labourlist--2020-08-28--Tory cronyism in government procurement: incompetence or wilful malpractice?

We ’ ve recently seen scandals develop around government procurement during the pandemic .
As journalists , campaigners and lawyers begin to scratch beneath the surface of public spending during lockdown , examples of profoundly poor governance have been exposed .
They reveal at best incompetence and at worst wilful malpractice at the heart of Boris Johnson ’ s administration .
Many will now be the subject of judicial review applications in the High Court , whereby the lawfulness of decisions taken by the executive are challenged .
Ministers must “ exercise the powers conferred on them in good faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of such powers and not unreasonably ” .
It would seem that ministers during the lockdown forgot these simple but profound words from Lord Bingham – the pre-eminent 20th century judge – and now they may face action in the courts .
The personal protective equipment scandal is perhaps the most shocking .
The lack of a competitive procurement process has led to an inexcusable waste of public resources .
The Times has chronicled the extraordinary story of the government contracting with a small wholesaler of confectionery , a pest-extermination company and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combined total of almost £500m to procure PPE , much of which remains in warehouses and is unusable .
There is no evidence of any of these companies ever producing PPE before .
It is difficult to argue that such a decision was reasonable – and no surprise that Rachel Reeves , the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and former economist at the Bank of England , has called for a public inquiry into this remarkable waste of taxpayer money .
The showering of cash for private-sector suppliers and consultants appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal links to Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings – the two men actually running the government on a day-to-day basis .
Public First , a public affairs agency run by two directors with close connections to Cummings , has recently been handed contracts worth almost £1m , apparently without any consideration of alternative suppliers .
Indeed , one project they were procured to undertake was titled the ‘ Public First project ’ – fundamentally undermining any pretence at a fair tendering process .
The Mirror has looked further afield and identified 13 companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have won almost £500m in contracts for equipment during lockdown , seemingly without any competition from those without such links .
One firm , Randox , received £133m for Covid-19 tests .
It just so happens that the firm pays Tory MP Owen Paterson over £8,000 per month to act as an ‘ adviser ’ .
Many of these debacles have only been exposed after the threat of legal action .
The details of the PPE fiasco and the Public First project only fully emerged in pre-action correspondence challenging the fairness of government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a not-for-profit membership organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public .
Before Gavin Williamson ’ s belated U-turn on the exams algorithm , the Good Law Project was launching legal action on behalf of devastated children , which may have forced the Education Secretary ’ s hand .
It is no wonder , then , that this government has announced a panel to recommend measures by which to stifle judicial review of its decisions .
All opposition must be stifled .
These stories of wasteful spending and Tory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reveal a much wider problem with this government .
Johnson leads a faux-macho administration that thrives when ignoring convention or due process .
He despises scrutiny , having refused to appear before the liaison select committee for over a year , unlike any of his predecessors , and has not done a serious mainstream political interview since the general election last year .
Even then , he avoided Andrew Neil – and at one point during the campaign hid in a fridge to avoid questioning .
It should never be forgotten that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have suspended parliament unlawfully , with the implicit aim of ignoring parliament during the Brexit process .
A lax attitude to procurement rules within departments is a natural consequence of having a leader with such little respect for rules himself .
A government ’ s behaviour is symptomatic of the Prime Minister ’ s and of those he empowers .
The problem with ignoring process and rules , and blaming others whenever possible , is that it often leads to chaos .
The government has overseen one of the most catastrophic education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an algorithm that they were warned months in advance would lead to fundamental unfairness .
They failed to launch a successful test and trace app ( remember that ? )
, despite pouring resources and political capital into the project .
They did not see the school meal voucher crisis developing , despite warnings from poverty groups and a Premier League footballer – the Prime Minister pleaded ignorance of the issue on the day of the U-turn despite the rest of the country knowing all about it .
Gavin Williamson promised children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the summer holidays , and is now working overtime to try to arrange a return in September .
In the past week alone , we have seen last-minute U-turns on face coverings in schools and the evictions ban .
A populist disrespect for institutions and authority may win votes in a heated election , but it does not lead to healthy government – a fact tragically compounded by achieving the highest Covid-19 death rate in Europe .
Johnson has thrived politically as Prime Minister when appearing to defy the natural order as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public is beginning to see that this attitude does not breed good government , as satisfaction with the government ’ s performance is falling .
The challenge for Labour – and the polls also suggest the challenge is significant – is to combine a radical agenda for change with persuading the public that they are competent to enact it .

We’ve recently seen scandals develop around government procurement during the pandemic. As journalists, campaigners and lawyers begin to scratch beneath the surface of public spending during lockdown, examples of profoundly poor governance have been exposed. They reveal at best incompetence and at worst wilful malpractice at the heart of Boris Johnson’s administration.
Many will now be the subject of judicial review applications in the High Court, whereby the lawfulness of decisions taken by the executive are challenged. Ministers must “exercise the powers conferred on them in good faith, fairly… and without exceeding the limits of such powers and not unreasonably”. It would seem that ministers during the lockdown forgot these simple but profound words from Lord Bingham – the pre-eminent 20th century judge – and now they may face action in the courts.
The personal protective equipment scandal is perhaps the most shocking. The lack of a competitive procurement process has led to an inexcusable waste of public resources. The Times has chronicled the extraordinary story of the government contracting with a small wholesaler of confectionery, a pest-extermination company and a private equity firm – each receiving a combined total of almost £500m to procure PPE, much of which remains in warehouses and is unusable. There is no evidence of any of these companies ever producing PPE before. It is difficult to argue that such a decision was reasonable – and no surprise that Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and former economist at the Bank of England, has called for a public inquiry into this remarkable waste of taxpayer money.
The showering of cash for private-sector suppliers and consultants appears, coincidentally, to favour firms with personal links to Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings – the two men actually running the government on a day-to-day basis. Public First, a public affairs agency run by two directors with close connections to Cummings, has recently been handed contracts worth almost £1m, apparently without any consideration of alternative suppliers. Indeed, one project they were procured to undertake was titled the ‘Public First project’ – fundamentally undermining any pretence at a fair tendering process.
The Mirror has looked further afield and identified 13 companies with links to the Conservative Party that have won almost £500m in contracts for equipment during lockdown, seemingly without any competition from those without such links. One firm, Randox, received £133m for Covid-19 tests. It just so happens that the firm pays Tory MP Owen Paterson over £8,000 per month to act as an ‘adviser’.
Many of these debacles have only been exposed after the threat of legal action. The details of the PPE fiasco and the Public First project only fully emerged in pre-action correspondence challenging the fairness of government decisions by the Good Law Project – a not-for-profit membership organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public. Before Gavin Williamson’s belated U-turn on the exams algorithm, the Good Law Project was launching legal action on behalf of devastated children, which may have forced the Education Secretary’s hand. It is no wonder, then, that this government has announced a panel to recommend measures by which to stifle judicial review of its decisions. All opposition must be stifled.
These stories of wasteful spending and Tory cronyism are themselves shocking, but also reveal a much wider problem with this government. Johnson leads a faux-macho administration that thrives when ignoring convention or due process. He despises scrutiny, having refused to appear before the liaison select committee for over a year, unlike any of his predecessors, and has not done a serious mainstream political interview since the general election last year. Even then, he avoided Andrew Neil – and at one point during the campaign hid in a fridge to avoid questioning.
It should never be forgotten that this is the Prime Minister who was found to have suspended parliament unlawfully, with the implicit aim of ignoring parliament during the Brexit process. A lax attitude to procurement rules within departments is a natural consequence of having a leader with such little respect for rules himself.
A government’s behaviour is symptomatic of the Prime Minister’s and of those he empowers. The problem with ignoring process and rules, and blaming others whenever possible, is that it often leads to chaos. The government has overseen one of the most catastrophic education policies in recent years, finally U-turning on an algorithm that they were warned months in advance would lead to fundamental unfairness. They failed to launch a successful test and trace app (remember that?), despite pouring resources and political capital into the project.
They did not see the school meal voucher crisis developing, despite warnings from poverty groups and a Premier League footballer – the Prime Minister pleaded ignorance of the issue on the day of the U-turn despite the rest of the country knowing all about it. Gavin Williamson promised children would be back for a month before the summer holidays, and is now working overtime to try to arrange a return in September. In the past week alone, we have seen last-minute U-turns on face coverings in schools and the evictions ban.
A populist disrespect for institutions and authority may win votes in a heated election, but it does not lead to healthy government – a fact tragically compounded by achieving the highest Covid-19 death rate in Europe. Johnson has thrived politically as Prime Minister when appearing to defy the natural order as the insurgent against a mystical establishment. The public is beginning to see that this attitude does not breed good government, as satisfaction with the government’s performance is falling. The challenge for Labour – and the polls also suggest the challenge is significant – is to combine a radical agenda for change with persuading the public that they are competent to enact it.


labourlist--2020-08-31--Labour must listen to trade unions on the reopening of universities

From September , universities across the country will begin to welcome new undergraduate students .
This reopening will involve the mass movement of nearly one million students .
Without robust scrutiny from the opposition , we risk universities becoming key sites of transmission driving a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic , whilst Labour risks the trusts of students and university workers .
Even before the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey , the Labour leadership moved to triangulate its position on school reopening and distance itself from education unions .
The result ?
Being embarrassingly outflanked by celebrities and the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of parents , teachers and students who supported a more cautious approach .
With ‘ freshers ’ flu ’ already a feature of the return to universities , maintaining social distancing will be difficult enough even without the commitment of many universities to provide face-to-face teaching .
Students live within wider communities – often within working-class ones – and the risk of virus transmission is therefore elevated .
University managements are gambling the health of students , workers and the local community for meagre fee income .
Many union branches that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are pushing for further action to maintain social distancing , including more extensive mask wearing and remote learning for all teaching possible .
UCU has urged the government to observe the advice set out by Independent SAGE in their recent report on university reopening and the risk of Covid-19 , which calls for remote learning by default – with masks being required when any in-person teaching does take place .
The NUS has found that students are most comfortable returning to education if taught exclusively online and are similarly pushing for no in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing and clear guidance for building safe and healthy new student households .
Facing the harshest recession for 100 years , widespread unemployment and wage cuts , now more than ever students need substantive living maintenance grants to support this and maintain social distancing .
Further support – including an overhaul of punitive university assessment systems and serious investment in adequate and appropriate health support – is essential in particular for students with health conditions that make them clinically vulnerable to Covid-19 .
Alongside this , significant investment will be needed in local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive track and trace system on every university campus and in every university community .
While precarious staff disproportionately carry out face-to-face teaching , cuts to the pay and jobs of casualised workers has left universities poorly prepared to provide genuinely socially distanced education to an increased number of students .
In this context , the reckless push we ’ ve seen from university vice-chancellors across the country to deliver in-person teaching come what may speaks to the extent to which the sector has been hollowed out by marketisation .
With degrees conceptualised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ value from remote learning , the prioritisation of revenue raising over student welfare in the running of our universities is now a national public health risk .
It is critical that the Labour Party gets ahead of this issue , scrutinises the government and demands remote learning by default to avert a perfect storm of cuts , marketisation and pandemic threat .
Further , Labour ’ s response should be to highlight the underlying problems in the higher education sector and address them by proposing a shift to public funding , free education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staff and students .
Some MPs have already been pushing these demands in conjunction with staff and student unions .
We must be pressing all Labour MPs to represent the concerns and demands of local university workers to university senior managements .
Liberals and conservatives seek to portray the trade union movement as representing special or sectional interests , but the political strength of the Labour Party comes from an understanding that it ’ s people in their places of work and study who understand the work process and the risks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior management .
It ’ s the connection to this movement that roots the Labour Party in the interests of the organised working class .
Working in step with the trade union movement and giving a voice in parliament and the country to its demands is the only viable political strategy open to any Labour leadership that is serious about rebuilding trust with working-class communities .

From September, universities across the country will begin to welcome new undergraduate students. This reopening will involve the mass movement of nearly one million students. Without robust scrutiny from the opposition, we risk universities becoming key sites of transmission driving a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst Labour risks the trusts of students and university workers.
Even before the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey, the Labour leadership moved to triangulate its position on school reopening and distance itself from education unions. The result? Being embarrassingly outflanked by celebrities and the government while risking the trust of the vast majority of parents, teachers and students who supported a more cautious approach.
With ‘freshers’ flu’ already a feature of the return to universities, maintaining social distancing will be difficult enough even without the commitment of many universities to provide face-to-face teaching. Students live within wider communities – often within working-class ones – and the risk of virus transmission is therefore elevated. University managements are gambling the health of students, workers and the local community for meagre fee income.
Many union branches that have assessed their universities’ plans for reopening are pushing for further action to maintain social distancing, including more extensive mask wearing and remote learning for all teaching possible. UCU has urged the government to observe the advice set out by Independent SAGE in their recent report on university reopening and the risk of Covid-19, which calls for remote learning by default – with masks being required when any in-person teaching does take place.
The NUS has found that students are most comfortable returning to education if taught exclusively online and are similarly pushing for no in-person teaching unless absolutely necessary, with mass testing and clear guidance for building safe and healthy new student households. Facing the harshest recession for 100 years, widespread unemployment and wage cuts, now more than ever students need substantive living maintenance grants to support this and maintain social distancing.
Further support – including an overhaul of punitive university assessment systems and serious investment in adequate and appropriate health support – is essential in particular for students with health conditions that make them clinically vulnerable to Covid-19. Alongside this, significant investment will be needed in local student transport links alongside a thorough and comprehensive track and trace system on every university campus and in every university community.
While precarious staff disproportionately carry out face-to-face teaching, cuts to the pay and jobs of casualised workers has left universities poorly prepared to provide genuinely socially distanced education to an increased number of students. In this context, the reckless push we’ve seen from university vice-chancellors across the country to deliver in-person teaching come what may speaks to the extent to which the sector has been hollowed out by marketisation. With degrees conceptualised as products at risk of losing their value from remote learning, the prioritisation of revenue raising over student welfare in the running of our universities is now a national public health risk.
It is critical that the Labour Party gets ahead of this issue, scrutinises the government and demands remote learning by default to avert a perfect storm of cuts, marketisation and pandemic threat. Further, Labour’s response should be to highlight the underlying problems in the higher education sector and address them by proposing a shift to public funding, free education and democratised institutions run in the interests of staff and students. Some MPs have already been pushing these demands in conjunction with staff and student unions. We must be pressing all Labour MPs to represent the concerns and demands of local university workers to university senior managements.
Liberals and conservatives seek to portray the trade union movement as representing special or sectional interests, but the political strength of the Labour Party comes from an understanding that it’s people in their places of work and study who understand the work process and the risks of their work environments better than bosses or senior management. It’s the connection to this movement that roots the Labour Party in the interests of the organised working class. Working in step with the trade union movement and giving a voice in parliament and the country to its demands is the only viable political strategy open to any Labour leadership that is serious about rebuilding trust with working-class communities.


labourlist--2020-08-31--Exams in 2021 should be pushed back to help students catch up, says Labour

Labour has said A-Level and GCSE exams taking place in England next year should be pushed back from May to June or July in a bid to help children who ’ ve been affected by coronavirus catch up on their studies .
UK schools closed in March , with only certain children – such as those of key workers – going in , and exams due to take place in 2020 were cancelled as part of an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19 .
The cancelled exams first saw pupils awarded grades adjusted by an algorithm , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversy over the unfairness of downgrading .
Labour is now seeking clarity from the UK government on when 2021 exams will take place and what allowances might be made to accommodate students who missed out on learning during the pandemic .
Having missed months of schooling , Labour ’ s education lead Kate Green said those taking exams next year have a “ mountain to climb ” and would need more teaching time to catch up .
She told Times Radio : “ We want to try to give students as much time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disruption of their learning that ’ s taken place over this last year , and we may see more of in the coming year .
“ But equally , we do need to make sure that the process of admitting students to university or college can run smoothly .
And that does take time both to mark the result of the exams and get the results and make sure they ’ re correct.
” Green stressed that careful planning was needed at this stage to ensure that there is no repeat of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer of 2020 as students were left in doubt about their results .
She added : “ We ’ re saying right at the start of the academic year , let ’ s get the planning in place now so that we know that we won ’ t repeat next summer the exams fiasco that we saw last month.
” The government has confirmed that it intends for exams to go ahead next year , but has not yet revealed whether other adjustments will be made .
Its first challenge is to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Prime Minister had initially promised that schools would reopen a month before the summer holidays , but the plan had to abandoned after it was found to be unworkable – as teaching unions had warned .
There has since been much debate over the use of face coverings in schools , with trade unions in favour of the move .
The government announced last week that secondary schools can require face coverings in communal areas .
Additional measures – including face coverings in corridors and communal areas of the school – will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But they will not be enforced in classrooms .
Green , the Shadow Education Secretary , has also stressed the importance of NHS Test and Trace being “ brought up to scratch ” as the programme is currently “ significantly underperforming ” .

Labour has said A-Level and GCSE exams taking place in England next year should be pushed back from May to June or July in a bid to help children who’ve been affected by coronavirus catch up on their studies.
UK schools closed in March, with only certain children – such as those of key workers – going in, and exams due to take place in 2020 were cancelled as part of an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19.
The cancelled exams first saw pupils awarded grades adjusted by an algorithm, but they were later given teacher-assessed grades after much controversy over the unfairness of downgrading.
Labour is now seeking clarity from the UK government on when 2021 exams will take place and what allowances might be made to accommodate students who missed out on learning during the pandemic.
Having missed months of schooling, Labour’s education lead Kate Green said those taking exams next year have a “mountain to climb” and would need more teaching time to catch up.
She told Times Radio: “We want to try to give students as much time as possible to catch up on the disruption of their learning that’s taken place over this last year, and we may see more of in the coming year.
“But equally, we do need to make sure that the process of admitting students to university or college can run smoothly. And that does take time both to mark the result of the exams and get the results and make sure they’re correct.”
Green stressed that careful planning was needed at this stage to ensure that there is no repeat of the “exams fiasco” seen during the summer of 2020 as students were left in doubt about their results.
She added: “We’re saying right at the start of the academic year, let’s get the planning in place now so that we know that we won’t repeat next summer the exams fiasco that we saw last month.”
The government has confirmed that it intends for exams to go ahead next year, but has not yet revealed whether other adjustments will be made. Its first challenge is to get kids back to school this week.
The Prime Minister had initially promised that schools would reopen a month before the summer holidays, but the plan had to abandoned after it was found to be unworkable – as teaching unions had warned.
There has since been much debate over the use of face coverings in schools, with trade unions in favour of the move. The government announced last week that secondary schools can require face coverings in communal areas.
Additional measures – including face coverings in corridors and communal areas of the school – will also be mandatory in high transmission areas. But they will not be enforced in classrooms.
Green, the Shadow Education Secretary, has also stressed the importance of NHS Test and Trace being “brought up to scratch” as the programme is currently “significantly underperforming”.


labourlist--2020-08-31--How Labour NEC candidates are being held to account on anti-racism

Socialists of Colour was founded to campaign on anti-racism both within and outside the Labour Party .
We want to see a Labour that is a home for communities of colour , that is vehemently anti-racist and works to dismantle the structural inequality we see in society .
Unfortunately , in its current state , this is not the case – with many communities of colour feeling alienated by the party .
If Labour is supposed to be a ‘ natural political home ’ for minorities , this must be reflected in the actions and stances of the leadership and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support can no longer be taken for granted .
Black Lives Matter is not a “ moment ” , as our leader described ( in comments he later said he regretted ) .
It is a vital , continuous , protest movement against state-sanctioned murders in our own country ; the cross-party inaction by our elected officials to address and rectify this ; the fact that 21 years from the publication of the Macpherson report , the Met ’ s Commissioner can not bring herself to admit that perhaps stopping more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in London , during a pandemic that disproportionately affects Black communities , was not only a mistake but a manifestation of the very institutional racism she does not find “ helpful ” to name .
For this reason , we felt it crucial to hold Labour ’ s national executive committee ( NEC ) candidates accountable on issues that affect minorities within the party .
As activists frustrated with our party ’ s record on anti-racism , we thought it imperative to compile questions to help voters ascertain whether those running to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dismantling systemic racism but competent in that aim .
We need candidates committed to helping craft and call for restorative and transformative legislative action , not vacuous symbolic gestures that ultimately fuel culture wars .
Those at the top of our party must acknowledge and understand that due to the institutional nature of racism within society it continues to be an insidious presence within the party .
It ’ s not enough to have relatively anti-racist politics and rhetoric in a political environment where the other side is wielding violent systemic racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Given the severity of the situation , we need the members of our governing body to be constantly aware of how structural racism may operate within the party , and to dismantle it from the inside .
As such we , alongside the 1987 Caucus , decided to send a list of questions to all candidates standing in Labour ’ s NEC elections .
Our questions were decided by a working group absent of candidates running in NEC and Young Labour elections .
They were emailed to all candidates with email addresses on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17th August with candidates having 12 days to respond , which we believed was an adequate and accessible timeframe for a response from any soon-to-be elected official .
Our questions covered a wide variety of topics including Black Lives Matter , institutional racism in the Labour Party , international solidarity and engagement with members of colour .
We have tried to ensure that candidates answer questions that reveal their stances on all concerns that members of colour may have .
Questions range from enquiring how candidates will fight for a more rigorous complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-GRT ( Gypsy , Roma and Traveller ) racism , their views on the Iraq war , and their understanding of the lack of Black and minority representation within the party .
All the questions , alongside the candidates ’ responses , can be found on our website .
We want to thank all the candidates who did engage with our questions and took the time to answer them to the best of their abilities .
Unfortunately , not all of the candidates whom we contacted chose to respond or to communicate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided , including individuals backed by the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance and Labour To Win .
We find this incredibly disappointing as the primary aim of these questions was to give candidates the opportunity to share their vision for the Labour Party and explain how they plan to engage with issues affecting people of colour .
We hoped that any candidate who claims the title of an anti-racist would find time to engage with socialists of colour regarding our communities ’ questions and concerns .

Socialists of Colour was founded to campaign on anti-racism both within and outside the Labour Party. We want to see a Labour that is a home for communities of colour, that is vehemently anti-racist and works to dismantle the structural inequality we see in society. Unfortunately, in its current state, this is not the case – with many communities of colour feeling alienated by the party. If Labour is supposed to be a ‘natural political home’ for minorities, this must be reflected in the actions and stances of the leadership and the governing body. Our votes and support can no longer be taken for granted.
Black Lives Matter is not a “moment”, as our leader described (in comments he later said he regretted). It is a vital, continuous, protest movement against state-sanctioned murders in our own country; the cross-party inaction by our elected officials to address and rectify this; the fact that 21 years from the publication of the Macpherson report, the Met’s Commissioner cannot bring herself to admit that perhaps stopping more than a quarter of all Black boys aged 15-24 in London, during a pandemic that disproportionately affects Black communities, was not only a mistake but a manifestation of the very institutional racism she does not find “helpful” to name. For this reason, we felt it crucial to hold Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) candidates accountable on issues that affect minorities within the party.
As activists frustrated with our party’s record on anti-racism, we thought it imperative to compile questions to help voters ascertain whether those running to be on our NEC are not just sympathetic to dismantling systemic racism but competent in that aim. We need candidates committed to helping craft and call for restorative and transformative legislative action, not vacuous symbolic gestures that ultimately fuel culture wars.
Those at the top of our party must acknowledge and understand that due to the institutional nature of racism within society it continues to be an insidious presence within the party. It’s not enough to have relatively anti-racist politics and rhetoric in a political environment where the other side is wielding violent systemic racism and scapegoating minorities at every turn. Given the severity of the situation, we need the members of our governing body to be constantly aware of how structural racism may operate within the party, and to dismantle it from the inside.
As such we, alongside the 1987 Caucus, decided to send a list of questions to all candidates standing in Labour’s NEC elections. Our questions were decided by a working group absent of candidates running in NEC and Young Labour elections. They were emailed to all candidates with email addresses on the Labour Party candidate page on the 17th August with candidates having 12 days to respond, which we believed was an adequate and accessible timeframe for a response from any soon-to-be elected official.
Our questions covered a wide variety of topics including Black Lives Matter, institutional racism in the Labour Party, international solidarity and engagement with members of colour. We have tried to ensure that candidates answer questions that reveal their stances on all concerns that members of colour may have. Questions range from enquiring how candidates will fight for a more rigorous complaints process, to how they will tackle anti-GRT (Gypsy, Roma and Traveller) racism, their views on the Iraq war, and their understanding of the lack of Black and minority representation within the party. All the questions, alongside the candidates’ responses, can be found on our website.
We want to thank all the candidates who did engage with our questions and took the time to answer them to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, not all of the candidates whom we contacted chose to respond or to communicate with us effectively in the time period we provided, including individuals backed by the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance and Labour To Win. We find this incredibly disappointing as the primary aim of these questions was to give candidates the opportunity to share their vision for the Labour Party and explain how they plan to engage with issues affecting people of colour. We hoped that any candidate who claims the title of an anti-racist would find time to engage with socialists of colour regarding our communities’ questions and concerns.


labourlist--2020-09-01--Petition for new law to protect retail workers reaches over 58,000 signatures

A parliamentary petition to introduce a new law to ensure the protection of shop staff and create a “ specific offence of abusing , threatening or assaulting a retail worker ” has reached over 58,000 signatures .
Launched by union Usdaw last month and backed by Co-op Food , the British Retail Consortium and the Association of Convenience Stores , the petition became the fastest growing on parliament ’ s website after gaining 10,000 signatories in a day .
Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis urged the government to commit to bringing in a new law to protect workers after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year found that incidents of abuse had doubled during the pandemic .
Commenting on the support for the petition , Lillis said : “ We are delighted that the petition has already passed the halfway point of triggering a parliamentary debate .
It is no surprise , because this is a hugely important issue for our members .
“ With incidents of abuse doubling during the Covid-19 crisis , they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough , abuse should never be just a part of the job .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting the petition .
When retailers and the trade union for shop workers unite in a call for action , it should be time for the government to sit up , listen to our concerns and deliver much needed protection for staff .
“ I urge the government to respond positively to my petition , listen to the voices of shop workers and employers and commit to legislating for stiffer penalties for those who assault workers .
They have talked about zero-tolerance , but that means very little if it is not backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has published its response to a call for evidence on the issue of abuse towards retail staff , but said it “ believes that this issue is one that requires more urgent action than it does a change in the law ” .
The general secretary added : “ The measures the government have already agreed are worth trying and we hope that they can make a real difference .
“ However , they would be much more likely to succeed if backed up with new legislation ; a simple standalone offence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , police , CPS , the judiciary and most importantly criminals .
“ Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected , they deserve the protection of the law.
” The survey carried out by Usdaw , which received responses from 4,928 shopworkers between March 14th and April 17th , showed that 62 % of those surveyed were verbally abused , 29 % were threatened and 4 % assaulted .
The union has explained that these figures are likely an underestimate because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once and because the survey was conducted in mainly larger union organised workplaces , which tend to be safer .
The petition can be signed by any UK resident .
As it now has more than 10,000 signatures , the government will issue a formal response ; if it gains more than 100,000 supporters , the petition will be considered for debate in parliament .
Below is the full text of the petition .
Enact legislation to protect retail workers .
This legislation must create a specific offence of abusing , threatening or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must carry a penalty that acts as a deterrent and makes clear that abuse of retail workers is unacceptable .
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak , retail workers have been spat at , threatened with infection of Coronavirus and physically assaulted .
Since the start of the outbreak , the average retail worker has been assaulted , threatened or abused every 6.5 days , more than double the rate of incidents compared to 2019 .
Key workers across retail have been undervalued for too long .
We need to recognise the valuable contribution of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whilst undertaking essential work .

A parliamentary petition to introduce a new law to ensure the protection of shop staff and create a “specific offence of abusing, threatening or assaulting a retail worker” has reached over 58,000 signatures.
Launched by union Usdaw last month and backed by Co-op Food, the British Retail Consortium and the Association of Convenience Stores, the petition became the fastest growing on parliament’s website after gaining 10,000 signatories in a day.
Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis urged the government to commit to bringing in a new law to protect workers after a survey by the shopworkers’ union earlier this year found that incidents of abuse had doubled during the pandemic.
Commenting on the support for the petition, Lillis said: “We are delighted that the petition has already passed the halfway point of triggering a parliamentary debate. It is no surprise, because this is a hugely important issue for our members.
“With incidents of abuse doubling during the Covid-19 crisis, they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough, abuse should never be just a part of the job.
“I am grateful to the employers for supporting the petition. When retailers and the trade union for shop workers unite in a call for action, it should be time for the government to sit up, listen to our concerns and deliver much needed protection for staff.
“I urge the government to respond positively to my petition, listen to the voices of shop workers and employers and commit to legislating for stiffer penalties for those who assault workers. They have talked about zero-tolerance, but that means very little if it is not backed up by strong actions.”
The government has published its response to a call for evidence on the issue of abuse towards retail staff, but said it “believes that this issue is one that requires more urgent action than it does a change in the law”.
The general secretary added: “The measures the government have already agreed are worth trying and we hope that they can make a real difference.
“However, they would be much more likely to succeed if backed up with new legislation; a simple standalone offence that is widely recognised and understood by the public, police, CPS, the judiciary and most importantly criminals.
“Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”
The survey carried out by Usdaw, which received responses from 4,928 shopworkers between March 14th and April 17th, showed that 62% of those surveyed were verbally abused, 29% were threatened and 4% assaulted.
The union has explained that these figures are likely an underestimate because the analysis assumed the worker was only assaulted once and because the survey was conducted in mainly larger union organised workplaces, which tend to be safer.
The petition can be signed by any UK resident. As it now has more than 10,000 signatures, the government will issue a formal response; if it gains more than 100,000 supporters, the petition will be considered for debate in parliament.
Below is the full text of the petition.
Enact legislation to protect retail workers. This legislation must create a specific offence of abusing, threatening or assaulting a retail worker. The offence must carry a penalty that acts as a deterrent and makes clear that abuse of retail workers is unacceptable.
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, retail workers have been spat at, threatened with infection of Coronavirus and physically assaulted. Since the start of the outbreak, the average retail worker has been assaulted, threatened or abused every 6.5 days, more than double the rate of incidents compared to 2019.
Key workers across retail have been undervalued for too long. We need to recognise the valuable contribution of these workers and ensure they are safe whilst undertaking essential work.


labourlist--2020-09-01--This is a defining moment. Labour must put forward its best people and ideas

The second half of 2020 could be the most defining period in British politics for an entire generation .
Decisions taken in the next few months will define the type of country Britain will be in the post-Brexit , post-Covid world .
The Chancellor ’ s budget will need to borrow unprecedented amounts of money , vital to getting our economy back on its feet .
It will need to set out not only how best to spend that money but also how we plan to pay it off : tax rises or , as the Prime Minister apparently prefers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of climate change policies are due : the energy white paper , the net-zero strategy , the heat strategy , the national infrastructure strategy and publication of the UK ’ s “ domestic contributions ” to reducing our carbon emissions ; an important signal in advance of hosting Conference of the Parties 26 ( COP26 ) next December .
The Integrated Review – combining the security and defence spending review with a wider review of our national security , development and foreign policy priorities – is also due this year .
Dubbed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review of British defence and foreign policy since the Cold War , it will reflect the government ’ s view of Britain ’ s role in our fast-changing world .
The Brexit clock also runs out of time , with the end of the Brexit transition period at the end of the year .
European workers here in the UK , British citizens living in the EU , businesses , universities and so many others wait to see whether the government actually has any chance ( or indeed any intention ) of delivering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreements by the end of December .
And this is all in the context of the ongoing management of the pandemic , preparing for the normal winter challenges in the NHS – made worse because of social distancing and the significant backlog of appointments due to the lockdown – and the economic recession in which we find ourselves .
Unfortunately for all of us , the only thing this Tory government seems to be capable of is being incompetent .
The onus is therefore on our party to force the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keir Starmer has so successfully done through a record set of government U-turns .
We must be the political party with the best ideas , the party that shows how the enormous challenges facing our country right now can also be the enormous opportunity we ’ ve been waiting for to create a more inclusive , sustainable , productive and modern Britain .
As our Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds has been asking over the summer : when will the government show some sophistication in its policies , to invest in and protect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grow in the future ?
There ’ s little point sending highly-skilled manufacturing workers home to claim Universal Credit when we need them to build back British manufacturing , as I learnt on my visit to Vauxhall in the North West and Airbus in North Wales last week .
Bridget Phillipson , our Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury , was also right to call out the Tories ’ lack of concern at wasting taxpayers ’ money .
Why give employers £1,000 for every returning employee when they are returning anyway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent saving jobs in strategic sectors of the economy ?
The incompetence of this government is not just politically important – it undermines confidence in the broader economy and makes our recovery slower and harder .
Kate Green , our Shadow Education Secretary , brilliantly managed a political scandal of epic proportions with the GCSE and A-Level grading fiasco .
Alongside the ever-changing guidance from government , it has reduced the confidence of parents and shown a lack of concern from this government over the future prospects of our young people .
Lucy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed to be on TV pretty much every other day during the summer , She rightly called out the government ’ s ability to undermine the confidence of business owners , workers and customers , acting as a drag on our economic recovery .
These self-inflicted errors , all in the context of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) showing the UK suffering the worst economic decline among G7 countries .
As we return to parliament , the sheer scale of our economic decline must now be met by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of our great country .
A fiscal investment not just in infrastructure , but in people .
A recognition that to build back better must mean to build back British , supporting British jobs and industry across the country .
Providing much needed global leadership on climate change and making it clear to both our allies and others that Britain will continue to invest and play its role in defending a rules-based international order .
This autumn , we have not just an opportunity but an obligation to put forward our best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show the British people how a Labour Britain can be so much better than what ’ s on offer today .

The second half of 2020 could be the most defining period in British politics for an entire generation. Decisions taken in the next few months will define the type of country Britain will be in the post-Brexit, post-Covid world.
The Chancellor’s budget will need to borrow unprecedented amounts of money, vital to getting our economy back on its feet. It will need to set out not only how best to spend that money but also how we plan to pay it off: tax rises or, as the Prime Minister apparently prefers, more austerity.
A whole raft of climate change policies are due: the energy white paper, the net-zero strategy, the heat strategy, the national infrastructure strategy and publication of the UK’s “domestic contributions” to reducing our carbon emissions; an important signal in advance of hosting Conference of the Parties 26 (COP26) next December.
The Integrated Review – combining the security and defence spending review with a wider review of our national security, development and foreign policy priorities – is also due this year. Dubbed by the Prime Minister as the most wide-ranging review of British defence and foreign policy since the Cold War, it will reflect the government’s view of Britain’s role in our fast-changing world.
The Brexit clock also runs out of time, with the end of the Brexit transition period at the end of the year. European workers here in the UK, British citizens living in the EU, businesses, universities and so many others wait to see whether the government actually has any chance (or indeed any intention) of delivering a complete set of trade and security agreements by the end of December.
And this is all in the context of the ongoing management of the pandemic, preparing for the normal winter challenges in the NHS – made worse because of social distancing and the significant backlog of appointments due to the lockdown – and the economic recession in which we find ourselves.
Unfortunately for all of us, the only thing this Tory government seems to be capable of is being incompetent. The onus is therefore on our party to force the government’s hand in the right direction, as Keir Starmer has so successfully done through a record set of government U-turns. We must be the political party with the best ideas, the party that shows how the enormous challenges facing our country right now can also be the enormous opportunity we’ve been waiting for to create a more inclusive, sustainable, productive and modern Britain.
As our Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds has been asking over the summer: when will the government show some sophistication in its policies, to invest in and protect the vital economic foundations we need to rebuild and grow in the future? There’s little point sending highly-skilled manufacturing workers home to claim Universal Credit when we need them to build back British manufacturing, as I learnt on my visit to Vauxhall in the North West and Airbus in North Wales last week.
Bridget Phillipson, our Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was also right to call out the Tories’ lack of concern at wasting taxpayers’ money. Why give employers £1,000 for every returning employee when they are returning anyway, wasting billions of pounds that could be spent saving jobs in strategic sectors of the economy? The incompetence of this government is not just politically important – it undermines confidence in the broader economy and makes our recovery slower and harder.
Kate Green, our Shadow Education Secretary, brilliantly managed a political scandal of epic proportions with the GCSE and A-Level grading fiasco. Alongside the ever-changing guidance from government, it has reduced the confidence of parents and shown a lack of concern from this government over the future prospects of our young people.
Lucy Powell, our shadow business minister, seemed to be on TV pretty much every other day during the summer, She rightly called out the government’s ability to undermine the confidence of business owners, workers and customers, acting as a drag on our economic recovery. These self-inflicted errors, all in the context of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showing the UK suffering the worst economic decline among G7 countries.
As we return to parliament, the sheer scale of our economic decline must now be met by the scale of our ambition for the future of our great country. A fiscal investment not just in infrastructure, but in people. A recognition that to build back better must mean to build back British, supporting British jobs and industry across the country. Providing much needed global leadership on climate change and making it clear to both our allies and others that Britain will continue to invest and play its role in defending a rules-based international order.
This autumn, we have not just an opportunity but an obligation to put forward our best Labour people and our best Labour ideas to show the British people how a Labour Britain can be so much better than what’s on offer today.


labourlist--2020-09-01--Schools reopen in England and Wales as ministers send mixed messages on office returns

We ’ ve come to the end of the August parliamentary recess and LabourList ’ s morning email pause .
We did not return for big Labour news as promised because there was none : the final Equality and Human Rights Commission report on antisemitism within the party still has not been released , such is the length of the ‘ Maxwellisation ’ process whereby those criticised are given the opportunity to respond .
While we continue to wait for that major event in Labour Party history , however , the government has provided us with plenty of news as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last four weeks , I spoke to Labour MPs recovering from coronavirus , Elliot shared the experiences of parliamentary caseworkers during the crisis , we interviewed Cat Smith , and our new columnist barrister Jake Richards looked at judicial review , children in care and Tory cronyism in government procurement .
LabourList ran a readers ’ survey .
We also reported on the SQA results scandal , followed by the predictable A-Level results fiasco , as well as the toing and froing on the use of face coverings in schools .
Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new reporter .
Thanks to all who donated to help us reach that goal .
Schools are the top priority this week , as pupils in England and Wales start returning full-time today .
Gavin Williamson , the apparently unsackable Education Secretary , has penned an open letter to parents in a bid to reassure them that it is safe .
Will it be enough ?
Teachers have put tons of work into Covid preparations : pupils will be taught in ‘ bubbles ’ , there will be staggered breaks , cleaning stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school wishes or if it is in a high transmission area .
But the pressure doesn ’ t end there .
The Mirror reports that headteachers will be responsible for the £216m cost of making schools safe – and could be forced to use funds meant for teaching .
More broadly , the economy is set to suffer a major blow as the furlough scheme ends in all sectors next month .
It is no coincidence that as we approach this crunch moment , the government has briefed that people could face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
Should we adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic , which is here to stay for the foreseeable ?
Nah , just threaten working people instead .
The message to millennials was clear : forget the housing ladder , spend your money on avo toast in the city centre !
But there is conflict , as ever , among ministers , with Health Secretary Matt Hancock saying he didn ’ t care where we worked .
If you can believe it , the government is sending mixed messages during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an alternative vision of the Covid and post-Covid economy ?
Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a raft of wealth-targeting measures to pay for the crisis , many of which featured in Labour ’ s 2019 manifesto .
Yet the party under Keir Starmer ’ s leadership has said this isn ’ t the time for tax increases .
Just how worried should the left be about the slick Chancellor ?
Could he become a tricky-to-beat rival leader at the next election , or is he being set up for a big fall ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions and more with Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds at 5.30pm .
As always , feel free to suggest questions for our Q & A at the end , and visit this link to watch the event live later .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

We’ve come to the end of the August parliamentary recess and LabourList’s morning email pause. We did not return for big Labour news as promised because there was none: the final Equality and Human Rights Commission report on antisemitism within the party still has not been released, such is the length of the ‘Maxwellisation’ process whereby those criticised are given the opportunity to respond. While we continue to wait for that major event in Labour Party history, however, the government has provided us with plenty of news as ministers perform U-turn after U-turn.
Over the last four weeks, I spoke to Labour MPs recovering from coronavirus, Elliot shared the experiences of parliamentary caseworkers during the crisis, we interviewed Cat Smith, and our new columnist barrister Jake Richards looked at judicial review, children in care and Tory cronyism in government procurement. LabourList ran a readers’ survey. We also reported on the SQA results scandal, followed by the predictable A-Level results fiasco, as well as the toing and froing on the use of face coverings in schools. Oh, and we’ve hired a new reporter. Thanks to all who donated to help us reach that goal.
Schools are the top priority this week, as pupils in England and Wales start returning full-time today. Gavin Williamson, the apparently unsackable Education Secretary, has penned an open letter to parents in a bid to reassure them that it is safe. Will it be enough? Teachers have put tons of work into Covid preparations: pupils will be taught in ‘bubbles’, there will be staggered breaks, cleaning stations, face coverings in communal areas if the school wishes or if it is in a high transmission area. But the pressure doesn’t end there. The Mirror reports that headteachers will be responsible for the £216m cost of making schools safe – and could be forced to use funds meant for teaching.
More broadly, the economy is set to suffer a major blow as the furlough scheme ends in all sectors next month. It is no coincidence that as we approach this crunch moment, the government has briefed that people could face the sack unless they return to the office. Should we adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic, which is here to stay for the foreseeable? Nah, just threaten working people instead. The message to millennials was clear: forget the housing ladder, spend your money on avo toast in the city centre! But there is conflict, as ever, among ministers, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock saying he didn’t care where we worked. If you can believe it, the government is sending mixed messages during the coronavirus crisis.
Can Labour set out an alternative vision of the Covid and post-Covid economy? Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a raft of wealth-targeting measures to pay for the crisis, many of which featured in Labour’s 2019 manifesto. Yet the party under Keir Starmer’s leadership has said this isn’t the time for tax increases. Just how worried should the left be about the slick Chancellor? Could he become a tricky-to-beat rival leader at the next election, or is he being set up for a big fall? I will be discussing all of these questions and more with Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds at 5.30pm. As always, feel free to suggest questions for our Q&A at the end, and visit this link to watch the event live later. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-09-01--WATCH: We want workplace risk assessments published, says TUC

Frances O ’ Grady has declared that the TUC wants workplace risk assessments conducted in consultation with trade unions and for these assessments to be published in an effort to keep workers safe during the pandemic .
In an interview with Sky News this morning , the TUC general secretary said it was not helpful to “ issue edicts to all workers ” and urged the government to take a “ step-by-step ” approach in encouraging people to return to workplaces .
O ’ Grady explained that there is an “ appetite for greater flexibility at work ” , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued : “ It doesn ’ t make sense to just tell everybody one size fits all.
” Commenting on the approach being taken by government ministers , she said : “ The government needs to take this step-by-step .
I don ’ t think it ’ s helpful to issue edicts to all workers… “ The whole point of safety is that we want every workplace conducting a risk assessment , as employers are required to do so by law , and consulting with unions .
“ We ’ ve asked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are published so that staff can see for themselves alongside their communities – because of course this has an impact on the whole community – that workplaces are safe.
” The government launched a new ad campaign this week in an increased attempt to encourage people to get back in the workplace .
The governments in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland are still advising people to work from home if possible .
The general secretary added : “ Workers have an appetite for greater flexibility at work – especially when they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems themselves – it doesn ’ t make sense to just tell everybody one size fits all.
” Asked if it is “ necessarily safe ” to return employees to work : “ Well , no .
And we ’ ve seen that in food processing companies and textile companies , fast fashion , where employers haven ’ t been doing the right thing… and of course we ’ ve seen those localised outbreaks.
” Treasury secretary Steve Barclay said on Sunday that employees should start to return to offices where possible from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to normal ” – but the TUC warned that “ just wagging fingers at people ” will not work .
Head of the British Chambers of Commerce Adam Marshall said that clearer communication from the government is needed , and that going back to work would be dependent on factors such as schools and public transport operating effectively .
Hundreds and thousands of children are also returning to schools for the start of term in England this week , prompting increased concern that there may be spikes in the rate of transmission @

Frances O’Grady has declared that the TUC wants workplace risk assessments conducted in consultation with trade unions and for these assessments to be published in an effort to keep workers safe during the pandemic.
In an interview with Sky News this morning, the TUC general secretary said it was not helpful to “issue edicts to all workers” and urged the government to take a “step-by-step” approach in encouraging people to return to workplaces.
O’Grady explained that there is an “appetite for greater flexibility at work”, particularly for those with childcare responsibilities, and argued: “It doesn’t make sense to just tell everybody one size fits all.”
Commenting on the approach being taken by government ministers, she said: “The government needs to take this step-by-step. I don’t think it’s helpful to issue edicts to all workers…
“The whole point of safety is that we want every workplace conducting a risk assessment, as employers are required to do so by law, and consulting with unions.
“We’ve asked the government to make sure those risk assessments are published so that staff can see for themselves alongside their communities – because of course this has an impact on the whole community – that workplaces are safe.”
The government launched a new ad campaign this week in an increased attempt to encourage people to get back in the workplace. The governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are still advising people to work from home if possible.
The general secretary added: “Workers have an appetite for greater flexibility at work – especially when they’ve got childcare issues or indeed health problems themselves – it doesn’t make sense to just tell everybody one size fits all.”
Asked if it is “necessarily safe” to return employees to work: “Well, no. And we’ve seen that in food processing companies and textile companies, fast fashion, where employers haven’t been doing the right thing… and of course we’ve seen those localised outbreaks.”
'We want every workplace conducting a risk assessment and consulting with unions…and we want those risk assessments published for workers to see.'@The_TUC general secretary @FrancesOGrady says it's 'not helpful to issue edicts to workers'.https://t.co/Cl0Zvlvjh4 #KayBurley pic.twitter.com/lPkV0fDWSZ — SkyNews (@SkyNews) September 1, 2020
Treasury secretary Steve Barclay said on Sunday that employees should start to return to offices where possible from Monday to help the economy “get back to normal” – but the TUC warned that “just wagging fingers at people” will not work.
Head of the British Chambers of Commerce Adam Marshall said that clearer communication from the government is needed, and that going back to work would be dependent on factors such as schools and public transport operating effectively.
Hundreds and thousands of children are also returning to schools for the start of term in England this week, prompting increased concern that there may be spikes in the rate of transmission.


labourlist--2020-09-01--Labour investigates allegations of racism against three NEC candidates

The Labour Party is understood to be investigating complaints of alleged racism submitted by Socialists of Colour activists against three national executive committee candidates , LabourList can reveal .
The anti-racism group , which organises within Labour and outside of it , sent a series of questions to each party member who has put themselves forward for the internal NEC elections currently taking place .
After the responses were provided to the activists and published in full on their website , Socialists of Colour complained to Labour about the statements of Brian Precious , Carol Taylor-Spedding and James Chespy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ told LabourList : “ A number of responses to our questions we disagreed with but could be put down to political difference .
However , there were some that entered into clear-cut racism and antisemitism , which Socialists of Colour do not in any way endorse .
“ Responses that warranted content warnings for their antisemitic and racist content included the defence of Jackie Walker , who was expelled from the party for antisemitism , the denial of institutional antisemitism , perpetuating conspiracy theories and comments around certain communities being more predisposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply worried about the erasure of antisemitism especially in the face of the EHRC investigation into the party .
Some of these issues have been picked up by the party , with Brian Precious ’ original candidate statement being taken down due to antisemitism and then replaced .
“ It is evident that party vetting processes when it comes to candidates are not thorough enough and do not have conclusions that effectively hold candidates , or people who should not be candidates due to their racism , to account.
” The responses labelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” included a defence of Jackie Walker .
Local party rep candidate Taylor-Spedding said Walker was expelled from the party “ unjustly ” once her high-profile case concluded .
Exercising her right of reply , Taylor-Spedding told LabourList that the accusation of antisemitism “ does not make any sense ” because Walked was expelled for bringing the party into disrepute rather than for antisemitism itself .
Walker was expelled from Labour in March 2019 for “ prejudicial and grossly detrimental ” behaviour .
She had suggested at a 2016 event that Holocaust Memorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who experienced holocaust ” .
The Labour Left Alliance , a group on the party ’ s left , has launched an open letter that says Socialists of Colour are “ entirely mistaken ” in their conclusion that Taylor-Spedding ’ s statement was racist .
The letter , signed by six other NEC candidates who are still in the race to become representatives on Labour ’ s ruling body , asks the organisation to “ take off the content warning ” and “ issue an apology ” .
Brian Precious , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local party representative , described the view that Labour is institutionally antisemitic as a “ smear ” , amongst other comments found to be antisemitic by SoC .
The Labour member from Burnley also received criticism for his original candidate statement , which was published by Labour on its own website before reportedly being replaced with a different statement .
Precious ’ statement on the Labour website now reads : “ Antisemitism was massively exaggerated so as to be [ weaponised ] .
This created the fear and intimidation typical of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s The Crucible ” .
James Chespy was criticised by SoC because , in response to a question on prison abolition , he wrote : “ As far as [ prisons ] are concerned perhaps the question should be why some people are more predicated to commit crime ” .
He told LabourList : “ The allegations made against me by this organisation are completely without foundation or merit .
The answers I have given to some very leading questions could not be construed as being racist by anyone with an ounce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I look forward to defending myself should that be necessary and I hope that an apology will be forthcoming from the said organisation when their complaint is found to be without merit.
” A Labour spokesperson said : “ The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures , and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.
” LabourList understands that the complaints submitted by Socialists of Colour are being investigated by the party .
Brian Precious has not responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amended at 9.45pm .
Walker did not complain that Holocaust Memorial Day failed to commemorate genocides other than that in World War Two , but suggested that it should be “ open to all people who experienced holocaust ” .

The Labour Party is understood to be investigating complaints of alleged racism submitted by Socialists of Colour activists against three national executive committee candidates, LabourList can reveal.
The anti-racism group, which organises within Labour and outside of it, sent a series of questions to each party member who has put themselves forward for the internal NEC elections currently taking place.
After the responses were provided to the activists and published in full on their website, Socialists of Colour complained to Labour about the statements of Brian Precious, Carol Taylor-Spedding and James Chespy.
A Socialists of Colour steering committee member told LabourList: “A number of responses to our questions we disagreed with but could be put down to political difference. However, there were some that entered into clear-cut racism and antisemitism, which Socialists of Colour do not in any way endorse.
“Responses that warranted content warnings for their antisemitic and racist content included the defence of Jackie Walker, who was expelled from the party for antisemitism, the denial of institutional antisemitism, perpetuating conspiracy theories and comments around certain communities being more predisposed to commit crime.
“We are also deeply worried about the erasure of antisemitism especially in the face of the EHRC investigation into the party. Some of these issues have been picked up by the party, with Brian Precious’ original candidate statement being taken down due to antisemitism and then replaced.
“It is evident that party vetting processes when it comes to candidates are not thorough enough and do not have conclusions that effectively hold candidates, or people who should not be candidates due to their racism, to account.”
The responses labelled by SoC with a “content warning” included a defence of Jackie Walker. Local party rep candidate Taylor-Spedding said Walker was expelled from the party “unjustly” once her high-profile case concluded.
Exercising her right of reply, Taylor-Spedding told LabourList that the accusation of antisemitism “does not make any sense” because Walked was expelled for bringing the party into disrepute rather than for antisemitism itself.
Walker was expelled from Labour in March 2019 for “prejudicial and grossly detrimental” behaviour. She had suggested at a 2016 event that Holocaust Memorial Day should be “open to all people who experienced holocaust”.
The Labour Left Alliance, a group on the party’s left, has launched an open letter that says Socialists of Colour are “entirely mistaken” in their conclusion that Taylor-Spedding’s statement was racist.
The letter, signed by six other NEC candidates who are still in the race to become representatives on Labour’s ruling body, asks the organisation to “take off the content warning” and “issue an apology”.
Brian Precious, another member seeking nominations while standing to be a local party representative, described the view that Labour is institutionally antisemitic as a “smear”, amongst other comments found to be antisemitic by SoC.
The Labour member from Burnley also received criticism for his original candidate statement, which was published by Labour on its own website before reportedly being replaced with a different statement.
Precious’ statement on the Labour website now reads: “Antisemitism was massively exaggerated so as to be [weaponised]. This created the fear and intimidation typical of a witch hunt, as in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible”.
James Chespy was criticised by SoC because, in response to a question on prison abolition, he wrote: “As far as [prisons] are concerned perhaps the question should be why some people are more predicated to commit crime”.
He told LabourList: “The allegations made against me by this organisation are completely without foundation or merit. The answers I have given to some very leading questions could not be construed as being racist by anyone with an ounce of common sense and using any measure.
“I look forward to defending myself should that be necessary and I hope that an apology will be forthcoming from the said organisation when their complaint is found to be without merit.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”
LabourList understands that the complaints submitted by Socialists of Colour are being investigated by the party.
Brian Precious has not responded to LabourList so far.
This article was amended at 9.45pm. Walker did not complain that Holocaust Memorial Day failed to commemorate genocides other than that in World War Two, but suggested that it should be “open to all people who experienced holocaust”.


labourlist--2020-09-01--Labour accuses government of “rewarding private sector failings” in test and trace

Labour ’ s shadow health team railed against the failures of the Conservative government ’ s privatised coronavirus testing regime as MPs returned to parliament today .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons that the Test and Trace programme was now able to reach 84.3 % of people who had been in contact with someone with Covid-19 and had contacted a total of 300,000 people .
But Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth and shadow health minister Justin Madders were critical of the programme , especially the involvement of private firms such as Serco that have only managed to contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in contact with people who tested positive for Covid-19 .
During parliamentary questions to the Health Secretary , Madders said : “ In some places the private companies involved in test and trace have been reaching less than half of the people they were supposed to , not the 80 % that the Secretary of state has claimed .
“ You don ’ t need an algorithm to work out that their performance when compared to public health teams is where test and trace is failing , so why then is the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts ?
” Responding to the question , Matt Hancock attacked critics of private test and trace contracts and said the Labour frontbench was “ trying to divide people between public and private when everyone is just working hard together to control this virus ” .
Later in the session , Ashworth said : “ In order to avoid a second national lockdown , which we all want to avoid , an effective test and tracing regime is absolutely vital… [ but ] this system is not yet world-beating.
” “ Throughout these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected criticisms of the private sector contracts and contractors who are involved in delivering this system.
” The MP for Leicester South also asked the Secretary of State to justify spending an undisclosed fee to get social media influencers , including Love Island stars , to promote the testing scheme .
“ Wouldn ’ t it be better to spend that money on local public health teams to do door to door testing rather than to pay for so called influencers to big up test and trace on Instagram ?
” Serco and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to handle the national test and trace programme , are due to receive over £1bn for their work on the scheme .
Serco receives 40 % of its overall income from contracts running UK public services , according to The Justice Gap .
Earlier in the day , it was revealed by shadow mental health minister Rosena Allin-Khan that the Health Ministry had only met with NHS mental health trusts and other organisations twice during the first three months of lockdown , despite charities saying the pandemic and lockdown had caused a mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matt Hancock previously claimed he was in “ regular contact ” with mental health services , a Freedom Of Information request filed by Allin-Khan showed this had not been the case during the early lockdown .
Social care minister Helen Whateley declined to confirm or deny whether Matt Hancock was in attendance at either of these meetings .

Labour’s shadow health team railed against the failures of the Conservative government’s privatised coronavirus testing regime as MPs returned to parliament today.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons that the Test and Trace programme was now able to reach 84.3% of people who had been in contact with someone with Covid-19 and had contacted a total of 300,000 people.
But Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth and shadow health minister Justin Madders were critical of the programme, especially the involvement of private firms such as Serco that have only managed to contact 60% of those who have been in contact with people who tested positive for Covid-19.
During parliamentary questions to the Health Secretary, Madders said: “In some places the private companies involved in test and trace have been reaching less than half of the people they were supposed to, not the 80% that the Secretary of state has claimed.
“You don’t need an algorithm to work out that their performance when compared to public health teams is where test and trace is failing, so why then is the government rewarding private sector failings by extending those contracts?”
Responding to the question, Matt Hancock attacked critics of private test and trace contracts and said the Labour frontbench was “trying to divide people between public and private when everyone is just working hard together to control this virus”.
Later in the session, Ashworth said: “In order to avoid a second national lockdown, which we all want to avoid, an effective test and tracing regime is absolutely vital… [but] this system is not yet world-beating.”
“Throughout these questions he [Matt Hancock] has rejected criticisms of the private sector contracts and contractors who are involved in delivering this system.”
The MP for Leicester South also asked the Secretary of State to justify spending an undisclosed fee to get social media influencers, including Love Island stars, to promote the testing scheme.
“Wouldn’t it be better to spend that money on local public health teams to do door to door testing rather than to pay for so called influencers to big up test and trace on Instagram?”
Serco and Sitel, the two private firms hired to handle the national test and trace programme, are due to receive over £1bn for their work on the scheme. Serco receives 40% of its overall income from contracts running UK public services, according to The Justice Gap.
Earlier in the day, it was revealed by shadow mental health minister Rosena Allin-Khan that the Health Ministry had only met with NHS mental health trusts and other organisations twice during the first three months of lockdown, despite charities saying the pandemic and lockdown had caused a mental health crisis.
Whilst the Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously claimed he was in “regular contact” with mental health services, a Freedom Of Information request filed by Allin-Khan showed this had not been the case during the early lockdown.
Social care minister Helen Whateley declined to confirm or deny whether Matt Hancock was in attendance at either of these meetings.


labourlist--2020-09-01--“A summer of chaos, incompetence and confusion” – Kate Green’s full speech

Below is the full text of the speech delivering by Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green in parliament this afternoon .
Thank you , Mr Speaker .
I welcome the Secretary of State back to his place , after a summer of chaos , incompetence and confusion that has caused enormous stress to children , young people , their families and teachers .
Ministers must now learn from their mistakes , and ensure that keeping schools open and pupils learning is a national priority .
Labour is absolutely clear – we want children back in school , and we want them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always work constructively with the government to achieve that .
And I hope the Secretary of State will hear my questions in that constructive spirit .
Because , while I ’ m delighted that the vast majority of schools will reopen fully in the next few days , there remain many issues of concern .
Let me start with the ongoing situation regarding this summer ’ s exam results .
After days of confusion following A-level results day , the Secretary of State finally heeded the calls of young people , and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grades ( CAGs ) .
While that was the right thing to do , it leaves many of the problems created by his previous flawed standardisation approach unresolved .
The Secretary of State should have known of the risks – it ’ s been reported that a former senior official raised serious concerns .
So can he tell the house when he first knew of the potential problems with his approach , and what he did about them ?
What advice was he given about BTEC students , who have faced more uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many BTEC students have still not received their results ?
External candidates who do not have a CAG remain in an extremely difficult situation .
What are their options , and what support they will receive ?
There are also significant consequences for higher education .
Can the Secretary of State tell the House how many young people who missed their first-choice university because of his now discredited approach to awarding grades have still not been granted those places ?
What assessment has he made of the impact on universities that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up their original choice ?
What discussions has he had with the Treasury about providing those institutions with additional financial support ?
Mr Speaker , turning now to the reopening of schools , we ’ re all pleased to see children return .
School is the best place for them to be , not only for their learning , but for their emotional and social wellbeing .
I pay tribute to the school staff who ’ ve worked through the holidays to welcome children back safely .
The test now for the Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive a full education throughout the year , and catch up on the learning they have lost .
So when will pupils begin to receive support through both the catch up premium and national tutoring fund ?
And why are early years and post-16 providers ineligible for the catch-up premium ?
Why is the funding available for just a single year , when the impact of any further disruption to education is so significant ?
Can he guarantee that every child will have full access to learning in the event of a local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools return is the wellbeing of their children .
What plans does the Secretary of State have to provide additional pastoral support ?
What extra support will be available for children with SEND ?
Parents will not be able to return to work without childcare and wraparound care .
What plans does the Secretary of State have in place to ensure every parent can access the care they need ?
And can he tell us how he will ensure all children can travel safely to school ?
Finally , what additional financial support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cover Covid related costs this term ?
Turning to the year ahead , I was glad to read this morning that the Secretary of State has once again listened to Labour and will delay exams in summer 2021 .
Pupils entering Y11 and 13 have already experienced serious disruption to their learning and the assessment process must recognise that .
But schools , colleges , and universities need time to plan .
What discussions is he having with the sector and with UCAS to ensure workable arrangements are in place .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be put in place – this month – in case exams are disrupted again ?
Mr Speaker , children and their families should have been the government ’ s top priority .
But for weeks their interests have taken a back seat while the Secretary of State U-turned on everything from CAGs to face masks , and let officials take the blame .
He must now take responsibility for ensuring that a summer of incompetence does not descend further into an autumn of disaster and dismay .
I implore him to listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professionals and the Labour Party .
He must now make the education of our children and young people a national , and his first , priority .

Below is the full text of the speech delivering by Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green in parliament this afternoon.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I welcome the Secretary of State back to his place, after a summer of chaos, incompetence and confusion that has caused enormous stress to children, young people, their families and teachers. Ministers must now learn from their mistakes, and ensure that keeping schools open and pupils learning is a national priority.
Labour is absolutely clear – we want children back in school, and we want them to stay there. I’ll always work constructively with the government to achieve that. And I hope the Secretary of State will hear my questions in that constructive spirit. Because, while I’m delighted that the vast majority of schools will reopen fully in the next few days, there remain many issues of concern.
Let me start with the ongoing situation regarding this summer’s exam results. After days of confusion following A-level results day, the Secretary of State finally heeded the calls of young people, and of the Labour Party, and accepted centre-assessed grades (CAGs). While that was the right thing to do, it leaves many of the problems created by his previous flawed standardisation approach unresolved.
The Secretary of State should have known of the risks – it’s been reported that a former senior official raised serious concerns. So can he tell the house when he first knew of the potential problems with his approach, and what he did about them? What advice was he given about BTEC students, who have faced more uncertainty and delay?
Can he tell us how many BTEC students have still not received their results? External candidates who do not have a CAG remain in an extremely difficult situation. What are their options, and what support they will receive?
There are also significant consequences for higher education. Can the Secretary of State tell the House how many young people who missed their first-choice university because of his now discredited approach to awarding grades have still not been granted those places?
What assessment has he made of the impact on universities that will lose students because they can now take up their original choice? What discussions has he had with the Treasury about providing those institutions with additional financial support?
Mr Speaker, turning now to the reopening of schools, we’re all pleased to see children return. School is the best place for them to be, not only for their learning, but for their emotional and social wellbeing. I pay tribute to the school staff who’ve worked through the holidays to welcome children back safely.
The test now for the Secretary of State is that pupils continue to receive a full education throughout the year, and catch up on the learning they have lost. So when will pupils begin to receive support through both the catch up premium and national tutoring fund? And why are early years and post-16 providers ineligible for the catch-up premium?
Why is the funding available for just a single year, when the impact of any further disruption to education is so significant? Can he guarantee that every child will have full access to learning in the event of a local lockdown? Parents’ top priority as schools return is the wellbeing of their children. What plans does the Secretary of State have to provide additional pastoral support? What extra support will be available for children with SEND?
Parents will not be able to return to work without childcare and wraparound care. What plans does the Secretary of State have in place to ensure every parent can access the care they need? And can he tell us how he will ensure all children can travel safely to school? Finally, what additional financial support, if any, will schools receive to cover Covid related costs this term?
Turning to the year ahead, I was glad to read this morning that the Secretary of State has once again listened to Labour and will delay exams in summer 2021. Pupils entering Y11 and 13 have already experienced serious disruption to their learning and the assessment process must recognise that.
But schools, colleges, and universities need time to plan. What discussions is he having with the sector and with UCAS to ensure workable arrangements are in place. And can he guarantee that a contingency plan will be put in place – this month – in case exams are disrupted again?
Mr Speaker, children and their families should have been the government’s top priority. But for weeks their interests have taken a back seat while the Secretary of State U-turned on everything from CAGs to face masks, and let officials take the blame. He must now take responsibility for ensuring that a summer of incompetence does not descend further into an autumn of disaster and dismay.
I implore him to listen to the concerns of parents, education professionals and the Labour Party. He must now make the education of our children and young people a national, and his first, priority.


labourlist--2020-09-01--Why I’m backing the climate and ecological emergency bill tabled by Caroline Lucas

Today parliament returns after recess .
As MPs , we have plenty to be getting on with right now .
But as our attention is focused on the unfolding public health crisis and the recession facing us , we can ’ t lose sight of the third crisis that ’ s threatening our very existence : the climate crisis .
Because while we were busy tackling the pandemic , the climate emergency hasn ’ t gone away .
Global warming has not paused for lockdown , and saving the planet we live on can not wait for quieter times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ special report by the UN intergovernmental panel on climate change set out that to prevent runaway climate chaos , we need “ rapid and far-reaching transitions ” that are “ unprecedented in terms of scale ” .
We are not talking about minor tweaks here and there , but a complete restructuring of our economy .
We simply can ’ t accept the answer that this is impossible .
Covid-19 has shown us that when governments believe that there is an emergency , they can act fast .
It has shown us that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that there ’ s nothing inevitable about the status quo under which our economy and society have operated .
For too long , we took for granted that our society is run by and for the privileged few , that power and wealth are concentrated in the hands of a small minority , and that the poor must suffer cuts upon cuts while the rich get richer and our environment is trashed .
But we ’ ve had enough .
Let ’ s make sure this moment is a wake-up call .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is trying to distract us from their colossal failures by scapegoating migrants who are trying to cross the English Channel .
Let ’ s be clear : migrants and refugees are not a threat to our civilisation – but climate chaos and ecological breakdown are real threats .
Instead of attacking migrants and refugees , let ’ s attack the power of energy companies that are making profits as the world burns or a government that refuses to invest in a truly circular economy .
Just as we won ’ t accept the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blame for mass unemployment , we can not accept the idea that it is ordinary working-class people who are to blame for climate change , or that we can solve it by just shopping a little less .
No – this is a crisis of a system and a government that has failed to grasp the scale and urgency of the crisis we face .
That ’ s why we say ‘ system change , not climate change ’ .
As lockdown ends , there can be no going back to normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We don ’ t need a ‘ recovery ’ that takes us back to how things were , but a transformation towards how things should be .
We need a real green new deal , huge-scale investment in green jobs and infrastructure and a reordering of our priorities so that people and planet – not private profits – come first .
That ’ s why I am proud to be one of the MPs supporting the climate and ecological emergency bill , which has been initiated by activists and tabled by my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bill that demands that the climate and ecological crisis is not merely declared , but acted upon with the urgency it deserves .
In May 2019 , after parliament declared a climate and ecological emergency , it would have made sense for the government to have brought forward its own comprehensive legislation – but instead here we are over a year later , having to cajole and drag them into any action .
Make no mistake , it is grassroots pressure from people like the demonstrators today that is making lawmakers pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in parliament campaigning for this bill to become law , I am asking those who are attending demonstrations and mobilising in communities to keep organising , keep challenging and keep holding us to account .
And if the government refuses to listen , be so loud that they can ’ t pretend not to hear .

Today parliament returns after recess. As MPs, we have plenty to be getting on with right now. But as our attention is focused on the unfolding public health crisis and the recession facing us, we can’t lose sight of the third crisis that’s threatening our very existence: the climate crisis.
Because while we were busy tackling the pandemic, the climate emergency hasn’t gone away. Global warming has not paused for lockdown, and saving the planet we live on cannot wait for quieter times. We must act now.
The 2018 special report by the UN intergovernmental panel on climate change set out that to prevent runaway climate chaos, we need “rapid and far-reaching transitions” that are “unprecedented in terms of scale”. We are not talking about minor tweaks here and there, but a complete restructuring of our economy.
We simply can’t accept the answer that this is impossible. Covid-19 has shown us that when governments believe that there is an emergency, they can act fast. It has shown us that austerity was always a political choice, and that there’s nothing inevitable about the status quo under which our economy and society have operated.
For too long, we took for granted that our society is run by and for the privileged few, that power and wealth are concentrated in the hands of a small minority, and that the poor must suffer cuts upon cuts while the rich get richer and our environment is trashed. But we’ve had enough. Let’s make sure this moment is a wake-up call.
It’s disgraceful that the government is trying to distract us from their colossal failures by scapegoating migrants who are trying to cross the English Channel. Let’s be clear: migrants and refugees are not a threat to our civilisation – but climate chaos and ecological breakdown are real threats. Instead of attacking migrants and refugees, let’s attack the power of energy companies that are making profits as the world burns or a government that refuses to invest in a truly circular economy.
Just as we won’t accept the falsehood that it is immigrants who are to blame for mass unemployment, we cannot accept the idea that it is ordinary working-class people who are to blame for climate change, or that we can solve it by just shopping a little less. No – this is a crisis of a system and a government that has failed to grasp the scale and urgency of the crisis we face. That’s why we say ‘system change, not climate change’.
As lockdown ends, there can be no going back to normal, because normal wasn’t working. We don’t need a ‘recovery’ that takes us back to how things were, but a transformation towards how things should be. We need a real green new deal, huge-scale investment in green jobs and infrastructure and a reordering of our priorities so that people and planet – not private profits – come first.
That’s why I am proud to be one of the MPs supporting the climate and ecological emergency bill, which has been initiated by activists and tabled by my colleague Caroline Lucas. It’s a bill that demands that the climate and ecological crisis is not merely declared, but acted upon with the urgency it deserves.
In May 2019, after parliament declared a climate and ecological emergency, it would have made sense for the government to have brought forward its own comprehensive legislation – but instead here we are over a year later, having to cajole and drag them into any action. Make no mistake, it is grassroots pressure from people like the demonstrators today that is making lawmakers pay attention.
While I’ll be in parliament campaigning for this bill to become law, I am asking those who are attending demonstrations and mobilising in communities to keep organising, keep challenging and keep holding us to account. And if the government refuses to listen, be so loud that they can’t pretend not to hear.