labourlist--2020-03-25--Government is pressing ahead with A&E closures despite Covid-19

The government is continuing with plans to close existing A & E departments and intensive care units in the capital despite the decision to open a new field hospital in east London to deal with pressure caused by Covid-19 .
Consultations on closing the acute services in both Epsom and St Heliers hospitals have continued despite the ongoing health crisis sweeping the country and close on April 1st .
Simultaneously , government ministers are planning to open a special Covid-19 hospital in the Excel Centre in east London to care for an additional 4,000 patients afflicted with the disease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Helen O ’ Connor said : “ The removal of these services at existing major acute hospitals will only result in death .
“ After years of unnecessary austerity , NHS cuts have brought the health service to its knees and we are all now suffering because of it .
“ GMB is again calling on the government to put an immediate stop on all plans to close A & E , ICU and all other acute services at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals.
” The hospital to be established in the Excel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility , and will be called the NHS Nightingale Hospital .
It will be run with help from military personnel .
The proposals for the hospital outline that it will essentially be a large intensive care unit where Covid-19 patients with the most complex symptoms will be treated .
There are currently 2,872 recorded cases of coronavirus in the capital , while the total for the UK generally has reached 8,077 .
London has more than twice as many cases as the next most affected area , the Midlands .

The government is continuing with plans to close existing A&E departments and intensive care units in the capital despite the decision to open a new field hospital in east London to deal with pressure caused by Covid-19.
Consultations on closing the acute services in both Epsom and St Heliers hospitals have continued despite the ongoing health crisis sweeping the country and close on April 1st.
Simultaneously, government ministers are planning to open a special Covid-19 hospital in the Excel Centre in east London to care for an additional 4,000 patients afflicted with the disease.
Commenting on the closures, GMB organiser Helen O’Connor said: “The removal of these services at existing major acute hospitals will only result in death.
“After years of unnecessary austerity, NHS cuts have brought the health service to its knees and we are all now suffering because of it.
“GMB is again calling on the government to put an immediate stop on all plans to close A&E, ICU and all other acute services at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals.”
The hospital to be established in the Excel Centre is intended to be a temporary facility, and will be called the NHS Nightingale Hospital. It will be run with help from military personnel.
The proposals for the hospital outline that it will essentially be a large intensive care unit where Covid-19 patients with the most complex symptoms will be treated.
There are currently 2,872 recorded cases of coronavirus in the capital, while the total for the UK generally has reached 8,077. London has more than twice as many cases as the next most affected area, the Midlands.


labourlist--2020-03-25--Rachel Reeves demands coronavirus answers from Mike Ashley and Tim Martin

Labour MP and chair of the business select committee Rachel Reeves has written to Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley and JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin over their coronavirus measures .
Concerns have been raised over reports that Sports Direct employees were told they would have to go into work despite stores being closed – and Ashley at first said the shops would remain open despite not selling essential goods .
Martin was criticised last week for criticising the idea of closing pubs across the country , and then said staff would not be paid until the government provided 80 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retention scheme ’ .
The Wetherspoons founder then suggested to workers in a video message that they should consider working in a supermarket such as Tesco – a comment that was described as “ completely unacceptable ” by the bakers ’ union BFAWU .
In her letters to the employers , Reeves has asked a range of potential areas of concerns , including the number of redundancies , the level of pay for extra staff , and how workers on zero-hour contracts will be treated .
Update , 5.20pm : Following a session @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wetherspoons has U-turned on the decision not to pay 43,000 staff until the end of April , and will instead be paid weekly , according to Jo Stevens MP .
Below is the full text of Rachel Reeves ’ letter to Mike Ashley .
I am writing to ask for detailed information about the measures that Sports Direct , House of Fraser and Newcastle United Football Club are taking to support their employees during the current coronavirus crisis .
This is a national emergency , and governments , citizens and businesses are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions , in relation to your staff at Sports Direct , House of Fraser and Newcastle United : • How many staff will be designated as “ furloughed workers ” and therefore able to receive 80 % of their wages through the government ’ s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ; • The proportion of staff designated as “ furloughed workers ” on full-time , part-time and zero-hours contracts ; • The amount that Sports Direct , House of Fraser and Newcastle United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staff wages under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ; • The number of staff who will be made redundant ; • Confirmation that Sports Direct , House of Fraser and Newcastle United will continue to pay the wages of staff in full until the funding from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme becomes available ; • Whether any extra staff taken on for deliveries will be paid the National Living Wage ; • The measures taken in Sports Direct and House of Fraser warehouses to ensure workers are safe , including the provision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance between co-workers , and the cleaning of workspaces .
Given the gravity of the situation , I would appreciate a reply by Friday 27 March .
Yours sincerely , Rachel Reeves MP Chair of the Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee Below is the full text of Rachel Reeves ’ letter to Tim Martin .
I am writing to ask for detailed information about the measures that Wetherspoons is taking to support its employees during the current coronavirus crisis .
This is a national emergency , and governments , citizens and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives and livelihoods .
I was therefore disappointed to read that you have not indicated whether you intend to cover the wages of your staff until government support comes through .
This is despite other companies in your industry guaranteeing that they will pay their staff for at least eight weeks .
Furthermore , you also seem to have suggested that when the government do pay 80 % of your staff ’ s wages you might not pay the other 20 % .
Finally , I am deeply concerned that while you encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you note that if they do you will give them “ first preference ” if they “ want to come back ” .
Please can you therefore confirm : • How many of your staff will be furloughed ?
• Will you pay your staff ’ s wages up until the government ’ s money comes through ?
• Will you pay the remaining 20 % of your staff ’ s wages when government support begins and , if so , will this be for all your staff ?
o For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their wages and duties and only top-up wages over a certain pay threshold ?
• How you will pay and treat staff that you employ who are on zero-hour contracts ?
• What will be the status of your workers if they work for supermarkets or engage in other essential work ?
• Will your staff have to reapply for their jobs when the present crisis is over ?
• How are you ensuring the health and safety of those staff that are still working for Wetherspoons , for instance in administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriousness of the situation , and the Committee ’ s deep concerns about your approach in recent days , I would appreciate a reply by Friday 27 March .
Rachel Reeves MP Chair of the Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee

Labour MP and chair of the business select committee Rachel Reeves has written to Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley and JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin over their coronavirus measures.
Concerns have been raised over reports that Sports Direct employees were told they would have to go into work despite stores being closed – and Ashley at first said the shops would remain open despite not selling essential goods.
Martin was criticised last week for criticising the idea of closing pubs across the country, and then said staff would not be paid until the government provided 80% of wages under its ‘coronavirus job retention scheme’.
The Wetherspoons founder then suggested to workers in a video message that they should consider working in a supermarket such as Tesco – a comment that was described as “completely unacceptable” by the bakers’ union BFAWU.
In her letters to the employers, Reeves has asked a range of potential areas of concerns, including the number of redundancies, the level of pay for extra staff, and how workers on zero-hour contracts will be treated.
Update, 5.20pm: Following a session in front of the select committee, Wetherspoons has U-turned on the decision not to pay 43,000 staff until the end of April, and will instead be paid weekly, according to Jo Stevens MP.
Below is the full text of Rachel Reeves’ letter to Mike Ashley.
Dear Mr Ashley,
I am writing to ask for detailed information about the measures that Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Newcastle United Football Club are taking to support their employees during the current coronavirus crisis.
This is a national emergency, and governments, citizens and businesses are taking unprecedented measures to protect lives and livelihoods.
I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions, in relation to your staff at Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Newcastle United:
• How many staff will be designated as “furloughed workers” and therefore able to receive 80% of their wages through the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme;
• The proportion of staff designated as “furloughed workers” on full-time, part-time and zero-hours contracts;
• The amount that Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Newcastle United will contribute towards the remaining 20% of staff wages under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme;
• The number of staff who will be made redundant;
• Confirmation that Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Newcastle United will continue to pay the wages of staff in full until the funding from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme becomes available;
• Whether any extra staff taken on for deliveries will be paid the National Living Wage;
• The measures taken in Sports Direct and House of Fraser warehouses to ensure workers are safe, including the provision of handwash and hand sanitiser, sufficient distance between co-workers, and the cleaning of workspaces.
Given the gravity of the situation, I would appreciate a reply by Friday 27 March. Yours sincerely,
Rachel Reeves MP
Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
Below is the full text of Rachel Reeves’ letter to Tim Martin.
Dear Tim,
I am writing to ask for detailed information about the measures that Wetherspoons is taking to support its employees during the current coronavirus crisis.
This is a national emergency, and governments, citizens and businesses are taking unprecedented measures to protect lives and livelihoods.
I was therefore disappointed to read that you have not indicated whether you intend to cover the wages of your staff until government support comes through. This is despite other companies in your industry guaranteeing that they will pay their staff for at least eight weeks. Furthermore, you also seem to have suggested that when the government do pay 80% of your staff’s wages you might not pay the other 20%. Finally, I am deeply concerned that while you encourage your workforce to consider working for supermarkets you note that if they do you will give them “first preference” if they “want to come back”. Please can you therefore confirm:
• How many of your staff will be furloughed?
• Will you pay your staff’s wages up until the government’s money comes through?
• Will you pay the remaining 20% of your staff’s wages when government support begins and, if so, will this be for all your staff?
o For instance, will you treat your staff differently according to their wages and duties and only top-up wages over a certain pay threshold?
• How you will pay and treat staff that you employ who are on zero-hour contracts?
• What will be the status of your workers if they work for supermarkets or engage in other essential work?
• Will your staff have to reapply for their jobs when the present crisis is over?
• How are you ensuring the health and safety of those staff that are still working for Wetherspoons, for instance in administration, HR and payroll?
Given the seriousness of the situation, and the Committee’s deep concerns about your approach in recent days, I would appreciate a reply by Friday 27 March.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Reeves MP
Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee


labourlist--2020-03-25--“This crisis shows what government can do” – Corbyn’s coronavirus speech

Below is the full text of Jeremy Corbyn ’ s opening speech delivered during the House of Commons coronavirus debate this afternoon .
This coronavirus outbreak will have a lasting impact on our economy and society .
Life is never going to be the same again .
The immediate task for the Opposition is to help arrest the spread of the coronavirus , and support the public health efforts that are being made while being constructively critical where it is necessary to do so and to ensure there is an improved official response .
Advice or instructions should be clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know precisely what they should or should not do to limit or slow the virus ’ spread .
But there needs to be detailed guidance to employers and workers about which workplaces should close .
Clear communication from the government is vital for everybody ’ s safety .
This crisis is presently exposing the vulnerabilities in our economy and our society .
Underfunded public services , insecure work , and a threadbare social security system – they all carry a heavy burden .
It is usually hidden , but has been thrust into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency .
It is also showing us just how dependent we are on each other , on the many ties of mutual aid that , woven together , make up the fabric of our society .
We can come out of this crisis with that fabric strengthened if we value and support each other .
And the first step along that path is to say thank you .
Thank you to all those whose efforts will help us overcome this virus .
Thanks first to those delivering public and essential services , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front line – the medical professionals , healthcare workers , auxiliary staff , administrators and the whole team in every health facility , already overstretched but now coming under unimaginable pressure .
Thanks go to the social care workers caring for some of our most vulnerable people .
They go to the civil servants putting in incredibly long hours , local government workers , teachers , postal workers and so many others .
But when we talk about key workers , it ’ s not only those I have mentioned that keep society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Member for North West Hampshire said , and I quote : “ When we emerge from this crisis… there will be a general reassessment about who is important in this country and what a ‘ key worker ’ means.
” I think he ’ s absolutely right .
We can all now see that jobs that are never celebrate are essential to keep society going .
Think of the refuse workers , the supermarket shelf-stackers , the delivery drivers , the cleaners .
They are often dismissed as low-skilled .
But I ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do without in a crisis – the refuse collector or the billionaire hedge fund manager ?
All of those workers need so much more than our thanks .
Right now , they need our help .
And as we look beyond the crisis , they will need our respect .
Because people we respect would not be treated the way they have been treated throughout the last decade of austerity .
Right now , we must guarantee our NHS staff the Personal Protective Equipment they ’ re crying out for , no excuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to go to ScrewFix to buy face masks .
They need visors , long gloves , surgical gowns and hand sanitiser .
And they need them now .
One doctor was quoted saying : “ I feel totally abandoned .
We don ’ t have the protective equipment that we desperately need and our children are being treated like orphans and sent off to care camps.
” NHS staff are putting themselves on the line for the rest of us ; we must not let them down for a moment longer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and their patients ’ safety .
And for the same reasons , let ’ s test our NHS staff for the virus .
It ’ s an absolute requirement to accelerate testing throughout the population .
“ Test , test , test , ” as Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , the head of the WHO , instructed us .
Let ’ s pay tribute to his steadfast and calm leadership .
As we look beyond this crisis , our NHS staff should be treated with respect .
That means ensuring the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded , bringing down their levels of stress and ending the outsourcing and privatisation of their jobs .
Right now , we have to ensure that our social care workers also have the very best Personal Protective Equipment and full testing .
And they need financial security too .
I raised this issue at Prime Minister ’ s Questions four weeks ago .
A quarter of social care workers are on zero-hours contracts .
Their job is to travel from house to house making contact with those at highest risk from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day .
They need to be given the security that they can afford to stay off work if they have symptoms , yet they were not included in the Chancellor ’ s scheme to pay 80 % of wages .
This must be addressed immediately .
As we look beyond the crisis , we need to learn the lesson and end the scandal of paying so little to those entrusted with the care of our loved ones .
Let ’ s end the disgrace of 1.4 million people being denied the social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government can give peace of mind to all self-employed and insecure workers with an equivalent income protection scheme to that devised for employees .
It ’ s got to be done very , very quickly indeed .
The freelancers , workers on zero-hours contracts , and those with no recourse to public funds still have no support .
From cabbies to childminders , actors to plumbers , people are being told to do something extraordinary , to stop earning a living .
Having made that demand , the government has an awesome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately fall into hardship and are able to do what ’ s necessary for public health .
And the government should ensure the closure of any construction work that isn ’ t urgent or health and safety related , just as Transport for London and the Scottish government have already done .
We ’ ve all seen the images of public transport in the last couple of days , full of construction workers who still have to go on site .
The government must take action to close sites and provide those workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As we look beyond the crisis , we should give all workers respect , with proper social security extended to the self-employed and full workers rights for all , including those in the gig economy .
Right now , we absolutely must raise statutory sick pay to European levels .
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has said honestly that he could not survive on £94 per week , so how can the government expect others to ?
As we look beyond the crisis , no one should become poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many people have been shocked to find just how low the level of statutory sick pay is .
They may be even more shocked to find that disabled people on Employment and Support Allowance are expected to survive on even less – £73 a week – as are those on Jobseeker ’ s Allowance .
And for carers , it ’ s less still – Carer ’ s Allowance is just £66 per week .
This is simply unacceptable .
Right now , we have to give support and security to renters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on evictions , and then broke its promise .
Its emergency legislation doesn ’ t stop people losing their homes due to coronavirus , it just gives them three months to pack their bags .
This public health emergency will become a housing and homelessness emergency if the government doesn ’ t change course now .
Shelter estimates that as many as 20,000 eviction proceedings are already in progress and will go ahead over the next three months unless the government acts to stop them .
Labour ’ s demands are clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suspend rent for those affected by coronavirus .
As we look beyond the crisis , we must give tenants greater rights and control exorbitant rents , and we need real solutions to the housing crisis .
And please , let ’ s end rough sleeping and homelessness .
We all know it ’ s wrong that in the fifth richest country in the world so many are without a home .
I pay tribute to the Mayor of London , whose team have worked tirelessly to secure hotel accommodation for rough sleepers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have been sleeping on our streets .
The government can make a pledge – today – that anyone who was homeless before the pandemic won ’ t be returning to the streets .
If we can house people in a crisis , then we can keep them housed when it ’ s over .
Right now , we need to support all of our public services as they face their greatest test .
Everyone , every single person in our country , can now see how public services underpin our way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis , our public services must never again be subjected to deeply damaging and counter-productive cuts , as they have been for the last 10 years .
The hard truth is that austerity has left us all weaker in the face of this pandemic .
We should not have gone into it with 94 % of our NHS beds full ; with 100,000 NHS job vacancies ; with a quarter of the number of ventilators per person that Germany has .
Ventilators are our most precious resource in this crisis .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need more of them urgently and we need staff who can use them .
We all have a duty to do what we can for the collective good , to come together , to look out for each other , our loved ones , our neighbours , our communities .
But we also need collective public action to be led by the government .
That is the only power that can protect our people from the devastation that coronavirus could wreak .
This crisis demands new economic thinking .
We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing things .
The major crises we face as a society can not be solved by the market .
Coronavirus , the climate emergency , huge levels of inequality , increasingly insecure patterns of work , the housing crisis .
These can only be solved by people working together , and not against each other .
The corporations and giant multinationals which wield so much power in our economy , and have the ears of Prime Ministers and Presidents worldwide , will always put private profit ahead of public good .
Just look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chair of Wetherspoons , telling his staff , who make very little money while he has raked in millions , to go and work in Tesco , instead of standing by them in their hour of need .
Look at the grotesque attempts of Mike Ashley to keep his shops open , putting his staff at risk .
And the insatiable greed of those at the top is also driving another crisis – even more dangerous as we look to the future : the climate emergency .
Oil companies and fossil fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our air , and our wildlife , threatening the future of civilisation itself .
We will need to find the same urgency to deal with this threat as we are seeing now against coronavirus .
The coronavirus crisis will not be solved by those driven by private profit and share prices .
It will be solved by the bravery of our NHS workers who are on the frontline .
It will be solved by communities coming together in all their diversity .
It will be solved by the government and public institutions taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common good .
This crisis shows what government can do .
It shows what government could have always done .
We ’ ve found the money to give more support to people in financial hardship .
We ’ ve found the money to increase investment in our NHS .
We ’ ve found the money to accommodate homeless people in hotels .
If we can do it in a crisis , we could do it in calmer times too .
We are learning through this crisis the extent of our interdependence .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get sick .
If the lowest paid worker in a company gets sick , they might make the CEO sick .
If somebody on the other side of the world gets sick , that can make any of us sick .
Indeed , the virus is now hitting war-torn Syria and the mass open-air prison that is the Gaza Strip .
If healthcare systems in Europe can ’ t cope , just imagine what it will be like for countries in the Global South .
Save the Children has warned of “ perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unimaginable dimensions ” .
This virus knows no national borders , and neither should our capacity for compassion and care for our fellow human beings .
The internationalism of the doctors from Cuba who have gone to fight the virus in Italy is inspirational .
As is the action of the European Union , which has given Iran 20 million Euros to help overcome this disease .
It is a scandal that sanctions are preventing many Iranians accessing vital medical supplies .
As the old trade union slogan goes , ‘ an injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , united we stand , divided we fall ’ .
And people across our country know this .
So many are showing such compassion in the face of adversity .
Just look at how people are coming together , look at the mutual aid groups that have sprung up everywhere , with thousands of people organising to protect their communities .
That is the spirit in which we must go forward .
After this crisis , there is no doubt that our society and our economy will be and has to be very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from this crisis and ensure that our society is defined by solidarity and compassion , rather than insecurity , fear and inequality .

Below is the full text of Jeremy Corbyn’s opening speech delivered during the House of Commons coronavirus debate this afternoon.
This coronavirus outbreak will have a lasting impact on our economy and society. Life is never going to be the same again. The immediate task for the Opposition is to help arrest the spread of the coronavirus, and support the public health efforts that are being made while being constructively critical where it is necessary to do so and to ensure there is an improved official response.
Advice or instructions should be clear, absolutely crystal clear, so people know precisely what they should or should not do to limit or slow the virus’ spread. But there needs to be detailed guidance to employers and workers about which workplaces should close. Clear communication from the government is vital for everybody’s safety.
This crisis is presently exposing the vulnerabilities in our economy and our society. Underfunded public services, insecure work, and a threadbare social security system – they all carry a heavy burden. It is usually hidden, but has been thrust into a brutal light by a public health emergency.
It is also showing us just how dependent we are on each other, on the many ties of mutual aid that, woven together, make up the fabric of our society. We can come out of this crisis with that fabric strengthened if we value and support each other.
And the first step along that path is to say thank you. Thank you to all those whose efforts will help us overcome this virus. Thanks first to those delivering public and essential services, and especially to our NHS staff on the front line – the medical professionals, healthcare workers, auxiliary staff, administrators and the whole team in every health facility, already overstretched but now coming under unimaginable pressure.
Thanks go to the social care workers caring for some of our most vulnerable people. They go to the civil servants putting in incredibly long hours, local government workers, teachers, postal workers and so many others. But when we talk about key workers, it’s not only those I have mentioned that keep society going.
On Monday, the Hon Member for North West Hampshire said, and I quote: “When we emerge from this crisis… there will be a general reassessment about who is important in this country and what a ‘key worker’ means.” I think he’s absolutely right.
We can all now see that jobs that are never celebrate are essential to keep society going. Think of the refuse workers, the supermarket shelf-stackers, the delivery drivers, the cleaners. They are often dismissed as low-skilled. But I ask, who are we least able to do without in a crisis – the refuse collector or the billionaire hedge fund manager?
All of those workers need so much more than our thanks. Right now, they need our help. And as we look beyond the crisis, they will need our respect. Because people we respect would not be treated the way they have been treated throughout the last decade of austerity.
Right now, we must guarantee our NHS staff the Personal Protective Equipment they’re crying out for, no excuses. Doctors have said they’ve had to go to ScrewFix to buy face masks. They need visors, long gloves, surgical gowns and hand sanitiser. And they need them now.
One doctor was quoted saying: “I feel totally abandoned. We don’t have the protective equipment that we desperately need and our children are being treated like orphans and sent off to care camps.” NHS staff are putting themselves on the line for the rest of us; we must not let them down for a moment longer.
It’s a matter of their safety and their patients’ safety. And for the same reasons, let’s test our NHS staff for the virus. It’s an absolute requirement to accelerate testing throughout the population. “Test, test, test,” as Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO, instructed us. Let’s pay tribute to his steadfast and calm leadership.
As we look beyond this crisis, our NHS staff should be treated with respect. That means ensuring the health service in which they work is well funded, bringing down their levels of stress and ending the outsourcing and privatisation of their jobs. Right now, we have to ensure that our social care workers also have the very best Personal Protective Equipment and full testing.
And they need financial security too. I raised this issue at Prime Minister’s Questions four weeks ago. A quarter of social care workers are on zero-hours contracts. Their job is to travel from house to house making contact with those at highest risk from the virus, perhaps seeing 12 or more clients a day.
They need to be given the security that they can afford to stay off work if they have symptoms, yet they were not included in the Chancellor’s scheme to pay 80% of wages. This must be addressed immediately.
As we look beyond the crisis, we need to learn the lesson and end the scandal of paying so little to those entrusted with the care of our loved ones. Let’s end the disgrace of 1.4 million people being denied the social care they need.
Right now, the government can give peace of mind to all self-employed and insecure workers with an equivalent income protection scheme to that devised for employees. It’s got to be done very, very quickly indeed. The freelancers, workers on zero-hours contracts, and those with no recourse to public funds still have no support.
From cabbies to childminders, actors to plumbers, people are being told to do something extraordinary, to stop earning a living. Having made that demand, the government has an awesome responsibility to ensure they don’t immediately fall into hardship and are able to do what’s necessary for public health.
And the government should ensure the closure of any construction work that isn’t urgent or health and safety related, just as Transport for London and the Scottish government have already done. We’ve all seen the images of public transport in the last couple of days, full of construction workers who still have to go on site. The government must take action to close sites and provide those workers with the necessary economic support too.
As we look beyond the crisis, we should give all workers respect, with proper social security extended to the self-employed and full workers rights for all, including those in the gig economy. Right now, we absolutely must raise statutory sick pay to European levels.
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has said honestly that he could not survive on £94 per week, so how can the government expect others to? As we look beyond the crisis, no one should become poor just because they’re ill.
Many people have been shocked to find just how low the level of statutory sick pay is. They may be even more shocked to find that disabled people on Employment and Support Allowance are expected to survive on even less – £73 a week – as are those on Jobseeker’s Allowance. And for carers, it’s less still – Carer’s Allowance is just £66 per week. This is simply unacceptable.
Right now, we have to give support and security to renters. The government promised 20 million renters a ban on evictions, and then broke its promise. Its emergency legislation doesn’t stop people losing their homes due to coronavirus, it just gives them three months to pack their bags.
This public health emergency will become a housing and homelessness emergency if the government doesn’t change course now. Shelter estimates that as many as 20,000 eviction proceedings are already in progress and will go ahead over the next three months unless the government acts to stop them. Labour’s demands are clear: ban evictions for six months. Suspend rent for those affected by coronavirus.
As we look beyond the crisis, we must give tenants greater rights and control exorbitant rents, and we need real solutions to the housing crisis. And please, let’s end rough sleeping and homelessness. We all know it’s wrong that in the fifth richest country in the world so many are without a home.
I pay tribute to the Mayor of London, whose team have worked tirelessly to secure hotel accommodation for rough sleepers, aiming to get 3,000 hotel rooms for people who have been sleeping on our streets.
The government can make a pledge – today – that anyone who was homeless before the pandemic won’t be returning to the streets. If we can house people in a crisis, then we can keep them housed when it’s over.
Right now, we need to support all of our public services as they face their greatest test. Everyone, every single person in our country, can now see how public services underpin our way of life. As we look beyond the crisis, our public services must never again be subjected to deeply damaging and counter-productive cuts, as they have been for the last 10 years.
The hard truth is that austerity has left us all weaker in the face of this pandemic. We should not have gone into it with 94% of our NHS beds full; with 100,000 NHS job vacancies; with a quarter of the number of ventilators per person that Germany has. Ventilators are our most precious resource in this crisis. We should not have begun with so few. We need more of them urgently and we need staff who can use them.
We all have a duty to do what we can for the collective good, to come together, to look out for each other, our loved ones, our neighbours, our communities. But we also need collective public action to be led by the government. That is the only power that can protect our people from the devastation that coronavirus could wreak.
This crisis demands new economic thinking. We cannot rely on the old way of doing things. The major crises we face as a society cannot be solved by the market. Coronavirus, the climate emergency, huge levels of inequality, increasingly insecure patterns of work, the housing crisis. These can only be solved by people working together, and not against each other.
The corporations and giant multinationals which wield so much power in our economy, and have the ears of Prime Ministers and Presidents worldwide, will always put private profit ahead of public good. Just look at the actions of Tim Martin, the chair of Wetherspoons, telling his staff, who make very little money while he has raked in millions, to go and work in Tesco, instead of standing by them in their hour of need. Look at the grotesque attempts of Mike Ashley to keep his shops open, putting his staff at risk.
And the insatiable greed of those at the top is also driving another crisis – even more dangerous as we look to the future: the climate emergency. Oil companies and fossil fuel extractors continue to destroy our planet, our air, and our wildlife, threatening the future of civilisation itself. We will need to find the same urgency to deal with this threat as we are seeing now against coronavirus.
The coronavirus crisis will not be solved by those driven by private profit and share prices. It will be solved by the bravery of our NHS workers who are on the frontline. It will be solved by communities coming together in all their diversity. It will be solved by the government and public institutions taking bold action in the interests of the common good.
This crisis shows what government can do. It shows what government could have always done. We’ve found the money to give more support to people in financial hardship. We’ve found the money to increase investment in our NHS. We’ve found the money to accommodate homeless people in hotels.
If we can do it in a crisis, we could do it in calmer times too. We are learning through this crisis the extent of our interdependence. If my neighbour gets sick, I might get sick. If the lowest paid worker in a company gets sick, they might make the CEO sick. If somebody on the other side of the world gets sick, that can make any of us sick.
Indeed, the virus is now hitting war-torn Syria and the mass open-air prison that is the Gaza Strip. If healthcare systems in Europe can’t cope, just imagine what it will be like for countries in the Global South.
Save the Children has warned of “perfect storm conditions for a human crisis of unimaginable dimensions”. This virus knows no national borders, and neither should our capacity for compassion and care for our fellow human beings.
The internationalism of the doctors from Cuba who have gone to fight the virus in Italy is inspirational. As is the action of the European Union, which has given Iran 20 million Euros to help overcome this disease. It is a scandal that sanctions are preventing many Iranians accessing vital medical supplies.
As the old trade union slogan goes, ‘an injury to one is an injury to all, united we stand, divided we fall’. And people across our country know this. So many are showing such compassion in the face of adversity.
Just look at how people are coming together, look at the mutual aid groups that have sprung up everywhere, with thousands of people organising to protect their communities. That is the spirit in which we must go forward.
After this crisis, there is no doubt that our society and our economy will be and has to be very different. We must learn the lessons from this crisis and ensure that our society is defined by solidarity and compassion, rather than insecurity, fear and inequality.


labourlist--2020-03-25--PMQs: Boris Johnson puts big business first, public health second

Parliament will close early for recess this evening due to Covid-19 , which made this Prime Minister ’ s Question ’ s the last chance that Jeremy Corbyn and other MPs will have to scrutinise Boris Johnson for at least a month .
The Labour leader naturally chose to focus on the unprecedented coronavirus crisis for his final PMQs at the despatch box .
Corbyn asked , what action has been taken to ensure testing has been prioritised ?
He referenced a leaked email showing that the PM wrote to UK researching institutes to ask for help with health equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t this done weeks ago , if not months ago ?
The PM did not offer a proper response .
Next , Corbyn asked : “ When will NHS staff , care workers and other frontline health professionals get the personal protective equipment that they need ?
” The stocks are there , Johnson replied , and being distributed across the country by the army .
Small comfort as the number of cases surge over 8,000 and frontline workers need them now .
There have been reports of doctors threatening to quit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protective equipment continue .
And this comes as experts say that we ’ re approaching the most dangerous point in the spread of the virus , when the NHS may well be overwhelmed .
On the legislation progressing through the upper chamber today , and the government ’ s abandoned pledge to private renters , Corbyn told the chamber : “ The Prime Minister stood at this despatch box and said , and I quote , ‘ we will protect private renters from eviction ’ .
Yet some renters will be getting eviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson countered to say that he is making no-fault evictions illegal – but this is not the reality on the ground , the Labour leader replied .
Corbyn asked the PM to “ absolutely ” ban evictions for six months , as he had promised , but Johnson didn ’ t budge .
The emergency bill will therefore only offer renters a three-month notice period instead of the current two , while landlords have been given mortgage holidays .
This , when the police have been told to prepare to enforce lockdown measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in dire difficulties soon .
It ’ s clear where the government ’ s priorities lie , and it ’ s not with us renters .
It is not with the self-employed either .
The Labour leader questioned the PM on self-employed construction workers still heading into sites .
He talked about one worker who knew he had the virus and went to work anyway , because “ he had no other source of income ” .
Corbyn asked Johnson to give “ unequivocal guidance that construction work on non-emergency work should stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is “ overwhelmingly ” telling people to not leave the house except to “ take exercise , for medical reasons or to buy essential supplies ” .
This is categorically not what he said on Sunday night , when he announced the lockdown and told people that they could still travel to work if “ necessary ” – whatever that means .
Johnson stuck by his refusal to close down non-essential construction sites , saying : “ What we are not doing is closing down the whole UK economy.
” This speaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards tackling the pandemic .
Throughout , the PM has looked to preserve economic outcomes first , and public health second .
He has sought to implement the government ’ s measures through employers and at the discretion of business – whether that ’ s with income compensation or on how to decide who goes to work .
All underlined with a large amount of confusion in the communication : ‘ don ’ t visit your mum on Mother ’ s Day , but I hope to see mine ’ .
The result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health advice intended to protect us all .
There is no need for this approach and , as Corbyn pointed out , it puts us all at greater risk .
The government needs to step up .
It must put the needs of the lowest paid and those in the most insecure work on par with those of the wealthiest , or public health measures will continue to be hampered .
And the Labour leader got to the crux of the matter when he finished with this : “ No-one is an island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wellbeing of the wealthiest corporate chief executive officer depends on the outsourced worker cleaning their office .
”

Parliament will close early for recess this evening due to Covid-19, which made this Prime Minister’s Question’s the last chance that Jeremy Corbyn and other MPs will have to scrutinise Boris Johnson for at least a month. The Labour leader naturally chose to focus on the unprecedented coronavirus crisis for his final PMQs at the despatch box.
Corbyn asked, what action has been taken to ensure testing has been prioritised? He referenced a leaked email showing that the PM wrote to UK researching institutes to ask for help with health equipment only three days ago. Why wasn’t this done weeks ago, if not months ago? The PM did not offer a proper response.
Next, Corbyn asked: “When will NHS staff, care workers and other frontline health professionals get the personal protective equipment that they need?” The stocks are there, Johnson replied, and being distributed across the country by the army. Small comfort as the number of cases surge over 8,000 and frontline workers need them now. There have been reports of doctors threatening to quit the NHS if the shortages of personal protective equipment continue. And this comes as experts say that we’re approaching the most dangerous point in the spread of the virus, when the NHS may well be overwhelmed.
On the legislation progressing through the upper chamber today, and the government’s abandoned pledge to private renters, Corbyn told the chamber: “The Prime Minister stood at this despatch box and said, and I quote, ‘we will protect private renters from eviction’. Yet some renters will be getting eviction notices as early as next week.” Johnson countered to say that he is making no-fault evictions illegal – but this is not the reality on the ground, the Labour leader replied.
Corbyn asked the PM to “absolutely” ban evictions for six months, as he had promised, but Johnson didn’t budge. The emergency bill will therefore only offer renters a three-month notice period instead of the current two, while landlords have been given mortgage holidays. This, when the police have been told to prepare to enforce lockdown measures for six months, could see many in dire difficulties soon. It’s clear where the government’s priorities lie, and it’s not with us renters.
It is not with the self-employed either. The Labour leader questioned the PM on self-employed construction workers still heading into sites. He talked about one worker who knew he had the virus and went to work anyway, because “he had no other source of income”. Corbyn asked Johnson to give “unequivocal guidance that construction work on non-emergency work should stop now”. The PM replied that he is “overwhelmingly” telling people to not leave the house except to “take exercise, for medical reasons or to buy essential supplies”. This is categorically not what he said on Sunday night, when he announced the lockdown and told people that they could still travel to work if “necessary” – whatever that means. Johnson stuck by his refusal to close down non-essential construction sites, saying: “What we are not doing is closing down the whole UK economy.”
This speaks volumes about the government’s approach towards tackling the pandemic. Throughout, the PM has looked to preserve economic outcomes first, and public health second. He has sought to implement the government’s measures through employers and at the discretion of business – whether that’s with income compensation or on how to decide who goes to work. All underlined with a large amount of confusion in the communication: ‘don’t visit your mum on Mother’s Day, but I hope to see mine’. The result? People unable to comply with public health advice intended to protect us all.
There is no need for this approach and, as Corbyn pointed out, it puts us all at greater risk. The government needs to step up. It must put the needs of the lowest paid and those in the most insecure work on par with those of the wealthiest, or public health measures will continue to be hampered. And the Labour leader got to the crux of the matter when he finished with this: “No-one is an island. No-one is self made. The wellbeing of the wealthiest corporate chief executive officer depends on the outsourced worker cleaning their office.”


labourlist--2020-03-25--“Austerity was not inevitable. It was a deliberate choice” – Nav Mishra’s full maiden speech

Below is the full text of the maiden speech delivered by the Labour MP for Stockport , Navendu Mishra , delivered in parliament on March 9th .
It is the greatest honour imaginable to serve the people of Stockport .
I am indebted to the residents of my constituency for believing in me and for giving me their support at the ballot box .
I am also grateful to my family for their love and encouragement over the years , without which I would never have been able to stand as a candidate .
My predecessor , Ann Coffey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her work in the all-party parliamentary group on runaway and missing children and adults is admired on both sides of this House .
As a former social worker , she campaigned tirelessly against child sexual exploitation , and her work on this very important subject has left a lasting legacy for the better .
I wish her luck with her future endeavours .
I would also like to thank Andrew Bennett , the former member for Stockport North and then for the neighbouring Denton and Reddish seat .
Andrew was a source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election campaign .
If the House will indulge me , I would like to mention another fellow Stopfordian : Samuel Perry , who attempted unsuccessfully to become the MP for Stockport and was subsequently elected as the Labour/Co-op member for Kettering .
Samuel is famous for his work as national secretary of the Co-operative party and as the father of another famous Stopfordian — Fred Perry , the Wimbledon champion and founder of the iconic clothing brand .
I am incredibly grateful to my election agent , Mr Chris Gleeson , and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of — often unsocial — hours that they dedicated to my campaign .
In the Labour movement , we believe in the collective , and I am very lucky to have such a hard-working and dedicated team around me .
My constituency of Stockport is a beautiful part of the world , and , in my unbiased opinion , the jewel in the crown of our beloved northwest region .
It has many iconic buildings and structures — and , of course , some of the warmest people in the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ train station and the famous Stockport viaduct .
At the time of its construction , it was the world ’ s largest viaduct and a major feat of Victorian engineering , and it is , to this day , one of the world ’ s biggest brick structures , with around 11 million bricks .
It is an iconic feature of the Stockport skyline , and has inspired authors and artists alike .
L. S. Lowry seems to have been haunted by the viaduct ; it features in several of his works from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The paintings and drawings evoke a thriving , if grimy , industrial town .
Author and theorist Friedrich Engels described the viaduct in his book The Condition of the Working Class in England .
Although many across the globe admire Engels ’ s political analysis , I do not share in his bleak and unflattering description of Stockport .
In 1844 , Engels wrote : “ Stockport is renowned throughout the entire district as one of the duskiest , smokiest holes , and looks , indeed , especially when viewed from the viaduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to report that , while Engels ’ s analysis of the capitalist exploitation of working people remains true today , his words about Stockport do not .
These days , the smoke-belching chimneys are a thing of the past .
In recent years , Stockport has had the fastest-growing economy in the north-west , with relatively high-value jobs .
It is a brilliant place to live and to represent .
The historic town centre , featured on film and TV , is a great place to be , especially if it is Foodie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diverse place to live , but like many similar working communities across the UK , it is a tale of two towns : the haves and the have-nots .
If you live in Heatons South , you can expect to live a lot longer than if you live where I live , in Brinnington and Central — ten years longer if you are a man , and eight if you are a woman .
And it is not just how long you live ; your chances of living with serious illness also vary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a proud 400-year-old hat-making heritage .
I was delighted to learn from my hon .
friend the member for Luton South about the history of hat making in her constituency , but I am pleased to share that Stockport ’ s Hat Works is the only dedicated hat museum in the UK .
Although Stockport trumps Luton in terms of hat museums , both our local football teams are known as the Hatters .
Recent performances in the national league give us hope that we will soon be returning to the football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stockport County , was founded in 1883 as the Heaton Norris Rovers , and changed its name in 1890 .
The club has a long history that includes the wonderful seasons in the early ’ 90s when it was managed by the revered Uruguayan Danny Bergara .
I have made a commitment to help promote our local club and look forward to working with the fans and the new owner in the coming years .
Stockport is a vibrant market town with a lively town centre .
We have a thriving civic society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their community .
It is those people working and volunteering in our third sector who are the backbone of our community .
We have some excellent local organisations that support people from across the north-west , and I want to use my maiden speech as an opportunity to highlight just a few of them .
I have been lucky enough to visit the Wellspring centre several times and see the work that they do .
Over the years , they have helped over 1,500 rough sleepers into accommodation .
Their annual rucksack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clothes , food and other essentials in the winter .
Jonathan and his team of staff and volunteers inspire me every day , working hard to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society .
I have also had the wonderful opportunity to visit Smart Works in my constituency , a registered charity that supports women with interview preparation and professional clothing .
I met some of the staff and volunteers based in Stockport , and I was pleased to learn about the number of women who have had support over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequality and poverty is illustrated by the alarming increase in the use of food banks in my constituency .
One of my main priorities for my constituency is housing .
All those years ago , the poor quality of housing impressed itself on Engels .
These days , the situation is different , but the legacy of the Right to Buy policy and demographic and financial changes have resulted in huge pressures on housing in Stockport .
We need to make sure that Stopfordians do not get priced out of living and thriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that high numbers of good-quality social and affordable homes are built in Stockport .
Another important pledge in my campaign was bringing high-quality green jobs into Stockport , to make sure that people have access to good jobs locally , rather than having to travel long distances for work .
Improving public transport is also an issue close to my heart .
We need reliable , affordable and frequent bus services , as well as the Metrolink tram brought back into our town .
The leader of Stockport Council , Elise Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public transport , and I look forward to working with her to ensure that this issue gets the priority it deserves .
Yesterday was International Women ’ s Day , so it would be remiss of me not to mention Suffragette Square in Stockport , which was named to commemorate four important women in Stockport ’ s history : Gertrude Powicke , Elsie Plant and Hannah Winbolt were Stopfordian women who were all active in the suffrage movement , and Elizabeth Raffald was a pioneering Stopfordian from the 1700s .
Another woman who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of Indian heritage , who famously led the Grunwick dispute of mostly women workers , which was a landmark strike in the fight for fairness and equality in Britain .
Stockport and the north-west have a proud history of radicalism and protest—whether it was the Chartists , who fought for working-class rights and influence ; the suffragettes , who campaigned for women ’ s right to vote ; the Kinder Scout mass trespass , which helped to establish the right to ramble ; or those who marched for democratic rights at St @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Peterloo massacre .
People often think of Byron or Shelley when they think of poetic accounts of Peterloo , but Samuel Bamford was at St Peter ’ s field on that bloody day and captured the struggle of ordinary Stopfordians in his 1816 poem “ The Fray of Stockport ” .
The brave workers at the Roberts Arundel engineering works in Stockport fought for the right to organise against poverty wages and an oppressive employer .
The Roberts Arundel dispute started as a local strike involving 145 workers , but became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of workers threatened a concerted solidarity strike across the north-west .
Hugh Scanlon , the late president of the Amalgamated Engineering Union , said : “ The Roberts Arundel dispute in Stockport had a small and seemingly ‘ parochial ’ beginning , yet exploded into an issue that had great repercussions for the Labour movement nationally and internationally ” .
I would like to pay tribute to the late , great AEU Stockport district secretary John Tocher , who fought on behalf of workers in my constituency all those years ago , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a source of advice and inspiration .
As socialists and representatives of the trade union and labour movement , we stand on the shoulders of giants .
One such giant was my dear friend and Salford councillor John Ferguson , who would be delighted to see me in this place making my maiden speech .
Sadly , he passed away just before the election .
John was a giant of north-west Labour politics and a lifelong trade unionist , and he always had the wisest of words to offer when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owe so much to the trade union movement , which has supported me throughout my working life .
From courses on workplace representation to political education , my union Unite has always stood with me .
In fact , my maternal grandfather , Mr Awadhesh Pandey , was involved in the All India Railwaymen ’ s Federation , and active in the 1974 national railway strike , standing up for better pay and conditions for his fellow workers .
I hope to do justice to my grandfather ’ s memory by standing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement shows us that we can achieve so much when we stand up collectively to fight for what is right and just .
We owe so much to the social movements that won us fundamental rights .
Yet , unfortunately , the injustices , inequalities and exploitation that inspired these movements remain .
Public services in Stockport have been decimated by a decade of government cuts and brutal austerity .
Over £100m has been stripped from our council ’ s budget .
Our local NHS trust has been underfunded by £170m , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our schools .
Austerity was not inevitable ; it was a deliberate choice by the political elite to make ordinary working-class people pay the price for an economic crisis they did not create .
As Stockport ’ s new MP , I stand with these ordinary working people .
I vow to continue our town ’ s proud tradition of radicalism and protest , and to stand up for hope , equality and justice .

Below is the full text of the maiden speech delivered by the Labour MP for Stockport, Navendu Mishra, delivered in parliament on March 9th.
It is the greatest honour imaginable to serve the people of Stockport. I am indebted to the residents of my constituency for believing in me and for giving me their support at the ballot box. I am also grateful to my family for their love and encouragement over the years, without which I would never have been able to stand as a candidate.
My predecessor, Ann Coffey, served Stockport from 1992 to 2019. Her work in the all-party parliamentary group on runaway and missing children and adults is admired on both sides of this House. As a former social worker, she campaigned tirelessly against child sexual exploitation, and her work on this very important subject has left a lasting legacy for the better. I wish her luck with her future endeavours. I would also like to thank Andrew Bennett, the former member for Stockport North and then for the neighbouring Denton and Reddish seat. Andrew was a source of great advice and inspiration during the general election campaign.
If the House will indulge me, I would like to mention another fellow Stopfordian: Samuel Perry, who attempted unsuccessfully to become the MP for Stockport and was subsequently elected as the Labour/Co-op member for Kettering. Samuel is famous for his work as national secretary of the Co-operative party and as the father of another famous Stopfordian — Fred Perry, the Wimbledon champion and founder of the iconic clothing brand.
I am incredibly grateful to my election agent, Mr Chris Gleeson, and all those in Stockport Labour party for the hundreds of — often unsocial — hours that they dedicated to my campaign. In the Labour movement, we believe in the collective, and I am very lucky to have such a hard-working and dedicated team around me.
My constituency of Stockport is a beautiful part of the world, and, in my unbiased opinion, the jewel in the crown of our beloved northwest region. It has many iconic buildings and structures — and, of course, some of the warmest people in the world. Many people know Stockport because of our train station and the famous Stockport viaduct. At the time of its construction, it was the world’s largest viaduct and a major feat of Victorian engineering, and it is, to this day, one of the world’s biggest brick structures, with around 11 million bricks.
It is an iconic feature of the Stockport skyline, and has inspired authors and artists alike. L. S. Lowry seems to have been haunted by the viaduct; it features in several of his works from the ’50s and ’60s. The paintings and drawings evoke a thriving, if grimy, industrial town. Author and theorist Friedrich Engels described the viaduct in his book The Condition of the Working Class in England. Although many across the globe admire Engels’s political analysis, I do not share in his bleak and unflattering description of Stockport.
In 1844, Engels wrote: “Stockport is renowned throughout the entire district as one of the duskiest, smokiest holes, and looks, indeed, especially when viewed from the viaduct, excessively repellent.” I am glad to report that, while Engels’s analysis of the capitalist exploitation of working people remains true today, his words about Stockport do not. These days, the smoke-belching chimneys are a thing of the past. In recent years, Stockport has had the fastest-growing economy in the north-west, with relatively high-value jobs. It is a brilliant place to live and to represent. The historic town centre, featured on film and TV, is a great place to be, especially if it is Foodie Friday.
Stockport is a varied and diverse place to live, but like many similar working communities across the UK, it is a tale of two towns: the haves and the have-nots. If you live in Heatons South, you can expect to live a lot longer than if you live where I live, in Brinnington and Central — ten years longer if you are a man, and eight if you are a woman. And it is not just how long you live; your chances of living with serious illness also vary enormously across the constituency.
Our town has a proud 400-year-old hat-making heritage. I was delighted to learn from my hon. friend the member for Luton South about the history of hat making in her constituency, but I am pleased to share that Stockport’s Hat Works is the only dedicated hat museum in the UK.
Although Stockport trumps Luton in terms of hat museums, both our local football teams are known as the Hatters. Recent performances in the national league give us hope that we will soon be returning to the football league. My local football team, Stockport County, was founded in 1883 as the Heaton Norris Rovers, and changed its name in 1890. The club has a long history that includes the wonderful seasons in the early ’90s when it was managed by the revered Uruguayan Danny Bergara. I have made a commitment to help promote our local club and look forward to working with the fans and the new owner in the coming years.
Stockport is a vibrant market town with a lively town centre. We have a thriving civic society, and our people take great pride in their community. It is those people working and volunteering in our third sector who are the backbone of our community. We have some excellent local organisations that support people from across the north-west, and I want to use my maiden speech as an opportunity to highlight just a few of them.
I have been lucky enough to visit the Wellspring centre several times and see the work that they do. Over the years, they have helped over 1,500 rough sleepers into accommodation. Their annual rucksack appeal helps people in need with warm clothes, food and other essentials in the winter. Jonathan and his team of staff and volunteers inspire me every day, working hard to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
I have also had the wonderful opportunity to visit Smart Works in my constituency, a registered charity that supports women with interview preparation and professional clothing. I met some of the staff and volunteers based in Stockport, and I was pleased to learn about the number of women who have had support over the years. The appalling rise in inequality and poverty is illustrated by the alarming increase in the use of food banks in my constituency.
One of my main priorities for my constituency is housing. All those years ago, the poor quality of housing impressed itself on Engels. These days, the situation is different, but the legacy of the Right to Buy policy and demographic and financial changes have resulted in huge pressures on housing in Stockport. We need to make sure that Stopfordians do not get priced out of living and thriving in our town. I want to ensure that high numbers of good-quality social and affordable homes are built in Stockport.
Another important pledge in my campaign was bringing high-quality green jobs into Stockport, to make sure that people have access to good jobs locally, rather than having to travel long distances for work. Improving public transport is also an issue close to my heart. We need reliable, affordable and frequent bus services, as well as the Metrolink tram brought back into our town. The leader of Stockport Council, Elise Wilson, is a long-standing campaigner for better public transport, and I look forward to working with her to ensure that this issue gets the priority it deserves.
Yesterday was International Women’s Day, so it would be remiss of me not to mention Suffragette Square in Stockport, which was named to commemorate four important women in Stockport’s history: Gertrude Powicke, Elsie Plant and Hannah Winbolt were Stopfordian women who were all active in the suffrage movement, and Elizabeth Raffald was a pioneering Stopfordian from the 1700s. Another woman who has inspired me is Mrs Jayaben Desai, of Indian heritage, who famously led the Grunwick dispute of mostly women workers, which was a landmark strike in the fight for fairness and equality in Britain.
Stockport and the north-west have a proud history of radicalism and protest—whether it was the Chartists, who fought for working-class rights and influence; the suffragettes, who campaigned for women’s right to vote; the Kinder Scout mass trespass, which helped to establish the right to ramble; or those who marched for democratic rights at St Peter’s field and were slaughtered at the Peterloo massacre. People often think of Byron or Shelley when they think of poetic accounts of Peterloo, but Samuel Bamford was at St Peter’s field on that bloody day and captured the struggle of ordinary Stopfordians in his 1816 poem “The Fray of Stockport”.
The brave workers at the Roberts Arundel engineering works in Stockport fought for the right to organise against poverty wages and an oppressive employer. The Roberts Arundel dispute started as a local strike involving 145 workers, but became a dispute of national significance as millions of workers threatened a concerted solidarity strike across the north-west. Hugh Scanlon, the late president of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, said: “The Roberts Arundel dispute in Stockport had a small and seemingly ‘parochial’ beginning, yet exploded into an issue that had great repercussions for the Labour movement nationally and internationally”.
I would like to pay tribute to the late, great AEU Stockport district secretary John Tocher, who fought on behalf of workers in my constituency all those years ago, and his comrade David Heywood, who continues to be a source of advice and inspiration.
As socialists and representatives of the trade union and labour movement, we stand on the shoulders of giants. One such giant was my dear friend and Salford councillor John Ferguson, who would be delighted to see me in this place making my maiden speech. Sadly, he passed away just before the election. John was a giant of north-west Labour politics and a lifelong trade unionist, and he always had the wisest of words to offer when the going got tough.
Personally, I owe so much to the trade union movement, which has supported me throughout my working life. From courses on workplace representation to political education, my union Unite has always stood with me. In fact, my maternal grandfather, Mr Awadhesh Pandey, was involved in the All India Railwaymen’s Federation, and active in the 1974 national railway strike, standing up for better pay and conditions for his fellow workers.
I hope to do justice to my grandfather’s memory by standing up against exploitation. The history of our movement shows us that we can achieve so much when we stand up collectively to fight for what is right and just. We owe so much to the social movements that won us fundamental rights. Yet, unfortunately, the injustices, inequalities and exploitation that inspired these movements remain.
Public services in Stockport have been decimated by a decade of government cuts and brutal austerity. Over £100m has been stripped from our council’s budget. Our local NHS trust has been underfunded by £170m, and there is an £8m funding shortfall in our schools. Austerity was not inevitable; it was a deliberate choice by the political elite to make ordinary working-class people pay the price for an economic crisis they did not create. As Stockport’s new MP, I stand with these ordinary working people. I vow to continue our town’s proud tradition of radicalism and protest, and to stand up for hope, equality and justice.


labourlist--2020-03-25--“The strength of a society that cares” – Corbyn’s PMQs closing speech

Outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn delivered a closing speech on “ the strength of a society that cares ” at his final Prime Minister ’ s Questions as leader of the opposition this afternoon .
“ All I can say to the Prime Minister on this is : please make sure you make yourself available for scrutiny by this House and by everybody else .
Because we represent people who are desperately worried about their health , about their economic wellbeing , ” Corbyn told the Commons .
“ And if you ’ re living in a small flat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and you have a large family and a large number of children , the levels of stress are going to be huge .
The levels of stress throughout our society are huge .
“ It ’ s up to all of us to do what we can to reduce those levels of stress , and obviously bring this whole situation to a conclusion as quickly as we can .
So we need clarity , not confusion .
We need delivery , not dither .
“ This crisis shows us , Mr Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other .
We ’ ll only come through this as a society through a huge collective effort .
At a time of crisis , no-one is an island .
No-one is self-made .
“ The wellbeing of the wealthiest corporate chief executive officer depends on the outsourced worker cleaning their office .
At times like this , Mr Speaker , we have to recognise the value of each other and the strength of a society that cares for each other and cares for all .
Earlier in the session , which was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for physical distance between MPs in the chamber , Boris Johnson paid tribute to Corbyn .
The Prime Minister said the Labour leader had done “ a very difficult job ” , adding : “ No-one can doubt his sincerity and his determination to build a better society.
” Corbyn replied : “ I believe in a decent , socially just society .
And he was talking as though this was a sort of obituary .
Just to let him know : my voice will not be stilled .
I ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ ll be arguing .
And I ’ ll be demanding justice for the people of this country – and indeed the rest of the world .
”

Outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn delivered a closing speech on “the strength of a society that cares” at his final Prime Minister’s Questions as leader of the opposition this afternoon.
“All I can say to the Prime Minister on this is: please make sure you make yourself available for scrutiny by this House and by everybody else. Because we represent people who are desperately worried about their health, about their economic wellbeing,” Corbyn told the Commons.
“And if you’re living in a small flat, and you’re told to isolate, and you have a large family and a large number of children, the levels of stress are going to be huge. The levels of stress throughout our society are huge.
“It’s up to all of us to do what we can to reduce those levels of stress, and obviously bring this whole situation to a conclusion as quickly as we can. So we need clarity, not confusion. We need delivery, not dither.
“This crisis shows us, Mr Speaker, how deeply we depend on each other. We’ll only come through this as a society through a huge collective effort. At a time of crisis, no-one is an island. No-one is self-made.
“The wellbeing of the wealthiest corporate chief executive officer depends on the outsourced worker cleaning their office. At times like this, Mr Speaker, we have to recognise the value of each other and the strength of a society that cares for each other and cares for all.”
Earlier in the session, which was a special ‘double’ PMQs to allow for physical distance between MPs in the chamber, Boris Johnson paid tribute to Corbyn. The Prime Minister said the Labour leader had done “a very difficult job”, adding: “No-one can doubt his sincerity and his determination to build a better society.”
Corbyn replied: “I believe in a decent, socially just society. And he was talking as though this was a sort of obituary. Just to let him know: my voice will not be stilled. I’ll be around. I’ll be campaigning. I’ll be arguing. And I’ll be demanding justice for the people of this country – and indeed the rest of the world.”


labourlist--2020-03-26--We’re about to find out what “parity of support” for the self-employed really means

Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell yesterday delivered their final speeches in the House of Commons as Labour leader and Shadow Chancellor respectively .
Naturally , both statements were centred on the coronavirus crisis and our handling of it .
Highlighting the stark irony of the measures now being introduced by a Tory government , from upping benefits to housing rough sleepers , Corbyn pointed out : “ This crisis shows what government can do .
It shows what government could have always done.
” His closing speech at PMQs emphasised “ the strength of a society that cares for each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told shortly afterwards that 405,000 people signed up to volunteer for the NHS in just 24 hours .
While it has been remarkable to watch the Conservative government implement policies that Labour has long called for , ideology does seem to be shaping the response in some ways .
Shadow immigration minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy has written for LabourList about how the hostile environment is being kept in place even amid this crisis : she says there are “ too many migrants currently on the brink of destitution without recourse to public funds ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls for a pause on the immigration healthcare surcharge .
76 Labour MPs have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling for the ‘ no recourse to public funds ’ migrant status to be suspended – and this is now officially Labour ’ s position , as McDonnell made the same demand in his coronavirus speech .
The virus does not discrimination between different types of ‘ leave to remain ’ , of course .
And just as immigration status should not be hindering the UK ’ s response to the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is indeed a pandemic and cooperation is therefore required .
Leadership candidate Lisa Nandy has written for LabourList on this issue .
Echoing the recent warnings of Gordon Brown , she says “ isolation ” and “ nativism ” is making the world “ more fragile ” .
Now is precisely the time , Nandy argues , for more internationalism and not less .
All eyes will be on Rishi Sunak later today , as the Chancellor is expected to reveal the much-anticipated measures for the self-employed .
The Treasury is apparently worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parity ” between PAYE workers and those who will discover their fates this afternoon .
This is according to The Sun , which has exclusively reported that the self-employed will have to wait until May to receive support from the government and that those who earned over £30,000 according to their last tax return will be excluded from the scheme .
If that report is accurate , it will be highly controversial .
It would mean that the government assumes those earning £31,000 have significant savings , which they should deplete during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year do not – an arbitrary judgment that would be pretty indefensible .
Furloughed workers in the job retention scheme are being capped at that level of pay , but none are excluded in the same way , and their savings aren ’ t taken into account .
This would be far from “ parity of support ” – and a long wait until May would in itself raise questions about the fairness of the proposals .
Sunak can not allow the idea that TV presenters have seen their incomes unaffected to overshadow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many other Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell yesterday delivered their final speeches in the House of Commons as Labour leader and Shadow Chancellor respectively. Naturally, both statements were centred on the coronavirus crisis and our handling of it. Highlighting the stark irony of the measures now being introduced by a Tory government, from upping benefits to housing rough sleepers, Corbyn pointed out: “This crisis shows what government can do. It shows what government could have always done.” His closing speech at PMQs emphasised “the strength of a society that cares for each other”. Indeed, we were told shortly afterwards that 405,000 people signed up to volunteer for the NHS in just 24 hours.
While it has been remarkable to watch the Conservative government implement policies that Labour has long called for, ideology does seem to be shaping the response in some ways. Shadow immigration minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy has written for LabourList about how the hostile environment is being kept in place even amid this crisis: she says there are “too many migrants currently on the brink of destitution without recourse to public funds”, raises concerns about detention centres and calls for a pause on the immigration healthcare surcharge. 76 Labour MPs have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling for the ‘no recourse to public funds’ migrant status to be suspended – and this is now officially Labour’s position, as McDonnell made the same demand in his coronavirus speech.
The virus does not discrimination between different types of ‘leave to remain’, of course. And just as immigration status should not be hindering the UK’s response to the pandemic, there must be recognition that this is indeed a pandemic and cooperation is therefore required. Leadership candidate Lisa Nandy has written for LabourList on this issue. Echoing the recent warnings of Gordon Brown, she says “isolation” and “nativism” is making the world “more fragile”. Now is precisely the time, Nandy argues, for more internationalism and not less.
All eyes will be on Rishi Sunak later today, as the Chancellor is expected to reveal the much-anticipated measures for the self-employed. The Treasury is apparently worried about Boris Johnson having spoken of “parity” between PAYE workers and those who will discover their fates this afternoon. This is according to The Sun, which has exclusively reported that the self-employed will have to wait until May to receive support from the government and that those who earned over £30,000 according to their last tax return will be excluded from the scheme.
If that report is accurate, it will be highly controversial. It would mean that the government assumes those earning £31,000 have significant savings, which they should deplete during this period, whereas those on £29,000 a year do not – an arbitrary judgment that would be pretty indefensible. Furloughed workers in the job retention scheme are being capped at that level of pay, but none are excluded in the same way, and their savings aren’t taken into account. This would be far from “parity of support” – and a long wait until May would in itself raise questions about the fairness of the proposals. Sunak cannot allow the idea that TV presenters have seen their incomes unaffected to overshadow the urgency of this situation for so many other Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-03-26--WATCH: Jon Ashworth slams “phoney lockdown” Covid-19 measures

Jonathan Ashworth has called the coronavirus measures introduced by the government “ a bit of a phoney lockdown ” because construction and other workers are still “ forced to go to work ” .
Speaking to Sky News this morning , the Shadow Health Secretary called for the government to implement “ clear and unambiguous instructions that only key essential key workers should be in the workplace ” .
He added : “ People are putting not only themselves at risk .
People are going to work who may have the virus and not know about it… or they may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got no choice but to go to work.
” Ashworth ’ s comments followed a parliamentary speech given by John McDonnell yesterday , in which he said : “ Because of the inconsistencies of the interpretation of the lockdown , we seem to be in a phoney lockdown.
” As it stands , self-employed workers have been instructed to apply for Universal Credit if unable to work .
This is payable at the rate of statutory sick pay and leaves nearly five million workers to survive on £94.25 per week .
In contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme for employees announced last week enables employers to claim support for up to 80 % of their wages .
Labour has called for the government to urgently provide greater support for self-employed workers .
Jeremy Corbyn raised the issue at his final Prime Minister ’ s Questions as leader , but the government has yet to make any further commitment .
There are currently 9,529 recorded cases of coronavirus in the UK .
The highest number by a large margin have been found in the capital , where there are 3,247 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease .

Jonathan Ashworth has called the coronavirus measures introduced by the government “a bit of a phoney lockdown” because construction and other workers are still “forced to go to work”.
Speaking to Sky News this morning, the Shadow Health Secretary called for the government to implement “clear and unambiguous instructions that only key essential key workers should be in the workplace”.
He added: “People are putting not only themselves at risk. People are going to work who may have the virus and not know about it… or they may have the virus but they’ve got no choice but to go to work.”
"It is a bit of a phoney lockdown" Shadow Health Secretary @JonAshworth says the UK lockdown is not truly effective with the number of people, such as construction workers, still going in to work.#KayBurley Get the latest #COVID19 news: https://t.co/nCWFRkPaWe pic.twitter.com/FFa7aHtvwI — Sky News (@SkyNews) March 26, 2020
Ashworth’s comments followed a parliamentary speech given by John McDonnell yesterday, in which he said: “Because of the inconsistencies of the interpretation of the lockdown, we seem to be in a phoney lockdown.”
As it stands, self-employed workers have been instructed to apply for Universal Credit if unable to work. This is payable at the rate of statutory sick pay and leaves nearly five million workers to survive on £94.25 per week.
In contrast, the government’s income compensation scheme for employees announced last week enables employers to claim support for up to 80% of their wages.
Labour has called for the government to urgently provide greater support for self-employed workers. Jeremy Corbyn raised the issue at his final Prime Minister’s Questions as leader, but the government has yet to make any further commitment.
There are currently 9,529 recorded cases of coronavirus in the UK. The highest number by a large margin have been found in the capital, where there are 3,247 cases. 422 UK residents have died of the disease.