Labour mps who voted for brexit

Matt Hancock dodged a grilling on NHS pay today, sending a junior minister to the Commons in his place. Labour lodged an urgent question to demand answers from the Health Secretary on the paltry 1% pay rise proposed by the Government last week. Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said MPs - including Conservatives - had already voted through a pay rise of 2.1% for NHS workers when they approved the Long-Term Plan for the heath service. But he blasted the Health Secretary for failing to come to the Commons to face the music himself, and sending junior minister Helen Whately in his place. He said: "I am grateful for the minister (Helen Whately), but where is the Secretary of State? Why isn't the Secretary of State here to defend a Budget that puts up tax for hardworking family and cuts pay for hardworking nurses? "The Secretary of State has stood at that despatch box repeatedly waxing lyrical, describing NHS staff as heroes, saying they are the very best of us, and … [Read more...] about Matt Hancock dodges grilling on NHS pay – sending junior minister to face MPs

UKIP leader Gerard Batten has said his position as leader will be "untenable" if he loses his seat in the European elections. After coming first in 2014, many opinion surveys have the party near the bottom ahead of polling day on Thursday. Former leader Nigel Farage's newly-formed Brexit Party is expected to finish first. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player April: Batten's heated interview with Sky Despite this, Mr Batten maintains he still has strong support within the party. "If I lost my seat in London it would be untenable for me to continue as leader," he told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday. Advertisement "But I won't make a decision about what I am going to do until after the European elections because I am getting a lot of people in the party overwhelmingly saying to me, whatever the result is, they want me to continue. "I will base my decision on the outcome of the European elections and how I … [Read more...] about UKIP leader Gerard Batten: My position ‘untenable’ if I lose seat

Downing Street has refused to rule out Tory cronies helping pay for a lavish revamp of Boris Johnson ’s grace-and-favour flat. The row deepened today after the Daily Mail claimed a refurbishment is costing up to £200,000 - and Tory funds could fit the bill. The Mail suggested “a large part of the bill” was, at least at one point, due to be met from the Conservative Party coffers. Today the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary denied that claim. But she pointedly did not deny that cronies or allies could pay in another way. It is likely to lead to fresh conflict-of-interest fears over the Prime Minister, whose fiancee Carrie Symonds is leading the refurb. Reports have also claimed the PM is trying to set up a charity to help refurbish the four-bedroom living quarters above No11, which are larger than the flat above No10. It is also thought the taxpayer could meet some of the costs. Boris Johnson refused to comment when grilled at the No10 press conference, saying: "All I … [Read more...] about No10 refuses to rule out cronies paying to do up Boris Johnson’s lavish flat

Nurses aren’t the only people to be trampled on by Boris Johnson with his insulting one per cent slap for carers. Bus drivers in Greater Manchester are taking strike action because the Government permits employers to fire and rehire workers on lower pay and inferior terms. British Gas, British Airways, Heathrow Airport and coffee maker Douwe Egberts are – with public transport operator Go North West, – on a worryingly list of companies accused of exploiting coronavirus to ride roughshod over folk. The Prime Minister also freezing the pay of council staff, firefighters the armed forces and the police, shows workers in both the public and private sectors face a common enemy – him. What is your view? Have your say in the comments section And the people of Britain have a united cause with the world’s poorest when even Tories warn hundreds of thousands will starve to death as a result of Johnson’s £4billion aid slash. Chiding Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions … [Read more...] about ‘Nurses aren’t only people Boris Johnson has trampled on – he’s his own worst enemy’

Relief, excitement, nervousness, anxiety; just some of the sentiments expressed by pupils and teachers at St Francis' Catholic Primary School in east London on Monday, as children went back to school after nine weeks of lockdown. But it wasn't just a big moment for those children, teachers and parents, it is a big moment for the whole of England. The 'big bang' reopening of schools in England the first staging post on our way out of the third lockdown, towards near-normal life by 21 June. From the classrooms across England to the government's headquarters in Downing Street, the emotions are much the same. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player PM urges caution as schools reopen On the heels of the dreadful winter and appallingly high death toll, there is palpable relief and excitement that the successful vaccine rollout is improving the outlook not just for the economy - official budget forecasts revised upwards as the number of … [Read more...] about The road to the end of lockdown has begun – but the real challenge will be what comes next