labourlist--2020-05-06--Key NEC decisions, the return of ‘scroungers’ and a nearly normal PMQs

Labour ’ s new general secretary will be appointed within just two weeks , officers of the national executive committee ( NEC ) have decided .
Set in a meeting of core NEC members yesterday and exclusively revealed by LabourList , the super-speedy timetable will see Jennie Formby ’ s successor chosen by the whole NEC on May 19th .
That is after NEC officers , as the panel , both longlist and shortlist candidates .
This process is thought likely to benefit Unite ’ s Anneliese Midgley , who topped our runners and riders list .
NEC officers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling body and September conference can go ahead .
LabourList understands that no firm decision on cancellations has yet been made , but there was a recognition that all can not proceed as normal and new virtual processes would have to be introduced .
While we ’ re on the subject of coronavirus , there is the small matter of the UK ’ s confirmed death toll becoming the highest in Europe .
It must be small because it has been largely ignored by the British papers .
They are more interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferguson broke lockdown rules “ to meet his married lover ” .
He has had to step down from the government ’ s scientific advisory group as a result .
As we see all too often , stories highlighting flaws in individual behaviour are prioritised over stories that expose structural problems and get to the heart of why things are going wrong under the Tories .
Meanwhile , Rishi Sunak is preparing to “ wind down ” the furlough scheme .
According to The Times , the government fears that people are “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can you believe it : addicted to being without work and on reduced pay .
That the narrative of ‘ scroungers ’ can survive a global pandemic says a lot about this country , and none of it good .
This development comes as deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries admits that the testing situation would have been different in March if there had been unlimited capacity .
At the time , we were told the UK did not need to follow the World Health Organisation ’ s “ test , test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended for less developed countries .
Such as , er , Germany ?
And , as usual , local government faces punishment for properly supporting people during this crisis .
Robert Jenrick has warned that “ we wouldn ’ t want anybody to labour under a false impression that what they are doing will be guaranteed funded by central government ” .
It ’ s a far cry from the “ whatever it takes ” line used earlier , as Camden Council leader Georgia Gould points out .
Parliament may still be virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
With Rachel Reeves on the Labour frontbench , a new chair of the business select committee will be elected .
It is between Angela Eagle , Stella Creasy and Darren Jones .
Whichever one of the three wins the post , Barry Gardiner would like a word on changing the way we heat homes .
And before that , we will finally see Keir Starmer go head-to-head with Boris Johnson at noon .
The Labour leader ’ s careful and precise approach against the cluttered , bombastic style of the Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

Labour’s new general secretary will be appointed within just two weeks, officers of the national executive committee (NEC) have decided. Set in a meeting of core NEC members yesterday and exclusively revealed by LabourList, the super-speedy timetable will see Jennie Formby’s successor chosen by the whole NEC on May 19th. That is after NEC officers, as the panel, both longlist and shortlist candidates. This process is thought likely to benefit Unite’s Anneliese Midgley, who topped our runners and riders list. NEC officers have also discussed whether summer elections for the ruling body and September conference can go ahead. LabourList understands that no firm decision on cancellations has yet been made, but there was a recognition that all cannot proceed as normal and new virtual processes would have to be introduced.
While we’re on the subject of coronavirus, there is the small matter of the UK’s confirmed death toll becoming the highest in Europe. It must be small because it has been largely ignored by the British papers. They are more interested in the Telegraph scoop revealing that Professor Neil Ferguson broke lockdown rules “to meet his married lover”. He has had to step down from the government’s scientific advisory group as a result. As we see all too often, stories highlighting flaws in individual behaviour are prioritised over stories that expose structural problems and get to the heart of why things are going wrong under the Tories.
Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak is preparing to “wind down” the furlough scheme. According to The Times, the government fears that people are “addicted” to it. Yes, can you believe it: addicted to being without work and on reduced pay. That the narrative of ‘scroungers’ can survive a global pandemic says a lot about this country, and none of it good.
This development comes as deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries admits that the testing situation would have been different in March if there had been unlimited capacity. At the time, we were told the UK did not need to follow the World Health Organisation’s “test, test, test” advice because it was intended for less developed countries. Such as, er, Germany? And, as usual, local government faces punishment for properly supporting people during this crisis. Robert Jenrick has warned that “we wouldn’t want anybody to labour under a false impression that what they are doing will be guaranteed funded by central government”. It’s a far cry from the “whatever it takes” line used earlier, as Camden Council leader Georgia Gould points out.
Parliament may still be virtual, but there is lots of activity today. With Rachel Reeves on the Labour frontbench, a new chair of the business select committee will be elected. It is between Angela Eagle, Stella Creasy and Darren Jones. Whichever one of the three wins the post, Barry Gardiner would like a word on changing the way we heat homes. And before that, we will finally see Keir Starmer go head-to-head with Boris Johnson at noon. The Labour leader’s careful and precise approach against the cluttered, bombastic style of the Prime Minister will make for interesting viewing. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-05-06--WATCH: Labour “would have locked down earlier”, says Ashworth

Jonathan Ashworth has said that the Labour Party “ would have locked down earlier ” and introduced other restrictions sooner than the government had in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
In an interview with Sky News this morning , he said that he would have introduced bans on mass gatherings earlier in the pandemic and highlighted that he had been pushing the government to do so .
The Shadow Health Secretary also criticised the government for having “ moved away from our testing and tracing programme ” in March while other countries , such as Germany and South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he thought that the UK should have continued with the testing and tracing approach , and should have been pushing to build capacity on testing throughout in a “ big national effort ” .
Commenting on the resignation of government scientist Neil Ferguson from the scientific advisory group for emergencies ( SAGE ) , Ashworth said : “ If we have social distancing rules in place , everybody should be following them.
” Ferguson stepped down from his role , in which he had advised on the implementation of the UK-wide lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermined the measures when a visitor came to his home .
The total number of coronavirus deaths in the UK , according to ONS data released yesterday , now exceeds 32,000 .
The number of confirmed cases in the country is 194,990 – but with low levels of testing the figure is thought to be much higher .

Jonathan Ashworth has said that the Labour Party “would have locked down earlier” and introduced other restrictions sooner than the government had in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In an interview with Sky News this morning, he said that he would have introduced bans on mass gatherings earlier in the pandemic and highlighted that he had been pushing the government to do so.
The Shadow Health Secretary also criticised the government for having “moved away from our testing and tracing programme” in March while other countries, such as Germany and South Korea, had continued.
Ashworth told viewers that he thought that the UK should have continued with the testing and tracing approach, and should have been pushing to build capacity on testing throughout in a “big national effort”.
Shadow Health Sec @JonAshworth tells @KayBurley the Labour Party would have put the UK into lockdown "earlier" in response to the #coronavirus, adding the govt should have 'pushed to increase testing and tracing from March'. Latest #COVID19: https://t.co/8BLZVMHNdO #KayBurley pic.twitter.com/jlhQBTNDPf — SkyNews (@SkyNews) May 6, 2020
Commenting on the resignation of government scientist Neil Ferguson from the scientific advisory group for emergencies (SAGE), Ashworth said: “If we have social distancing rules in place, everybody should be following them.”
Ferguson stepped down from his role, in which he had advised on the implementation of the UK-wide lockdown, after it emerged that he had undermined the measures when a visitor came to his home.
"If we have social distancing rules in place, everybody should be following them."@JonAshworth responds to Professor Neil Ferguson's resignation from SAGE for breaking the govt's #coronavirus lockdown rules. Get the latest on #COVID19: https://t.co/8BLZVMHNdO #KayBurley pic.twitter.com/6HP9CsJC1l — SkyNews (@SkyNews) May 6, 2020
The total number of coronavirus deaths in the UK, according to ONS data released yesterday, now exceeds 32,000. The number of confirmed cases in the country is 194,990 – but with low levels of testing the figure is thought to be much higher.


labourlist--2020-05-06--Heating our homes – a word in the business chairperson’s ear

What a pleasure to read the pitches from all three candidates vying for our votes to become chair of the business , energy and industrial strategy select committee .
All agree that the two big challenges facing the country beyond lockdown are rescuing our economy and meeting our net-zero emissions target .
If I could whisper one thing in the new chairperson ’ s ear , it would be this : “ Both these challenges can be tackled by changing the way we heat our homes.
” Heat from buildings currently represents around one third of the UK ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK is ever going to wean itself off fossil fuel , the 21 million of our homes that currently use natural gas is a pretty good place to start .
Infrastructure projects don ’ t come much bigger or employ more people .
Cost estimates vary , but £120bn is reckoned to be at the conservative end of the spectrum .
Low-carbon heating is amongst the toughest challenges facing climate policy .
Essentially , you are dealing with three variables : • None The energy efficiency of the building .
• None The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British weather .
Or put another way , the capacity of the energy network as a whole to cope with extremes of demand , so the system functions for everyone even during the worst winter conditions .
Any inquiry would have to be clear about the existing housing stock .
About four million homes are not currently connected to the mains gas network at all .
Most of these burn oil .
We need to identify which might be connected up to a district heating network and which require a heat pump solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 million on the gas grid , alternative options are needed .
Greening the gas network is possible – by tweaking boilers to accept low-carbon hydrogen delivered through the existing network – but the costs of hydrogen production are high .
Air , water and ground source heat pumps together with new generation storage heaters are all part of the mix that the select committee should investigate – as are hybrid heat pump solutions , where peak demand is met by hydrogen or biomethane .
In 2017 , a total of 20,000 heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government says we must install 20,000 every week for 25 years just to achieve our old 80 % emission reduction target .
To achieve net-zero emissions will require more of the order of 50,000 a week .
That ’ s a lot of high skilled jobs , and the going rate for installation technicians is around £40,000 a year .
These are the key issues for the BEIS select committee to investigate .
Scale .
The scale of tackling 25 million households ’ heat systems at the same time – as all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use , waste and recycling issues around climate change – is enormous .
It will require a huge , sustained national effort .
Cost .
The cost of the transformation is substantial .
The issue for parliament is who pays and how ?
Ultimately , of course , it is always you and me .
But do we pay as the consumer , or do we pay as the taxpayer ?
My view is that this transformation is about public policy and therefore the public purse needs to foot the bill .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would almost certainly be regressive .
But the balance here is desperately political and the select committee will take its own view .
Governments do not like to raise taxes , so what would each individual bill payer have to stump up ?
This is linked to the next issue .
Inertia .
The public is resistant to change , especially when they think it is going to cost them .
Incentives and pricing are going to be critical to acceptability .
Lord Duncan acknowledged that there may need to be carbon taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But there are other inertia factors as well .
People are familiar with their gas boilers , they like cooking on gas , they like the ease of gas and they do not want the disruption to their homes that a new system of heat pumps or solar panels will bring .
Speed .
The fact is that we have been moving too slowly and the window is shrinking for action to meet our net-zero target by 2050 .
Doing anything at this scale is difficult enough , but doing it quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and learn the lessons from earlier phases of the project creates added complication .
Skills .
In order to roll out a programme like this , you need highly skilled teams .
That is not just a matter of having plumbers and electricians able to install the pipes and wiring , it is about generic teams who can go into a community and persuade people , specialist trainers who can help people feel comfortable with the new system .
It also means clean up specialists who ensure that as the team leaves the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in people ’ s homes or a lingering resentment that this was “ done to them ” that could infect other people and make them reluctant to engage in their turn .
Coordination .
This all requires extraordinary levels of coordination – between central and local actors ; local government , energy suppliers , central government , industry , business , the regulator , residents ’ associations , LEPs .
We are looking to a major disruption of people ’ s lives , and the coordination needs to be there to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design a regulatory framework that can address all of these issues .
Fail , and it will be a political disaster .
Succeed , and we boost our economy and tackle climate change at the same time .
Now if that ’ s not a job for the select committee , I don ’ t know what is .

What a pleasure to read the pitches from all three candidates vying for our votes to become chair of the business, energy and industrial strategy select committee. All agree that the two big challenges facing the country beyond lockdown are rescuing our economy and meeting our net-zero emissions target. If I could whisper one thing in the new chairperson’s ear, it would be this: “Both these challenges can be tackled by changing the way we heat our homes.”
Heat from buildings currently represents around one third of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. If the UK is ever going to wean itself off fossil fuel, the 21 million of our homes that currently use natural gas is a pretty good place to start.
Infrastructure projects don’t come much bigger or employ more people. Cost estimates vary, but £120bn is reckoned to be at the conservative end of the spectrum.
Low-carbon heating is amongst the toughest challenges facing climate policy. Essentially, you are dealing with three variables:
The energy efficiency of the building. The most appropriate energy supply. British weather. Or put another way, the capacity of the energy network as a whole to cope with extremes of demand, so the system functions for everyone even during the worst winter conditions.
Any inquiry would have to be clear about the existing housing stock. About four million homes are not currently connected to the mains gas network at all. Most of these burn oil. We need to identify which might be connected up to a district heating network and which require a heat pump solution coupled with additional insulation.
For the 21 million on the gas grid, alternative options are needed. Greening the gas network is possible – by tweaking boilers to accept low-carbon hydrogen delivered through the existing network – but the costs of hydrogen production are high. Air, water and ground source heat pumps together with new generation storage heaters are all part of the mix that the select committee should investigate – as are hybrid heat pump solutions, where peak demand is met by hydrogen or biomethane.
In 2017, a total of 20,000 heat pumps were sold in the UK. The government says we must install 20,000 every week for 25 years just to achieve our old 80% emission reduction target. To achieve net-zero emissions will require more of the order of 50,000 a week. That’s a lot of high skilled jobs, and the going rate for installation technicians is around £40,000 a year.
These are the key issues for the BEIS select committee to investigate.
Scale. The scale of tackling 25 million households’ heat systems at the same time – as all the other power, transport, land use, waste and recycling issues around climate change – is enormous. It will require a huge, sustained national effort.
Cost. The cost of the transformation is substantial. The issue for parliament is who pays and how? Ultimately, of course, it is always you and me. But do we pay as the consumer, or do we pay as the taxpayer? My view is that this transformation is about public policy and therefore the public purse needs to foot the bill. To put the onus on the bill payer would almost certainly be regressive. But the balance here is desperately political and the select committee will take its own view. Governments do not like to raise taxes, so what would each individual bill payer have to stump up? This is linked to the next issue.
Inertia. The public is resistant to change, especially when they think it is going to cost them. Incentives and pricing are going to be critical to acceptability. Lord Duncan acknowledged that there may need to be carbon taxes to shift consumers away from burning gas. But there are other inertia factors as well. People are familiar with their gas boilers, they like cooking on gas, they like the ease of gas and they do not want the disruption to their homes that a new system of heat pumps or solar panels will bring.
Speed. The fact is that we have been moving too slowly and the window is shrinking for action to meet our net-zero target by 2050. Doing anything at this scale is difficult enough, but doing it quickly where you are not able to assimilate and learn the lessons from earlier phases of the project creates added complication.
Skills. In order to roll out a programme like this, you need highly skilled teams. That is not just a matter of having plumbers and electricians able to install the pipes and wiring, it is about generic teams who can go into a community and persuade people, specialist trainers who can help people feel comfortable with the new system. It also means clean up specialists who ensure that as the team leaves the community there is not a residual mess in people’s homes or a lingering resentment that this was “done to them” that could infect other people and make them reluctant to engage in their turn.
Coordination. This all requires extraordinary levels of coordination – between central and local actors; local government, energy suppliers, central government, industry, business, the regulator, residents’ associations, LEPs. We are looking to a major disruption of people’s lives, and the coordination needs to be there to ensure that things run smoothly.
We have to design a regulatory framework that can address all of these issues. Fail, and it will be a political disaster. Succeed, and we boost our economy and tackle climate change at the same time. Now if that’s not a job for the select committee, I don’t know what is.


labourlist--2020-05-05--Exclusive: Labour sets speedy timetable for new general secretary appointment

The core group of officers on Labour ’ s national executive committee ( NEC ) met virtually this afternoon to decide the timetable for the appointment of a new general secretary .
The swift timings agreed will see Jennie Formby ’ s successor appointed on May 19th , with the process taking place in the space of just two weeks following her resignation as the most senior party official .
NEC sources have told LabourList that the decision to appoint a replacement for Formby so quickly will likely benefit potential candidate Anneliese Midgley , who currently works at Unite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap between the shortlisting by NEC officers on May 18th and the final decision on May 19th .
The appointment process will take place entirely online due to Covid-19 .
The text below has been sent to NEC members as the timetable for the general secretary appointment .
• The application deadline is midnight on Thursday 14th May .
• The NEC officers as the panel will be sent the applications and longlist matrix at 9am on Friday 15th May to review .
• A meeting of the NEC panel will take place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree the longlist using the shortlisting criteria outlined on the longlisting matrix .
• This will be via teleconference .
• Candidates who are longlisted will be invited to interview on Monday 18th May via zoom .
• Shortlisting will take place from 10.30am on Monday 18th May – via Zoom .
• This will take the form of a five-minute presentation and 20-minute interview of each candidate .
Interview packs and questions will be provided on the day one hour in advance .
• NEC officers will then determine who goes forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Final interviews will take place on the 19th May at the NEC meeting via Zoom .
• Each candidate will have a maximum of 35 minutes for their interview .
Five minutes for their presentation and 30 minutes for questions .
All NEC members will need to be present on Zoom for these interviews .
Interview packs and questions will be provided on the day .
• NEC business will be conducted after the new GS has been appointed .
The appointment becomes formal once Labour ’ s annual conference has accepted @ @ @ @ @ @

The core group of officers on Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) met virtually this afternoon to decide the timetable for the appointment of a new general secretary.
The swift timings agreed will see Jennie Formby’s successor appointed on May 19th, with the process taking place in the space of just two weeks following her resignation as the most senior party official.
NEC sources have told LabourList that the decision to appoint a replacement for Formby so quickly will likely benefit potential candidate Anneliese Midgley, who currently works at Unite the Union.
There is only a one-day gap between the shortlisting by NEC officers on May 18th and the final decision on May 19th. The appointment process will take place entirely online due to Covid-19.
The text below has been sent to NEC members as the timetable for the general secretary appointment.
Applications open 5th May 2020.
The application deadline is midnight on Thursday 14th May.
The NEC officers as the panel will be sent the applications and longlist matrix at 9am on Friday 15th May to review.
A meeting of the NEC panel will take place at 1.30pm on Friday 15th May to agree the longlist using the shortlisting criteria outlined on the longlisting matrix.
This will be via teleconference.
Candidates who are longlisted will be invited to interview on Monday 18th May via zoom.
Shortlisting will take place from 10.30am on Monday 18th May – via Zoom.
This will take the form of a five-minute presentation and 20-minute interview of each candidate. Interview packs and questions will be provided on the day one hour in advance.
NEC officers will then determine who goes forward on the shortlist to the NEC.
Final interviews will take place on the 19th May at the NEC meeting via Zoom.
Each candidate will have a maximum of 35 minutes for their interview. Five minutes for their presentation and 30 minutes for questions. All NEC members will need to be present on Zoom for these interviews. Interview packs and questions will be provided on the day.
NEC business will be conducted after the new GS has been appointed.
The appointment becomes formal once Labour’s annual conference has accepted the NEC’s recommendation.


labourlist--2020-05-06--What does the new leader’s office say about Keir Starmer?

Keir Starmer has now made a substantial number of appointments to the leader ’ s office .
Some of these have already been made public , but others on the list below are exclusively revealed by LabourList today .
There are people who were already working for Starmer , either in his parliamentary office or more informally ( Ward , Nunn , Sebbana , Lillywhite ) .
Plus those who worked on Starmer ’ s leadership campaign ( McSweeney , Fletcher , Chapman , Hughes ) .
Others have been carried over from the last leader ’ s office , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed related as mother and son , while Sullivan was previously at the whips ’ office and will now liaise between the two .
White and Ovenden are both blasts from the past .
The former , son of ex-Guardian journalist Michael White , worked for Alistair Darling as Chancellor .
The latter ’ s Labour experience was more recent , working for the party between 2014 and 2017 .
There are also entirely new names – most notably Ainsley , who has come from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to head up policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new working class ’ , and she wrote a book about it .
In a 2019 LabourList piece , Ainsley argued that Britain ’ s working class is “ multi-ethnic ” , and made up of “ cleaners , shop workers , bar tenders , teaching assistants , cooks , carers ” .
She is certain to bring a focus on low-income voters to Labour ’ s electoral strategy .
Her more recent LabourList piece on this subject is worth a read in light of her appointment .
Ainsley as head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the importance of reducing poverty , particularly child poverty , and being more comfortable with use of the term “ family ” .
McSweeney , another highly important appointment , reinforces Starmer ’ s non-factional message .
He founded Labour Together – currently conducting a review of the 2019 campaign – which aims to unite different strands of the party .
But the fact that only six of the 20 appointments made by Starmer have gone to women , and that the team is overwhelmingly dominated by white staffers , has not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough men in the 25-35 age range for a football team , although these days there are no squads in the premiership anywhere near as wholly white as this , ” one commented .
The party activist and Starmer backer , who said she did not want to be named , added : “ The line up is so embarrassingly lacking in diversity I can only assume it ’ s a mistake , and I ’ d like to give him the chance to rectify it.
” Other LabourList sources have raised similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling within the party that Starmer should not be undermined at the moment .
He is being given the benefit of the doubt .
And there will be further opportunities in the near future to appoint women to senior Labour HQ posts .
Kat Fletcher , who worked on the Starmer campaign , is expected to be among those given a top role .

Keir Starmer has now made a substantial number of appointments to the leader’s office. Some of these have already been made public, but others on the list below are exclusively revealed by LabourList today.
Morgan McSweeney – chief of staff
Chris Ward – deputy chief of staff
Helene Reardon-Bond – deputy chief of staff (transition and transformation)
Ben Nunn – director of communications
Paul Ovenden – deputy director of communications
Tom Hughes – press officer and spokesman
Sam White – adviser
Simon Fletcher – special adviser (general election)
Claire Ainsley – executive director of policy
Ellie Robinson – director of stakeholder engagement
Jenny Chapman – director of politics
Yasmeen Sebbana – private secretary
Tom Lillywhite – head of digital and social strategy
Jack Bond – social media manager
Other appointments include Sofia Patel, Alex Barros-Curtis, Mark Simpson, Matt Pound, Stuart Ingham and Luke Sullivan.
There are people who were already working for Starmer, either in his parliamentary office or more informally (Ward, Nunn, Sebbana, Lillywhite). Plus those who worked on Starmer’s leadership campaign (McSweeney, Fletcher, Chapman, Hughes).
Others have been carried over from the last leader’s office, including Reardon-Bond and Bond, who are indeed related as mother and son, while Sullivan was previously at the whips’ office and will now liaise between the two.
White and Ovenden are both blasts from the past. The former, son of ex-Guardian journalist Michael White, worked for Alistair Darling as Chancellor. The latter’s Labour experience was more recent, working for the party between 2014 and 2017.
There are also entirely new names – most notably Ainsley, who has come from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to head up policy. Her work has been on ‘the new working class’, and she wrote a book about it.
In a 2019 LabourList piece, Ainsley argued that Britain’s working class is “multi-ethnic”, and made up of “cleaners, shop workers, bar tenders, teaching assistants, cooks, carers”.
She is certain to bring a focus on low-income voters to Labour’s electoral strategy. Her more recent LabourList piece on this subject is worth a read in light of her appointment.
Ainsley as head of policy will likely influence LOTO in stressing the importance of reducing poverty, particularly child poverty, and being more comfortable with use of the term “family”.
McSweeney, another key appointment, reinforces Starmer’s non-factional message. He founded Labour Together – currently conducting a review of the 2019 campaign – which aims to unite different strands of the party.
But the fact that only six of the 20 appointments made by Starmer have gone to women, and that the team is overwhelmingly dominated by white staffers, has not been unnoticed by insiders.
“There are enough men in the 25-35 age range for a football team, although these days there are no squads in the premiership anywhere near as wholly white as this,” one commented.
The party activist and Starmer backer, who said she did not want to be named, added: “The line up is so embarrassingly lacking in diversity I can only assume it’s a mistake, and I’d like to give him the chance to rectify it.”
Other LabourList sources have raised similar concerns, but there is an overriding feeling within the party that Starmer should not be undermined at the moment. He is being given the benefit of the doubt.
And there will be further opportunities in the near future to appoint women to senior Labour HQ posts. Kat Fletcher, who worked on the Starmer campaign, is expected to be among those given a top role.


labourlist--2020-05-06--Chris Bryant and Darren Jones elected as key select committee chairs

Darren Jones has been elected by MPs as the new chair of the business energy and industrial strategy select committee , and Chris Bryant as chair of the standards committee .
Following their nomination by party colleagues earlier this week , both backbench Labour MPs have been selected to head up the work of the committees in an online ballot that took place today .
In a statement to MPs , Jones wrote about the economic recovery after the pandemic and tackling climate change – as well as the need to be a team player , saying that “ now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
He faced competition from Stella Creasy , who emphasised the role of the committee in the scrutinising government policy throughout the recovery period in her statement , while also highlighting the problems with support for businesses .
Angela Eagle also stood .
She stressed the need for creative and innovative solutions to help the UK rebuild after Covid-19 , while warning that the country must not miss opportunities during the recovery to transition to a green economy .
In the standards committee election , Bryant wrote that “ it would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the standards chair should act as an “ independent adjudicator ” on complaints .
He described how his 19-year ’ s experience as an MP made him suitable for the position .
He went up against Yvonne Fovargue , who used her statement to focus on public confidence in the system of self-regulation for MPs , saying that she would continue with a review of sanctions , “ ensuring fairness and clarity ” .
An online ballot took place between 10am and 2pm today , as part of parliament ’ s modified semi-virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternative vote system was employed in the competition .
There were 540 and 544 votes cast in each of the standards and BEIS elections respectively .
Jones won his in the second round of counting with 296 votes , while Bryant was elected to the standards committee with 322 first preferences .
Select committees are appointed by the Commons to examine the expenditure , administration and policy of government departments and associated bodies .
They can scrutinise various things , including the conduct of individual MPs .
A proportion of the committee membership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the number of representatives that they have in parliament .
The committee members are therefore decided through internal party elections .
Nominations for the election of chairs for the BEIS and standards committees closed on May 4th .
As decided by an order of the House only a member of the Labour Party could be a candidate for either committee .
To stand to be the chair of a select committee , a sitting MP must secure the nomination of 15 colleagues in their party , or 10 % depending on which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then vote by secret ballot .
Bryant had been nominated by Labour MPs Kate Green , Christian Matheson , Alex Sobel , Stella Creasy , Dame Diana Johnson , Sir George Howarth , Ruth Cadbury , Peter Kyle , Maria Eagle , Alison McGovern , Jess Phillips , Kevin Brennan , Ms Lyn Brown , Carolyn Harris and Kerry McCarthy .
Jones was nominated to be BEIS committee chair by Anna McMorrin , Ben Bradshaw , Ellie Reeves , Emma Hardy , Holly Lynch , Jess Phillips , Kate Green , Kerry McCarthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah Jones , Seema Malhotra , Mr Stephen Morgan , Tonia Antoniazzi and Mr Virendra Sharma .
The chairs of select committees receive an annual salary in addition to their wage as an MP .
Since April 2017 , this has been £15,235 and is set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority .
Now that the chairs have been elected , they will sit until the end of the parliament .
More information on the committees , including their work and membership can be found on the UK parliament website .

Darren Jones has been elected by MPs as the new chair of the business energy and industrial strategy select committee, and Chris Bryant as chair of the standards committee.
Following their nomination by party colleagues earlier this week, both backbench Labour MPs have been selected to head up the work of the committees in an online ballot that took place today.
In a statement to MPs, Jones wrote about the economic recovery after the pandemic and tackling climate change – as well as the need to be a team player, saying that “now is not the time for tribal politics”.
He faced competition from Stella Creasy, who emphasised the role of the committee in the scrutinising government policy throughout the recovery period in her statement, while also highlighting the problems with support for businesses.
Angela Eagle also stood. She stressed the need for creative and innovative solutions to help the UK rebuild after Covid-19, while warning that the country must not miss opportunities during the recovery to transition to a green economy.
In the standards committee election, Bryant wrote that “it would be wrong to have a manifesto” as the standards chair should act as an “independent adjudicator” on complaints. He described how his 19-year’s experience as an MP made him suitable for the position.
He went up against Yvonne Fovargue, who used her statement to focus on public confidence in the system of self-regulation for MPs, saying that she would continue with a review of sanctions, “ensuring fairness and clarity”.
An online ballot took place between 10am and 2pm today, as part of parliament’s modified semi-virtual format during the coronavirus pandemic. An alternative vote system was employed in the competition.
There were 540 and 544 votes cast in each of the standards and BEIS elections respectively. Jones won his in the second round of counting with 296 votes, while Bryant was elected to the standards committee with 322 first preferences.
Select committees are appointed by the Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of government departments and associated bodies. They can scrutinise various things, including the conduct of individual MPs.
A proportion of the committee membership is allocated to each political party depending on the number of representatives that they have in parliament. The committee members are therefore decided through internal party elections.
Nominations for the election of chairs for the BEIS and standards committees closed on May 4th. As decided by an order of the House only a member of the Labour Party could be a candidate for either committee.
To stand to be the chair of a select committee, a sitting MP must secure the nomination of 15 colleagues in their party, or 10% depending on which is least. All of the MPs then vote by secret ballot.
Bryant had been nominated by Labour MPs Kate Green, Christian Matheson, Alex Sobel, Stella Creasy, Dame Diana Johnson, Sir George Howarth, Ruth Cadbury, Peter Kyle, Maria Eagle, Alison McGovern, Jess Phillips, Kevin Brennan, Ms Lyn Brown, Carolyn Harris and Kerry McCarthy.
Jones was nominated to be BEIS committee chair by Anna McMorrin, Ben Bradshaw, Ellie Reeves, Emma Hardy, Holly Lynch, Jess Phillips, Kate Green, Kerry McCarthy, Pat McFadden, Preet Gill, Sarah Jones, Seema Malhotra, Mr Stephen Morgan, Tonia Antoniazzi and Mr Virendra Sharma.
The chairs of select committees receive an annual salary in addition to their wage as an MP. Since April 2017, this has been £15,235 and is set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
Now that the chairs have been elected, they will sit until the end of the parliament. More information on the committees, including their work and membership can be found on the UK parliament website.


labourlist--2020-05-06--PMQs: “I’m using your graph” – Starmer lets the government fail on its own terms

Finally , they meet .
This afternoon , Keir Starmer put questions directly to Boris Johnson for the first time since his election as Labour leader .
And what a week to do so .
The UK has now seen the most coronavirus deaths in Europe , though this seems to have been overshadowed by Professor Neil Ferguson ’ s resignation .
Remember the Sky News report in March ?
They said of Italy : “ They are fighting a war here , and they are losing ” .
Well , our death toll just overtook theirs , and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the UK is losing its own battle .
In fact , the Prime Minister last week hailed the “ apparent success ” of the UK ’ s handling of coronavirus .
The Labour leader opened on the stark death rate .
“ How did it come to this ?
” The data isn ’ t there yet to draw international conclusions , Johnson replied .
That just “ doesn ’ t hold water ” , Starmer replied , as he held up a graph used as a slide in the latest press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry humour during PMQs was effective , and allowed him to showcase an ability to think on his feet .
When Johnson suggested that there was had been a “ palpable improvement ” in the care sector , Starmer pointed out that this claim was not borne out by the data , which shows that deaths in care homes are increasing between each update .
But the Labour leader is still maintaining a careful position of ‘ constructive opposition ’ .
He did not go for the jugular .
He congratulated the level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there being plenty of evidence to suggest that the 100,000 a day April test target simply was not reached .
31,000 of the 100,000 of those tests ‘ done ’ were kits sent to private homes , and only 7 % had been completed by May 4th .
Now there is a new target : Johnson used PMQs to reveal his “ ambition ” to reach 200,000 by the end of the month .
The Labour leader is working off the information put out by the government , which makes things like their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also quoted the number of overall deaths using the government ’ s figures , not those of the Office for National Statistics .
Keir is letting the government fail on its own terms .
Is this the upshot of the ‘ no opposition for opposition ’ s sake ’ approach ?
The concern for many will be that , in the wake of this newly announced target , we aren ’ t questioning whether these aims are actually met .

Finally, they meet. This afternoon, Keir Starmer put questions directly to Boris Johnson for the first time since his election as Labour leader. And what a week to do so. The UK has now seen the most coronavirus deaths in Europe, though this seems to have been overshadowed by Professor Neil Ferguson’s resignation. Remember the Sky News report in March? They said of Italy: “They are fighting a war here, and they are losing”. Well, our death toll just overtook theirs, and there appears to be no similar assessment concluding that the UK is losing its own battle. In fact, the Prime Minister last week hailed the “apparent success” of the UK’s handling of coronavirus.
The Labour leader opened on the stark death rate. “How did it come to this?” The data isn’t there yet to draw international conclusions, Johnson replied. That just “doesn’t hold water”, Starmer replied, as he held up a graph used as a slide in the latest press conference. His use of props and dry humour during PMQs was effective, and allowed him to showcase an ability to think on his feet. When Johnson suggested that there was had been a “palpable improvement” in the care sector, Starmer pointed out that this claim was not borne out by the data, which shows that deaths in care homes are increasing between each update.
But the Labour leader is still maintaining a careful position of ‘constructive opposition’. He did not go for the jugular. He congratulated the level of testing, for example, despite there being plenty of evidence to suggest that the 100,000 a day April test target simply was not reached. 31,000 of the 100,000 of those tests ‘done’ were kits sent to private homes, and only 7% had been completed by May 4th. Now there is a new target: Johnson used PMQs to reveal his “ambition” to reach 200,000 by the end of the month.
The Labour leader is working off the information put out by the government, which makes things like their press conference slides a very handy prop. He also quoted the number of overall deaths using the government’s figures, not those of the Office for National Statistics. Keir is letting the government fail on its own terms. Is this the upshot of the ‘no opposition for opposition’s sake’ approach? The concern for many will be that, in the wake of this newly announced target, we aren’t questioning whether these aims are actually met.


labourlist--2020-05-07--Amid the coronavirus crisis, the IVF dreams of many have been destroyed

It ’ s fair to say that coronavirus truly has changed life as we once knew it .
The strain placed on so many of our industries of combatting a global health pandemic , with a less than organised approach from the government , is hitting the headlines on a daily basis .
We ’ ve seen retailers such as Debenhams , John Lewis and Laura Ashley struggle like never before .
People ’ s livelihoods have been destroyed by a lack of trade , and it ’ s heartbreaking to think of the local businesses in my constituency in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even begin to financially recover .
We are now living in an age of restriction – at the time of writing , our very movements are being limited all in an effort to contain a global pandemic that should have been on our radar much sooner .
Personally , social isolation has caused me to feel just about every emotion on the spectrum over the last few weeks .
I have felt angry and frustrated at not being able to live my life or do the bits of my job that I love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the constituency .
I ’ ve felt loneliness and , while I love my husband and little boy Sullivan , I ’ m missing my stepsons , friends and wider family like mad .
At times I have felt unmotivated , which for anyone who knows me may come as a surprise , as I am usually a classic ‘ type-A ’ personality through and through .
Most of all , though , the lockdown has made me reflect on the wonderful things that surround me every day , which ordinarily I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have all seen the headlines – some more accurate than others – about the positive impacts that social isolation is having on climate change .
And we must not forget that , once things ‘ return to normal ’ , it is possible to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle .
I am sure that others would , at this point , be able to highlight some other positives to be taken from this stranger-than-strange period , but I ’ m struggling .
With a one-year-old sat on my lap as I write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think of the impact Covid-19 is having on children everywhere .
With schools across the country closed and hundreds of thousands missing out on what were some of the best years of my life , I can ’ t help but thank my lucky stars that my Sulley is still too young to notice .
As long as Hey Duggee continues to play uninterrupted on television , he ’ s a happy boy .
While our economy and the often bleak future predictions of what so many of our industries will look like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media coverage , it ’ s the stories revolving around people that have resonated with me the most .
Since the election in December , I have been determined to do politics differently , and an important part of that was being honest and open about my own personal struggles with fertility .
It is a scary thing to do , to open yourself up to judgement from the keyboard warriors who will stop at almost nothing in their insults – Twitter , I ’ m looking at you , but Facebook you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is even scarier to talk about a process that in just three simple letters opens a huge conversation and a barrage of difficult and emotional questions : IVF , or in vitro fertilisation .
I have been fairly open about my experience of IVF , and know that in the grand scheme of things I was one of the lucky ones .
I ’ ve always known that I would struggle with conceiving without medical assistance , yet nothing can ever prepare you for the difficult conversations that surround all things fertility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHS is still generally a postcode lottery with a number of restrictions , and so many are forced to borrow money to fund treatment privately .
I think that most would be shocked by the hidden costs associated with IVF : it truly is a long-term investment , especially if you are planning ahead for the future too .
Indeed , recent research from The Fertility Network and Middlesex University suggested that the average cost of private treatment is between £5,000-8,000 per cycle .
It took me years to save up before I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know the same can be said for many others who choose the same route .
But coronavirus has ground all non-urgent procedures to a halt , and ruined the IVF dreams and ambitions of so many along the way .
It is difficult to truly convey to people just how much of an emotional investment IVF is .
It takes over your every waking moment and thought and , if you ’ re like me , will leave you with many sleepless nights .
There ’ s the pressure , the constant barrage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the milkman .
It felt like everybody knew about my difficulties in conceiving and , what ’ s more , everybody wanted an update and to be the first to know as soon as there was any news .
There is real shame , too .
I certainly went through phases of feeling like I had let myself and my family down .
I felt ashamed that my body was unable produce the child that I so desperately wanted without medical assistance , and it sounds awful to admit but there were times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The pandemic has brought a new wave of shame to the debate .
On a global level , doctors are being asked to prioritise tackling the virus .
Clearly this is an entirely valid course of action , but it doesn ’ t detract from the devastating impact that cancellations have had on thousands of people who have put their life – and often their finances – on the line to begin IVF treatment .
I first began IVF in 2018 , and I can not explain how many times over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of just how lucky I am to have had my ‘ happy ending ’ before coronavirus was ever on the cards .
After just one round of IVF , and against all the odds , my only surviving embryo , my one in a million arrived… And was quickly whisked off to the neonatal intensive care unit where he spent two weeks fighting for his life .
When I recall the story , people are often quick to say ‘ how awful ’ , or ‘ that must have been so difficult for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those sentiments just don ’ t quite cut the mustard of the utter heartbreak and sheer ups and downs that IVF often entails .
It doesn ’ t end at birth either .
Covid-19 has highlighted so many issues with the current policies surrounding IVF and egg freezing .
I am reminded of one when I receive the £1,500 bill each year that ensures my eggs remain viable and frozen .
What people may not know is that IVF has its limits .
There are age restrictions for those seeking treatment on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limitations if you ’ re unable to fund private treatment .
Even if you can jump through all of the hoops , eggs are only kept frozen for ten years in the UK .
I know that everyone ’ s experiences are unique , and there are plenty of non-IVF related reasons for which people choose to have their eggs frozen .
From someone who , aged 21 , freezes her eggs because of a cancer scare , to a woman in her late 20s like me wanting to freeze her eggs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – ten years seems to be such an arbitrary , and limited time frame .
We are seeing many parents have children much later in life , and I ’ ve read so many gut-wrenching stories from people across the country who are seeing their eggs ‘ expire ’ without being able to access them to begin fertility treatment .
When life does ‘ return to normal ’ , our mental health services are also going to suffer as a consequence of the virus .
I know that so many of my own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing .
Add to the mix the emotional stress and strain of IVF , and we ’ ve got a recipe for disaster .
IVF and fertility issues may not be relevant to everyone , but from experience , I can truly say that it was one of the most emotionally turbulent times of my life and put a huge strain on my relationships with pretty much everyone .
And while it ’ s great to see that IVF clinics will soon be able to apply to reopen , for many this will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To anyone who has seen their IVF journey affected by coronavirus , please know that I am thinking of you and I have huge hope that things will get better .
I sincerely hope that life after Covid-19 is one where we can reflect on issues such as IVF and how we can make the treatment more flexible and sustainable .
More widely , I hope that there will not be another ‘ surprise ’ global health pandemic arriving at our doorsteps any time soon – but perhaps I ’ ll leave that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

It’s fair to say that coronavirus truly has changed life as we once knew it. The strain placed on so many of our industries of combatting a global health pandemic, with a less than organised approach from the government, is hitting the headlines on a daily basis. We’ve seen retailers such as Debenhams, John Lewis and Laura Ashley struggle like never before. People’s livelihoods have been destroyed by a lack of trade, and it’s heartbreaking to think of the local businesses in my constituency in South Wales that will never reopen or even begin to financially recover. We are now living in an age of restriction – at the time of writing, our very movements are being limited all in an effort to contain a global pandemic that should have been on our radar much sooner.
Personally, social isolation has caused me to feel just about every emotion on the spectrum over the last few weeks. I have felt angry and frustrated at not being able to live my life or do the bits of my job that I love the most – meeting people in and around the constituency. I’ve felt loneliness and, while I love my husband and little boy Sullivan, I’m missing my stepsons, friends and wider family like mad. At times I have felt unmotivated, which for anyone who knows me may come as a surprise, as I am usually a classic ‘type-A’ personality through and through. Most of all, though, the lockdown has made me reflect on the wonderful things that surround me every day, which ordinarily I might be too busy to miss.
We have all seen the headlines – some more accurate than others – about the positive impacts that social isolation is having on climate change. And we must not forget that, once things ‘return to normal’, it is possible to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. I am sure that others would, at this point, be able to highlight some other positives to be taken from this stranger-than-strange period, but I’m struggling. With a one-year-old sat on my lap as I write, I can’t help but think of the impact Covid-19 is having on children everywhere. With schools across the country closed and hundreds of thousands missing out on what were some of the best years of my life, I can’t help but thank my lucky stars that my Sulley is still too young to notice. As long as Hey Duggee continues to play uninterrupted on television, he’s a happy boy.
While our economy and the often bleak future predictions of what so many of our industries will look like post-coronavirus are justifiably receiving the majority of media coverage, it’s the stories revolving around people that have resonated with me the most. Since the election in December, I have been determined to do politics differently, and an important part of that was being honest and open about my own personal struggles with fertility. It is a scary thing to do, to open yourself up to judgement from the keyboard warriors who will stop at almost nothing in their insults – Twitter, I’m looking at you, but Facebook you’re a close second. It is even scarier to talk about a process that in just three simple letters opens a huge conversation and a barrage of difficult and emotional questions: IVF, or in vitro fertilisation.
I have been fairly open about my experience of IVF, and know that in the grand scheme of things I was one of the lucky ones. I’ve always known that I would struggle with conceiving without medical assistance, yet nothing can ever prepare you for the difficult conversations that surround all things fertility. Sadly, IVF treatment through our beloved NHS is still generally a postcode lottery with a number of restrictions, and so many are forced to borrow money to fund treatment privately. I think that most would be shocked by the hidden costs associated with IVF: it truly is a long-term investment, especially if you are planning ahead for the future too. Indeed, recent research from The Fertility Network and Middlesex University suggested that the average cost of private treatment is between £5,000-8,000 per cycle.
It took me years to save up before I began my IVF journey, and I know the same can be said for many others who choose the same route. But coronavirus has ground all non-urgent procedures to a halt, and ruined the IVF dreams and ambitions of so many along the way. It is difficult to truly convey to people just how much of an emotional investment IVF is. It takes over your every waking moment and thought and, if you’re like me, will leave you with many sleepless nights. There’s the pressure, the constant barrage of questions from family, friends, the milkman. It felt like everybody knew about my difficulties in conceiving and, what’s more, everybody wanted an update and to be the first to know as soon as there was any news.
There is real shame, too. I certainly went through phases of feeling like I had let myself and my family down. I felt ashamed that my body was unable produce the child that I so desperately wanted without medical assistance, and it sounds awful to admit but there were times where I really questioned my own womanhood. The pandemic has brought a new wave of shame to the debate. On a global level, doctors are being asked to prioritise tackling the virus. Clearly this is an entirely valid course of action, but it doesn’t detract from the devastating impact that cancellations have had on thousands of people who have put their life – and often their finances – on the line to begin IVF treatment.
I first began IVF in 2018, and I cannot explain how many times over the last few months I have reminded myself of just how lucky I am to have had my ‘happy ending’ before coronavirus was ever on the cards. After just one round of IVF, and against all the odds, my only surviving embryo, my one in a million arrived… And was quickly whisked off to the neonatal intensive care unit where he spent two weeks fighting for his life. When I recall the story, people are often quick to say ‘how awful’, or ‘that must have been so difficult for you’. Without sounding entirely ungrateful, those sentiments just don’t quite cut the mustard of the utter heartbreak and sheer ups and downs that IVF often entails. It doesn’t end at birth either. Covid-19 has highlighted so many issues with the current policies surrounding IVF and egg freezing. I am reminded of one when I receive the £1,500 bill each year that ensures my eggs remain viable and frozen.
What people may not know is that IVF has its limits. There are age restrictions for those seeking treatment on the NHS, and there are financial limitations if you’re unable to fund private treatment. Even if you can jump through all of the hoops, eggs are only kept frozen for ten years in the UK. I know that everyone’s experiences are unique, and there are plenty of non-IVF related reasons for which people choose to have their eggs frozen. From someone who, aged 21, freezes her eggs because of a cancer scare, to a woman in her late 20s like me wanting to freeze her eggs in case a sibling is on the cards – ten years seems to be such an arbitrary, and limited time frame. We are seeing many parents have children much later in life, and I’ve read so many gut-wrenching stories from people across the country who are seeing their eggs ‘expire’ without being able to access them to begin fertility treatment.
When life does ‘return to normal’, our mental health services are also going to suffer as a consequence of the virus. I know that so many of my own friends and family are really struggling with distancing. Add to the mix the emotional stress and strain of IVF, and we’ve got a recipe for disaster. IVF and fertility issues may not be relevant to everyone, but from experience, I can truly say that it was one of the most emotionally turbulent times of my life and put a huge strain on my relationships with pretty much everyone. And while it’s great to see that IVF clinics will soon be able to apply to reopen, for many this will be too little, too late.
To anyone who has seen their IVF journey affected by coronavirus, please know that I am thinking of you and I have huge hope that things will get better. I sincerely hope that life after Covid-19 is one where we can reflect on issues such as IVF and how we can make the treatment more flexible and sustainable. More widely, I hope that there will not be another ‘surprise’ global health pandemic arriving at our doorsteps any time soon – but perhaps I’ll leave that to the Prime Minister to fully explain.


labourlist--2020-05-07--Ten years ago today, and the test Keir Starmer could’ve been facing

Exactly ten years ago , the UK woke up to the news that the general election had delivered a hung parliament for the first time in decades .
I distinctly remember crying on a sofa , with my best friend from school , in shock at the idea of living under a Tory government .
What is even more strange to recall is that we assumed this result was up there with the weirdest and most dramatic political events we would experience .
Such innocence !
An unexpected Tory majority , the election of Jeremy Corbyn , Brexit , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push 2010 way down the list of political bombshells .
But it was a turning point for my generation , particularly due to the abandoned Lib Dem tuition fee pledge .
For a local , more positive take on the day , Margaret Hodge has written for LabourList about the ‘ Battle for Barking ’ , which in 2010 saw Labour defeat the BNP and push candidate Nick Griffin into third place .
She asks : “ as we start to rebuild trust in Labour under the new leadership of Keir Starmer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Barking in 2010 that remains relevant in 2020 ?
” Hodge offers five lessons for the current party leadership to take on board as Labour attempts to overturn an 80-seat majority in just one term .
Keir Starmer would have faced his first electoral test as Labour leader today if it were not for the pandemic .
The 2020 local elections have been delayed for a year , which gives the party more time to install a new leadership team , a new general secretary and better internal operations .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities but they have not paused their campaigns .
Liam Byrne has assigned himself the title ‘ shadow mayor for the West Midlands ’ , and it is not difficult to see why : while MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill , he is doing plenty of work on his extended mayoral campaign every day .
In a LabourList piece , he and campaign chair Jack Dromey have set out Labour ’ s bold recovery plan for the West Midlands .
As we enter the first bank holiday of May , newspapers are screaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being eased .
The modified measures , which will be announced by Boris Johnson on Sunday evening , are expected to allow sunbathing and picnics .
This does not mean Glastonbury is back on , as suggested by some non-political friends .
But the government is keen to reopen workplaces and schools .
Trade unions will focus on whether workers are given adequate supplies of protective equipment ( or sacked for speaking out ) , while the Labour Party will need to maintain scrutiny of testing levels .
The target of 100,000 conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To quote Starmer at PMQs : “ What was so special about 30th of April that meant that testing was so high ?
” The PM characteristically batted away the question and set a new target for Matt Hancock to reach .
Government responses here simply don ’ t add up .
The morning email will return on Monday , but you ’ ll hear from us sooner than that .
In the meantime , check out our exclusive on leader ’ s office staffers , and keep checking the site for more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday weekend .

Exactly ten years ago, the UK woke up to the news that the general election had delivered a hung parliament for the first time in decades. I distinctly remember crying on a sofa, with my best friend from school, in shock at the idea of living under a Tory government. What is even more strange to recall is that we assumed this result was up there with the weirdest and most dramatic political events we would experience. Such innocence! An unexpected Tory majority, the election of Jeremy Corbyn, Brexit, another hung parliament and much more would soon push 2010 way down the list of political bombshells. But it was a turning point for my generation, particularly due to the abandoned Lib Dem tuition fee pledge.
For a local, more positive take on the day, Margaret Hodge has written for LabourList about the ‘Battle for Barking’, which in 2010 saw Labour defeat the BNP and push candidate Nick Griffin into third place. She asks: “as we start to rebuild trust in Labour under the new leadership of Keir Starmer, what did we learn from our Battle for Barking in 2010 that remains relevant in 2020?” Hodge offers five lessons for the current party leadership to take on board as Labour attempts to overturn an 80-seat majority in just one term.
Keir Starmer would have faced his first electoral test as Labour leader today if it were not for the pandemic. The 2020 local elections have been delayed for a year, which gives the party more time to install a new leadership team, a new general secretary and better internal operations. On the ground, candidates may be restricted in activities but they have not paused their campaigns. Liam Byrne has assigned himself the title ‘shadow mayor for the West Midlands’, and it is not difficult to see why: while MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, he is doing plenty of work on his extended mayoral campaign every day. In a LabourList piece, he and campaign chair Jack Dromey have set out Labour’s bold recovery plan for the West Midlands.
As we enter the first bank holiday of May, newspapers are screaming with delight in anticipation of coronavirus restrictions being eased. The modified measures, which will be announced by Boris Johnson on Sunday evening, are expected to allow sunbathing and picnics. This does not mean Glastonbury is back on, as suggested by some non-political friends. But the government is keen to reopen workplaces and schools.
Trade unions will focus on whether workers are given adequate supplies of protective equipment (or sacked for speaking out), while the Labour Party will need to maintain scrutiny of testing levels. The target of 100,000 conducted daily has been missed yet again. To quote Starmer at PMQs: “What was so special about 30th of April that meant that testing was so high?” The PM characteristically batted away the question and set a new target for Matt Hancock to reach. Government responses here simply don’t add up.
The morning email will return on Monday, but you’ll hear from us sooner than that. In the meantime, check out our exclusive on leader’s office staffers, and keep checking the site for more Labour news and comment over the bank holiday weekend.


labourlist--2020-05-07--The battle for Barking – ten years on

The battle for Barking – ten years on

Ten years ago today , the BNP and their vile leader Nick Griffin became nothing more than a footnote in British political history .
May 7th 2010 delivered a devastating result nationally for the Labour Party .
Yet in Barking and Dagenham we still had a reason to celebrate .
Back in 2006 , the BNP had elected 12 councillors to Barking and Dagenham Town Hall , having only stood 13 candidates .
Had they stood candidates in all the seats that were being contested , we would have had the first BNP-controlled council in the country .
Back then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BNP poured all their resources into taking over the Town Hall and gaining their first parliamentary seat .
Voters were angry with Labour – especially on the issue of immigration – the Tories were still in the wilderness and people ’ s hostility towards the political establishment was cleverly exploited by the extreme right .
We had a real fight on our hands .
Fast forward four years and the BNP were resoundingly smashed .
Nick Griffin came a distant third place , and I was re-elected with a majority of more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the same day , every single BNP councillor lost their seat as each ward returned a full slate of Labour councillors .
As we start to rebuild trust in Labour under the new leadership of Keir Starmer , what did we learn from our Battle for Barking in 2010 that remains relevant in 2020 ?
Some of what we did then has become commonplace in many constituencies today .
But as we start to climb the electoral mountain we have to conquer , it is crucial to work with a clear and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we want to win .
Here are the top lessons I took from the Battle for Barking .
• Gaining people ’ s trust is a marathon , not a sprint .
It took us four years of intelligent and regular campaigning to rebuild support for Labour .
There is little point flooding a constituency with activists four weeks before an election if you have not done the groundwork beforehand .
In Barking and Dagenham , supported by hundreds of brilliant activists , we had countless ‘ days of action ’ years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we knew the voting intention of over 80 % of the constituency .
Few campaigners could say the same at the 2019 general election .
• All politics starts from the local .
As activists , we may be tempted to start the conversation with voters talking about national issues , like austerity or Europe .
But for most people , their politics starts from concerns about what is happening in their immediate environment , on their street or in their local area .
They may be riled about rubbish on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop .
Of course , some of their local concerns may be connected to issues of national importance like immigration , the lack of affordable housing or benefit cuts .
What is vital is to listen to people ’ s concerns rather than preach about our priorities .
If you listen and then act on the local issues ( sort out the rubbish or get the bus stop moved ) , and then communicate and tell voters what you have done , you can start to rebuild trust .
• Stop looking inwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party was not built to be a debating society .
Its purpose is to win elections .
In the last four years too much time has been spent on everything from reselections to emergency motions .
We focused on the membership and not connecting with the public .
The same was true of Barking and Dagenham in 2006 .
We squabbled and our mainly male , white and ageing membership did not connect with the local community .
So we grew and transformed our local party into one that reflected the changing borough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local candidates .
We also turned outwards with a relentless focus on popular local campaigns , doorstep canvassing , street meetings and coffee afternoons rather than internal party wrangling .
• Be honest with voters .
In 2010 we knew that it was pointless to get into an argument with the BNP about the level of immigration .
It might have seemed easy politics to promise we would cut migration numbers but that would have been wrong on two grounds .
First , as the Tories have learnt , you will never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers and a failed promise only further fuels distrust .
Second , Labour ’ s lasting values centre on our internationalist and anti-racist principles and we should always work to uphold those .
Instead we were honest that immigration was a part of modern life and talked about how we could make this work in an area that was struggling with the speed of change .
We focussed not on immigration but on integration , and the trust that we had built by listening and responding to local concerns gave us the capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations .
• Expose your opponents for what they are and play to your strengths .
Every constituency is different and the political challenges and advantages will vary .
In Barking in 2010 , many traditional supporters were frustrated with Labour , but we ruthlessly exposed the BNP so that most refused to hold their nose and vote for them .
Holocaust denial , Nazi sympathies and forced deportations were the nasty reality of the BNP .
There were those who argued that the extreme right should not be given the oxygen of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truth about the BNP helped to bring about their demise .
Every constituency is different , and the ‘ Barking Model ’ that defeated the BNP was developed when digital campaigning was still in its infancy .
Yet much of what we achieved can still be adapted to fight and win future elections .
Whether rebuilding support in Scotland , reconnecting with voters in the ‘ Red Wall ’ or winning back seats across the South East for the first time in more than a decade , candidates , local parties and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are election-ready once again .

Ten years ago today, the BNP and their vile leader Nick Griffin became nothing more than a footnote in British political history. May 7th 2010 delivered a devastating result nationally for the Labour Party. Yet in Barking and Dagenham we still had a reason to celebrate.
Back in 2006, the BNP had elected 12 councillors to Barking and Dagenham Town Hall, having only stood 13 candidates. Had they stood candidates in all the seats that were being contested, we would have had the first BNP-controlled council in the country.
Back then the threat was very real as the BNP poured all their resources into taking over the Town Hall and gaining their first parliamentary seat. Voters were angry with Labour – especially on the issue of immigration – the Tories were still in the wilderness and people’s hostility towards the political establishment was cleverly exploited by the extreme right. We had a real fight on our hands.
Fast forward four years and the BNP were resoundingly smashed. Nick Griffin came a distant third place, and I was re-elected with a majority of more than 16,000. In the local elections held on the same day, every single BNP councillor lost their seat as each ward returned a full slate of Labour councillors.
As we start to rebuild trust in Labour under the new leadership of Keir Starmer, what did we learn from our Battle for Barking in 2010 that remains relevant in 2020? Some of what we did then has become commonplace in many constituencies today. But as we start to climb the electoral mountain we have to conquer, it is crucial to work with a clear and sustained approach to campaigning in every constituency where we want to win.
Here are the top lessons I took from the Battle for Barking.
Gaining people’s trust is a marathon, not a sprint. It took us four years of intelligent and regular campaigning to rebuild support for Labour. There is little point flooding a constituency with activists four weeks before an election if you have not done the groundwork beforehand. In Barking and Dagenham, supported by hundreds of brilliant activists, we had countless ‘days of action’ years before the election itself. By 2010, we knew the voting intention of over 80% of the constituency. Few campaigners could say the same at the 2019 general election.
All politics starts from the local. As activists, we may be tempted to start the conversation with voters talking about national issues, like austerity or Europe. But for most people, their politics starts from concerns about what is happening in their immediate environment, on their street or in their local area. They may be riled about rubbish on the streets or the location of a bus stop. Of course, some of their local concerns may be connected to issues of national importance like immigration, the lack of affordable housing or benefit cuts. What is vital is to listen to people’s concerns rather than preach about our priorities. If you listen and then act on the local issues (sort out the rubbish or get the bus stop moved), and then communicate and tell voters what you have done, you can start to rebuild trust.
Stop looking inwards, and focus outwards. The Labour Party was not built to be a debating society. Its purpose is to win elections. In the last four years too much time has been spent on everything from reselections to emergency motions. We focused on the membership and not connecting with the public. The same was true of Barking and Dagenham in 2006. We squabbled and our mainly male, white and ageing membership did not connect with the local community. So we grew and transformed our local party into one that reflected the changing borough, with a diverse team of activists and local candidates. We also turned outwards with a relentless focus on popular local campaigns, doorstep canvassing, street meetings and coffee afternoons rather than internal party wrangling.
Be honest with voters. In 2010 we knew that it was pointless to get into an argument with the BNP about the level of immigration. It might have seemed easy politics to promise we would cut migration numbers but that would have been wrong on two grounds. First, as the Tories have learnt, you will never deliver on a commitment to cut immigration numbers and a failed promise only further fuels distrust. Second, Labour’s lasting values centre on our internationalist and anti-racist principles and we should always work to uphold those. Instead we were honest that immigration was a part of modern life and talked about how we could make this work in an area that was struggling with the speed of change. We focussed not on immigration but on integration, and the trust that we had built by listening and responding to local concerns gave us the capacity and space to engage in these difficult conversations.
Expose your opponents for what they are and play to your strengths. Every constituency is different and the political challenges and advantages will vary. In Barking in 2010, many traditional supporters were frustrated with Labour, but we ruthlessly exposed the BNP so that most refused to hold their nose and vote for them. Holocaust denial, Nazi sympathies and forced deportations were the nasty reality of the BNP. There were those who argued that the extreme right should not be given the oxygen of publicity. But we found that telling the truth about the BNP helped to bring about their demise.
Every constituency is different, and the ‘Barking Model’ that defeated the BNP was developed when digital campaigning was still in its infancy. Yet much of what we achieved can still be adapted to fight and win future elections. Whether rebuilding support in Scotland, reconnecting with voters in the ‘Red Wall’ or winning back seats across the South East for the first time in more than a decade, candidates, local parties and Labour HQ can use these lessons so we are election-ready once again.


labourlist--2020-05-07--Labour’s West Midlands recovery plan is bold and ambitious

In another world , we would be spending today on the doorsteps of the West Midlands .
We would be getting out the vote and reminding people that it was their chance to elect the Labour and Co-operative mayor for the West Midlands that we so desperately need .
But like so much else , the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has changed that .
With the election delayed by 12 months , we are now focusing our efforts on how we use this additional time to create a compelling and irresistible vision of what the seven boroughs and cities of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is of a partnership of equals between proud communities , led by a Labour mayor and supported by Labour councils and Labour councillors wrestling powers from Westminster and taking control of our own destiny and fortunes .
A vision of a region that is the Green Heart of Britain , in which our industrial past is the key to unlocking our bright high-tech future , and where the West Midlands is leading the charge for a net-zero carbon economy .
And while we are chomping at the bit to unleash the potential we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only be achieved with a Labour metro-mayor , that is a now a year away .
But our region can not wait .
The pandemic has brought into stark relief the fragility of our economy .
Zero-hour contract and gig-economy workers are finding their livelihoods disappearing overnight with no notice ; manufacturing workers are unsure when their production lines will start again and SMES unsure whether their business can survive long enough to be viable once this lockdown is over .
The need is now and the challenge is immediate .
So we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting to work – and that ’ s why , this week , we launched Labour ’ s economic recovery plan for the West Midlands .
It ’ s an unashamedly bold and ambitious plan .
It will cost – at least – £1.7bn , and it will prevent the great lockdown turning into the great downturn .
It will restart the West Midlands as an economic powerhouse and it will tackle climate change at the same time .
Our plan to save lives and save livelihoods would see emergency capital spending to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ houses .
It would convert offices to council flats , and it would electrify the public transport network and double the tram network .
It would see the roll out of low-cost solar panel for schools and homes – reducing both bills and dependency on fossil fuels , plus the acceleration of High Speed 2 , which is the one of the largest construction projects in Europe .
It ’ s a blueprint for a green revolution .
However , we both know from our time in business and industry that any economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back into work .
But our values as trade unionists means we want those to be well-paid and secure jobs .
And it is quite simple – take the emergency wage subsidies in place now and create a new ‘ Right to Work ’ .
A new ‘ Right to Work ’ would ensure everyone who loses their job as a result of coronavirus is offered a guarantee to help keep them in work .
We want to spare every worker and their family the unemployment that could last for years , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to rise as a result of this crisis .
We want to fashion a new social contract in which public money is used to prevent unnecessary job losses .
In our region , it is estimated that unemployment could rise by anything between 50,000 to 167,000 , but with the right support and with determination and ambition we can prevent this catastrophe .
The jobs guarantee scheme would be based on the last Labour government ’ s successful Future Jobs Fund that guaranteed anyone losing their job had work , costing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is an unprecedented time and that calls for unprecedented actions – but at the end of all of this , we will only thrive as a region and a nation if we protect jobs and keep people in work .
Building on our heritage as we enter the next industrial revolution .
With action now and a Labour mayor in May 2021 , all things are possible !
Liam Byrne is shadow mayor for the West Midlands .
Jack Dromey is chair of the Liam Byrne for West Midlands mayor campaign @

In another world, we would be spending today on the doorsteps of the West Midlands. We would be getting out the vote and reminding people that it was their chance to elect the Labour and Co-operative mayor for the West Midlands that we so desperately need. But like so much else, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has changed that.
With the election delayed by 12 months, we are now focusing our efforts on how we use this additional time to create a compelling and irresistible vision of what the seven boroughs and cities of the West Midlands could be.
Our vision is of a partnership of equals between proud communities, led by a Labour mayor and supported by Labour councils and Labour councillors wrestling powers from Westminster and taking control of our own destiny and fortunes.
A vision of a region that is the Green Heart of Britain, in which our industrial past is the key to unlocking our bright high-tech future, and where the West Midlands is leading the charge for a net-zero carbon economy.
And while we are chomping at the bit to unleash the potential we know exists in our region that can only be achieved with a Labour metro-mayor, that is a now a year away. But our region cannot wait.
The pandemic has brought into stark relief the fragility of our economy. Zero-hour contract and gig-economy workers are finding their livelihoods disappearing overnight with no notice; manufacturing workers are unsure when their production lines will start again and SMES unsure whether their business can survive long enough to be viable once this lockdown is over.
The need is now and the challenge is immediate. So we cannot wait for another year before getting to work – and that’s why, this week, we launched Labour’s economic recovery plan for the West Midlands. It’s an unashamedly bold and ambitious plan. It will cost – at least – £1.7bn, and it will prevent the great lockdown turning into the great downturn. It will restart the West Midlands as an economic powerhouse and it will tackle climate change at the same time.
Our plan to save lives and save livelihoods would see emergency capital spending to fund the building of efficient green council houses. It would convert offices to council flats, and it would electrify the public transport network and double the tram network. It would see the roll out of low-cost solar panel for schools and homes – reducing both bills and dependency on fossil fuels, plus the acceleration of High Speed 2, which is the one of the largest construction projects in Europe. It’s a blueprint for a green revolution.
However, we both know from our time in business and industry that any economic recovery must be built on getting people back into work. But our values as trade unionists means we want those to be well-paid and secure jobs. And it is quite simple – take the emergency wage subsidies in place now and create a new ‘Right to Work’.
A new ‘Right to Work’ would ensure everyone who loses their job as a result of coronavirus is offered a guarantee to help keep them in work. We want to spare every worker and their family the unemployment that could last for years, not least because we know that national debt is going to rise as a result of this crisis. We want to fashion a new social contract in which public money is used to prevent unnecessary job losses.
In our region, it is estimated that unemployment could rise by anything between 50,000 to 167,000, but with the right support and with determination and ambition we can prevent this catastrophe. The jobs guarantee scheme would be based on the last Labour government’s successful Future Jobs Fund that guaranteed anyone losing their job had work, costing up to £520m for the West Midlands.
This is an unprecedented time and that calls for unprecedented actions – but at the end of all of this, we will only thrive as a region and a nation if we protect jobs and keep people in work. Building on our heritage as we enter the next industrial revolution. With action now and a Labour mayor in May 2021, all things are possible!
Liam Byrne is shadow mayor for the West Midlands. Jack Dromey is chair of the Liam Byrne for West Midlands mayor campaign.


labourlist--2020-05-07--Keir Starmer’s VE Day message: “We remember their service, and their sacrifice”

Keir Starmer will pay tribute on Victory in Europe Day to “ the millions of people from across the United Kingdom and from across the world ” who helped secure victory for the Allies in World War Two .
In a video message released on social media on Friday , the new Labour leader will celebrate both those who fought in the war “ for our shared values ” and those who “ rebuilt and renewed our country after the war ” .
On the impact of coronavirus , he will say : “ In normal times we would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties , in gatherings and events at the Cenotaph .
This year we can ’ t do that .
This year we can ’ t be together .
“ But tonight we ’ ll hear from the Queen at the exact same time , as in 1945 , her father King George spoke to the nation from a bomb-scarred Buckingham Palace .
He talked about what kept our country going during that crisis.
” Starmer will pay special tribute on VE Day 75 to Captain Tom Moore , a former British Army officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £30m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden at the age of 99 .
The Labour leader will conclude his message by saying : “ We owe a huge debt to Tom ’ s generation and we must do everything we can to show them the same commitment that they showed our country in its darkest hour .
“ Today we commemorate those who stood together for a better future .
We remember their service , and also their sacrifice.
” Nia Griffith , the Shadow Welsh Secretary , has commented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our veterans who will be marking this event in isolation because of the coronavirus ” .
She said : “ I hope that they will be encouraged that communities right across Wales will still be marking this moment by flying flags and bunting in their windows and gardens , whilst pausing to reflect and remember the immense sacrifice made by the wartime generation.
” Labour is also making efforts to celebrate VE Day in local government , including Labour-controlled Wigan Council that is offering online resources to “ help residents get creative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newcastle City Council , led by LGA Labour ’ s Nick Forbes , will be illuminating the Tyne Bridge in red and white .
Local families are also being “ encouraged to make home-made flags and decorations for their house ” .
A “ virtual toast ” will also be held at 3pm in Newcastle , and the council has worked with organisations such as the library service to promote socially distanced events and activities for the occasion .

Keir Starmer will pay tribute on Victory in Europe Day to “the millions of people from across the United Kingdom and from across the world” who helped secure victory for the Allies in World War Two.
In a video message released on social media on Friday, the new Labour leader will celebrate both those who fought in the war “for our shared values” and those who “rebuilt and renewed our country after the war”.
On the impact of coronavirus, he will say: “In normal times we would be paying tribute to their achievements in street parties, in gatherings and events at the Cenotaph. This year we can’t do that. This year we can’t be together.
“But tonight we’ll hear from the Queen at the exact same time, as in 1945, her father King George spoke to the nation from a bomb-scarred Buckingham Palace. He talked about what kept our country going during that crisis.”
Starmer will pay special tribute on VE Day 75 to Captain Tom Moore, a former British Army officer turned Covid-19 fundraiser who has raised over £30m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden at the age of 99.
The Labour leader will conclude his message by saying: “We owe a huge debt to Tom’s generation and we must do everything we can to show them the same commitment that they showed our country in its darkest hour.
“Today we commemorate those who stood together for a better future. We remember their service, and also their sacrifice.”
Nia Griffith, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, has commented that she will “feel desperately sad for our veterans who will be marking this event in isolation because of the coronavirus”.
She said: “I hope that they will be encouraged that communities right across Wales will still be marking this moment by flying flags and bunting in their windows and gardens, whilst pausing to reflect and remember the immense sacrifice made by the wartime generation.”
Labour is also making efforts to celebrate VE Day in local government, including Labour-controlled Wigan Council that is offering online resources to “help residents get creative in their commemorations” while distancing.
Newcastle City Council, led by LGA Labour’s Nick Forbes, will be illuminating the Tyne Bridge in red and white. Local families are also being “encouraged to make home-made flags and decorations for their house”.
A “virtual toast” will also be held at 3pm in Newcastle, and the council has worked with organisations such as the library service to promote socially distanced events and activities for the occasion.