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Sep 12 2024

Tories ‘squandered golden inheritance on NHS’, says Wes Streeting – ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘reform or die’ speech | Politics News

The Tories “squandered a golden inheritance” on the NHS, the health secretary has said – as he laid out three “fundamental shifts” to fix it.

Wes Streeting told Sky News Tony Blair’s Labour government left the health service with the lowest waiting times and highest patient satisfaction “in the history of the NHS”.

“What’s criminal is that in the last 14 years, the Conservatives took that golden inheritance and squandered it. And they don’t bear any responsibility,” he said.

Politics live: PM to pledge ‘biggest reimagining of NHS’ in major speech

Mr Streeting was speaking after an independent report he commissioned found the NHS is in a “critical condition”, with record waiting lists and too much of its budget spent in hospitals.

Off the back of the investigation, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will give a speech today in which he will warn the health service must “reform or die” and set out a 10-year plan to fix it.

Giving a flavour of what that could look like, Mr Streeting said the NHS needed three “fundamental” changes.

That includes a “shift from hospital to community”, so people are diagnosed earlier and faster; greater investment in technology to create a “digital NHS”; and dealing with sickness in society.

He said: “That’s why today’s report was so important, because, ironically, although it’s looking back on how we got here and diagnosing the illness, it’s actually helping us to look forward and be honest about how we got here.”

The study, carried out by peer and surgeon Lord Darzi, argues the NHS is facing rising demand for care as people live longer in ill health, coupled with low productivity in hospitals and poor staff morale.

It criticises political decision-making under the Conservatives and the coalition government, including the impact of austerity, a “starvation of investment” and the reorganisation of the NHS under the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, which Lord Darzi called “a calamity without international precedent”.

This meant the COVID pandemic came “when resilience was at an all time low”, he said.

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Mr Streeting likened the findings to the Conservatives “not just failing to fix the roof while the sun was shining, but effectively pouring petrol on the house, turning the gas on”.

“And then the pandemic lit the match,” he added.

Asked how a report of such magnitude can be compiled in nine weeks, Mr Streeting said Lord Darzi spoke to frontline staff, leaders and thinktanks and was also given “unfettered access” to NHS and Department of Health data.

In other morning interviews, he warned the NHS would “go bust” if it was not reformed, but ruled out raising money through a salt or sugar tax.

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Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins told Sky News she had “never shied away” from the NHS’s problems during her time in office, when asked if she was embarrassed about the state her party left it in.

She accused Labour of “trying to get headlines” by trailing out the report, calling instead for a “proper conversation about what we do with the NHS”.

Lord Darzi, a former Labour health minister turned independent peer, ultimately argued the NHS can be fixed, saying his findings do not question “the principles of a health service that is taxpayer-funded, free at the point of use”.

Later this morning, the prime minster will set out his plans for the “the biggest reimagining of our NHS since its birth”.

He will say this won’t be “easy or quick” but “sticking plaster solutions” won’t do.

He will say: “Working people can’t afford to pay more, so it’s reform or die.”

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Sep 8 2024

PM preparing for war with union leaders ahead of TUC conference | Politics News

Union leaders will this week go to war with Sir Keir Starmer on wages, winter fuel payments and workers’ rights.

As the first TUC conference under a Labour government for 15 years opens in Brighton, the prime minister faces a massive list of demands.

Ahead of the conference, the TUC is claiming workers were “cheated” out of £2bn of holiday pay last year under the Conservatives.

“The Conservative government sat back and let bad employers cheat their staff out of their basic workplace rights,” said general secretary Paul Nowak.

“Tory ministers were more concerned about stopping people getting what they were due by introducing anti-union measures, than funding enforcement bodies properly.”

The unions’ latest demands come after inflation-busting pay deals for train drivers and doctors which senior Tories claim were payback time for bankrolling the Labour Party.

Sir Keir is due to address the conference on Tuesday and Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, will speak at the traditional TUC general council dinner on Monday evening.

On holiday pay, the TUC claims more than a million workers – one in 25 – did not get any of the 28 days paid holiday or equivalent they were entitled to last year, adding up to £2bn in lost holiday pay at an average £1,800 per employee.

Low-paid workers were said to be most at risk and the jobs with the highest numbers of staff losing out were waiters and waitresses (59,000), care workers and home carers (55,000), and kitchen and catering assistants (50,000).

The TUC also claims millions of workers are missing out on other employment rights due to a lack of enforcement and that 365,000 workers – more than one in five – are underpaid the minimum wage.

Unions are launching a five-point plan for stronger enforcement of employment rights, including fines, more inspectors and inspections, extending licensing and a crackdown on exploitation of migrant workers.

Despite the bumper pay deals for train drivers and doctors to end their strikes, Mr Nowak is also demanding “pay restoration” for public sector workers, a big increase in capital gains tax and a wealth tax.

Delegates in Brighton will also debate demands on Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to restore winter fuel payments for all pensioners. Some 10 million are set to lose payments of up to £300.

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Ahead of a Commons vote on Tuesday, a motion in Brighton proposed by the giant Unite union, the shopworkers’ union USDAW and the public sector union PCS is expected to be backed by the conference.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said this weekend: “Why are Labour picking the pockets on the winter fuel payments instead of making those with the broadest shoulders actually pay.”

And in today’s Sunday People newspaper she calls on the chancellor to tax the rich to fund winter fuel payments, with a wealth tax to pay for a benefit U-turn.

Unions will also demand reassurances that Ms Rayner’s promised workers’ rights legislation, due next month, will not be slimmed down in response to pressure from employers.

Sir Keir has committed himself to introducing the legislation within 100 days of taking office and unions have already warned the government there will be outrage if that timetable slips.

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Aug 28 2024

Customers owe billions to energy firms ahead of tough winter, leading industry figure warns | Politics News

Customers across the UK are in £3.2bn worth of debt to energy firms before this winter’s price hikes have even hit, a leading industry figure has told Sky News.

The chief executive of trade association Energy UK, Emma Pinchbeck, said the number could be even higher than her organisation’s statistics state, and the colder months could bring even more problems due to the end of customer support schemes brought in through the energy crisis and a further “build up of debt”.

Her comments came as energy firms met government ministers for a roundtable in Downing Street on Wednesday to discuss how both sides could help people struggling with their bills this winter.

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Concerns have been raised in light of the 10% rise in the energy price cap due to kick in in October, as well as the government’s decision to scrap the winter fuel allowance for pensioners who do not receive pension credit.

Ms Pinchbeck also attended the meeting and said it was “productive”, with all parties coming to the table with “good ideas” and accepting there was a “shared responsibility for managing… [and] fixing the problem”.

She said as a result she was “confident” a solution could be found and expected “practical steps” to come from the gathering – though she would not reveal what.

However, she pointed to calls from Energy UK itself for a doubling the warm homes discount for the most vulnerable in the short-term, and stronger investment into green technologies to bring prices down in the future.

Ms Pinchbeck said overall she wanted to see “something enduring for people so we are not doing this meeting every September when the price cap goes up”.

The trade association boss added: “It cannot be tenable now to have £3bn worth of debt sat on supplier books and no clear solution to that, whilst also knowing that we have got millions of customers struggling with the high costs of energy, both this winter and on an ongoing basis, and not have clear solutions to that either.

“We can’t keep going as we are. I have been doing this job for five years and every winter I end up talking to the public about how worried we are about people’s energy bills.

“We know from our own data and from Citizens Advice that debt is getting worse, and that debt is currently carried by suppliers and funded by all of our energy bills, and there is an economic cost to that as well as a social cost to that and we need a solution for it.”

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Aug 19 2024

Prison service continues to operate hand to mouth ahead of early release scheme | UK News

Two things feel a long way off for the prison system right now: September and reform.

A new government early release scheme comes into effect on 10 September, meaning thousands of offenders will be released earlier than they would have previously, in order to free up space.

The automatic release point will be reduced from 50% of a sentence to 40%, meaning eligible offenders are released to serve the rest of their sentence on license. There are exclusions for domestic abuse perpetrators and serious violent criminals.

That date will be seen as breathing space relief for the government and for a prison system that is bursting.

It’s three weeks away but it feels further as the service continues to operate hand to mouth, trying to see off the prospect of daily overcrowding disasters, while jails across England and Wales edge closer to complete capacity levels in the wake of riot sentencing.

When Sky News asked Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood in July about risks to public safety – lurching from emergency measure to emergency measure while the probation service fears workload pressures and strains – she said “there is no risk-free option” and the government has been left with little choice based on what they inherited.

They need to get people out – and now.

The prison service likes to operate with a margin of around 1,400 free spaces. As of today Sky News understands there are just over 300 spaces left in the male estate. They consider themselves unable to operate with anything less than 300. These numbers illustrate the lack of manoeuvring margin and why action was taken today.

Operation Early Dawn is dubbed an “emergency” and “short-term” measure – but the on-and-off activation of these types of policies feels far more permanent than any minister would want to admit.

The government is faced with immediate pressures in prisons – overcrowding, staff shortages, high levels of violence and a thriving illegal drugs market.

Just today – two new reports from the Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor reveal concerning findings. In HMP Durham – one of the most heavily populated jails – 86% of offenders were living in overcrowded conditions, with two people in cells designed for one.

And at HMP Nottingham the report found a prison under “constant pressure” to accommodate new arrivals, “high” levels of violence, and a “chaotic” early release scheme – with a “quarter” released homeless causing “inevitable recalls”.

This is why any meaningful reform the new government might want to make also feels a long way off.

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Government has ‘brought forward additional prison places,’ minister says

As the triggering of Early Dawn came into effect this morning – the government’s press release came with a statement from their new prisons minister Lord Timpson.

He gave penal reformers high hopes and is commonly known as the cobbler who employs ex-offenders as a means of reskilling and rehabilitating. He believes a third of those behind bars shouldn’t be there and instead should be out in the community.

But his statement today reminded people the government has “brought forward additional prison places” to deal with rioters. Ministers have been clear it’s their view that prison for those offenders is right – “swift justice”, they say, has acted as a deterrent to put the riots behind us.

Ideology is giving way to immediacy

For Lord Timpson and reformers, the idea of just building thousands more prison spaces goes against what he thinks is the bigger picture answer – fewer people in prison with greater efforts channelled into rehabilitation.

But the reality is ideology is giving way to immediacy right now. And it could be that way for a while.

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Aug 6 2024

Team GB’s Josh Kerr misses out on Olympic gold in 1500m final despite finishing ahead of bitter rival | UK News

Josh Kerr narrowly missed out on Olympic gold in the 1500m final despite finishing ahead of bitter rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The Edinburgh-born runner claimed silver after being pipped on the line by USA’s Cole Hocker.

The race was billed as a two-horse race with Ingebrigtsen, but Hocker’s sprint in the final straight gave him a shock gold.

Norwegian Ingebrigtsen finished fourth despite leading for most of the race.

There had been much hype beforehand about Kerr and Ingebrigtsen’s apparent dislike for each other after trading barbs over the past year or so.

Ingebrigtsen previously said he could beat Kerr “blindfolded” despite Kerr outrunning him at last year’s World Championships.

Other medals for Team GB on Tuesday were a silver for the men’s team sprint in the velodrome and a bronze for 16-year-old Sky Brown in the skateboarding.

Boxer Lewis Richardson already has a bronze but hopes to secure at least a silver when he goes in the middleweight semi-final just before 9pm.

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Jul 14 2024

‘We’re all behind you’: Sir Keir Starmer issues England rallying cry ahead of Euro 2024 final | UK News

Sir Keir Starmer has issued a rallying cry ahead of the Euro 2024 final, telling the England team: “We’re all behind you.”

The prime minister, who will be in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Sunday to cheer on the Three Lions against Spain, told the players they have already “made the country proud”.

They are hoping their second successive Euros final will put to rest the heartbreak of losing to Italy on penalties three years ago.

It is just the third-ever major final for the men’s team – and their first ever on foreign soil – with the match giving Gareth Southgate‘s men another chance to join Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 World Cup heroes in football immortality.

Euro 2024 latest: ‘I’d swap everything to win with England,’ says Kane

In a letter from 10 Downing Street to “Gareth and all the England team”, who faced sharp criticism for their early performances in the tournament, he wished them “the very best”.

“On behalf of the whole nation, I wanted to wish you all the very best ahead of today’s final,” he wrote.

“You should all be proud of what you’ve achieved so far, and I hope you can take some strength from the millions at home kicking every ball alongside you.

“You don’t need a running commentary from a politician on what you should or shouldn’t do.

“You’re here not because of luck, but because of your graft and hard work. You’ve earned it. As you did three years ago, you’ve made the country proud.

“Whatever happens, you should know that you have united the country, and we are all behind you.

“So enjoy tonight. I know that up and down the country, we all will.”

Read more from Sky News:
Political football: Is Sir Keir Starmer following Harold Wilson’s lead?

Sir Keir had previously suggested there could be some form of celebration if England win the tournament, but wouldn’t commit to an extra bank holiday, saying he did not want to “jinx anything”.

In a final press conference ahead of the game, Southgate said England must “get everything right” in order to beat Spain, while captain Harry Kane said winning would “mean everything”.

Conservative leader Rishi Sunak issued his own statement, in which he said the team “have brought us joy, drama and inspiration – and perhaps one too many nerve-wracking moments”.

“But they’ve kept their focus and have set an incredible example to millions of us in how they’ve conducted themselves both on and off the field,” he said.

“Their progress so far is a huge achievement and we are all united in wanting Gareth and the team to triumph.

“So I send my very best to the whole team – we are right behind you tonight and, whatever the result, I know you’ll do us all proud. Bring it home.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey added: “You’ve already done so much to make our whole nation proud and we can’t wait to gather together to cheer you on one last time. Good luck!”

England have also received royal support, with the Prince of Wales, who is president of the Football Association (FA), also travelling to Berlin to watch the final.

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He watched England’s quarter-final victory over Switzerland and the group stage game against Denmark, where he was seen cheering in the stands.

A post on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ X account, said: “We are so proud of you all.

“Just one last push to finish the job! Go out there and show the world what you’re made of. We believe. W.”

Following the 2-1 semi-final win over the Netherlands on Wednesday, the King offered his family’s “very best wishes” and “warmest congratulations”.

“If I may encourage you to secure victory before the need for any last minute wonder goals or another penalties drama, I am sure the stresses on the nation’s collective heart rate and blood pressure would be greatly alleviated! Good luck, England,” he said in a message.

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Jun 26 2024

Euro 2024: Another night of angst for England fans as Gareth Southgate hopes for perspective ahead of knockouts | UK News

Going into the knockout phase as unbeaten group winners – surely England would have taken that before the Euros?

Try telling the fans to be satisfied with the drab displays they’ve witnessed so far in Germany.

Just two goals – from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

Only one win – secured by Bellingham in the Group C opener against Serbia.

Two draws – the stalemate against Denmark followed by last night ending scoreless with Slovenia.

No wonder some supporters seemed to be spotted snoozing in Cologne. Many more were heard jeering at full time.

Some empty cups were even seen being thrown.

And once Gareth Southgate and his players had departed the pitch in Cologne, the lingering discontent was digested inside the stadium.

“I understand it,” Southgate said. “I’m not going to back away from it.

“The most important thing here is that the supporters stay with the team.”

Who could England face in the knockout rounds?

‘Typical English performance’

They are loyal and committed.

You only had to see, and hear, the thousands of Three Lions fans packed in a central square in the shadow of Cologne Cathedral on Tuesday.

It’s why so many have spent hundreds of pounds (and counting) to follow the team over the last couple of weeks so far in Germany.

But they are not convinced by Southgate and question why he cannot get the players gelling as an effective, exciting attacking team.

“It was a typical English performance,” said William Day, a fan from Kent, leaving the stadium.

“We underperform with a team of individual, brilliant players, but we don’t play as a team. And we were very fortunate not to lose to Denmark.

“I think we were the better side tonight. But we were in a very easy group and we struggled and how we came top of it, I can’t imagine. I really can’t imagine.”

At least, Southgate’s substitutions did make an impact.

The team looked more effective once Kobbie Mainoo arrived in the second half with Southgate praising the Manchester United midfielder’s ability to move the ball up the pitch.

Is Mainoo the solution Southgate was searching for when initially dropping Trent Alexander-Arnold for Conor Gallagher before bringing on the 19-year-old?

There was praise too among fans for Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon finally being deployed in the second half.

“The game got better,” said Anna-Marie Harris, who has driven over to follow the Euros.

“I’m pleased he was prepared to play Gordon and a few of the extras. Not stick with the routine he had before. So hopefully fingers crossed.”

But there is not much hope of the road trip going all the way with the Euro 2020 runners-up to another final, in Berlin on 14 July.

“We’re top of the group,” she continued. “It will come home to roost if we play like that again, won’t it?”

Southgate hoping for perspective

The frustration with Southgate is clear, with the England faithful lacking belief he can get the most out of the talent available.

Back inside the stadium, long after the booing, the boss seemed perplexed to be addressing another night of angst among the travelling support.

“I understand the sort of narrative towards me and that’s better for the team than it being towards them,” Southgate said.

“But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I’ve not seen any other team qualify and receive similar.”

Just look at Group D.

The Netherlands, who could face England in the last-16 on Sunday, lost to Austria after only picking up four points from their opening games.

France, the World Cup runners-up in 2022, only managed a win and two draws.

And the hosts Germany did win their group but not with a 100% record and requiring a stoppage-time equaliser to draw with Switzerland.

Then there are the neighbours, Scotland. Euro 2024 was their 12th tournament without making it into the knockout phase. Just one point was collected from their three matches here.

So Southgate is hoping for some perspective, rather than dwelling on the two wins from their last eight matches perhaps.

“I’m very, very proud of the players,” he said, “and how they are operating within it.”

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Jun 14 2024

Scots party in Munich ahead of Euro 2024’s opening game against Germany | World News

Even before Euro 2024 kicks off, Scotland fans think they have won something – the partying.

The bagpipes in Bavaria signalled the Tartan Army are back.

Thousands of Scots – many in kilts carrying crates of beer – packed into Munich’s Marienplatz on the eve of the curtain-raiser against Germany.

Not that you’d realise the hosts were at their own party, with few Germany shirts and flags in sight here.

But they were making the visitors feel welcome, particularly the placid police allowing beer to be downed through the centre late into the night.

This is the start of Germany’s biggest-ever policing deployment for a major sporting event.

But in Munich, officers kept their distance as melodies of “Flower of Scotland” and “We’ve got McGinn. Super John McGinn” boomed through the packed side-street of the main square.

The sound of glass crunching could be heard as midnight approached – the detritus of a day’s drinking.

Scots soaking in the atmosphere, drinking it all in.

It’s been 26 years – at the France 98 World Cup – since Scotsmen competed overseas at a major football tournament.

“It’s amazing – we see all the videos, we see everyone landing into Munich in their numbers,” Scotland captain Andy Robertson said last night.

“We made a big point, the manager, when he first came in, to try and get them back onside because the home support maybe nosedived a little bit because of performances on the pitch.

“But the away support was always incredible. The away ends were always sold out and they always like a trip abroad.

“And there’s a lot of them over here and we hope to make them proud. We know all of them can’t get into the stadium, we wish they could, it would help us.”

After decades living in the shadow of England, the stage is Scotland’s before the Three Lions campaign begins on Sunday against Serbia.

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Steve Clarke is the first manager of Scotland to secure consecutive qualification to European Championships.

The last one, held in 2021, was a more muted affair, with games only in Britain and pandemic-curtailed crowds.

Scotland lost both games at Hampden Park, but they did celebrate a draw against England at Wembley.

So it doesn’t seem as daunting facing Germany at Bayern Munich’s stadium as Scotland try to make it out of the group stage for the first time at a major tournament.

But Germany haven’t won a knockout stage game since Euro 2016.

“One of the mantras we’ve always had is to respect everyone and fear no one,” Clarke said.

“So we come here with a lot of respect for the host nation. We know that they are a good team, but hopefully on the night we can show that we are a good team as well.”

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Jun 11 2024

New poll reveals England fans' Euros optimism ahead of first match

Football fans are feeling optimistic ahead of England’s first Euro 2024 match – with almost half saying they expect Gareth Southgate’s side to reach the semi-finals.

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May 29 2024

Starmer’s decision over Diane Abbott is part of a wider strategy – but polling suggests trouble ahead | Politics News

Does Diane Abbott and the row over her future matter?

Keir Starmer clearly calculated not so much, although I’m told it blew up far more than the leader’s office expected, with the mess and delay a product of disagreements internally about what to do with her.

High-profile Labour politicians like Jess Phillips are now kicking off, and televised rallies in front of supporters in Hackney have undoubtedly obliterated the party’s attempts to get messages out on NHS waiting times.

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But does it move the dial politically – particularly when the party is 27 points ahead according to the latest Sky News/YouGov poll and Sir Keir is keen to do all he can to preserve relations with the Jewish community?

Possibly not in the first instance. But it may have secondary effects.

Sir Keir is avowedly determined to present a “changed” Labour Party, away from the one that held Jeremy Corbyn in high esteem.

The decisions about Ms Abbott are part of that wider strategy. There are still parts of the party nostalgic for this era, however, and Sir Keir famously won the leadership trying to keep them onside.

But there’s a paradox in the polling that suggests trouble ahead. Yes, if the polls are to be believed (and many Tories don’t) Labour is on course for a decent majority and control of Number 10.

However, Sir Keir’s own ratings are – less than stellar.

The YouGov/Sky News poll asked this week whether voters thought he would be a good or bad prime minister. Almost half – 47% – said bad. The older the voter, the more pessimistic they are.

Sir Keir is starting from a low base – not as bad as Rishi Sunak, but still bad. By contrast, only 33% said they thought he’d be good.

That level of enthusiasm suggests Sir Keir may not enjoy much of a public opinion honeymoon, just at a point where he is likely to have to start by making difficult decisions, most notably on raising taxes.

One of the themes of this election has been the party’s clarity that while it will promise not to raise income tax, national insurance and corporation tax, no such bar exists on other taxes.

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With rules to restrain borrowing lifted from the Tories and unsustainably tight Whitehall spending plans, something has to give.

Judging by the first week of the campaign, that seems to be tax – a subject the Tories are likely to dwell on in the coming days.

If he is suddenly unpopular, Sir Keir needs an army of supporters to insulate him.

But some of those are the supporters who are unhappy with his treatment of Ms Abbott.

This row might not matter that much now or in this campaign, but if the bonds between leader and party are easily frayed then there’s trouble ahead.

Rishi Sunak could tell him that.

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