labourlist--2020-09-01--Richard Leonard calls for Scottish National Care Service to fix social care crisis

Scottish Labour have called on the SNP to create a state-run National Care Service , after polling indicated that 92 % of people think Scotland ’ s social care system is not working properly .
This comes as Public Health Scotland today announced that July saw a 19 % increase on June in the number of patients who had their discharge from hospital delayed .
Problems with social care accounted for most of those delays , with the rest being caused by medical needs or family-related reasons .
The increase suggests a return to pre-Covid rates of delays , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Scotland ’ s 13,000 hospital beds were occupied by patients whose discharge had been delayed .
The polling , which was part of a public consultation launched by Scottish Labour into the care service , also showed that 84 % of those polled opposed all private involvement in Scottish social care and 90 % backed greater public control of all social care .
Commenting on the need to reform Scotland ’ s social care , Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said : “ Social care in Scotland is in crisis .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in care homes , deaths from coronavirus in Scotland ’ s care homes have made up almost half of the national total.
” “ We must turn the page on this chapter in our national history and establish a National Care Service that puts people , not profit first.
” “ The SNP government must not fail to outline a radical shake-up of care in Scotland in today ’ s Programme for Government .
We owe it to care workers and those who receive care to learn the lessons of this pandemic.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic were first brought to prominence after it was revealed that in an effort to clear beds elderly hospital patients were discharged back into care homes without being tested for the virus .
In July , a report by the Office for National Statistics also showed care homes that used private agency and bank staff saw radically higher rates of Covid-19 among both patients and staff .
The study , that covered a total of 9,081 care homes and nearly 300,000 residents , concluded that agency staff who worked in multiple homes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread the virus across different care homes .
These problems were particularly acute in Scottish care homes , which accounted for 45 % of the country ’ s coronavirus deaths , as opposed to 21 % in England and 25 % in Wales .
Since the beginning of the pandemic in Scotland , more coronavirus patients have died in in care homes , at 1,950 , than in hospitals , at 1,945 .
Responding to the Public Health Scotland figures , Scottish Labour health and social care spokesperson Monica Lennon said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discharge at the outset of the pandemic , the Scottish government is still failing to properly support adult social care.
” “ Older and disabled people are once again becoming stuck in hospital because of a lack of appropriate care for them in the community.
” “ The dignity and quality of life of older and disabled people continues to be sacrificed and tragically , many lost their lives because the state failed to protect them.
” In January , before the pandemic hit , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted the social care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of serious concerns were raised by the Care Inspectorate .
The social care watchdog highlighted the case of one Edinburgh care home where a resident had to use a sink to wash just once a week .
Update , 4pm : Leonard has welcomed Sturgeon ’ s announcement today that the SNP government will take “ the first step on the road to a National Care Service ” as part of its Programme for Government .

Scottish Labour have called on the SNP to create a state-run National Care Service, after polling indicated that 92% of people think Scotland’s social care system is not working properly.
This comes as Public Health Scotland today announced that July saw a 19% increase on June in the number of patients who had their discharge from hospital delayed. Problems with social care accounted for most of those delays, with the rest being caused by medical needs or family-related reasons.
The increase suggests a return to pre-Covid rates of delays, where on any given day in February 1,500 of Scotland’s 13,000 hospital beds were occupied by patients whose discharge had been delayed.
The polling, which was part of a public consultation launched by Scottish Labour into the care service, also showed that 84% of those polled opposed all private involvement in Scottish social care and 90% backed greater public control of all social care.
Commenting on the need to reform Scotland’s social care, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: “Social care in Scotland is in crisis. Despite less than 1% of the population living in care homes, deaths from coronavirus in Scotland’s care homes have made up almost half of the national total.”
“We must turn the page on this chapter in our national history and establish a National Care Service that puts people, not profit first.”
“The SNP government must not fail to outline a radical shake-up of care in Scotland in today’s Programme for Government. We owe it to care workers and those who receive care to learn the lessons of this pandemic.”
Problems in social care during the pandemic were first brought to prominence after it was revealed that in an effort to clear beds elderly hospital patients were discharged back into care homes without being tested for the virus.
In July, a report by the Office for National Statistics also showed care homes that used private agency and bank staff saw radically higher rates of Covid-19 among both patients and staff.
The study, that covered a total of 9,081 care homes and nearly 300,000 residents, concluded that agency staff who worked in multiple homes, sometimes without statutory sick pay, helped spread the virus across different care homes.
These problems were particularly acute in Scottish care homes, which accounted for 45% of the country’s coronavirus deaths, as opposed to 21% in England and 25% in Wales. Since the beginning of the pandemic in Scotland, more coronavirus patients have died in in care homes, at 1,950, than in hospitals, at 1,945.
Responding to the Public Health Scotland figures, Scottish Labour health and social care spokesperson Monica Lennon said: “After the catastrophic rush to end delayed discharge at the outset of the pandemic, the Scottish government is still failing to properly support adult social care.”
“Older and disabled people are once again becoming stuck in hospital because of a lack of appropriate care for them in the community.”
“The dignity and quality of life of older and disabled people continues to be sacrificed and tragically, many lost their lives because the state failed to protect them.”
In January, before the pandemic hit, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted the social care service was “under pressure” after a series of serious concerns were raised by the Care Inspectorate. The social care watchdog highlighted the case of one Edinburgh care home where a resident had to use a sink to wash just once a week.
Update, 4pm: Leonard has welcomed Sturgeon’s announcement today that the SNP government will take “the first step on the road to a National Care Service” as part of its Programme for Government.


labourlist--2020-09-02--PMQs: Johnson flails wildly as outdated attacks fall flat

There was plenty for the Labour leader to focus on in Prime Minister ’ s Questions this afternoon , the first session back after recess .
Over the summer , the government performed numerous U-turns – from exam results to free school meals .
And the Labour leader capitalised on this throughout the exchange .
He didn ’ t manage to get through all the policy zigs and zags because , as he emphasised , Johnson ’ s administration has overseen “ 12 U-turns and rising ” .
Instead , Keir Starmer pressed the Prime Minister several times on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which resulted in nearly 40 % of English students seeing their results marked down .
“ When did the Prime Minister know about the problems with the algorithm ?
” Starmer asked .
No answer was given , but Johnson ’ s responses were still telling .
Johnson lashed out at Starmer ’ s record on Brexit – accusing the Labour leader of U-turning on the issue : “ This is a leader who backed remaining in the EU and is now totally silent on the issue ” .
He then switched to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – attempting to smear the Labour leader for having “ supported an IRA condoning politician ” .
Told to withdraw the comment by both Starmer and the Speaker , Johnson refused to do so .
Highlighting his experience working on security in Northern Ireland as director of public prosecutions , Starmer told the House : “ When the PM has worked with the security and intelligence forces prosecuting criminals and terrorists , he can lecture me.
” And for all Johnson ’ s attempts , the only real takeaway was a lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a confused and messy back and forth for exactly this reason .
But it was also exactly the PMQs that Starmer wanted .
After what he called a “ wasted summer ” , he again emphasised the incompetence characteristic of this Tory government .
Even the government ’ s own MPs can see it – the Labour leader quoted one who said : “ The government says one thing on Monday , changes its mind on Tuesday , something different is presented on Wednesday.
” In response , Johnson recycled his usual “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Labour leader quipped : “ The problem is he ’ s governing in hindsight – that ’ s why he ’ s making so many mistakes.
” The PM was clearly flustered by Starmer ’ s scrutiny over the numerous U-turns and completely unable to respond .
He lurched towards the spectre of Brexit and Corbyn as a crutch , but in the context of the pandemic his attacks were outdated and fell flat .
In contrast , the Labour leader clearly came well prepared with a litany of failures to pin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Johnson could only flail about angrily .
Returning after weeks away from the despatch box , it ’ s clear the Tory PM is only increasingly incapable of handling the persistent attacks on his remarkable lack of competence .

There was plenty for the Labour leader to focus on in Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon, the first session back after recess. Over the summer, the government performed numerous U-turns, from exam results to free school meals. The Labour leader didn’t manage to get through all the policy zigs and zags because, as he pointed out, Johnson’s administration has overseen “12 U-turns and rising”. Instead, Keir Starmer pressed the Prime Minister several times on the algorithm used to standardise exam grades, which resulted in nearly 40% of English students seeing their results marked down. “When did the Prime Minister know about the problems with the algorithm?” Starmer asked. No answer was given, but Johnson’s responses were still telling.
The PM lashed out at Starmer’s record on Brexit, accusing the Labour leader of U-turning on the issue: “This is a leader who backed remaining in the EU and is now totally silent on the issue.” He then switched to Starmer’s time under Jeremy Corbyn and tried to smear the new Labour leader for having “supported an IRA condoning politician”. Told to withdraw the comment by both Starmer and the Speaker, Johnson refused to do so. Highlighting his experience working on security in Northern Ireland as director of public prosecutions, Starmer told the Commons: “When the PM has worked with the security and intelligence forces prosecuting criminals and terrorists, he can lecture me.” The only real takeaway from the exchange was a lack of strategy from the PM.
It was a confused and messy back and forth for exactly this reason. But it was also exactly the PMQs that Starmer wanted. After what he called a “wasted summer”, he again emphasised the incompetence characteristic of this Tory government. Even Tory MPs can see it – the Labour leader quoted one who said: “The government says one thing on Monday, changes its mind on Tuesday, something different is presented on Wednesday.” In response, Johnson recycled his usual “Captain Hindsight” retort. The Labour leader quietly quipped: “The problem is he’s governing in hindsight – that’s why he’s making so many mistakes.”
The PM was clearly flustered by Starmer’s scrutiny over the numerous U-turns and completely unable to respond. He lurched towards the spectre of Brexit and Corbyn as a crutch, but in the context of the pandemic his attacks were outdated and fell flat. In contrast, the Labour leader clearly came well prepared with a litany of failures to pin on the government, in response to which Johnson could only flail about angrily. Returning after weeks away from the despatch box, it’s clear the Tory PM is only increasingly incapable of handling the persistent attacks on his remarkable lack of competence.


labourlist--2020-09-02--Fascism is back – and yet the left are turning on each other

A few clear-sighted Americans anticipated this moment 80 years ago .
Henry Wallace , US Vice-President during the Second World War , said in 1944 : “ When and if fascism comes to America it will not be labelled ‘ made in Germany ’ , it will not be marked with a swastika .
It will not even be called fascism ; it will be called , of course , ‘ Americanism.
’ ” Until quite recently , it was possible to persuade ourselves that the moment had not come , but it is now unmistakeable , and not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call populists are , if words mean anything , fascists and neo-fascists .
In London last weekend , the old British Union of Fascists flag was unapologetically on display in Trafalgar Square at the anti-mask demonstration – the first time it has been seen in public since the 1930s .
Thugs go to the hostels where asylum seekers are kept to bully and harass them .
In the US , the footage of uniformed Americans beating up and killing Black people could come straight out of 1930s Berlin .
Neither Britain ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has yet faced up to the starkness of the choices they now have .
The time for seeking the best was yesterday , and perhaps tomorrow .
Today is a time for fighting off the worst .
We could be about to bequeath a fascist world to our children .
The parallels with the 1930s are as plain as a fiery cross in the hands of a Ku Klux Klansman .
Democratic countries are falling to pale imitations of Donald Trump : Viktor Orbán in Hungary , Jarosław Kaczyński in Poland , Recep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Boris Johnson in Britain and Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel .
And the left is behaving just as it did in the 1930s , which is why Trump could well be re-elected in November , with an obedient acolyte in Downing Street at least until 2024 .
Take the Trump rallies , muted now by the virus .
We haven ’ t seen a speaker openly encouraging his stewards to beat up opponents since Oswald Mosley ’ s 1936 taunt at Olympia that hecklers would be met with the “ courtesy ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lies , which come straight out of Joseph Goebbels ’ playbook .
“ It would not be impossible to prove with sufficient repetition and a psychological understanding of the people concerned that a square is in fact a circle , ” wrote Adolf Hitler ’ s propaganda chief , and he went on to prove it .
Trump adopted this method .
Does America have more cases of the virus than anyone else ?
Say there are fewer than anyone else .
“ The ignorant peasants will buy it , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the racism .
We have not yet seen Trump ’ s Auschwitz , but we see how he treats America ’ s non-white population , how little he values their lives and how keen he is to keep them in their place .
Take the slogan .
“ Make America great again , ” says Trump .
“ I ’ ll make Britain great again , ” said Boris Johnson during the 2019 election campaign .
“ Make Spain great again , ” says Spain ’ s newly popular far-right party Vox .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , ” said Orbán in 2016 , the year after Kaczyński promised to make Poland great again .
Take the violence .
Hitler used to send in the SS to create violence that he could blame on Jews and Communists .
Why has Trump sent the National Guard to towns and cities that already have police forces ?
Take the concentration of power .
Are the judges not giving the judgements we wish to have ?
Change the judges .
Is the civil service not giving the advice we wish to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state need to award contracts ?
We have friends who can benefit from them .
Fascists concentrate power in their own hands , attacking the separation of powers , bending the courts , parliament , the media and the civil service to their will in a way that we have not seen since the Thirties .
In Britain , tame newspapers branded the judges who defied Boris Johnson as “ enemies of the people ” and Johnson went into the 2019 election with this chilling threat : “ After Brexit we also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our constitution : the relationship between government , parliament and the courts… ” The civil service looks set to be remade in Dominic Cummings ’ image .
When Johnson was Foreign Secretary , our US Ambassador was effectively fired on the instructions of President Trump .
Trump himself has so little respect for democratic forms that he has refused even to confirm that , if defeated in November , he will accept the verdict of the people .
He is also transparently trying to ensure that his opponents do not get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just Thatcherism and Reaganism magnified .
Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan , by demeaning and running down the public sector , helped create the conditions in which the new fascists could thrive .
But what we are seeing now is something new and dreadful .
Should we take comfort from the fact that the new right come out of mainstream democratic parties ?
The old Republican Mike Pence is a politician we recognise , from a revered political pedigree .
But so was Franz von Papen , the old Prussian aristocrat who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1933 .
The old German politicians thought it worth attaching themselves to Hitler to maintain the power of the conservative establishment .
For now , Trump needs the old Republican grandees – established , sophisticated , stridently Christian politicians , full of worldly wisdom and oil money , who see Trump as their means of keeping power , in the way the Prussian Junkers saw Hitler .
Of course , it is not exactly the same as it was in the 1930s .
Hitler wanted a corporate state .
The new fascists want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascism is back .
The worst news of all is that the left are behaving very much as the left throughout Europe did in the 1930s – by turning on each other .
The Communists thought the social democrats were their real enemy , while the social democrats were preoccupied with respectability .
Today the Democratic Party has gone for respectability , and the American left questions whether they can vote for Joe Biden at all .
In Britain , the Labour Party governed from the right , while the remains of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corbyn ’ s table , and played into the hands of the extreme right by supporting Brexit .
They are still engaged in a pointless debate about whose fault the 2019 defeat was .
The left is fiddling , and the enemy is at the gate .

A few clear-sighted Americans anticipated this moment 80 years ago. Henry Wallace, US Vice-President during the Second World War, said in 1944: “When and if fascism comes to America it will not be labelled ‘made in Germany’, it will not be marked with a swastika. It will not even be called fascism; it will be called, of course, ‘Americanism.’”
Until quite recently, it was possible to persuade ourselves that the moment had not come, but it is now unmistakeable, and not just in America. The people we euphemistically call populists are, if words mean anything, fascists and neo-fascists.
In London last weekend, the old British Union of Fascists flag was unapologetically on display in Trafalgar Square at the anti-mask demonstration – the first time it has been seen in public since the 1930s. Thugs go to the hostels where asylum seekers are kept to bully and harass them. In the US, the footage of uniformed Americans beating up and killing Black people could come straight out of 1930s Berlin.
Neither Britain’s Labour Party nor the US Democratic Party has yet faced up to the starkness of the choices they now have. The time for seeking the best was yesterday, and perhaps tomorrow. Today is a time for fighting off the worst. We could be about to bequeath a fascist world to our children.
The parallels with the 1930s are as plain as a fiery cross in the hands of a Ku Klux Klansman. Democratic countries are falling to pale imitations of Donald Trump: Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Jarosław Kaczyński in Poland, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, and yes, Boris Johnson in Britain and Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. And the left is behaving just as it did in the 1930s, which is why Trump could well be re-elected in November, with an obedient acolyte in Downing Street at least until 2024.
Take the Trump rallies, muted now by the virus. We haven’t seen a speaker openly encouraging his stewards to beat up opponents since Oswald Mosley’s 1936 taunt at Olympia that hecklers would be met with the “courtesy” of “the British fist”.
Take the lies, which come straight out of Joseph Goebbels’ playbook. “It would not be impossible to prove with sufficient repetition and a psychological understanding of the people concerned that a square is in fact a circle,” wrote Adolf Hitler’s propaganda chief, and he went on to prove it. Trump adopted this method. Does America have more cases of the virus than anyone else? Say there are fewer than anyone else. “The ignorant peasants will buy it,” said key Kaczyński strategist Jazek Kurski.
Take the racism. We have not yet seen Trump’s Auschwitz, but we see how he treats America’s non-white population, how little he values their lives and how keen he is to keep them in their place.
Take the slogan. “Make America great again,” says Trump. “I’ll make Britain great again,” said Boris Johnson during the 2019 election campaign. “Make Spain great again,” says Spain’s newly popular far-right party Vox. “We’ll make Hungary great again,” said Orbán in 2016, the year after Kaczyński promised to make Poland great again.
Take the violence. Hitler used to send in the SS to create violence that he could blame on Jews and Communists. Why has Trump sent the National Guard to towns and cities that already have police forces?
Take the concentration of power. Are the judges not giving the judgements we wish to have? Change the judges. Is the civil service not giving the advice we wish to hear? Change the civil service. Does the state need to award contracts? We have friends who can benefit from them. Fascists concentrate power in their own hands, attacking the separation of powers, bending the courts, parliament, the media and the civil service to their will in a way that we have not seen since the Thirties.
In Britain, tame newspapers branded the judges who defied Boris Johnson as “enemies of the people” and Johnson went into the 2019 election with this chilling threat: “After Brexit we also need to look at the broader aspects of our constitution: the relationship between government, parliament and the courts…” The civil service looks set to be remade in Dominic Cummings’ image. When Johnson was Foreign Secretary, our US Ambassador was effectively fired on the instructions of President Trump.
Trump himself has so little respect for democratic forms that he has refused even to confirm that, if defeated in November, he will accept the verdict of the people. He is also transparently trying to ensure that his opponents do not get the chance to vote.
This is not just Thatcherism and Reaganism magnified. Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, by demeaning and running down the public sector, helped create the conditions in which the new fascists could thrive. But what we are seeing now is something new and dreadful.
Should we take comfort from the fact that the new right come out of mainstream democratic parties? The old Republican Mike Pence is a politician we recognise, from a revered political pedigree. But so was Franz von Papen, the old Prussian aristocrat who was Hitler’s first vice chancellor in 1933. The old German politicians thought it worth attaching themselves to Hitler to maintain the power of the conservative establishment.
For now, Trump needs the old Republican grandees – established, sophisticated, stridently Christian politicians, full of worldly wisdom and oil money, who see Trump as their means of keeping power, in the way the Prussian Junkers saw Hitler.
Of course, it is not exactly the same as it was in the 1930s. Hitler wanted a corporate state. The new fascists want corporations to run the state. But fascism is back. The worst news of all is that the left are behaving very much as the left throughout Europe did in the 1930s – by turning on each other. The Communists thought the social democrats were their real enemy, while the social democrats were preoccupied with respectability.
Today the Democratic Party has gone for respectability, and the American left questions whether they can vote for Joe Biden at all. In Britain, the Labour Party governed from the right, while the remains of the Communist Party found a seat at Jeremy Corbyn’s table, and played into the hands of the extreme right by supporting Brexit. They are still engaged in a pointless debate about whose fault the 2019 defeat was. The left is fiddling, and the enemy is at the gate.


labourlist--2020-09-02--Starmer celebrates a “strong summer” – but what of Scottish Labour?

“ It ’ s been a really strong summer from everyone .
And we ’ re starting to see a real contrast now .
Professional , credible and responsible opposition – in the national interest .
Versus an utterly incompetent government that ’ s holding Britain back , ” Keir Starmer told his parliamentary party last night .
The PLP meeting was held over Zoom , of course , and that will only change in time with a shift to a hybrid system whereby shielding MPs can join , LabourList understands .
The government is also extending its hybrid system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which means MPs will be able to participate virtually until November 3rd .
“ Professional , credible and responsible ” – those are the key aims of the Labour leader .
They were reflected in his priorities over the summer : the repeated lines on competence ; the engagement with typically hostile pro-Tory publications such as the Daily Mail , particularly on schools reopening ; the strong focus on message discipline among frontbenchers .
Added to these aims , which came through during the leadership election , Starmer is stressing that Labour is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the national interest ” and “ holding Britain back ” .
But as I said last night to Anneliese Dodds , the other part of that puzzle is Scotland .
And things aren ’ t going smoothly in Scottish Labour .
Over the last few weeks , Richard Leonard has been working to draw public attention to Scottish Labour ’ s policy agenda – and away from another independence referendum – in the run-up to May ’ s Holyrood elections .
He launched his vision for a Scottish Green New Deal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SNP of a jobs crisis ( she suggested in our interview that it was no coincidence they announced more funding for culture and arts that day ) , and yesterday called for a Scottish National Care Service ( which Sturgeon then announced would be going ahead ) .
But the internal pressure on the Scottish Labour leader has just intensified , with the resignation of a shadow cabinet member who has called on him to quit , as have two other MSPs .
As highlighted in the Labour Together election review , unless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour would need to go so far down its list of seats that Jacob Rees-Mogg ’ s North East Somerset would need to be won to form a majority .
Starmer ’ s big electoral test in May 2021 is not limited to the bumper set of local contests in England and Wales – the Senedd and Holyrood will also count .
And just like the review says of UK Labour , a change of faces at the top won ’ t solve the party ’ s problems : they go far deeper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggled with the dominance of an existential question about national identity last year , skirting around the issue did not work – and it won ’ t work in Scotland either .
But as in 2019 , any alternative approach is fraught with difficulties .
On LabourList today , we have a write-up of my interview with Dodds , which covers the root of government failures during Covid , how pushing Rishi Sunak for an economic response has been “ like pulling teeth ” , Labour ’ s position on wealth taxes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve revealed that alleged racism complaints against three of Labour ’ s national executive committee candidates are being investigated by the party .
And later on , we ’ ll be reviewing our first Prime Minister ’ s Questions after the summer recess .
We can bet that the word “ incompetent ” will feature heavily in Starmer ’ s attacks .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

“It’s been a really strong summer from everyone. And we’re starting to see a real contrast now. Professional, credible and responsible opposition – in the national interest. Versus an utterly incompetent government that’s holding Britain back,” Keir Starmer told his parliamentary party last night. The PLP meeting was held over Zoom, of course, and that will only change in time with a shift to a hybrid system whereby shielding MPs can join, LabourList understands. The government is also extending its hybrid system for parliament, according to Playbook, which means MPs will be able to participate virtually until November 3rd.
“Professional, credible and responsible” – those are the key aims of the Labour leader. They were reflected in his priorities over the summer: the repeated lines on competence; the engagement with typically hostile pro-Tory publications such as the Daily Mail, particularly on schools reopening; the strong focus on message discipline among frontbenchers. Added to these aims, which came through during the leadership election, Starmer is stressing that Labour is patriotic, with phrases such as “in the national interest” and “holding Britain back”. But as I said last night to Anneliese Dodds, the other part of that puzzle is Scotland. And things aren’t going smoothly in Scottish Labour.
Over the last few weeks, Richard Leonard has been working to draw public attention to Scottish Labour’s policy agenda – and away from another independence referendum – in the run-up to May’s Holyrood elections. He launched his vision for a Scottish Green New Deal, he joined with Dodds to warn the SNP of a jobs crisis (she suggested in our interview that it was no coincidence they announced more funding for culture and arts that day), and yesterday called for a Scottish National Care Service (which Sturgeon then announced would be going ahead). But the internal pressure on the Scottish Labour leader has just intensified, with the resignation of a shadow cabinet member who has called on him to quit, as have two other MSPs.
As highlighted in the Labour Together election review, unless fortunes in Scotland are reversed, UK Labour would need to go so far down its list of seats that Jacob Rees-Mogg’s North East Somerset would need to be won to form a majority. Starmer’s big electoral test in May 2021 is not limited to the bumper set of local contests in England and Wales – the Senedd and Holyrood will also count. And just like the review says of UK Labour, a change of faces at the top won’t solve the party’s problems: they go far deeper than that. When the UK party struggled with the dominance of an existential question about national identity last year, skirting around the issue did not work – and it won’t work in Scotland either. But as in 2019, any alternative approach is fraught with difficulties.
On LabourList today, we have a write-up of my interview with Dodds, which covers the root of government failures during Covid, how pushing Rishi Sunak for an economic response has been “like pulling teeth”, Labour’s position on wealth taxes and much more. Plus, we’ve revealed that alleged racism complaints against three of Labour’s national executive committee candidates are being investigated by the party. And later on, we’ll be reviewing our first Prime Minister’s Questions after the summer recess. We can bet that the word “incompetent” will feature heavily in Starmer’s attacks. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-09-02--Labour slams PM for “going back on his word” to meet Covid bereaved families

Labour has slammed the Prime Minister for “ going back on his word ” and refusing to meet with bereaved families in the pandemic after having previously announced on TV that he would .
Rachel Reeves described reports that Boris Johnson had privately declined to meet members of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice , who wrote to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting five times , as “ astounding ” .
Co-founder of the campaign group Jo Goodman said the move from Johnson was “ heartless ” , adding : “ It ’ s like the Prime Minister only wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not ask difficult questions.
” Reeves said : “ These revelations that bereaved families had to write to Boris Johnson five times asking to meet him – for him to privately go back on his public word and refuse are astounding , and upsetting for so many whose families and lives have been impacted by Covid in this way .
“ 41,504 people have tragically lost their lives to this virus .
The very least the Prime Minister could do is respond truthfully to their families , and have the heart to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster added : “ The Prime Minister has been going back on his word all summer – but to not even meet with grieving families hits a new low.
” Johnson was asked during a TV interview on August 26th about the group ’ s requests to meet with him .
He said that he was unaware of the letters but that he would meet with “ anybody ” who had lost a relative to the coronavirus .
The Prime Minister told viewers : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get and of course I will meet anybody… the bereaved who ’ ve suffered from Covid .
Of course I ’ ll do that.
” Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice is campaigning to see an independent , judge-led , statutory public inquiry investigate the pandemic and the government ’ s response to the crisis .

Labour has slammed the Prime Minister for “going back on his word” and refusing to meet with bereaved families in the pandemic after having previously announced on TV that he would.
Rachel Reeves described reports that Boris Johnson had privately declined to meet members of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, who wrote to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting five times, as “astounding”.
Co-founder of the campaign group Jo Goodman said the move from Johnson was “heartless”, adding: “It’s like the Prime Minister only wants to meet with people who will smile and not ask difficult questions.”
Reeves said: “These revelations that bereaved families had to write to Boris Johnson five times asking to meet him – for him to privately go back on his public word and refuse are astounding, and upsetting for so many whose families and lives have been impacted by Covid in this way.
“41,504 people have tragically lost their lives to this virus. The very least the Prime Minister could do is respond truthfully to their families, and have the heart to meet some of them and their representatives.”
The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster added: “The Prime Minister has been going back on his word all summer – but to not even meet with grieving families hits a new low.”
Johnson was asked during a TV interview on August 26th about the group’s requests to meet with him. He said that he was unaware of the letters but that he would meet with “anybody” who had lost a relative to the coronavirus.
The Prime Minister told viewers: “I will write back to every letter we get and of course I will meet anybody… the bereaved who’ve suffered from Covid. Of course I’ll do that.”
Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice is campaigning to see an independent, judge-led, statutory public inquiry investigate the pandemic and the government’s response to the crisis.


labourlist--2020-09-02--WATCH: Government must listen to councils on lockdown, says Burnham

Andy Burnham has said that the UK has been trying to fight the coronavirus pandemic with a “ Whitehall-knows-best approach ” and called on the government to listen to council leaders .
In a BBC interview this morning , the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester discussed the decision announced by the government on Friday to ease extended lockdown restrictions , which had been in place across the area until last night .
Burnham described the lifting of restrictions in Bolton and Trafford as “ completely illogical ” , amid a surge in both of the boroughs , and urged residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and follow restrictions instead .
Commenting on the approach from the government , he said : “ We ’ ve got this sort of Whitehall-knows-best approach – well , they don ’ t and they should listen to what leaders of councils are saying.
” More severe lockdown measures – banning people from different households meeting indoors or in private gardens – were introduced in Manchester and parts of Yorkshire in July after concerns that the virus was being spread between households .
Local authority figures in councils Bolton and Trafford asked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place after reporting a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases .
Bolton currently has one of the highest rates in the England .
Burnham added : “ Directors of public health should be the most important voice in this , and certainly in both councils yesterday the directors of public health were saying please don ’ t lift these restrictions .
“ It ’ s frustrating to say the least that we find ourselves in a position this morning where boroughs with rising cases have seen the restrictions lifted overnight – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions with much lower cases.
” Bolton has recorded 170 new cases in the week to August 29th – an increase from 53 in the previous week – and now has 59 cases per 100,000 residents , while the rate in Trafford has risen from 19.4 to 35.4 with 84 new cases .

Andy Burnham has said that the UK has been trying to fight the coronavirus pandemic with a “Whitehall-knows-best approach” and called on the government to listen to council leaders.
In a BBC interview this morning, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester discussed the decision announced by the government on Friday to ease extended lockdown restrictions, which had been in place across the area until last night.
Burnham described the lifting of restrictions in Bolton and Trafford as “completely illogical”, amid a surge in both of the boroughs, and urged residents of those areas to ignore government advice and follow restrictions instead.
Commenting on the approach from the government, he said: “We’ve got this sort of Whitehall-knows-best approach – well, they don’t and they should listen to what leaders of councils are saying.”
More severe lockdown measures – banning people from different households meeting indoors or in private gardens – were introduced in Manchester and parts of Yorkshire in July after concerns that the virus was being spread between households.
Local authority figures in councils Bolton and Trafford asked on Tuesday that the restrictions be kept in place after reporting a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases. Bolton currently has one of the highest rates in the England.
Burnham added: “Directors of public health should be the most important voice in this, and certainly in both councils yesterday the directors of public health were saying please don’t lift these restrictions.
“It’s frustrating to say the least that we find ourselves in a position this morning where boroughs with rising cases have seen the restrictions lifted overnight – and neighbouring boroughs next door still under the restrictions with much lower cases.”
"We've got this sort of 'Whitehall knows best' approach. Well, they don't, and they should listen to what leaders of councils are saying" Labour mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham questions why virus restrictions have been eased in certain areashttps://t.co/gkIIkRmtpN pic.twitter.com/CAqL2Ioldr — BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 2, 2020
Bolton has recorded 170 new cases in the week to August 29th – an increase from 53 in the previous week – and now has 59 cases per 100,000 residents, while the rate in Trafford has risen from 19.4 to 35.4 with 84 new cases.


labourlist--2020-09-02--Pressure on Richard Leonard escalates as MSP quits shadow cabinet

The pressure on Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard to stand down has escalated as Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly has quit the shadow cabinet and called for his resignation .
In a letter on Tuesday evening , Kelly told Leonard : “ I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party ’ s message , strategy and organisation .
I know that this is a view shared by other parliamentarians , party members and indeed many members of the public.
” Tweeting the letter , he added : “ I have resigned from the Scottish Labour shadow cabinet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have said to Richard privately .
I sincerely believe that if we are to reverse our fortunes Richard must stand down.
” Kelly , one of the MSPs for Glasgow , had been Scottish Labour ’ s spokesperson for justice since September 2019 , and served as the spokesperson for finance for nearly two years before that .
Leonard said : “ It is deeply disappointing that disgruntled MSPs who never supported my leadership would choose the day when the Scottish government finally accepted a Labour policy demand of ten years – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try and wage an internal war.
” The leader ’ s comment on the resignation referred to the announcement by Nicola Sturgeon on Monday that the SNP government would take “ the first step on the road to a National Care Service ” as part of its Programme for Government .
Leonard had called on the SNP to create a state-run National Care Service , particularly after polling indicated that 92 % of people in Scotland think their social care system is not working properly .
He told the Daily Record : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 elections on a platform of building a National Care Service , establishing a quality Jobs Guarantee Scheme and reviving Scotland ’ s economy with a Green New Deal .
“ If any party representative thinks an internal faction fight is more important than this agenda , they will have to answer to the party members and the voters whom we serve.
” Although the SNP has been criticised for the Covid care homes crisis in Scotland , and other aspects of its approach to the pandemic , it is currently polling very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kelly ’ s letter confirmed that he had already told Leonard to stand down in a private meeting , saying : “ I outlined my view that to reverse the party ’ s decline it was necessary for you to resign as leader .
“ You responded by saying you wished to remain in post as you believed you could reverse our poor position in the polls .
In the past three weeks , I have watched your performance closely .
“ The position of the party continues to decline not improve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an unacceptably low level of 14 % .
This has been a worrying and consistent trend for some time.
” “ In addition , your personal polling ratings are particularly low .
More than half of the public have no opinion on you and you have a negative rating even among our own supporters .
“ Such poor ratings would produce a catastrophic result from which the party would struggle to recover .
Coming a poor third in the election would be letting down those who rely on Scottish Labour to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence of a clear plan to reverse the party ’ s fortunes .
The situation has been apparent for some time and you have failed to turn things around .
“ It is clear that after nearly three years in charge you are not able to take the party forward .
I firmly and sincerely believe that is in the best interests of the party that you stand down as leader.
” North East Scotland MSP Jenny Marra and Edinburgh Southern MSP Daniel Johnson have also joined calls for Leonard to resign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead us ” and “ it is time to recognise the situation we are in ” .
MSP Neil Findlay , who is on the party ’ s left and last year broke the whip by abstaining on a second independence referendum bill , tweeted to defended Leonard and describe the internal opposition as “ treachery with a snarl ” .
Findlay said : “ Anyone who believes all the plotting and front stabbing of @ LabourRichard is about ANYTHING other than list selections placings is on cloud cuckoo land – it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paranoid plotters – pathetic ” .
Momentum national coordinating group member Rory Maclean said : “ These people are traitors to the Labour movement .
They should be expelled and replace for the next Holyrood election .
Momentum will see to it that we return real socialists to Holyrood.
” Other left-wing Scottish activists have said that Scottish Labour ’ s problems did not start with the leadership of either Jeremy Corbyn or of Leonard , and their struggles now should be seen in the context of a long-term decline .
A YouGov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for Labour at 14 % in Holyrood ’ s constituency and list vote , and found that 53 % of voters could not recognise Leonard .
Update , 11.30am : Leonard has told the BBC that this “ frankly calls into question whether some of these people are the best people to stand for the Labour Party in the elections next year ” .

The pressure on Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard to stand down has escalated as Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly has quit the shadow cabinet and called for his resignation.
In a letter on Tuesday evening, Kelly told Leonard: “I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party’s message, strategy and organisation. I know that this is a view shared by other parliamentarians, party members and indeed many members of the public.”
Tweeting the letter, he added: “I have resigned from the Scottish Labour shadow cabinet. I am saying publicly today what I have said to Richard privately. I sincerely believe that if we are to reverse our fortunes Richard must stand down.”
Kelly, one of the MSPs for Glasgow, had been Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for justice since September 2019, and served as the spokesperson for finance for nearly two years before that.
Leonard said: “It is deeply disappointing that disgruntled MSPs who never supported my leadership would choose the day when the Scottish government finally accepted a Labour policy demand of ten years – for a National Care Service – to try and wage an internal war.”
The leader’s comment on the resignation referred to the announcement by Nicola Sturgeon on Monday that the SNP government would take “the first step on the road to a National Care Service” as part of its Programme for Government.
Leonard had called on the SNP to create a state-run National Care Service, particularly after polling indicated that 92% of people in Scotland think their social care system is not working properly.
He told the Daily Record: “I am leading Scottish Labour into the 2021 elections on a platform of building a National Care Service, establishing a quality Jobs Guarantee Scheme and reviving Scotland’s economy with a Green New Deal.
“If any party representative thinks an internal faction fight is more important than this agenda, they will have to answer to the party members and the voters whom we serve.”
Although the SNP has been criticised for the Covid care homes crisis in Scotland, and other aspects of its approach to the pandemic, it is currently polling very well and has a 27-37% lead.
Kelly’s letter confirmed that he had already told Leonard to stand down in a private meeting, saying: “I outlined my view that to reverse the party’s decline it was necessary for you to resign as leader.
“You responded by saying you wished to remain in post as you believed you could reverse our poor position in the polls. In the past three weeks, I have watched your performance closely.
“The position of the party continues to decline not improve. Recent polling shows Scottish Labour support at an unacceptably low level of 14%. This has been a worrying and consistent trend for some time.”


labourlist--2020-09-02--Exclusive: Covid failures “deeply rooted” in Tory Party, says Dodds

Anneliese Dodds has described the UK government failures seen during the coronavirus crisis as “ deeply rooted ” in the ruling Conservative Party during an exclusive interview .
The Shadow Chancellor talked to LabourList on Tuesday evening about Chancellor Rishi Sunak , a green revolution , wealth taxes , Labour winning back support in Scotland and more .
During the event , Dodds touched on the cause of government failures during the Covid crisis .
She said : “ It ’ s deeply rooted in the whole of the Conservative Party , unfortunately .
“ An unwillingness to work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the solution… enormous contracts being provided to outsourcers which they simply don ’ t deliver .
“ And a complete unwillingness to really engage with the kind of work with business and trade unions that is necessary to provide support for jobs .
“ This is traditional Conservative stuff .
That unwillingness to sort out the problems because of their ideology .
It ’ s something that applies , unfortunately , across the piece.
” On whether Labour ’ s messaging on competence would work as well if Rishi Sunak were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it would do as the economic response has been slow .
She said : “ All the changes that are happening now feel like pulling teeth .
They feel like they ’ re taking a very , very long time to fit into place .
“ The slowness that has characterised our public health response is most definitely a feature of the economic response now as well .
So it ’ s important that Labour is making that clear.
” She added : “ We need to make sure that every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of those failings because they are collective failings.
” Asked whether she was ever tempted to don a hoodie and release a ‘ geek chic ’ picture of herself , as Rishi Sunak has done , Dodds replied : “ I ’ d be probably be more of the geek and less of the chic , to be honest , if I went down that route .
“ I can reassure LabourList readers that I don ’ t have a brand manager .
I think it ’ s quite important in politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Dodds also said the green revolution proposal from the 2019 manifesto remains a key part of Labour ’ s offer , telling LabourList that “ there ’ s the need for a far stronger green stimulus than what the government have committed to ” .
Asked whether Labour backs public equity stakes in industries such as aviation , she replied : “ We ’ re very clear that government shouldn ’ t be taking an ideological approach on this , and yet it seems to .
“ It seems unwilling to countenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We think that ’ s quite a dogmatic way of looking at these matters.
” Dodds was asked to clarify Labour ’ s position on wealth taxes .
She advised the government in June to consider using wealth taxes to fund the UK ’ s coronavirus recovery .
But it was later reported by The Times that the party had “ abandoned its call for a wealth tax ” as Dodds said that Labour was “ not calling for tax rises ” .
Speaking to LabourList , Dodds said : “ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on by the right-wing press , actually around the sequencing of this .
“ It ’ s absolutely right that we as the Labour Party look at the whole panoply of taxation options .
I ’ ve always said that I ’ m very strongly for a more progressive taxation system.
” She added : “ But our detailed proposals around taxation will be worked on just as they would be for any general election .
All of those precise details we will be working with members on.
” Dodds described the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection ” and reiterated that she thought there was “ mischief-making ” by the press on the wealth taxes issue .
Asked in a reader ’ s question about a four-day working week , Dodds said : “ There ’ s been a lot of really great campaigning around the role that so-called short-hours working could play.
” She explained that Labour had been urging the government during the Covid crisis to look at schemes , such as in Germany , where people work reduced hours and the state tops up their income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we ’ re not mischaracterised on this issue , ” Dodds added .
“ We don ’ t want people ’ s pay to be reduced .
That ’ s already happening .
It ’ s not something we as a party would ever want to be calling for.
” Dodds was asked about modern monetary theory ( MMT ) , which largely argues that governments controlling their own currencies can significantly boost spending without worrying too much about debt .
She said : “ I have to say around pure MMT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is it really possible to do this within one country ?
Given how internationalised our economy is , wouldn ’ t that have a negative impact , wouldn ’ t there be an impact on inflation ?
” The Shadow Chancellor has been on a visit to Scotland and Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard in the final leg of her UK tour over the summer .
Commenting on Labour ’ s electoral chances in Scotland , Dodds said : “ I think [ the SNP are ] still constantly thinking that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than the Conservatives , even given the polling situation currently .
“ To beat that , we have to show we ’ re on the side of Scottish people and show we ’ re the only ones to rise above the barney between Sturgeon on one hand and Johnson on the other… “ Labour needs to show Scottish people that their concerns are centre-stage , not this partisan knockabout that everyone finds so frustrating.
” Below is the full video of our ‘ in conversation ’ event with Anneliese Dodds MP .

Anneliese Dodds has described the UK government failures seen during the coronavirus crisis as “deeply rooted” in the ruling Conservative Party during an exclusive interview.
The Shadow Chancellor talked to LabourList on Tuesday evening about Chancellor Rishi Sunak, a green revolution, wealth taxes, Labour winning back support in Scotland and more.
During the event, Dodds touched on the cause of government failures during the Covid crisis. She said: “It’s deeply rooted in the whole of the Conservative Party, unfortunately.
“An unwillingness to work with those public authorities that would actually be part of the solution… enormous contracts being provided to outsourcers which they simply don’t deliver.
“And a complete unwillingness to really engage with the kind of work with business and trade unions that is necessary to provide support for jobs.
“This is traditional Conservative stuff. That unwillingness to sort out the problems because of their ideology. It’s something that applies, unfortunately, across the piece.”
On whether Labour’s messaging on competence would work as well if Rishi Sunak were to become Tory leader, Dodds argued that it would do as the economic response has been slow.
The Shadow Chancellor said: “All the changes that are happening now feel like pulling teeth. They feel like they’re taking a very, very long time to fit into place.
“The slowness that has characterised our public health response is most definitely a feature of the economic response now as well. So it’s important that Labour is making that clear.”
She added: “We need to make sure that every single Conservative minister is feeling the heat around all of those failings because they are collective failings.”
Asked whether she was ever tempted to don a hoodie and release a ‘geek chic’ picture of herself, as Rishi Sunak has done, Dodds replied: “I’d be probably be more of the geek and less of the chic, to be honest, if I went down that route.
“I can reassure LabourList readers that I don’t have a brand manager. I think it’s quite important in politics to be open, honest and transparent.”
Dodds also said the green revolution proposal from the 2019 manifesto remains a key part of Labour’s offer, telling LabourList that “there’s the need for a far stronger green stimulus than what the government have committed to”.
Asked whether Labour backs public equity stakes in industries such as aviation, she replied: “We’re very clear that government shouldn’t be taking an ideological approach on this, and yet it seems to.
“It seems unwilling to countenance having that kind of equity role…. We think that’s quite a dogmatic way of looking at these matters.”
Dodds was asked to clarify Labour’s position on wealth taxes. She advised the government in June to consider using wealth taxes to fund the UK’s coronavirus recovery.
But it was later reported by The Times that the party had “abandoned its call for a wealth tax” as Dodds said that Labour was “not calling for tax rises”.
Speaking to LabourList, Dodds said: “I think there’s been confusion, egged on by the right-wing press, actually around the sequencing of this.
“It’s absolutely right that we as the Labour Party look at the whole panoply of taxation options. I’ve always said that I’m very strongly for a more progressive taxation system.”
She added: “But our detailed proposals around taxation will be worked on just as they would be for any general election. All of those precise details we will be working with members on.”
Dodds described the “immediate challenge” as “about employment protection” and reiterated that she thought there was “mischief-making” by the press on the wealth taxes issue.
Asked in a reader’s question about a four-day working week, Dodds said: “There’s been a lot of really great campaigning around the role that so-called short-hours working could play.”
She explained that Labour had been urging the government during the Covid crisis to look at schemes, such as in Germany, where people work reduced hours and the state tops up their income.
“We need to make sure that we’re not mischaracterised on this issue,” Dodds added. “We don’t want people’s pay to be reduced. That’s already happening. It’s not something we as a party would ever want to be calling for.”
Dodds was asked about modern monetary theory (MMT), which largely argues that governments controlling their own currencies can significantly boost spending without worrying too much about debt.
She said: “I have to say around pure MMT, I have always asked, how is it really possible to do this within one country? Given how internationalised our economy is, wouldn’t that have a negative impact, wouldn’t there be an impact on inflation?”
The Shadow Chancellor has been on a visit to Scotland and Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard in the final leg of her UK tour over the summer.
Commenting on Labour’s electoral chances in Scotland, Dodds said: “I think [the SNP are] still constantly thinking that it’s Labour who is their key opposition rather than the Conservatives, even given the polling situation currently.
“To beat that, we have to show we’re on the side of Scottish people and show we’re the only ones to rise above the barney between Sturgeon on one hand and Johnson on the other…
“Labour needs to show Scottish people that their concerns are centre-stage, not this partisan knockabout that everyone finds so frustrating.”
Below is the full video of our ‘in conversation’ event with Anneliese Dodds MP.


labourlist--2020-09-02--Labour demands ‘Close the Gap’ strategy for pupils to catch up

Labour has called on the government to make sure that no child is left behind as a result of coronavirus , after studies have shown that the pandemic has caused a widening of the attainment gap .
Ahead of a visit by Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green to a school in Hertfordshire on Thursday , the party has highlighted the need for a “ cast-iron ” promise from the government to create a ‘ Close The Gap ’ strategy that would combat the growing disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils .
On Tuesday , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research revealed that school pupils are on average three months behind where they would normally be without the lockdown , with more deprived students and schools worst affected .
Teachers in the most disadvantaged areas were over three times more likely to say their pupils were four or more months behind the curriculum .
Commenting on the story , Kate Green said : “ The government ’ s incompetence this summer put a generation ’ s future at risk .
Unless ministers finally get a grip , with a national strategy for catch-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their future .
“ Parents need a cast-iron guarantee that any child who has fallen behind will get the support they need to catch up .
We need independent oversight and transparency , to compare the gap between pupils in different parts of the country and against the pre-Covid generation .
“ The last six months have been incredibly difficult for children and families across the country .
No child should be left behind because of this crisis or government incompetence.
” The Shadow Education Secretary also criticised the “ summer of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the exam results U-turn , failure to deliver promised summer catch-up schemes and delays to the promised national tutoring programme .
Labour ’ s proposed ‘ Close The Gap ’ programme to combat the disparity would involve creating a national Covid-19 catch-up strategy , overseen by an independent body , such as the Children ’ s Commissioner , who would monitor government progress .
Labour has also suggested the creation of a new law to mandate the government to regularly publish more data on the attainment gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
The National Foundation for Educational Research study also reported that primary age pupils were the most affected , with years three and five seeing the largest widening in the attainment gap .
Previous analysis from the Education Endowment Fund has suggested that school closures might have increased the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils by as much as 75 % .
Whilst the government previously promised a “ massive catch-up operation ” for disadvantaged students over the summer , no additional support or funding was offered during the holidays .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced £350m national tutoring programme created to address the gap won ’ t be in place until the Spring , with schools themselves unable to access tutors until November .
Another £650m “ catch-up premium ” for the 2020-2021 academic year does not offer any provision for post-16 pupils , meaning those entering their A-Level year this year will be ineligible for support .

Labour has called on the government to make sure that no child is left behind as a result of coronavirus, after studies have shown that the pandemic has caused a widening of the attainment gap.
Ahead of a visit by Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green to a school in Hertfordshire on Thursday, the party has highlighted the need for a “cast-iron” promise from the government to create a ‘Close The Gap’ strategy that would combat the growing disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils.
On Tuesday, a report from the National Foundation for Educational Research revealed that school pupils are on average three months behind where they would normally be without the lockdown, with more deprived students and schools worst affected.
Teachers in the most disadvantaged areas were over three times more likely to say their pupils were four or more months behind the curriculum.
Commenting on the story, Kate Green said: “The government’s incompetence this summer put a generation’s future at risk. Unless ministers finally get a grip, with a national strategy for catch-up, many more children risk being robbed of their future.
“Parents need a cast-iron guarantee that any child who has fallen behind will get the support they need to catch up. We need independent oversight and transparency, to compare the gap between pupils in different parts of the country and against the pre-Covid generation.
“The last six months have been incredibly difficult for children and families across the country. No child should be left behind because of this crisis or government incompetence.”
The Shadow Education Secretary also criticised the “summer of incompetence” from Education Secretary Gavin Williamson after the exam results U-turn, failure to deliver promised summer catch-up schemes and delays to the promised national tutoring programme.
Labour’s proposed ‘Close The Gap’ programme to combat the disparity would involve creating a national Covid-19 catch-up strategy, overseen by an independent body, such as the Children’s Commissioner, who would monitor government progress.
Labour has also suggested the creation of a new law to mandate the government to regularly publish more data on the attainment gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils, including publications on each local authority area.
The National Foundation for Educational Research study also reported that primary age pupils were the most affected, with years three and five seeing the largest widening in the attainment gap.
Previous analysis from the Education Endowment Fund has suggested that school closures might have increased the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged pupils by as much as 75%.
Whilst the government previously promised a “massive catch-up operation” for disadvantaged students over the summer, no additional support or funding was offered during the holidays.
It has also been revealed that a previously announced £350m national tutoring programme created to address the gap won’t be in place until the Spring, with schools themselves unable to access tutors until November.
Another £650m “catch-up premium” for the 2020-2021 academic year does not offer any provision for post-16 pupils, meaning those entering their A-Level year this year will be ineligible for support.


labourlist--2020-09-02--GMB is “institutionally sexist”, independent investigation finds

The GMB , one of Britain ’ s biggest trade unions and a key affiliate of the Labour Party , has been found to be “ institutionally sexist ” by an independent investigation conducted in the wake of its general secretary resigning earlier this year .
The newly released damning report , authored by Karon Monaghan QC , looked into sexual harassment within the trade union and its handling of such complaints following reports of incidents including assault .
It concluded : “ There is significant job segregation at regional level , with officer grades disproportionately filled by men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Branches are male dominated with limited female participation , and are often organised in a way that deters women members ’ participation .
“ Bullying , misogyny , cronyism and sexual harassment are endemic within the GMB .
The culture in the GMB is one of heavy drinking and late night socialising , salacious gossip and a lack of professionalism .
“ The GMB ’ s policies and practices are not sufficiently clear or robust to deal with sexual harassment among employees or members.
” The report advises that “ fundamental change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and concludes that this will require “ the lay bodies [ to ] discharge their leadership duties and responsibilities under the rule book ” .
Commenting on the document , GMB national president Barbara Plant said : “ Karon ’ s report makes sad and difficult reading .
On behalf of GMB , I apologise to all those who have experienced sexual harassment or bullying within the union .
“ It ’ s clear that real and lasting change is needed for us to become a safe and inclusive place for all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ council , the union will now act on the report ’ s recommendations .
We are committed to achieving this transformational change.
” The investigation , which took place over 13 weeks , found that the GMB “ has a woman problem ” , with a “ masculine ” culture , and that “ alcohol plays a significant role in perpetuating bad behaviour ” .
The report describes sexual harassment as “ common ” in the union and lists examples heard by the investigation as the following : Monaghan wrote : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assaults .
I was told by one witness that “ it is simply expected that you ’ ll have to suffer from being groped at events ” … I heard that there was a general “ predatory ” attitude to women in the GMB.
” The letter that triggered the investigation was an anonymous one sent to Plant , signed by “ GMB sisters ” .
It claimed that several GMB officials and Labour MPs were aware of accusations against the general secretary and “ colluded in a cover up ” .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters ” .
One was signed by “ GMB Hope ” and also referred to “ sexual advances ” .
Another alleged that women were given jobs in exchange for sex , but Monaghan found no basis for this claim .
The report also concludes that the GMB is “ not a comfortable place to be for many employees and members from Black and minority ethnic groups ” , for whom “ the environment can seem hostile or at least unwelcoming ” .
It puts forward 27 recommendations , and the trade union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GMB will act on these proposals to achieve “ transformational change ” .
Tim Roache , first elected as GMB general secretary in 2015 and re-elected in November , resigned in April .
He has strongly denied any wrongdoing when asked directly about the claims made against him .
John Phillips , GMB regional secretary for Wales and the South West , is currently acting general secretary of GMB until a new leader is elected , with the expectation that this contest will be held over the coming months .

The GMB, one of Britain’s biggest trade unions and a key affiliate of the Labour Party, has been found to be “institutionally sexist” by an independent investigation conducted in the wake of its general secretary resigning earlier this year.
The newly released damning report, authored by Karon Monaghan QC, looked into sexual harassment within the trade union and its handling of such complaints following reports of incidents including assault.
It concluded: “There is significant job segregation at regional level, with officer grades disproportionately filled by men and staff grades disproportionately filled by women.
“Branches are male dominated with limited female participation, and are often organised in a way that deters women members’ participation.
“Bullying, misogyny, cronyism and sexual harassment are endemic within the GMB. The culture in the GMB is one of heavy drinking and late night socialising, salacious gossip and a lack of professionalism.
“The GMB’s policies and practices are not sufficiently clear or robust to deal with sexual harassment among employees or members.”
The report advises that “fundamental change” is needed within the union, and concludes that this will require “the lay bodies [to] discharge their leadership duties and responsibilities under the rule book”.
Commenting on the document, GMB national president Barbara Plant said: “Karon’s report makes sad and difficult reading. On behalf of GMB, I apologise to all those who have experienced sexual harassment or bullying within the union.
“It’s clear that real and lasting change is needed for us to become a safe and inclusive place for all. Under the leadership of the central executive council, the union will now act on the report’s recommendations. We are committed to achieving this transformational change.”
The investigation, which took place over 13 weeks, found that the GMB “has a woman problem”, with a “masculine” culture, and that “alcohol plays a significant role in perpetuating bad behaviour”.
The report describes sexual harassment as “common” in the union and lists examples heard by the investigation as the following:
“touching hair, leering, commenting on body shape and clothes, placing hands around a woman’s waist, staring at a woman’s breasts or “tits”, propositioning young women, “sloppy kisses”, “lip kisses”, “sticking a tongue” in a woman’s ear, touching of knees, bottoms and hips, hugs, and slapping of a backside”
Monaghan wrote: “I have also heard of more serious sexual assaults. I was told by one witness that “it is simply expected that you’ll have to suffer from being groped at events”… I heard that there was a general “predatory” attitude to women in the GMB.”
The letter that triggered the investigation was an anonymous one sent to Plant, signed by “GMB sisters”. It claimed that several GMB officials and Labour MPs were aware of accusations against the general secretary and “colluded in a cover up”.
The report says there have been “other letters”. One was signed by “GMB Hope” and also referred to “sexual advances”. Another alleged that women were given jobs in exchange for sex, but Monaghan found no basis for this claim.
The report also concludes that the GMB is “not a comfortable place to be for many employees and members from Black and minority ethnic groups”, for whom “the environment can seem hostile or at least unwelcoming”.
It puts forward 27 recommendations, and the trade union’s national president has vowed that the GMB will act on these proposals to achieve “transformational change”.
Tim Roache, first elected as GMB general secretary in 2015 and re-elected in November, resigned in April. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing when asked directly about the claims made against him.
John Phillips, GMB regional secretary for Wales and the South West, is currently acting general secretary of GMB until a new leader is elected, with the expectation that this contest will be held over the coming months.


labourlist--2020-09-02--“We are winning the public argument,” says defiant Richard Leonard

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has declared that he will be leading the party into the 2021 Holyrood elections despite a number of Labour MSPs calling for his resignation .
In a letter on Tuesday , Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly resigned from the shadow cabinet claiming he had “ no confidence ” in Leonard ’ s ability to lead Labour into next year ’ s elections .
But the Scottish party leader said he would “ fulfil the mandate ” of the members who elected him and claimed to be “ confident ” about Labour ’ s chances at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the MSPs calling for his resignation , Leonard said : “ We ’ re a democratic party and there ’ s always been room for dissent and people can voice their views .
“ I ’ m concerned that this is a signal that there is too much inward-looking inside the group at Holyrood and not enough outward-facing , and I think that that calls into question some of these people are the best people to stand for the Labour Party next year.
” Allies of Leonard have suggested that the resigning MSPs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their regional lists than they would prefer and have therefore concluded that they had little to lose .
Leonard said he was “ disappointed ” in the timing of the Kelly ’ s resignation , which came after the SNP government announced its intention to set up a National Care Service – as advocated by Labour .
Labour called on the SNP to reform Scotland ’ s social care system after a public consultation showed that over 90 % of people didn ’ t think the current system was working , and Scotland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its care homes .
Asked whether he was the man to lead the party into the next election , the leader said : “ I am clear that we are winning the public argument over our case for action on jobs , over the Green New Deal and the greening of the economy , as well as over our case for a National Care Service.
” “ The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the economy , it has exposed weaknesses in our public services , it has exposed weaknesses in the care system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Polling by YouGov for The Times last month put Labour on a 14 % share of the vote and indicated that 53 % of Scottish voters did not recognise Leonard .
Commenting on Labour ’ s current position in the polls , Leonard said : “ Every opposition party is being squeezed because of the perceived popularity of the government and the profile that ’ s given to the first minister with these daily briefings .
“ But we ’ ve got a distinctive clear radical programme that we will take to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s election .
“ We will be , at that point , at the height of an unemployment crisis and will see enormous pressure on our public services so our agenda around jobs , a Green New Deal , investment in public service , around health and education .
“ These will be the priorities of the people and of the Scottish Labour Party and with that I hope we will win votes and secure an increase in Labour ’ s vote share.
” Kelly , who had been Scottish Labour ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter to Leonard : “ I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party ’ s message , strategy and organisation .
“ I know that this is a view shared by other parliamentarians , party members and indeed many members of the public.
” He was joined in his resignation call by two more of the party ’ s 23 representatives in Holyrood , North East Scotland MSP Jenny Marra and Edinburgh Southern MSP Daniel Johnson .
Keir Starmer ’ s spokesperson was asked about the dissent within Scottish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is a matter for Scottish Labour .
But Keir and Richard have a very good working relationship .
“ They ’ re both focused on next year ’ s Scottish elections , where we are determined to take on the SNP and challenge them on their domestic record.
” Asked about Labour ’ s poor polling in Scotland , the spokesperson added : “ Keir has set out his determination to rebuild people ’ s trust in Labour across all corners of the United Kingdom .
Matters of leadership are for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Starmer last spoke to Leonard last week , and that they talked about “ their shared ambition to rebuild trust in Scotland and take on the SNP on their domestic record ” .
On whether Starmer or anyone on his behalf has asked Leonard to consider his position , the UK Labour leader ’ s spokesperson replied : “ No .
”

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has declared that he will be leading the party into the 2021 Holyrood elections despite a number of Labour MSPs calling for his resignation.
In a letter on Tuesday, Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly resigned from the shadow cabinet claiming he had “no confidence” in Leonard’s ability to lead Labour into next year’s elections.
But the Scottish party leader said he would “fulfil the mandate” of the members who elected him and claimed to be “confident” about Labour’s chances at the polls in May.
Commenting on the MSPs calling for his resignation, Leonard said: “We’re a democratic party and there’s always been room for dissent and people can voice their views.
“I’m concerned that this is a signal that there is too much inward-looking inside the group at Holyrood and not enough outward-facing, and I think that that calls into question whether some of these people are the best people to stand for the Labour Party next year.”
Allies of Leonard have suggested that the resigning MSPs were likely to be placed further down their regional lists than they would prefer and have therefore concluded that they had little to lose.
Leonard said he was “disappointed” in the timing of the Kelly’s resignation, which came after the SNP government announced its intention to set up a National Care Service – as advocated by Labour.
Labour called on the SNP to reform Scotland’s social care system after a public consultation showed that over 90% of people didn’t think the current system was working, and Scotland saw a high coronavirus death rate in its care homes.
Asked whether he was the man to lead the party into the next election, the leader said: “I am clear that we are winning the public argument over our case for action on jobs, over the Green New Deal and the greening of the economy, as well as over our case for a National Care Service.”
“The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the economy, it has exposed weaknesses in our public services, it has exposed weaknesses in the care system and we’ve got the answers.”
Polling by YouGov for The Times last month put Labour on a 14% share of the vote and indicated that 53% of Scottish voters did not recognise Leonard.
Commenting on Labour’s current position in the polls, Leonard said: “Every opposition party is being squeezed because of the perceived popularity of the government and the profile that’s given to the first minister with these daily briefings.
“But we’ve got a distinctive clear radical programme that we will take to the people of Scotland in next May’s election.
“We will be, at that point, at the height of an unemployment crisis and will see enormous pressure on our public services so our agenda around jobs, a Green New Deal, investment in public service, around health and education.
“These will be the priorities of the people and of the Scottish Labour Party and with that I hope we will win votes and secure an increase in Labour’s vote share.”
Kelly, who had been Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for justice, wrote in a letter to Leonard: “I have no confidence in your ability to shape the party’s message, strategy and organisation.
“I know that this is a view shared by other parliamentarians, party members and indeed many members of the public.”
He was joined in his resignation call by two more of the party’s 23 representatives in Holyrood, North East Scotland MSP Jenny Marra and Edinburgh Southern MSP Daniel Johnson.
Keir Starmer’s spokesperson was asked about the dissent within Scottish Labour this afternoon. He said: “This is a matter for Scottish Labour. But Keir and Richard have a very good working relationship.
“They’re both focused on next year’s Scottish elections, where we are determined to take on the SNP and challenge them on their domestic record.”
Asked about Labour’s poor polling in Scotland, the spokesperson added: “Keir has set out his determination to rebuild people’s trust in Labour across all corners of the United Kingdom. Matters of leadership are for Scottish Labour.”
It was confirmed that Starmer last spoke to Leonard last week, and that they talked about “their shared ambition to rebuild trust in Scotland and take on the SNP on their domestic record”.
On whether Starmer or anyone on his behalf has asked Leonard to consider his position, the UK Labour leader’s spokesperson replied: “No.”


labourlist--2020-09-02--Local Covid lockdowns should not be based on political bias, warns Labour

The Labour Party has raised concerns over decisions around local Covid restrictions being made by the UK government on the basis of political bias rather than public health advice and data .
As Prime Minister ’ s Questions came to a close this afternoon , it was announced that the decision to lift restrictions in Bolton and Trafford was being reversed by the government after just 12 hours .
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and council leaders in the areas had criticised the easing of local restrictions because a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases was reported .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a “ Whitehall-knows-best approach ” , and the easing went ahead – until midday today , when Matt Hancock confirmed a U-turn .
Shadow health minister Justin Madders commented : “ Once again , the government is in complete chaos .
Decisions on localised restrictions should be made on public health grounds , not to appease Tory backbenchers.
” Keir Starmer ’ s spokesperson said : “ Decisions about local restrictions should be based on the science , and should be based on the advice of public health directors – not on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservative MP , which some local areas have rightly been concerned is the approach that the government has been taking.
” Commenting on the confused situation that has seen two boroughs of Greater Manchester receive conflicting advice over the last 24 hours , the spokesperson added : “ This is complete chaos .
“ At a time when the Prime Minister is saying we need an ounce of confidence to get the economy going , when you see chaos like this , it gives no confidence in the government ’ s approach .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their incompetence , which is holding Britain back from its recovery .
People are rightly very anxious at the moment and what they ’ re looking for from the government is clarity .
“ The handling of this has been utterly chaotic and Keir shares Andy Burnham ’ s concerns about the way this has been handled.
” This morning , Burnham described the lifting of restrictions in Bolton and Trafford as “ completely illogical ” and urged residents of those areas to ignore government advice and follow restrictions instead .
Local leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Trafford Council leader Andrew Western repeatedly told the public that the data was showing increases in cases in the area .
Trafford Labour advised that “ we should see evidence of a sustained reduction in Trafford ’ s infection numbers before calling for the lifting of local restrictions ” , but the government appeared to overrule them .
The influential Conservative MP Graham Brady , whose constituency includes part of Trafford , had reportedly been advocating that the area be removed from the coronavirus restrictions .
Starmer ’ s spokesperson was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
He said : “ There is undoubtedly concern about the impact this is having on city centres and crucially on high streets in towns across the country .
“ But crucially it ’ s not good enough for the government just to say ‘ go back to work ’ … The problem at the moment is that people don ’ t have confidence that the government has got a grip on this situation.
” On whether workers should return to offices , the aide said : “ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the decisions they believe is right for them .
There can ’ t be a blanket rule .
”

The Labour Party has raised concerns over decisions around local Covid restrictions being made by the UK government on the basis of political bias rather than public health advice and data.
As Prime Minister’s Questions came to a close this afternoon, it was announced that the decision to lift restrictions in Bolton and Trafford was being reversed by the government after just 12 hours.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and council leaders in the areas had criticised the easing of local restrictions because a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases was reported.
Their pleas were ignored in what Burnham described as a “Whitehall-knows-best approach”, and the easing went ahead – until midday today, when Matt Hancock confirmed a U-turn.
Shadow health minister Justin Madders commented: “Once again, the government is in complete chaos. Decisions on localised restrictions should be made on public health grounds, not to appease Tory backbenchers.”
Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said: “Decisions about local restrictions should be based on the science, and should be based on the advice of public health directors – not on whether or not the area has a Conservative MP, which some local areas have rightly been concerned is the approach that the government has been taking.”
Commenting on the confused situation that has seen two boroughs of Greater Manchester receive conflicting advice over the last 24 hours, the spokesperson added: “This is complete chaos.
“At a time when the Prime Minister is saying we need an ounce of confidence to get the economy going, when you see chaos like this, it gives no confidence in the government’s approach.
“It’s another sign of their incompetence, which is holding Britain back from its recovery. People are rightly very anxious at the moment and what they’re looking for from the government is clarity.
“The handling of this has been utterly chaotic and Keir shares Andy Burnham’s concerns about the way this has been handled.”
This morning, Burnham described the lifting of restrictions in Bolton and Trafford as “completely illogical” and urged residents of those areas to ignore government advice and follow restrictions instead.
Local leaders issued warnings about the Covid-19 spike last week. Trafford Council leader Andrew Western repeatedly told the public that the data was showing increases in cases in the area.
Trafford Labour advised that “we should see evidence of a sustained reduction in Trafford’s infection numbers before calling for the lifting of local restrictions”, but the government appeared to overrule them.
The influential Conservative MP Graham Brady, whose constituency includes part of Trafford, had reportedly been advocating that the area be removed from the coronavirus restrictions.
Starmer’s spokesperson was also asked about people working from home during the pandemic. He said: “There is undoubtedly concern about the impact this is having on city centres and crucially on high streets in towns across the country.
“But crucially it’s not good enough for the government just to say ‘go back to work’… The problem at the moment is that people don’t have confidence that the government has got a grip on this situation.”
On whether workers should return to offices, the aide said: “This is for individual employers and individual employees to take the decisions they believe is right for them. There can’t be a blanket rule.”


labourlist--2020-09-03--Report by former Ian Lavery aide backs “progressive pragmatism” to defeat Tories

Centre-left pressure group Compass has released a report today by a former Ian Lavery aide who makes the case for “ progressive pragmatism ” being adopted by all those wanting to defeat the Conservatives .
The document was written by James Matthewson , who previously worked for Lavery as a communications manager when the Wansbeck MP was chair of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn ’ s leadership .
Matthewson was a member of Momentum , supported left candidates in internal Labour elections , campaigned for Corbyn during the 2015 leadership election and “ more aggressively ” so in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has now described his political activism as “ often bull-headed ” and in a way that was “ to the detriment of unity , cohesion and compromise ” .
He says he no longer has an “ inflexible ideology ” .
The paper aims to put forward proposals that would help “ eliminate the scourge of factionalism ” and “ measure our success with achievements instead of the petty wounds we have inflicted on each other ” .
“ I fear that without realising the errors of our ways and the damaging impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future governed by Conservative representatives , ” the report states .
Commenting on the publication of the report , Matthewson told LabourList : “ Following the 2019 general election defeat , like many friends and colleagues , I was reeling .
“ I began my own personal assessment of what I had experienced , contributed to and engaged in over the years leading up to two consecutive general election defeats for the Labour Party .
“ I had seen the damaging impact of factionalism and the never-ending internal disputes that decimated the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ I decided to team up with Compass , whose work I have always admired , and I began to write Progressive Pragmatism , a paper that would highlight the importance of ending factionalism , detailing the damaging impact of tribalism and that would seek to promote unity across all progressive causes.
” “ When looking back at the successful changes in Westminster I had seen during my time working in parliament , I knew that bipartisanship and clever political partnerships had achieved more than any factional filibustering ever had or ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideas of cooperation , reaching across divides and working through adversity are central to the labour movement and essential to not only its past , but also its present and its future.
” Compass is a pressure group and think tank that has long campaigned for a ‘ progressive alliance ’ of parties seeking to defeat the Tories , which would see electoral pacts formed between Labour , the Lib Dems and Greens .
The new report argues that the impact of informal arrangements coordinated by Compass in the 2017 general election “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only there had been more alliances arranged ” .

Centre-left pressure group Compass has released a report today by a former Ian Lavery aide who makes the case for “progressive pragmatism” being adopted by all those wanting to defeat the Conservatives.
The document was written by James Matthewson, who previously worked for Lavery as a communications manager when the Wansbeck MP was chair of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Matthewson was a member of Momentum, supported left candidates in internal Labour elections, campaigned for Corbyn during the 2015 leadership election and “more aggressively” so in the 2016 coup.
But the former aide has now described his political activism as “often bull-headed” and in a way that was “to the detriment of unity, cohesion and compromise”. He says he no longer has an “inflexible ideology”.
The paper aims to put forward proposals that would help “eliminate the scourge of factionalism” and “measure our success with achievements instead of the petty wounds we have inflicted on each other”.
“I fear that without realising the errors of our ways and the damaging impact of factionalism we are doomed to a future governed by Conservative representatives,” the report states.
“We have a responsibility to millions of people who want to live in a more progressive world but don’t subscribe to one particular way of thinking. “The silent majority will decide our future and instead of shouting at them, we must be willing to listen, to compromise and to make the case for progressive politics in a progressive age.”
Commenting on the publication of the report, Matthewson told LabourList: “Following the 2019 general election defeat, like many friends and colleagues, I was reeling.
“I began my own personal assessment of what I had experienced, contributed to and engaged in over the years leading up to two consecutive general election defeats for the Labour Party.
“I had seen the damaging impact of factionalism and the never-ending internal disputes that decimated the public reputation of our party and our movement.”
“I decided to team up with Compass, whose work I have always admired, and I began to write Progressive Pragmatism, a paper that would highlight the importance of ending factionalism, detailing the damaging impact of tribalism and that would seek to promote unity across all progressive causes.”
“When looking back at the successful changes in Westminster I had seen during my time working in parliament, I knew that bipartisanship and clever political partnerships had achieved more than any factional filibustering ever had or ever would.
“After all, the ideas of cooperation, reaching across divides and working through adversity are central to the labour movement and essential to not only its past, but also its present and its future.”
Compass is a pressure group and think tank that has long campaigned for a ‘progressive alliance’ of parties seeking to defeat the Tories, which would see electoral pacts formed between Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens.
The new report argues that the impact of informal arrangements coordinated by Compass in the 2017 general election “could have been so much greater if only there had been more alliances arranged”.