Membership , local CLP Sacha Marten , Tonbridge and Malling , VC Membership and LGBT Officer John Howard Bradley Allsop , Ipswich CLP Sally McHugh , Hornchurch and Upminster , Retired NUT Daniel Barrow , Salford , UCU Roxana Fraser , Winchester , GMB Kristian Ravnkilde , Broxtowe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CLP disability officer , Unite Community Marcus Thorne , Lewisham Deptford CLP ( GC delegate ) Hendrix Lancaster , Eccles Claudia Hutchings , Kensington Suzanne Jones , Warwick & Leamington Fiona Murray , Halesowen & Rowley Regis , Unison Colin Clarke , Batley & Spen , GMB Duncan Morrison , Lewisham Deptford CLP , GC Delegate , Lewisham NEU , Branch Secretary Mark Osborn , Lewisham East , NEU rep Dan Davison , Cambridge CLP , UCU Stephen Wood , Bermondsey & Old Southwark , RMT Patrick Markey , Northampton South , NEU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maisie Sanders , Lewisham Deptford CLP , Unite Bruce Robinson , Stockport CLP , Unite Community Stuart Jordan , Lewisham Deptford , Unison member Vicki Morris , Nottingham East , Chair , University of Nottingham Unison branch ( personal capacity ) Robert Sutton , Chair Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood , Unite Construction Elaine Jones , Wirral South CLP , Unison Cheshire West and Wirral Community Health branch Labour Link officer Janine Booth , TULO , Hackney South and Shoreditch , RMT Alison Brown , Sheffield Heeley LGBTQ officer , UNISON South Yorkshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rushcliffe/LGBTQIA+ officer , IWW Tony Byrne , Secretary Newark CLP , Chair RMT East Midlands Central branch Brian Cantrill , member of PCS/ARMS Gemma Short , Hornsey & Wood Green , NEU Ruth Cashman , Tooting , UNISON Branch Secretary Adele Cresswell , Nottingham East Tim Broughton , Stevenage TULO , Convenor Liam Conway , Nottingham East , Notts NEU – Membership Secretary Dave Kirk , Leeds West CLP political education office , Unite Karen Johnson , London Bridge and West Bermondsey , Branch Secretary Ed Whitby , Newcastle East CLP executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ link officer Will Stephens , Hampstead and Kilburn , United Voices of the World ( SAW coordinator ) Tim Van Tinteren , Heeley CLP , ASLEF Charlie McDonald , West Ham CLP , PCS Dave Levy , Lewisham Deptford CLP/GC Delegate , GMB ( Branch President ) ; personal capacity John Windsor , Bristol North West , Ex NATFHE ( UCU ) secretary Sam Greenwood , Hemsworth , UNISON Wakefield local Government Branch Secretary Zack Murrell-Dowson , Bristol West CLP , IWGB/ IWGB CLB Bristol treasurer Joshua Chown , Hornchurch & Upminster , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee member Joe Booth , Chipping Barnet , RMT Mark Chilcott , Unison Member Jean Lane , Penistone and Stocksbridge Stan Crooke , Glasgow Shettleston CLP , Unite and GMB Christie Neary , Hornsey & Wood Green , NEU Daniel Rawnsley , Sheffield Central , NEU Paulette Romain , Croydon Central , PCS TU Rep Chris Marks , Lewisham Deptford , PCS NEC Ben Towse , Labour Campaign for Free Movement co-founder , Unison David Ball , Finchley and Golders Green CLP , Trade Union Liaison Officer , workplace rep , Unison and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ membership secretary , BECTU Christine Rimmer , Member Broxtowe CLP , Unite Community Patricia Lee , Liverpool West Derby Daniel Jeffery , Streatham , Vice Chair and Labour Link Officer Lambeth UNISON Anita Downs , Lewisham East , Unite – workplace rep John Bloxam , Currently not a member , UNITE Omar Raii , Lewisham Deptford CLP , UCU Eleanor Clarke , Putney CLP , Unite Jim Denham , Selly Oak CLP , Unite delegate to CLP Ian Townson , Secretary , Lambeth & Southwark Unite Community Alice Marshall , Hemsworth , Unison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andy Warren , Lewisham Deptford , PCS DWP London Region Young Members officer Joseph Lynn , Bethnal Green and Bow Kathleen Hunt , Cannock Chase Barry Parkin , Hertford and Stortford , Previously area rep of ACTT Marianna Masters , Streatham/ Lambeth Councillor , Unite & Unison Owain Gardner , North West Durham CLP , EC Member and Weardale BLP Secretary , Unite the Union and UCU Gilles Morin , West Ham CLP , Member of Unison Ali Hosseini , Slough Peter Nowland , Oxford east , Unite Jill Mountford , Lewisham Deptford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper , Lewisham Deptford , Unite Community Chrissie Charvill , Oxford East Gillian Hart , Lewisham Deptford Older Person Co-ordinator , Unite Community Treasurer Liz Yeates , Charnwood Howard Ricketts , Stevenage , Unite ( AAC ) Liz Blackshaw , Charnwood Timothy Cooper , Nottingham East TULO officer Unison member Nela Roncevic , Ashton , Bury South Liz Minns , Epsom & Ewell – Socialist Societies Rep , Unison Barry Woolhead Sally McArthur , Shipley , NEU Sean O ’ Toole , Stevenage CLP Patrick Mc Fadden Zaheer Mohammed , Leyton and Wanstead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – Communications Officer , UNITE Peter Bone , Broxtowe , NEU Philomena Mullan , Banbury Mark Shenton Howard Varney , Poplar and Limehouse Helen McCabe , Broxtow , UCU Gerard Marshall , West Dunbartonshire Marie-Claire Ohsan Berthelsen , Oxford West & Abingdon Holly Harwood , Stepney Green Sue Lyon , Cities of London and Westminster Ole John Berthelsen , Oxford west and Abingdon Harry Shipman , Southampton , BMA Tom O ’ Carroll , Pudsey , NEU Dawn Kinnersley Rachael Tomlinson , Beverley and Holderness Sue Mew , Walthamstow CLP , UCU Edward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oxford East Vinay Chambore , Battersea Kitty Howarth , Broxtowe CLP , UCU Branch Chair Nottingham College Avril Alexander , Oxford East Hannah Lane , Bermondsey and Old Southwark Mark Sandell , Hove , Unite Genevieve Ohsan , Reading West CLP Daphne Bone , Broxtowe CLP Alec Shelton Broxtowe , CLP Branch Chair , Unison Retired member Sandy Critchley , Former NUJ freelance branch secretary Alex Stuart , Poplar and Limehouse CLP Lucy Ismail , Streatham , UCU retired member Eva Burnett Konnie Lloyd , Broxtowe , Retired Graham Barrett , Brent Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Westminster Andy Forse , Milton Keynes South , GMB Barry Buitekant , Hackney North and Stoke Newington , USDAW Kirsten Malcolm , Bristol NW Faisal Rahim , Broxtowe CLP John Ireland , High Peak John Shore , Bethnal Green and Bow/member of General Committee Jacob Armstrong , International , Vice Chair Berlin Branch John mason , Uxbridge and South Ruislip , UCU Graham Martin , York , Unite Community John Halliday , Hammersmith and Fulham Frances Alexander , Leyton and Wanstead , NEU retired Thelma Jones , Carmarthenshire Paul Waters , Broxtowe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite Marie-Louise Rabe , Addiscombe West , Croydon Theodore Michael , Sevenoaks Martin Warne , West Ham GC member Suzy Roston , Stoke Newington , London Lucinda Eaglesfield , Tooting , Prospect Chris Jefferies , Bristol West Zenobia Tata , Ealing Central and Acton Claire O ’ Kell , member of the Labour and Co-operative Party , member of Unite Community ) Roger Berry , Bristol East Glyn Hambrook , Harrogate and Knaresborough , UCU ( retired member ) Jan Green , Witney Mark Hayward , Shrewsbury and Atcham Alan Richardson , East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McMeeken , Vice Chair Campaigns , Croydon North CLP Paul O ’ Kell , York , Unison ( retired member ) Brenda Ashton , Wirral South Joern Janssen , Islington South , IG BAU Joan Allwright , Lancaster and Fleetwood CLP , ordinary member Brett Cowie , Wimbledon Labour Party member Dick Allwright , Lancaster and Fleetwood , UCU Ruth Klassen Green , Tottenham John Handford , Macclesfield Chris Bright , Camberwell & Peckham , Unison Andrew Nicol , Wimbledon Barbara Clark , Swansea West CLP Mike Wilson , Mitcham and Morden Roland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cardiff West , Unison member Peter Brimson , Leyton and Wanstead Krystina Stimakovits , Lambeth Martin Eric Rodgers , Rochdale , GMB , BMA Pamela Calder , Vauxhall GC delegate , UCU retired member John Cunningham , Chorley CLP , UCU ( retired section ) Ruth Keynes , Brighton Pavilion Hugo Hunt Linda Clarke , Islington South Labour Party , Holloway ward chair , CLP environmental officer , UCU Terry Walker , Brighton Pavilion Caroline Richardson , Workington , Unite Community Equality Officer Richard Hoffmann , Congleton Wanda Lozinska , Stroud CLP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nantwich CLP , Prospect Denise Abel , Labour International , Italy and Malta branch , Unison ( retired members ) Hilary Lawson , Brighton Pavilion James Chespy , Gillingham and Rainham CLP , GMB Richard Stifter , South Shields , Retired member Maggie , Whitby & Scarborough Sylvia Scaife , Ipswich Lizzie Palliser , Member , Shipley constituency Alicia Marshall , Witney Marie W Green , Amber Valley Judy Mason , Stratford on Avon Thomas Gilbert , Islington South & Finsbury , UVW Neil Nerva , Hampstead and Kilburn , Brent Cllr Annie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stalybridge and Hyde Tracey Nevill Peter Matthews Clare Harrison , York Central Tom Harris , Lewisham Deptford , PCS activist Elizabeth Hallworth Camilla Lovelace , Cardiff South and Penarth Jacqueline Ellis , Great Grimsby Jackie Jones , Chair Cardiff Central Esther Saunders-Jennings , Bristol West Dave Burn , Finchley and Golders Green John Howarth , Former MEP for South East England , Reading Labour , NUJ Joy Hall , Penrith Nikki Masters , Kettering , Unison Frankie Elen , Wells , NUT ( Retired ) David Earnshaw , Chair , Brussels Labour , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woodford Green member , UCU member Leopold Loewer , Poole , Prospect Margarita Morales , Chelsea and Fulham CLP , GMB Mick Duncan , Brighton Kemptown , ward campaigns officer , Unite and Equity Natasha Crofton , Lewisham Deptford , Unite Community Lawrence Welch , Durham , Unite Peter Cuthbert Monica Eeuwens , North East Bedfordshire Liz Macleod , member Janice Bailey , Shrewsbury & Atcham member Dr M M Gilchrist , Hull Central & West , Unison member Sandy Sharples , High Peak member Chris Romberg , Shrewsbury & Atcham Kalim Ahmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lewisham West and Penge Keith Reader , Islington North , UCU ( but retired ) John McLeod , Tottenham Jane Clarke , Hornsey and Wood Green , NEU Officer of local association Sue Winter , Camborne & Redruth Sarah Perrigo , Leeds NE Political education Officer Henry Tiller , Chingford ad Woodford Green , NEU Sally Carter , Worsley and Eccles south Daniel Fitzpatrick , Kensington UCU Jason Gold , Labour International Founder Delegate to Executive Body , Chair of Central Eastern Europe Branch John Croft , Erith and Thamesmead , UCU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian McCarthy , Streatham , Streatham Hill CLP , Unison Daniel Key , Bristol East Labour Party , Unite Margaret Masterman , Boston and Skegness member , UNISON ( retired member from Lincs County Council ) Alan White , Streatham Jo Halliday , Islington South & Finsbury CLP Anne Sadler , Mid Derbyshire Camilo Tirado , Tottenham Lucy Caldicot , Vauxhall CLP , Lambeth Councillor , Unison Taraneh Ahmadi-Parker , Hove E Griffiths , Hornsey & Wood Green ; exec , Society of Labour Lawyers Joseph Lynn , Bethnal Green & Bow Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ealing Chris Billing , Totnes CLP , Nautilus UK Stephen Tompsett , Winchester Lynton North , Torridge & West Devon Tim Gopsill , Dulwich and West Norwood/Chair of Coldharbour Ward party , Unite Samantha Lewis , Tooting , NEU Claire Shipp , South West Bedfordshire Liz Gardiner , Monmouth CLP , Equity member Glory Rigueros , Brighton Pavilion , UCU Meg van Rooyen , Warwick & Leamington , Unison Pauline Williams , Ynys Mon Terry Moore , Labour International Naomi Greene , Morley and Outwood CLP Roger Shepherd , Bristol West CLP Sally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oxford East CLP , Unite Mr Nicolas Franklin-Woolley , Penistone and Stocksbridge Mo McManus , Bristol North West James Jacobs , Broxtowe CLP Ken Brooks , Bristol NW CLP Jill Barrett , Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP Mark Jones , Aldershot CLP , F & C Branch Exec Member , Unite the Union Linda Burnip , Startford-on-Avon , UNISON Gordon Sim , North Wilts CLP Steve O ’ Neal , Devizes CLP Secretary Rosalynne Birch , Vice chair membership Oldham East & Saddleworth CLP , Unite Maude Dews , Lewisham Deptford , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central and Acton/ Branch Secretary Marcus Atkin , Wyre and Preston North CLP

Hundreds of party activists, including several former Labour MEPs, have called on new leader Keir Starmer to push for an extension to the Brexit transition period.
Organised by Labour for a Socialist Europe, the open letter warns that failing to extend the phase – due to end in December – would “cost lives” amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has been signed by 450 Labour members, including former European Labour leader Richard Corbett, plus ex-MEPs Seb Dance, Theresa Griffin, Julie Ward and Jude Kirton-Darling.
The UK has until 30th June to request that the transition phase be extended, but Downing Street has insisted that no such request will be made – despite the impact of Covid-19 on Brexit talks.
Negotiations have now resumed via videoconference, but two planned rounds of talks were cancelled in the meantime and officials spent weeks arranging the remote discussions.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson has said that any extension would mean the UK having to follow EU rules at a time when the country “needs flexibility” in its Covid-19 response.
Keir Starmer was a leading advocate of the campaign to hold a fresh public vote on Brexit, and was the only Labour leadership candidate to defend the party’s 2019 Brexit policy.
But asked about the extension issue by an LBC caller on Monday, Starmer refused to call for a delay – though he said it was unlikely that a deal could be struck in time.
“The government says it’s going to get negotiations and a deal done by the end of the year,” he said. “I’ve always thought that’s tight and pretty unlikely, but we’re going to hold them to that and see how they get on.”
He added: “I would seek to ensure that the negotiations were completed as quickly as possible. I’ve not called for a pause because the government says it’s going to get it done by the end of the year.”
If no extension is agreed, the UK would leave the European single market at the end of 2020 either with or without a deal in place. Critics have said this could delay UK access to a vaccine.


labourlist--2020-05-13--The Agriculture Bill should be a golden opportunity to create a fair food system

Rising food poverty and the severe consequences of the climate crisis on our weather , landscapes and crops , means that business as usual for our food industry is not an option .
And , the coronavirus crisis has exposed just how fragile our food supply system really is .
The Agriculture Bill should be a golden opportunity to make some progress , and create a food supply system that is fair for both shoppers and British farmers .
But what is before parliament today is simply not good enough .
Labour has tabled two major amendments to the legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publish a Covid-19 emergency food plan .
With millions struggling to make ends meet as a result of this pandemic , we need political urgency to ensure that everyone can afford food .
The amendment we ’ re putting down would compel the government to ensure that everyone has access to the food that they need .
This pandemic takes place alongside the negotiations for what our future relationship with the EU will look like , as well as future trade deals between Britain and other countries .
Labour has been working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s high standards of environmental protections and animal welfare in agriculture are not undercut by cheap imports .
We can not allow our farmers to be undercut by food produced to lower standards and then imported into Britain .
So our second amendment works to preserve the high food standards upheld by British farmers in any future trade deals .
The Conservative manifesto made commitments in line with the amendments that we have laid out today , so we urge the government to accept them and put them into law .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmers and food producers face incredibly difficult times ahead , and government support for dairy farmers in particular has not been forthcoming .
With many farms in serious financial difficulty , with razor-thin margins and rural poverty rising , Labour is standing by our rural and farming communities .
We call on the Conservatives to do the same by making this bill fit for purpose .

Rising food poverty and the severe consequences of the climate crisis on our weather, landscapes and crops, means that business as usual for our food industry is not an option. And, the coronavirus crisis has exposed just how fragile our food supply system really is. The Agriculture Bill should be a golden opportunity to make some progress, and create a food supply system that is fair for both shoppers and British farmers. But what is before parliament today is simply not good enough.
Labour has tabled two major amendments to the legislation. The first requires the government to publish a Covid-19 emergency food plan. With millions struggling to make ends meet as a result of this pandemic, we need political urgency to ensure that everyone can afford food. The amendment we’re putting down would compel the government to ensure that everyone has access to the food that they need.
This pandemic takes place alongside the negotiations for what our future relationship with the EU will look like, as well as future trade deals between Britain and other countries. Labour has been working with farmers and environmentalists to ensure that Britain’s high standards of environmental protections and animal welfare in agriculture are not undercut by cheap imports. We cannot allow our farmers to be undercut by food produced to lower standards and then imported into Britain. So our second amendment works to preserve the high food standards upheld by British farmers in any future trade deals.
The Conservative manifesto made commitments in line with the amendments that we have laid out today, so we urge the government to accept them and put them into law. The closure of restaurants and cafes means that farmers and food producers face incredibly difficult times ahead, and government support for dairy farmers in particular has not been forthcoming. With many farms in serious financial difficulty, with razor-thin margins and rural poverty rising, Labour is standing by our rural and farming communities. We call on the Conservatives to do the same by making this bill fit for purpose.


labourlist--2020-05-13--Sunak extends the furlough scheme, but key questions remain unanswered

“ I won ’ t give up on the people who rely on it , ” Rishi Sunak announced as he revealed that the furlough scheme would be extended until the end of October .
The statement by the Chancellor has been largely welcomed by trade unions and the Labour Party – and it ’ s certainly a nice change to the government briefing that workers are becoming ‘ addicted ’ to the support .
TUC general secretary Frances O ’ Grady has hailed the announcement as a “ huge relief ” , while Anneliese Dodds said : “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government was right not to pull it away.
” But yesterday ’ s statement , like so many in this crisis , has left many questions unanswered .
From August , furloughed workers will be able to return to employment on a part-time basis .
Both Labour and trade unions had been calling for the government to allow for part-time work under the scheme , as many other countries have done since the start of the Covid-19 crisis .
But the Chancellor said yesterday that businesses will make contributions to the wages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part-time basis – and gave no detail on what those contributions will look like .
So for now the scheme remains the same , until the end of July , at which point something as yet unspecified will happen – making it pretty difficult for businesses to make plans .
Dodds has called for the government to set out the details for employers , in order to avoid a wave of “ mass redundancies ” on August 1st .
And there is still the issue of low paid workers on the scheme .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of an individual ’ s pay and no obligation for the business to cover the other 20 % , millions of low paid workers have seen their income drop below the minimum wage .
Meanwhile their outgoings , such as rent , remain the same – making Labour ’ s position on rent deferrals all the more controversial .
Some within Labour have called on the leadership to back rent cancellations , while backbench MP Clive Lewis has pledged to support Covid-19 rent strikes .
In positive news for the leadership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouGov poll yesterday that revealed a net approval rating of +23 for the new leader .
40 % of respondents indicated that Starmer was doing “ very well ” or “ fairly well ” , compared to just 17 % who answered “ very badly ” or “ fairly badly ” .
The survey did suggest a low level of familiarity , with 44 % responding “ don ’ t know ” , but this is still good news for Starmer .
A little over a month after assuming the role , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval rating one point better than that of Boris Johnson .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

“I won’t give up on the people who rely on it,” Rishi Sunak announced as he revealed that the furlough scheme would be extended until the end of October. The statement by the Chancellor has been largely welcomed by trade unions and the Labour Party – and it’s certainly a nice change to the government briefing that workers are becoming ‘addicted’ to the support. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady has hailed the announcement as a “huge relief”, while Anneliese Dodds said: “The scheme is a lifeline for millions. The government was right not to pull it away.” But yesterday’s statement, like so many in this crisis, has left many questions unanswered.
From August, furloughed workers will be able to return to employment on a part-time basis. Both Labour and trade unions had been calling for the government to allow for part-time work under the scheme, as many other countries have done since the start of the Covid-19 crisis. But the Chancellor said yesterday that businesses will make contributions to the wages of staff that do return on a part-time basis – and gave no detail on what those contributions will look like. So for now the scheme remains the same, until the end of July, at which point something as yet unspecified will happen – making it pretty difficult for businesses to make plans. Dodds has called for the government to set out the details for employers, in order to avoid a wave of “mass redundancies” on August 1st.
And there is still the issue of low paid workers on the scheme. With the government covering up to 80% of an individual’s pay and no obligation for the business to cover the other 20%, millions of low paid workers have seen their income drop below the minimum wage. Meanwhile their outgoings, such as rent, remain the same – making Labour’s position on rent deferrals all the more controversial. Some within Labour have called on the leadership to back rent cancellations, while backbench MP Clive Lewis has pledged to support Covid-19 rent strikes.
In positive news for the leadership, Keir Starmer received a boost from a YouGov poll yesterday that revealed a net approval rating of +23 for the new leader. 40% of respondents indicated that Starmer was doing “very well” or “fairly well”, compared to just 17% who answered “very badly” or “fairly badly”. The survey did suggest a low level of familiarity, with 44% responding “don’t know”, but this is still good news for Starmer. A little over a month after assuming the role, the new leader finds himself with a personal approval rating one point better than that of Boris Johnson. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-05-13--How local government has responded to Covid-19: community support

It became apparent very early on in the current crisis that a principle responsibility of local government during Covid would be ensuring those in our community needing help and support as a result of the outbreak received the assistance they needed .
This response has looked very different in different local authority areas , but across the country councils are coordinating an incredible voluntary and community response supporting hundreds of thousands of people .
Whilst councils and our partners have always made provision to support the most vulnerable , the level of response seen to counter the impact of Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago .
All over 70s have been told to stay at home , the shielded population must self-isolate for 12 weeks , those who are symptomatic are helping stop the spread by staying indoors , whilst many people who have not necessarily been in financial difficulties previously are suddenly requiring advice and support .
Added to this those already accessing support services whose needs have not suddenly gone away , and all councils are clearly coordinating this in the face of unprecedented demand .
All local authorities have stepped up and met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing so before the government finally asked us to ensure such support was in place .
What has varied has been the way councils have implemented this .
In Trafford , it ’ s been fantastic to see a genuinely partnership-based approach , leveraging the enormous expertise of colleagues in the voluntary and community sector whilst working with other partners including the police , housing associations , schools and colleges , and health colleagues .
The overarching focus for us has been about the importance of place and working in localities .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special mention to Trafford Housing Trust – have worked to harness the skills and knowledge of community and voluntary organisations in each of our population centres .
We have put funding in place and established the necessary governance and oversight to enable the mobilisation of six community hubs in each of our main population centres , along with a further satellite hub operated by the excellent Sale Moor Community Partnership .
The pace at which this was achieved is remarkable : in just ten days , the Trafford Partnership mobilised the hubs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project that would usually take us years to bring to life .
Critical to this was the establishment of a central community response line .
We ’ re very fortunate in Trafford that our partners at the CAB were willing to provide this for us , using their existing phone number already known to many residents in need .
Their role is to understand the needs of their caller and triage calls from across Trafford as appropriate : if support from volunteers is needed , it will come through to one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and advice is needed , the CAB are well placed to advise .
It ’ s worked brilliantly – the central line is taking several hundred calls a week , whilst the hubs are ensuring that those just wanting some practical help out and about in the community receive it quickly .
Of course central to all of this are the brilliant volunteers that have come forward to help .
One of the bright spots in this crisis has been the way in which communities have come together and so many people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening from the outset anyway , but by managing and coordinating this work through the community hubs we are able to make sure everyone in need of help gets it .
That may be organising a food parcel – as the hubs have taken on much of the work of our local food banks – doing basic shopping , picking up prescriptions , or other assistance as required .
This is made possible by the fact that so many local people have put their hands up to help .
I ’ m so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for each other being shown by Trafford residents allowing people to reach out when needed , and I know this is being replicated across the country .
Such a huge , voluntary-led response necessarily costs money .
We all appreciate the value of the hubs but whilst the council and others partners have contributed to get the hubs up and running , the future financial sustainability of the project is at risk .
It ’ s for this reason that the Trafford Partnership last week launched our Trafford Crisis Fund .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community and voluntary led hubs would be exactly the sort of anchor institutions the council would love to support on an ongoing basis , yet financial realities make this difficult .
Ten years of ideologically-driven austerity meant things were challenging beforehand , and this has been exacerbated by the in-year costs of Covid-19 , which for us in Trafford have left us with an estimated £25m funding gap , even after the government funding offered to councils so far is included .
The Crisis Fund , if successful , will allow us to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future .
We know that for many people the financial impact of Covid-19 won ’ t yet have hit .
It is clear that people will be feeling the effects of the outbreak in monetary terms for some time .
That ’ s why we ’ re keen to keep the hubs up and running .
Our recovery work needs to include this – a significant uplift to the advice and support offer we had in place in more usual times that has allowed local communities to shape the response needed in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a locality based way of working for years , and in Trafford we are now seeing the best of such an approach in action .
The council and partners are using their influencing , coordinating and leadership roles to great effect , whilst those who are closest to their communities shape and deliver the support offer .
There ’ s a long road ahead , made more uncertain by the Prime Minister ’ s statement on Sunday evening .
It ’ s reassuring to know then that the Trafford Partnership has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and community sector to help , and that so many people in our wonderful and caring community in Trafford are willing and able to volunteer .
Their work has been greatly appreciated so far – and with confusion in Downing Street , these local solutions may well be need for some time yet .

It became apparent very early on in the current crisis that a principle responsibility of local government during Covid would be ensuring those in our community needing help and support as a result of the outbreak received the assistance they needed. This response has looked very different in different local authority areas, but across the country councils are coordinating an incredible voluntary and community response supporting hundreds of thousands of people.
Whilst councils and our partners have always made provision to support the most vulnerable, the level of response seen to counter the impact of Covid-19 would have been unimaginable just a few months ago. All over 70s have been told to stay at home, the shielded population must self-isolate for 12 weeks, those who are symptomatic are helping stop the spread by staying indoors, whilst many people who have not necessarily been in financial difficulties previously are suddenly requiring advice and support. Added to this those already accessing support services whose needs have not suddenly gone away, and all councils are clearly coordinating this in the face of unprecedented demand.
All local authorities have stepped up and met this challenge – and indeed all were doing so before the government finally asked us to ensure such support was in place. What has varied has been the way councils have implemented this. In Trafford, it’s been fantastic to see a genuinely partnership-based approach, leveraging the enormous expertise of colleagues in the voluntary and community sector whilst working with other partners including the police, housing associations, schools and colleges, and health colleagues.
The overarching focus for us has been about the importance of place and working in localities. The council and other partners – with a special mention to Trafford Housing Trust – have worked to harness the skills and knowledge of community and voluntary organisations in each of our population centres. We have put funding in place and established the necessary governance and oversight to enable the mobilisation of six community hubs in each of our main population centres, along with a further satellite hub operated by the excellent Sale Moor Community Partnership. The pace at which this was achieved is remarkable: in just ten days, the Trafford Partnership mobilised the hubs and we were up and running – a project that would usually take us years to bring to life.
Critical to this was the establishment of a central community response line. We’re very fortunate in Trafford that our partners at the CAB were willing to provide this for us, using their existing phone number already known to many residents in need. Their role is to understand the needs of their caller and triage calls from across Trafford as appropriate: if support from volunteers is needed, it will come through to one of the hubs for action; if financial support and advice is needed, the CAB are well placed to advise. It’s worked brilliantly – the central line is taking several hundred calls a week, whilst the hubs are ensuring that those just wanting some practical help out and about in the community receive it quickly.
Of course central to all of this are the brilliant volunteers that have come forward to help. One of the bright spots in this crisis has been the way in which communities have come together and so many people have made offers of support. This was happening from the outset anyway, but by managing and coordinating this work through the community hubs we are able to make sure everyone in need of help gets it. That may be organising a food parcel – as the hubs have taken on much of the work of our local food banks – doing basic shopping, picking up prescriptions, or other assistance as required. This is made possible by the fact that so many local people have put their hands up to help. I’m so proud of the community spirit and concern for each other being shown by Trafford residents allowing people to reach out when needed, and I know this is being replicated across the country.
Such a huge, voluntary-led response necessarily costs money. We all appreciate the value of the hubs but whilst the council and others partners have contributed to get the hubs up and running, the future financial sustainability of the project is at risk. It’s for this reason that the Trafford Partnership last week launched our Trafford Crisis Fund. In a perfect world, place and locality based community and voluntary led hubs would be exactly the sort of anchor institutions the council would love to support on an ongoing basis, yet financial realities make this difficult. Ten years of ideologically-driven austerity meant things were challenging beforehand, and this has been exacerbated by the in-year costs of Covid-19, which for us in Trafford have left us with an estimated £25m funding gap, even after the government funding offered to councils so far is included.
The Crisis Fund, if successful, will allow us to maintain the community hubs for the foreseeable future. We know that for many people the financial impact of Covid-19 won’t yet have hit. It is clear that people will be feeling the effects of the outbreak in monetary terms for some time. That’s why we’re keen to keep the hubs up and running. Our recovery work needs to include this – a significant uplift to the advice and support offer we had in place in more usual times that has allowed local communities to shape the response needed in their area. Councils have wanted to see such a locality based way of working for years, and in Trafford we are now seeing the best of such an approach in action. The council and partners are using their influencing, coordinating and leadership roles to great effect, whilst those who are closest to their communities shape and deliver the support offer.
There’s a long road ahead, made more uncertain by the Prime Minister’s statement on Sunday evening. It’s reassuring to know then that the Trafford Partnership has been able to rely on our fantastic voluntary and community sector to help, and that so many people in our wonderful and caring community in Trafford are willing and able to volunteer. Their work has been greatly appreciated so far – and with confusion in Downing Street, these local solutions may well be need for some time yet.


labourlist--2020-05-13--Now is exactly the right time to argue for radical change

Life has changed beyond recognition .
We keep being told that soon we will enter a ‘ new normal ’ , but what that means is never really discussed .
Having lived through this extremely rapid period of lifestyle change we need to talk about what the new normal could and should be .
But already , there are attempts to stop the debate – those expressing ideas about treating essential workers better are accused of politicising the argument , or told that now is not the time .
But history tells us that this is exactly the right time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unrest and unprecedented collective experiences that often lead to the biggest social change .
The two clearest examples of this in our history are the world wars .
In 1918 , after the loss of 700,000 men , and with women having taken over the workforce completely in the preceding years , changes were inevitable .
Society was changed forever as some women and working class men were finally given the vote .
Education , health and housing became part of the political agenda for the first time .
The Education Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 14 and introduced school meals and health checks .
Shortly afterwards , legislation in 1919 established a Ministry for Health , and the Housing and Town Planning Act provided subsidies for local authorities to build housing .
It is undeniable that these developments all changed life in Britain for the better .
Many of them would have been unlikely without the war .
In 1945 , the Clement Attlee government picked up the ashes left from world war II and built the welfare state , the NHS and 6.5 million council homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to compare our present situation with a world war , it does have a commonality in that every person in the country has been impacted in some way or another .
Whilst the impact is not consistent across the population , there is some level of shared experience – it ’ s best summed up by the phrase ‘ we may not all be in the same boat , but we are in the same storm ’ .
The three years preceding this crisis , since the EU referendum , were the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few months ago it was hard to imagine how the nation would ever get over the discord and division that existed .
Now I really believe that there is an appetite for more compassion and cohesion .
We must fight for this to be realised .
So now is the time for us to argue for the kind of society we want – because if we don ’ t , others will step in .
The example of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina must serve as a lesson to us all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and caused $ 125bn in damage .
In the days that followed , hordes of private military contractors descended on the flooded city to find ways to profit from the disaster .
Naomi Kline coined the phrase ‘ shock doctrine ’ to describe the brutal tactic of using the public ’ s disorientation following a collective shock to push through radical pro-corporate measures .
We must not let that happen here when the lockdown ends .
The idea that now is not the time to discuss the future is naive and dangerous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not afford compassionate and radical policies .
It is simply not true .
In 1945 , amid a backdrop of bankruptcy , the Labour Party made and won the argument under the slogan of “ Now Let ’ s Win The Peace ” that a better world was possible , and that now was the time to get it .
What ’ s more , this was done with the Conservative Party having the most popular leader in history .
Lots has been written about the ill effects of the lockdown – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there are not many of them .
But , as with the wars , there have been some unplanned benefits , which we should not discard without a thought when this is over .
For example , workers , like care workers , bus drivers and hospital porters – so long in the shadows – are being talked about as heroes .
Now is the time for us to argue for the pay and conditions that they deserve .
The school curriculum , so long seen as sacred , has been completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long the focus of our education system , are now cancelled .
Now is the time for us to argue that there should be more to school than testing .
For some children – and I appreciate only some – this has been a joyous time where they have built forts in the garden , planted vegetables and drawn chalk drawings on the pavements .
Things reminiscent of the childhoods their great grandparents described .
Now is the time for us to investigate whether there have been mental health benefits of this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ one knows their neighbours ’ , people now look forward to joining their neighbours on the doorstep every Thursday and rely on them for help and support with shopping and all sorts of other things .
I personally now know everyone in my part of the street and speak to them everyday through Whatsapp .
Following our socially distanced VE Day celebration , we are all talking about a big post lockdown party – and our experience is replicated in streets across the country .
Now is the time for us to argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects and to ensure community is a force for good .
More people are walking and cycling than ever before .
In Dartford , where I live , traffic jams and commuting problems were once the main sources of difficulty , complaint and conversation .
But they have now all but disappeared .
Of course the reasons for this are scary and awful – as people are not working – but it has meant that we have experienced a way of living we never thought possible .
Now we must go out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedestrians and cyclists , as opposed to them just being an afterthought after cars .
And having previously been told that flexible and home working were impossible by their employers , many people across the country are now doing exactly that .
This has potentially great benefits for family life , and we must make the argument for that to continue .
The Labour Party must be at the forefront of putting forward the arguments for a better way of life for the people of this country .
We must ensure that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better way of life is possible after all .

Life has changed beyond recognition. We keep being told that soon we will enter a ‘new normal’, but what that means is never really discussed. Having lived through this extremely rapid period of lifestyle change we need to talk about what the new normal could and should be. But already, there are attempts to stop the debate – those expressing ideas about treating essential workers better are accused of politicising the argument, or told that now is not the time.
But history tells us that this is exactly the right time – because it is periods of disaster, unrest and unprecedented collective experiences that often lead to the biggest social change. The two clearest examples of this in our history are the world wars. In 1918, after the loss of 700,000 men, and with women having taken over the workforce completely in the preceding years, changes were inevitable. Society was changed forever as some women and working class men were finally given the vote.
Education, health and housing became part of the political agenda for the first time. The Education Act 1918 changing the compulsory school leaving age to 14 and introduced school meals and health checks. Shortly afterwards, legislation in 1919 established a Ministry for Health, and the Housing and Town Planning Act provided subsidies for local authorities to build housing. It is undeniable that these developments all changed life in Britain for the better. Many of them would have been unlikely without the war.
In 1945, the Clement Attlee government picked up the ashes left from world war II and built the welfare state, the NHS and 6.5 million council homes. Now whilst I would not want to compare our present situation with a world war, it does have a commonality in that every person in the country has been impacted in some way or another. Whilst the impact is not consistent across the population, there is some level of shared experience – it’s best summed up by the phrase ‘we may not all be in the same boat, but we are in the same storm’.
The three years preceding this crisis, since the EU referendum, were the most divisive I have known – and only a few months ago it was hard to imagine how the nation would ever get over the discord and division that existed. Now I really believe that there is an appetite for more compassion and cohesion. We must fight for this to be realised. So now is the time for us to argue for the kind of society we want – because if we don’t, others will step in.
The example of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina must serve as a lesson to us all. In 2005 the deadly storm killed 1,200 and caused $125bn in damage. In the days that followed, hordes of private military contractors descended on the flooded city to find ways to profit from the disaster. Naomi Kline coined the phrase ‘shock doctrine’ to describe the brutal tactic of using the public’s disorientation following a collective shock to push through radical pro-corporate measures.
We must not let that happen here when the lockdown ends. The idea that now is not the time to discuss the future is naive and dangerous. We must dispel the argument that we cannot afford compassionate and radical policies. It is simply not true. In 1945, amid a backdrop of bankruptcy, the Labour Party made and won the argument under the slogan of “Now Let’s Win The Peace” that a better world was possible, and that now was the time to get it.
What’s more, this was done with the Conservative Party having the most popular leader in history. Lots has been written about the ill effects of the lockdown – and I would not want to pretend that there are not many of them. But, as with the wars, there have been some unplanned benefits, which we should not discard without a thought when this is over. For example, workers, like care workers, bus drivers and hospital porters – so long in the shadows – are being talked about as heroes. Now is the time for us to argue for the pay and conditions that they deserve.
The school curriculum, so long seen as sacred, has been completely abandoned. Things like SATs, so long the focus of our education system, are now cancelled. Now is the time for us to argue that there should be more to school than testing. For some children – and I appreciate only some – this has been a joyous time where they have built forts in the garden, planted vegetables and drawn chalk drawings on the pavements. Things reminiscent of the childhoods their great grandparents described. Now is the time for us to investigate whether there have been mental health benefits of this.
Where people once decreed that ‘no one knows their neighbours’, people now look forward to joining their neighbours on the doorstep every Thursday and rely on them for help and support with shopping and all sorts of other things. I personally now know everyone in my part of the street and speak to them everyday through Whatsapp. Following our socially distanced VE Day celebration, we are all talking about a big post lockdown party – and our experience is replicated in streets across the country. Now is the time for us to argue the case for funding for community support projects and to ensure community is a force for good.
More people are walking and cycling than ever before. In Dartford, where I live, traffic jams and commuting problems were once the main sources of difficulty, complaint and conversation. But they have now all but disappeared. Of course the reasons for this are scary and awful – as people are not working – but it has meant that we have experienced a way of living we never thought possible. Now we must go out and argue for safer streets and roads for pedestrians and cyclists, as opposed to them just being an afterthought after cars.
And having previously been told that flexible and home working were impossible by their employers, many people across the country are now doing exactly that. This has potentially great benefits for family life, and we must make the argument for that to continue.
The Labour Party must be at the forefront of putting forward the arguments for a better way of life for the people of this country. We must ensure that we win these arguments and show people that a better way of life is possible after all.


labourlist--2020-05-13--PM rejects Starmer’s call to correct record on care home guidance

Boris Johnson has rejected the call from Keir Starmer to “ come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record ” in relation to a comment he made on care home guidance .
Writing in response to the correspondence sent by the Labour leader this afternoon , the Prime Minster said that Starmer had quoted the advice “ selectively and misleadingly ” during Prime Minister ’ s Questions today .
Starmer used PMQs to point out : “ Until 12 March , the government ’ s own official advice was – and I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.
’ ” The Prime Minister replied : “ No , Mr Speaker , it wasn ’ t true that the advice said that and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.
” In his letter , Johnson wrote that the guidance stated : “ This guidance is intended for the current position in the UK where there is currently no transmission of COVID-19 in the community .
It is therefore very unlikely that anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community will become infected.
” You can see the full text of the letter sent by Johnson to Starmer here .

Boris Johnson has rejected the call from Keir Starmer to “come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record” in relation to a comment he made on care home guidance.
Writing in response to the correspondence sent by the Labour leader this afternoon, the Prime Minster said that Starmer had quoted the advice “selectively and misleadingly” during Prime Minister’s Questions today.
Starmer used PMQs to point out: “Until 12 March, the government’s own official advice was – and I’m quoting from it: ‘It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.’”
The Prime Minister replied: “No, Mr Speaker, it wasn’t true that the advice said that and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.”
In his letter, Johnson wrote that the guidance stated: “This guidance is intended for the current position in the UK where there is currently no transmission of COVID-19 in the community. It is therefore very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected.”
You can see the full text of the letter sent by Johnson to Starmer here.


labourlist--2020-05-13--The process and politics of picking Labour’s general secretaries

On May 26th , Labour ’ s national executive committee ( NEC ) will meet to appoint its 18th general secretary .
As head of the paid staff of the party and secretary to the NEC , the general secretary ( GS ) is a very powerful role with particular responsibility for : planning election campaigning ; hiring and firing other senior staff ; refereeing the party ’ s internal democracy such as selections , conferences and internal elections ; and acting as custodian of the rulebook and taking appropriate disciplinary action when party rules have been breached .
Who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titled secretary rather than GS until the 1940s ) ?
The first two were more obviously politicians than civil servants of the party .
Ramsay MacDonald ( GS 1900-1912 ) was an MP as well as general secretary for part of his term – this is no longer possible under party rules – and a decade after his time as general secretary became party leader and then Labour ’ s first Prime Minister .
His successor as general secretary , Arthur Henderson ( GS 1912-1935 ) had already been leader before he became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more stints as leader and as chief whip , Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary under MacDonald , all while continuing as GS .
It clearly wasn ’ t a full-time job in the early days .
Herbert Morrison hoped to move up from being secretary of the London Labour Party to succeed Henderson .
But he was blocked by personal opponents such as Ernest Bevin , who didn ’ t want the pattern of front-rank politicians holding the role to continue , and particularly didn ’ t want Morrison to gain more power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed a period where the general secretaries emerged from the ranks of long-term party staff below them , and were perceived more as disciplinarian heads of the party bureaucracy and enforcers for the predominantly moderate senior parliamentary leadership .
James Middleton ( GS 1935-1944 ) was promoted to GS after many years as assistant GS , and saw off efforts to create a Popular Front electoral coalition with the Communists during the 1930s .
Morgan Phillips ( GS 1944-1962 ) served for 18 years under Clement Attlee and Hugh Gaitskell , having been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He professionalised the party machinery and propaganda to help enable the 1945 landslide , as well as playing a partisan role in the battles between the leadership and Nye Bevan and his supporters .
He also helped rebuild the Socialist International after WW2 and served as its chair for nine years .
After Phillips suffered a stroke , he was succeeded by the national agent , Len Williams ( GS 1962-1968 ) , who oversaw the 1964 and 1966 victories .
Williams was then briefly succeeded as interim GS by Sara Barker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a formidable reputation in that role .
Yet another former national agent , Ron Hayward , served from 1972 to 1982 , but unlike his predecessors came from the left of the party .
After Barker , in 1968 , the pattern of senior party staff rising to the role became less firm , and the party started a period where the GS was often recruited from among the senior officers of one or other of the major affiliated unions .
This was seen as proof that they had the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consolidated union influence over the party machinery .
Harry Nicholas ( GS 1968-1972 ) had been AGS of the TGWU , who had fallen out of favour in his own union as it moved leftwards .
He was seen as competent but didn ’ t manage to deliver an election win in 1970 .
Whilst Jim Mortimer ( GS 1982-1985 ) looked like a quirky external appointment having previously run the conciliation service ACAS , he was – like Hayward – a left-wing former union official ( in his case with the Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He presided over a nadir in Labour ’ s fortunes with the SDP breakaway , the rise of the Trotskyist group Militant , and the 1983 landslide defeat .
Former GMB official Larry Whitty ( GS 1985-1994 ) helped comprehensively rebuild the party under Neil Kinnock and John Smith ’ s leaderships .
His successor Tom Sawyer ( GS 1994-1998 ) was a former NUPE AGS who had played a critical role on the NEC in realigning the soft left away from Tony Benn and towards support for Kinnock ’ s leadership .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ landslide victory .
After Sawyer , Tony Blair moved away from general secretaries from the major affiliated unions , and also got through them at an incredible rate .
Historically , general secretaries served for a long time .
There were only nine in the first 98 years of the party ’ s history , including a 23-year stint by Henderson and an 18-year one by Morgan Phillips .
But under Blair there were four general secretaries in nine years .
Margaret McDonagh ( GS 1998-2001 ) was Labour ’ s first permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key role in the 1997 campaign , she delivered another landslide victory in 2001 .
After McDonagh ’ s emphasis on nuts and bolts campaigning , Blair wanted a GS with a different focus – on policy development .
He brought in David Triesman ( GS 2001-2003 ) , the general secretary of AUT , the non-Labour affiliated university lecturers ’ union .
After just two years , Triesman was replaced by Matt Carter ( GS 2003-2005 ) , aged only 31 , an internal promotion from AGS .
Carter delivered a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was succeeded by Peter Watt ( GS 2005-2007 ) , promoted internally from director of finance and compliance .
Watt had to resign over a scandal around reporting of donations and loans relating to the 2005 election campaign .
The rapid turnover of GSs in this period was seen as having reduced the influence and status of the role , with power accruing to the Prime Minister ’ s advisers in 10 Downing Street rather than to Labour HQ .
Since 2007 , there has been a reversion to general secretaries recruited from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ray Collins ( GS 2008-2011 ) had been AGS of the TGWU , helping run the merger with Amicus that created Unite .
Iain McNicol ( GS 2011-2018 ) had been national political officer of the GMB .
Jennie Formby ( GS 2018-2020 ) had been political director and then a regional secretary at Unite .
Given the political nature of the role , the appointment of general secretary is intrinsically political .
The rulebook says : “ The general secretary shall be elected by party conference on the recommendation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means the NEC elects the GS and their pick is then rubber-stamped by acclamation at the next annual conference .
The decision on a GS is an employment appointment , with NEC members reminded that they have to obey employment law about equal opportunities , and carefully consider how the candidates match up to the job specification and capabilities required .
But it has characteristics of a political election , as the decision-makers are the elected members of the NEC , the candidates have known political views , and the NEC takes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is the point at which individual members of the NEC have the most power , and every vote matters .
They don ’ t have wholly equal power , as longlisting and shortlisting is usually done by a smaller body – sometimes a panel set up for that purpose , and sometimes the NEC officers ’ group ( as with the process this time ) .
It isn ’ t impossible for the candidate who might have won at the full NEC not to get that far as they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Formby would probably have won anyway , the 2018 contest saw the leadership leave nothing to chance by shortlisting only one other candidate , Christine Blower , who had similar political views to Formby but had been a candidate for far left parties against Labour .
By contrast , in 1998 the NEC could choose between the DGS of the party ( McDonagh ) and two very capable AGSs , David Gardner and Matthew Taylor .
Leaders like to try to get the GS of their choice but aren ’ t always successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s pick in 2005 , and won by 16-11 with support from the left , despite having rather Blairite political views .
He defeated Ray Collins , who was backed by Downing Street , and who eventually succeeded him .
Another Labour PM , Harold Wilson , failed to get his choice , the left-wing minister Tony Greenwood , when the NEC instead backed Harry Nicholas , a product of Ernie Bevin ’ s moderate machine in the TGWU .
More recently , Iain McNicol was not Ed Miliband ’ s candidate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party ’ s DGS , despite Iain having delivered heavy support from the GMB for Ed in the 2010 leadership election .
This election , which took place during my time on the NEC , illustrates that the coalitions behind successful GS candidates are not necessarily formed along simplistic left vs right lines .
I voted alongside Ellie Reeves , Ann Black , Johanna Baxter , Christine Shawcroft , Unite and the GMB for Iain , whereas I am fairly certain Ken Livingstone voted for the leader ’ s candidate , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections can be exceptionally close , with the vote of one member having significant political consequences .
In 1972 , Ron Hayward got 14 votes and so did his rival Gwyn Morgan .
Hayward was elected on the casting vote of the NEC chair , Tony Benn .
Hayward had been backed by the Bennite left and by the leader , Harold Wilson , who was worried by Morgan ’ s credentials as a pro-European from the Gaitskellite right , and his links to Roy Jenkins and Jim Callaghan .
This narrow victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left on issues like taking on Militant ( he didn ’ t ) and advocating for policies passed by conference even when these weren ’ t what the PM and cabinet wanted .
With so much at stake , the pressure on NEC members from the leadership and the backers of rival candidates can be incredibly intense .
I was invited to a one-on-one meeting with Ed Miliband to secure my vote in 2011 .
It didn ’ t work , but it shows the amount of time leaders will put into securing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current NEC members the power that they have to take such a critical decision for Labour ’ s future , but also sympathise with them over the pressure they will be under from all sides .
In my experience , NEC members take this decision extremely seriously .
They know it is vital to the health of the party that it has the most capable professional team in HQ as possible .
They will be balancing a range of different considerations , such as : • Do the candidates have the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers of staff ?
• Do they have experience of leading election campaigns ?
• Will they be supportive of and have a good relationship with the leader ?
• Can they handle a multiplicity of fraught relationships with stakeholders including MPs and affiliates ?
• Will they be able to bring positive improvements to a party machinery that clearly isn ’ t working as we keep losing elections ?
• Will they be able to take action to deal with the antisemitism crisis that has engulfed the party , and implement the @ @ @ @ @ @

On May 26th, Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) will meet to appoint its 18th general secretary. As head of the paid staff of the party and secretary to the NEC, the general secretary (GS) is a very powerful role with particular responsibility for: planning election campaigning; hiring and firing other senior staff; refereeing the party’s internal democracy such as selections, conferences and internal elections; and acting as custodian of the rulebook and taking appropriate disciplinary action when party rules have been breached.
Who were the previous 17 general secretaries (titled secretary rather than GS until the 1940s)? The first two were more obviously politicians than civil servants of the party. Ramsay MacDonald (GS 1900-1912) was an MP as well as general secretary for part of his term – this is no longer possible under party rules – and a decade after his time as general secretary became party leader and then Labour’s first Prime Minister.
His successor as general secretary, Arthur Henderson (GS 1912-1935) had already been leader before he became general secretary. He then served two more stints as leader and as chief whip, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary under MacDonald, all while continuing as GS. It clearly wasn’t a full-time job in the early days.
Herbert Morrison hoped to move up from being secretary of the London Labour Party to succeed Henderson. But he was blocked by personal opponents such as Ernest Bevin, who didn’t want the pattern of front-rank politicians holding the role to continue, and particularly didn’t want Morrison to gain more power over the party machinery.
There then followed a period where the general secretaries emerged from the ranks of long-term party staff below them, and were perceived more as disciplinarian heads of the party bureaucracy and enforcers for the predominantly moderate senior parliamentary leadership. James Middleton (GS 1935-1944) was promoted to GS after many years as assistant GS, and saw off efforts to create a Popular Front electoral coalition with the Communists during the 1930s.
Morgan Phillips (GS 1944-1962) served for 18 years under Clement Attlee and Hugh Gaitskell, having been promoted from secretary of the research department. He professionalised the party machinery and propaganda to help enable the 1945 landslide, as well as playing a partisan role in the battles between the leadership and Nye Bevan and his supporters. He also helped rebuild the Socialist International after WW2 and served as its chair for nine years.
After Phillips suffered a stroke, he was succeeded by the national agent, Len Williams (GS 1962-1968), who oversaw the 1964 and 1966 victories. Williams was then briefly succeeded as interim GS by Sara Barker, also a former national agent, with a formidable reputation in that role. Yet another former national agent, Ron Hayward, served from 1972 to 1982, but unlike his predecessors came from the left of the party.
After Barker, in 1968, the pattern of senior party staff rising to the role became less firm, and the party started a period where the GS was often recruited from among the senior officers of one or other of the major affiliated unions. This was seen as proof that they had the ability to manage a large organisation, and it consolidated union influence over the party machinery.
Harry Nicholas (GS 1968-1972) had been AGS of the TGWU, who had fallen out of favour in his own union as it moved leftwards. He was seen as competent but didn’t manage to deliver an election win in 1970.
Whilst Jim Mortimer (GS 1982-1985) looked like a quirky external appointment having previously run the conciliation service ACAS, he was – like Hayward – a left-wing former union official (in his case with the Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen). He presided over a nadir in Labour’s fortunes with the SDP breakaway, the rise of the Trotskyist group Militant, and the 1983 landslide defeat.
Former GMB official Larry Whitty (GS 1985-1994) helped comprehensively rebuild the party under Neil Kinnock and John Smith’s leaderships. His successor Tom Sawyer (GS 1994-1998) was a former NUPE AGS who had played a critical role on the NEC in realigning the soft left away from Tony Benn and towards support for Kinnock’s leadership. As GS, he oversaw the 1997 landslide victory.
After Sawyer, Tony Blair moved away from general secretaries from the major affiliated unions, and also got through them at an incredible rate. Historically, general secretaries served for a long time. There were only nine in the first 98 years of the party’s history, including a 23-year stint by Henderson and an 18-year one by Morgan Phillips.
But under Blair there were four general secretaries in nine years. Margaret McDonagh (GS 1998-2001) was Labour’s first permanent female GS. Having already played a key role in the 1997 campaign, she delivered another landslide victory in 2001.
After McDonagh’s emphasis on nuts and bolts campaigning, Blair wanted a GS with a different focus – on policy development. He brought in David Triesman (GS 2001-2003), the general secretary of AUT, the non-Labour affiliated university lecturers’ union.
After just two years, Triesman was replaced by Matt Carter (GS 2003-2005), aged only 31, an internal promotion from AGS. Carter delivered a third victory for Blair in 2005. He was succeeded by Peter Watt (GS 2005-2007), promoted internally from director of finance and compliance. Watt had to resign over a scandal around reporting of donations and loans relating to the 2005 election campaign.
The rapid turnover of GSs in this period was seen as having reduced the influence and status of the role, with power accruing to the Prime Minister’s advisers in 10 Downing Street rather than to Labour HQ.
Since 2007, there has been a reversion to general secretaries recruited from the senior ranks of the affiliated unions. Ray Collins (GS 2008-2011) had been AGS of the TGWU, helping run the merger with Amicus that created Unite. Iain McNicol (GS 2011-2018) had been national political officer of the GMB. Jennie Formby (GS 2018-2020) had been political director and then a regional secretary at Unite.
Given the political nature of the role, the appointment of general secretary is intrinsically political. The rulebook says: “The general secretary shall be elected by party conference on the recommendation of the NEC”. In practice, this means the NEC elects the GS and their pick is then rubber-stamped by acclamation at the next annual conference.
The decision on a GS is an employment appointment, with NEC members reminded that they have to obey employment law about equal opportunities, and carefully consider how the candidates match up to the job specification and capabilities required. But it has characteristics of a political election, as the decision-makers are the elected members of the NEC, the candidates have known political views, and the NEC takes the decision by a secret ballot vote.
It is the point at which individual members of the NEC have the most power, and every vote matters. They don’t have wholly equal power, as longlisting and shortlisting is usually done by a smaller body – sometimes a panel set up for that purpose, and sometimes the NEC officers’ group (as with the process this time). It isn’t impossible for the candidate who might have won at the full NEC not to get that far as they don’t get longlisted or shortlisted.
Whilst Jennie Formby would probably have won anyway, the 2018 contest saw the leadership leave nothing to chance by shortlisting only one other candidate, Christine Blower, who had similar political views to Formby but had been a candidate for far left parties against Labour. By contrast, in 1998 the NEC could choose between the DGS of the party (McDonagh) and two very capable AGSs, David Gardner and Matthew Taylor.
Leaders like to try to get the GS of their choice but aren’t always successful. Peter Watt was not Blair’s pick in 2005, and won by 16-11 with support from the left, despite having rather Blairite political views. He defeated Ray Collins, who was backed by Downing Street, and who eventually succeeded him. Another Labour PM, Harold Wilson, failed to get his choice, the left-wing minister Tony Greenwood, when the NEC instead backed Harry Nicholas, a product of Ernie Bevin’s moderate machine in the TGWU.
More recently, Iain McNicol was not Ed Miliband’s candidate for GS. Ed backed Chris Lennie, the party’s DGS, despite Iain having delivered heavy support from the GMB for Ed in the 2010 leadership election. This election, which took place during my time on the NEC, illustrates that the coalitions behind successful GS candidates are not necessarily formed along simplistic left vs right lines. I voted alongside Ellie Reeves, Ann Black, Johanna Baxter, Christine Shawcroft, Unite and the GMB for Iain, whereas I am fairly certain Ken Livingstone voted for the leader’s candidate, along with UNISON and Usdaw.
General secretary elections can be exceptionally close, with the vote of one member having significant political consequences. In 1972, Ron Hayward got 14 votes and so did his rival Gwyn Morgan. Hayward was elected on the casting vote of the NEC chair, Tony Benn. Hayward had been backed by the Bennite left and by the leader, Harold Wilson, who was worried by Morgan’s credentials as a pro-European from the Gaitskellite right, and his links to Roy Jenkins and Jim Callaghan. This narrow victory meant that Hayward was beholden to the left on issues like taking on Militant (he didn’t) and advocating for policies passed by conference even when these weren’t what the PM and cabinet wanted.
With so much at stake, the pressure on NEC members from the leadership and the backers of rival candidates can be incredibly intense. I was invited to a one-on-one meeting with Ed Miliband to secure my vote in 2011. It didn’t work, but it shows the amount of time leaders will put into securing the GS they want.
I envy the current NEC members the power that they have to take such a critical decision for Labour’s future, but also sympathise with them over the pressure they will be under from all sides. In my experience, NEC members take this decision extremely seriously. They know it is vital to the health of the party that it has the most capable professional team in HQ as possible. They will be balancing a range of different considerations, such as:
Do the candidates have the right experience of managing large budgets and large numbers of staff?
Do they have experience of leading election campaigns?
Will they be supportive of and have a good relationship with the leader?
Can they handle a multiplicity of fraught relationships with stakeholders including MPs and affiliates?
Will they be able to bring positive improvements to a party machinery that clearly isn’t working as we keep losing elections?
Will they be able to take action to deal with the antisemitism crisis that has engulfed the party, and implement the recommendations of the EHRC investigation?
Let’s hope they make a good choice.


labourlist--2020-05-13--WATCH: Proposals to reopen schools are “reckless”, says Labour

Mary Kelly Foy has said that government proposals for reopening schools are “ ill thought-out and reckless ” , and warned that they could “ set off a chain of new infections back into the households of working people ” .
In an urgent question to the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson today , the MP for Durham City asked if it was right that school staff and their pupils “ have to accept lower safety standards than you ’ d expect queuing at Tesco ” .
In response , Williamson said that “ sometimes scare-mongering and making people fear is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be placed on family , children and teachers alike ” .
Williamson also said during the questions session in the House of Commons that any teacher or pupil with symptoms of Covid-19 would be able to access a coronavirus test .
The department for education published initial guidance on Monday that outlined how the government , schools and other stakeholders in the sector will prepare to bring children back to school .
The National Education Union and Unison have both instructed their members not to engage with the plans released earlier in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to reopen from June 1st .
Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds also voiced concerns , saying : “ I would be more than happy to send my own child to school if I knew that by doing so I would not be potentially harming others .
That ’ s the critical issue for me .
And we don ’ t have that evidence , I feel , currently .
”

Mary Kelly Foy has said that government proposals for reopening schools are “ill thought-out and reckless”, and warned that they could “set off a chain of new infections back into the households of working people”.
In an urgent question to the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson today, the MP for Durham City asked if it was right that school staff and their pupils “have to accept lower safety standards than you’d expect queuing at Tesco”.
In response, Williamson said that “sometimes scare-mongering and making people fear is really unfair and not a welcome pressure to be placed on family, children and teachers alike”.
"How can it be right that without any scientific evidence, school staff and their pupils have to accept lower safety standards than you'd expect queuing at Tesco?" asks Labour's Mary Foy Scare-mongering is "unfair" replies Education Sec Gavin Williamsonhttps://t.co/WAaVYqKUuA pic.twitter.com/DZnEITBJ9a — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) May 13, 2020
Williamson also said during the questions session in the House of Commons that any teacher or pupil with symptoms of Covid-19 would be able to access a coronavirus test.
The department for education published initial guidance on Monday that outlined how the government, schools and other stakeholders in the sector will prepare to bring children back to school.
The National Education Union and Unison have both instructed their members not to engage with the plans released earlier in the week, which would see schools start to reopen from June 1st.
Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds also voiced concerns, saying: “I would be more than happy to send my own child to school if I knew that by doing so I would not be potentially harming others. That’s the critical issue for me. And we don’t have that evidence, I feel, currently.”


labourlist--2020-05-13--Starmer tells Johnson to correct the record on care home guidance

Keir Starmer has called on the Prime Minister to “ come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record ” over Boris Johnson ’ s comment on government guidance in relation to care homes .
In a letter sent this afternoon , Starmer highlighted that the Tory leader had contradicted him at Prime Minister ’ s Questions this afternoon when Starmer had quoted a government document published in February .
During PMQs , Starmer had said : “ Until 12 March , the government ’ s own official advice was – and I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.
’ ” In response , the PM stated : “ No , Mr Speaker , it wasn ’ t true that the advice said that and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.
” In the correspondence to Johnson , the Labour leader emphasised that “ at this time of national crisis , it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give ” .
Below is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Prime Minister this afternoon .
In the House of Commons earlier today , I said : “ Until 12 March , the Government ’ s own official advice was – and I ’ m quoting from it : ‘ It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.
’ In your response you said : “ No , Mr Speaker , it wasn ’ t true that the advice said that and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published on 25 February 2020 .
It states : “ … It is therefore very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected.
” At this time of national crisis , it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give .
Given this , I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official Government guidance regarding care homes .
I am copying this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Commons .

Keir Starmer has called on the Prime Minister to “come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record” over Boris Johnson’s comment on government guidance in relation to care homes.
In a letter sent this afternoon, Starmer highlighted that the Tory leader had contradicted him at Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon when Starmer had quoted a government document published in February.
During PMQs, Starmer had said: “Until 12 March, the government’s own official advice was – and I’m quoting from it: ‘It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.’”
In response, the PM stated: “No, Mr Speaker, it wasn’t true that the advice said that and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.”
In the correspondence to Johnson, the Labour leader emphasised that “at this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give”.
Below is the full text of the letter sent to the Prime Minister this afternoon.
Dear Prime Minister,
In the House of Commons earlier today, I said: “Until 12 March, the Government’s own official advice was – and I’m quoting from it:‘It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.’
In your response you said: “No, Mr Speaker, it wasn’t true that the advice said that and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.”
The advice I was referring to was published on 25 February 2020. It states: “… It is therefore very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected.”
At this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give. Given this, I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official Government guidance regarding care homes.
I am copying this letter to the speaker of the House of Commons.
Yours sincerely,
Keir Starmer
Leader of the Labour Party