The most important question this week was asked by Catherine West, the Labour MP. She asked Theresa May on Wednesday: “Can the prime minister confirm which of these is worse: no deal or no Brexit?” May didn’t answer, naturally. It is not that she is nebulous but that she is closed. She never wants to tell anyone her second preference in case it undermines her first. But she almost certainly believes leaving the EU without a deal would be worse. Never mind her recent claim that a no-deal Brexit would “not be the end of the world”. That was a pose before the withdrawal agreement was finalised. Join Indpendent Minds For exclusive articles, events and an advertising-free read for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month Start your free trial Get the best of The Independent With an Independent Minds subscription for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month Start your free trial Get the best of The Independent Without the ads – for just … [Read more...] about Opinion: Is Labour backing away from a second referendum?
Labour
Labour will ‘end hollowness and restore hope’ in Peterborough
0 Have your say This past week, the phrase, “In office but not in power”, has been uttered by many, writes leader of the Labour group on Peterborough City Council, Cllr Shaz Nawaz. Theresa May lost three crucial votes in one night. Emmanuel Macron was forced to relent on fuel tax rises. Even President Trump seems to be teetering, trapped by a stock market that doesn’t like his undisciplined utterances and the revelations arising from the Mueller Investigation. We have a phenomenon of leaders who have all the trappings of state: the residences, the symbols, the press attention, the podiums, but they cannot make their policies stick. Beyond the glamour of gilt-edged reception rooms and the glare of flashbulbs, they have little power.This phrase is just as applicable to local government. The Conservative administration is in office, but is it really in power? Even though they are the same political complexion as the national Government of the day, … [Read more...] about Labour will ‘end hollowness and restore hope’ in Peterborough
“No criminality” over Labour-run grants scheme, but administration of wellbeing project is criticised
Police have concluded that there is “no evidence of criminality” over the awarding of community wellbeing grants by the last Labour administration at Lancashire County Council. The authority’s audit, risk and governance committee last month requested that officers investigate whether there had been any “fraud, misconduct in public office or a criminal breach of electoral law”. READ MORE >>> Police could be called over wellbeing grants schemeThe cross-party group had received a report from independent auditors which was critical of the way the scheme had been administered in the run-up to the local elections in 2017 – but determined that the process had been lawful.A separate police examination of that report found that the now leader of the Labour opposition, Azhar Ali, was “in a position to allocate a significant amount of money without the appropriate scrutiny” when he was the cabinet member for health and wellbeing at the … [Read more...] about “No criminality” over Labour-run grants scheme, but administration of wellbeing project is criticised
‘We didn’t spend 30 years stopping IRA to allow PM and EU to give united Ireland by back door’ says Labour MP Kate Hoey
'We didn't spend 30 years stopping IRA to allow PM and EU to give united Ireland by back door' says Labour MP Kate Hoey BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Northern Ireland born Labour MP Kate Hoey has said that Prime Minister Theresa May and "a few jumped-up EU bureaucrats" must not be allowed to facilitate a united Ireland "by the back door". https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/we-didnt-spend-30-years-stopping-ira-to-allow-pm-and-eu-to-give-united-ireland-by-back-door-says-labour-mp-kate-hoey-37628958.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/incoming/article37628980.ece/d3f36/AUTOCROP/h342/katehoey.jpg Email Northern Ireland born Labour MP Kate Hoey has said that Prime Minister Theresa May and "a few jumped-up EU bureaucrats" must not be allowed to facilitate a united Ireland "by the back door". Mrs Hoey was speaking at a Leave Means Leave rally in London on Friday night. Among the other speakers were the DUP's Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson, former UKIP leader Nigel … [Read more...] about ‘We didn’t spend 30 years stopping IRA to allow PM and EU to give united Ireland by back door’ says Labour MP Kate Hoey
Labour must ‘come off the fence’ and back a second EU vote, says MP
News / Scotland by Press Association 15/12/2018, 9:43 am FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter Jeremy Corbyn needs to “come off the fence” and back another vote on EU membership, according to one of his MPs. Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, Ian Murray, the MP for Edinburgh South, said he believed a call for a second referendum – or People’s Vote – could command a majority in the House of Commons if supported by the Labour frontbench. Other opposition parties have been pressing Mr Corbyn to call a motion of no confidence in Theresa May’s Government. Labour, as the official opposition at Westminster, is the only party able to do so. However, the Labour leader has ruled out the move, which could trigger a general election, until he can be sure of winning the vote. Mr Murray said: “The Labour Party will have to come off the fence on that at some point pretty … [Read more...] about Labour must ‘come off the fence’ and back a second EU vote, says MP