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Wed, 29 September 2021

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Editor's choice
Matt Zarb-Cousin: don't look back in anger
Political parties
By Matt Zarb-Cousin
Matt Zarb-Cousin: don't look back in anger
The Labour leadership’s aversion to proposing any coherent alternative to government policy was once premised on their desire not to appear as though they were opposing for opposition’s sake. But while adopting this style was supposed to signal a return to “grown-up politics” it has instead failed on its own terms.
Maiden Voyages - Labour Conference Edition
Political parties
By Patrick Kidd
Maiden Voyages - Labour Conference Edition
Tony Blair couldn’t bring himself to use the C word, though everyone expected it.
We can build a fairer, greener and more secure future for Britain
Political parties
By Anneliese Dodds MP
We can build a fairer, greener and more secure future for Britain
The last 18 months have been a challenge like no other. Our way of life has been turned completely upside down, and people across the UK have made extraordinary sacrifices as we fought to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
Keir Pressure: The State of Labour
Political parties
By Sienna Rodgers
Keir Pressure: The State of Labour
After a challenging 18 months as the new Labour leader, Keir Starmer and his party now share a single focus: 2023.
Keir Starmer: We must persuade voters of the bright future Labour can deliver
Political parties
By Keir Starmer MP
Keir Starmer: We must persuade voters of the bright future Labour can deliver
The world of today poses major challenges for whoever is in government. As we emerge from the restrictions and devastation of the past 18 months, we must acknowledge and address the weaknesses and long-term inequalities exposed by the pandemic.
Five Big Battles To Watch For At Labour Party Conference
Political parties
Five Big Battles To Watch For At Labour Party Conference
Keir Starmer’s first in-person party conference since he was elected leader in 2020 hasn’t even begun and the party is already arguing about a number of explosive issues.
Sadiq Khan: Starmer Must Spell Out His Vision At Labour Conference
Political parties
By Adam Payne
Sadiq Khan: Starmer Must Spell Out His Vision At Labour Conference
If the capital is an accurate compass of voters’ mood, the Labour Party might do well to follow in the footsteps of Sadiq Khan. The re-elected London mayor tells Adam Payne why Starmer must “set a direction of travel” and signpost what a Labour government would do in power.
Andy Burnham: 'I'm not hatching any plans to get back to Westminster any time soon'
Coronavirus
By Kate Proctor
Andy Burnham: "I'm not hatching any plans to get back to Westminster any time soon"
After Andy Burnham's Covid spat with Boris Johnson, the pair did not speak for nearly a year. With a new vision of how 'levelling up' could work in Greater Manchester, the metro mayor tells Kate Proctor his plans for his second term, how Keir Starmer must set out his stall, and why he isn't planning a Westminster return... yet
As we recover from the pandemic, we must not allow British horse racing to fall behind
Culture
By Matt Hancock MP
As we recover from the pandemic, we must not allow British horse racing to fall behind
The Horserace Betting Levy should apply to all horse racing globally which is bet on by British customers, generating around £20 million annually to help British racing build back better.
Climate action must advance the rights of women and girls
Environment
By Baroness Sugg
Climate action must advance the rights of women and girls
The UK government must ensure there is a global commitment to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees and give concrete support for gender equality and women and girls’ leadership.
Union Chief Says Labour Is More Focused On 'Primrose Hill Parents' Than Workers
Political parties
Union Chief Says Labour Is More Focused On "Primrose Hill Parents" Than Workers
General Secretary of the GMB Union has accused Labour of becoming "more and more remote" from working class voters, just days before the party's annual conference.
The Energy Crisis Explained — What Is Causing It, And What Can The Government Do About It?
Energy
The Energy Crisis Explained — What Is Causing It, And What Can The Government Do About It?
The government is set to hold talks with representatives from the energy industry amid growing concerns over the impact of rising gas prices — but what is causing the crisis? And what can ministers do about it?
Maiden Voyages: Austin Mitchell
Parliament
By Patrick Kidd
Maiden Voyages: Austin Mitchell
In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.
GMB General Secretary Gary Smith Vows To 'Treat Labour Like Any Other Employer'
Political parties
By John Johnston
GMB General Secretary Gary Smith Vows To "Treat Labour Like Any Other Employer"
As Labour prepares to gather in Brighton, new GMB General Secretary Gary Smith says party chiefs are more focused on putting workers on the dole than listening to their concerns
Tory Rank-And-File “Not Comfortable” With Whips’ Threats To Red Wall MPs
Economy
Tory Rank-And-File “Not Comfortable” With Whips’ Threats To Red Wall MPs
This week’s long-awaited reshuffle was dominated by a series of sackings at cabinet level, but a lack of promotions for 2019 MPs at the junior ranks means Downing Street has to use other levers to keep the ambitious new Tory intake on side.
Parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements must no longer be an afterthought
Economy
By Lord Goldsmith
Parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements must no longer be an afterthought
International agreements ought to be subject to at least the same levels of scrutiny as the laws we make in Parliament.
Meet the New Kids: Who are the reshuffled faces around the Cabinet table?
Political parties
By Georgina Bailey
Meet the New Kids: Who are the reshuffled faces around the Cabinet table?
Boris Johnson's long talked about reshuffle has finally happened – but who are the new cabinet secretaries and what is on the agenda in their departments?
Unionism And Young People: In Conversation With Arlene Foster, Douglas Ross And Ian Murray
Home affairs
By Adam Payne
Unionism And Young People: In Conversation With Arlene Foster, Douglas Ross And Ian Murray
How invested are the youth of Northern Ireland and Scotland in upholding their nation’s place in the UK? Former Northern Irish First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, and shadow secretary of state for Scotland Ian Murray discuss how pro-union politicians must up their game to win the hearts and minds of young people.
By focusing on the ‘other,’ nationalists risk tearing apart communities and disrupting lives
Communities
By Robin Millar MP
By focusing on the ‘other,’ nationalists risk tearing apart communities and disrupting lives
Nationalism can take many forms. At best, it springs from a love of “people like us,” of our community, our way of life and liberties – a desire to improve and an instrument of human nurturing. At its worst, history has shown it can also be an “othering” – a rejection of others, an exclusion of difference and a damaging and chaotic separation from those who are not part of the same group.
Boris Johnson Goes For A Big – But Not Bold – Cabinet Reshuffle
Political parties
Boris Johnson Goes For A Big – But Not Bold – Cabinet Reshuffle
After threatening to hold a Cabinet reshuffle for what seems like most of 2021 Boris Johnson finally got round to it this afternoon with a hugely wide-ranging alteration to his top team.
Mark Drakeford: 'The UK is a great insurance policy'
Coronavirus
By Georgina Bailey
Mark Drakeford: "The UK is a great insurance policy"
Mark Drakeford is no fan of flag-waving unionism. Instead, Wales’ First Minister tells Georgina Bailey how the United Kingdom can thrive – not in spite of devolution but because of it.
We must back British farming 365 days a year
Environment
By Theo Clarke MP
We must back British farming 365 days a year
We must support all our farmers to keep doing what they do best - feeding us, caring for the environment and maintaining the varied and beautiful landscapes across the whole of the UK.
We must prohibit non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) from being routinely used to conceal abuse in the workplace
Home affairs
By Maria Miller MP
We must prohibit non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) from being routinely used to conceal abuse in the workplace
Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were designed to protect trade secrets like intellectual property, but over time they’ve been weaponised to silence employees too.
Michael Gove: 'This is a rainbow country with a warm, sunny welcome, for all'
Communities
By Rosa Prince
Michael Gove: 'This is a rainbow country with a warm, sunny welcome, for all'
Preserving the United Kingdom in its current form is a project closer to the heart of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove than perhaps any other minister. But despite working flat out to keep the union together, he tells Rosa Prince he can still find time to boogie
The education of a generation of girls and thwarting of al-Qaeda means Britain's role in Afghanistan was worthwhile
Defence
By Jack Straw
The education of a generation of girls and thwarting of al-Qaeda means Britain's role in Afghanistan was worthwhile
A few months after the mid-November 2001 defeat of the Taliban, I made the first of many trips to this benighted country.
Government Is Refusing To Budge On Labour Shortages But The Worst Chaos Is Yet To Come
Brexit
Government Is Refusing To Budge On Labour Shortages But The Worst Chaos Is Yet To Come
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has intervened in the debate on Britain's chronic labour shortages with a stark warning: they could last another two years without urgent government action.
Poor health conditions existed long before COVID - why I’m introducing a Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill
Coronavirus
By Simon Fell MP
Poor health conditions existed long before COVID - why I’m introducing a Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill
I vividly remember sitting in the Commons when the Prime Minister announced the terms of reference for the inquiry into the COVID19 pandemic.
Whether in Texas or closer to home, women are once again having to fight for our right to an abortion
Health
By Diana Johnson MP
Whether in Texas or closer to home, women are once again having to fight for our right to an abortion
The Texas abortion ban is a shocking rollback of women’s hard-fought reproductive rights and damaging to the fight for equality.
What we can learn from the hybrid Parliament
Coronavirus
By Alice Lilly
What we can learn from the hybrid Parliament
The 2019-21 session looked as though it would be a return to business as usual. A government was elected with a large majority, and was able to finally push through a Brexit deal and begin to focus on other matters. But then the pandemic hit, and the session ended up being anything but ordinary.
Less Than A Third Of The Public Think The Tories Are A Low Tax Party
Economy
By Kate Proctor
Less Than A Third Of The Public Think The Tories Are A Low Tax Party
Just one in three members of the public think the Conservatives are currently a party of low tax, revealing the potential scale of the battle ahead to regain their fiscal reputation.
To bounce back from Covid the NHS needs investment, not reform
Health
By Jennifer Dixon and Ruth Thorlby, the Health Foundation
To bounce back from Covid the NHS needs investment, not reform
NHS reform may be popular among MPs but it is costly and risky, argues the Health Foundation. Tried and tested techniques, plus investment, are what is needed to tackle the backlog.
The Prime Minister must continue to prioritise social care
Health
By Ruth Owen, CEO of Leonard Cheshire
The Prime Minister must continue to prioritise social care
Backbench rebellions, cabinet infighting and front-page headlines have once again greeted proposals of a solution on how we fund social care.
Stella Creasy Says Lack Of MP Maternity Cover Forced Her To Work From Her Hospital Bed
Parliament
Stella Creasy Says Lack Of MP Maternity Cover Forced Her To Work From Her Hospital Bed
Exclusive: Labour MP Stella Creasy said parliament should be “ashamed of itself” for failing to offer full maternity cover for MPs, meaning she has been forced to work in the two weeks since her son was born.
Rory Stewart: “This is about the end of an age of intervention”
Defence
By Georgina Bailey
Rory Stewart: “This is about the end of an age of intervention”
Rory Stewart knows both Afghanistan and the British government well. After four harrowing weeks trying to get Afghans out of the country, he talks to Georgina Bailey about why the West’s failings are wider than just the current crisis
Five Key Details From Boris Johnson’s New National Insurance Levy To Fix Social Care
Health
Five Key Details From Boris Johnson’s New National Insurance Levy To Fix Social Care
More than two years after he first announced he had a plan to fix social care, Boris Johnson finally unveiled a new 1.25% levy on National Insurance to go towards paying to fix the crisis in the sector.
BBC local news is vital – and never more than during a pandemic
Coronavirus
By Rhodri Talfan Davies, BBC Director, Nations
BBC local news is vital – and never more than during a pandemic
The biggest show on TV isn’t what you might expect. Regional TV news doesn’t get talked about on Twitter as much as Love Island, but it beats it in terms of viewers. Good Morning Britain grabs headlines, at least it did before its best-known presenter left. But regional news is watched by far more people than GMB, with or without Piers Morgan.