Latest news with #BrianLeishman
The National
7 days ago
- Business
- The National
Jeremy Corbyn to table Chilcot-style Gaza inquiry bill
The Independent MP and former Labour leader will present the Gaza (Independent Public Inquiry) Bill tomorrow (Wednesday, June 4), having secured a 10-minute-rule bill. The full text of the Bill reads: "Bill to make provision for; to require the inquiry to consider any UK military, economic or political cooperation with Israel since October 2023, including the sale, supply or use of weapons, surveillance aircraft and Royal Air Force bases; to provide the inquiry with the power to question Ministers and officials about decisions taken in relation to UK involvement; and for connected purposes." READ MORE: New poll shows Scots overwhelmingly back indy over Westminster direct rule Those supporting the Bill include SNP MP Brendan O'Hara, Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman and suspended Labour MP Zarah Sultana. The full list is below: Ayoub Khan MP (Independent) Adnan Hussain MP (Independent) Shockat Adam MP (Independent) Iqbal Mohamed (Independent) Zarah Sultana MP (Independent) Apsana Begum (Independent) Brian Leishman MP (Labour) Richard Burgon MP (Labour) Steve Witherden (Labour) Kim Johnson MP (Labour) Nadia Whittome MP (Labour) Ian Byrne (Labour) Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (Labour) Jon Trickett MP (Labour) Neil-Duncan Jordan MP (Labour) Ellie Chowns (Greens) Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru) Brendan O'Hara MP (SNP) If it goes to a vote, there are likely to be more supporters. A letter in March saw Corbyn urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to back the inquiry, which received the cross-party support of 40 MPs. In his letter to Starmer, Corbyn pointed to the Chilcot inquiry finding serious failings within the UK Government. It said: 'History is repeating itself. Today, the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 61,000. Two Israeli officials are now wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity. "Britain has played a highly influential role in Israel's military operations, including the sale of weapons, the supply of intelligence and the use of Royal Air Force (RAF) bases in Cyprus. "Transparency and accountability are cornerstones of democracy. Therefore, we are demanding an independent, public inquiry into the UK's involvement in Israel's military assault in Gaza. "This inquiry should establish exactly what decisions have been taken, how these decisions have been made, and what consequences they have had. Any meaningful inquiry would require the full co-operation from government ministers involved in decision-making processes since October 2023."
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Rachel Reeves hints at winter fuel allowance shift saying she is 'listening' to mounting disquiet from Labour MPs
has hinted at a shift on the winter fuel allowance saying she is 'listening' to Labour MPs. The Chancellor suggested she is considering the threshold at which the benefit is removed after the cut was seen as a factor in dire local election results. Ms Reeves stripped nine million pensioners of the payments - worth up to £300 - soon after Labour came to power. Only those on pension credit are still entitled. But Keir Starmer has been facing the threat of a revolt over that policy, as well as curbs to working age benefits. There is speculation that the leadership is looking for a way out, potentially by scaling back the cuts. Taking Treasury questions in the Commons this morning, Ms Reeves said the Government had to take 'difficult decisions and urgent decisions' following last summer's election. Left-wing Labour MP Brian Leishman asked: 'To alleviate grinding penury for millions the Chancellor could introduce an annual wealth tax on multimillionaires that would raise approximately £24billion per annum – yet the Chancellor refuses to entertain this, but does consider cuts to welfare as acceptable. 'Why do 'tough political choices' always seem to impact those who are most vulnerable?' Ms Reeves replied: 'At the budget last year we increased the rate of tax on non-doms, we increased capital gains tax, we increased the carried interest on bonuses and we also introduced VAT on private schools. 'This Government is ensuring that wealthiest pay their fair share because that's a basic Labour principle.' Speaking on the BBC's Newscast last night, Ms Reeves said she would 'continue to listen to understand the concerns that people have raised'. 'I do understand the concerns that people have,' she said. She added: 'We are a government that listens. 'But we would always need to show where the money is going to come from if we're going to make any policy changes. That would be part of the normal process.' Sir Keir faced the Parliamentary Labour Party last night as many MPs mull rebelling over plans to cut benefits. A vote is expected in June. There is also simmering disquiet over his hardline immigration speech last week in which he said that Britain risks becoming 'an island of strangers'. But the PM warned his backbenchers that Reform is now their main rival for power and they have a 'moral responsibility' to keep Nigel Farage out of No10. Labour has been rocked by the defeat to Reform in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election at the start of the month.
The National
04-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Grangemouth closure risks fuel shortages and rationing, MP claims
Petroineos stopped refining crude oil at Grangemouth on Tuesday and now the area's MP has claimed this posed a major threat to fuel security. The plan is to turn Grangemouth into a fuel import terminal, where refined oil from abroad is brought into Scotland for use. But Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman argued that the knock-on effects of 430 jobs at the refinery meant there was a greater chance of fuels being rejected, threatening supply. He told the Sunday National: 'The job losses will not be exclusive to refinery workers either. The shared services workers in areas such as laboratories rely on the refinery for work and they are currently going through a redundancy consultation process. 'One of the consequences of this is that fuels will arrive at the replacement import terminal and will undergo a greatly reduced testing process. If the fuels fail these tests then they cannot be distributed – meaning that Scotland will therefore be susceptible to a fuel shortage and the very serious possibility of rationing or even running out.' Bosses dismissed Leishman's warning as 'highly irresponsible and factually incorrect' while the UK Government said they were 'categorically false'. (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire) Leishman has also raised concerns about increased traffic on the North Sea, after an oil tanker crashed into a cargo ship outside the port of Hull earlier this year. One crew member from the Solong container ship was assumed dead after smashing into the Stena Immaculate in March, sparking a huge inferno when its cargo – a shipment of jet fuel – caught fire. Leishman said this incident should concern Scots if more vessels are travelling to and from Grangemouth to transport oil. He added: 'The fact that an energy abundant country such as Scotland is now relying on importing fuels is utterly ridiculous. Especially at a time when there is war raging in Europe along with serious political upheaval throughout the world. The need for self-reliance is obvious. 'We are now at the mercy of European transport logistics and we know how precarious that can be, we saw this with the North Sea jet fuel spill off the coast of Humberside just the other month.' The outspoken Labour backbencher also raised concerns that abandoning Grangemouth could be environmentally risky, arguing that using oil refined in the UK was less polluting than imported fuel. He added: 'Both the UK or Scottish governments have been environmentally negligent in that neither have carried out an environmental impact assessment of Grangemouth stopping refining and instead relying on European shipping routes. It is my fear that we are shifting emissions from one part of the continent to another, and are not effectively tackling the climate issues we face.' (Image: Office of Brian Leishman) Leishman (above) said the refinery should be nationalised – but blasted the SNP's campaign on this point as 'nothing more than a performance'. He added: 'Since being elected last July, I have called for the nationalisation of Grangemouth. It is wrong that my party in charge at Westminster refuses to even entertain the idea. It was rightly deemed good enough for Scunthorpe Steel. The same should also hold true for Grangemouth oil.' A Petroineos spokesperson said: 'Casting aspersions on the security of Scotland's fuel supply in this manner is highly irresponsible and factually incorrect. 'As we have explained to Mr Leishman directly, Petroineos has invested £50 million in creating a modern import and distribution terminal. As part of this investment, tank storage and other infrastructure has been upgraded, ensuring our stock levels remain consistent with other refineries terminals and well able to meet Scotland's demand. 'Even before the cessation of refinery operations at Grangemouth we regularly operated in 'import only' mode for sustained periods without any variations in supply to our customers. As an organisation, we are vastly experienced in managing complex fuel supply chains and our approach has been validated by an industry expert and scrutinised and approved by the UK Government's energy security team.' Scotland's acting Energy Secretary Gillian Martin (below) said that the decision to close the refinery was 'premature, fundamentally short-sighted and detrimental to the transition to net zero' and that she was 'disappointed' the SNP's calls for nationalisation had gone unheeded. (Image: Web) She added: 'Ministers could still act – just as they did at Scunthorpe. 'The UK Government has full responsibility for fuel security and we are actively working with them to ensure that Scotland's needs are met.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'These claims are categorically false and ignore the resilient systems in place to ensure we have sufficient fuel to meet demand. 'When this Government came to power, there was no overall plan for the future of the Grangemouth refinery. 'Within weeks, the Government delivered an unprecedented package of support for the community, including a £200 million commitment from the National Wealth Fund to invest in a viable industrial future for the site.'
The Herald Scotland
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Labour criticised from within own ranks after early local election results
Elsewhere, Labour narrowly retained mayoralties in both Doncaster and North Tyneside, with Reform coming a close second in both. The by-election in Cheshire ran alongside local elections across England, having been triggered when former Labour MP Mike Amesbury quit after admitting punching a constituent. A newly re-elected mayor hit out at Sir Keir's changes to the winter fuel allowance, hikes to employer national insurance contributions and welfare reforms. Reform UK's candidate Sarah Pochin and party leader Nigel Farage speak to the media as they arrive ahead of the result (Peter Byrne/PA) Ros Jones was narrowly re-elected as mayor of Doncaster, beating the Reform candidate by just under 700 votes. Speaking to the BBC after her result, she said that Labour need to 'be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street'. She said: 'I wrote as soon as the winter fuel allowance was actually mooted, and I said it was wrong, and therefore I stepped in immediately and used our household support fund to ensure no-one in Doncaster went cold during the winter.' The increase in national insurance was 'hitting some of our smaller businesses' and the squeeze on the personal independence payment was leaving many people 'worried', Ms Jones said. She added: 'I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street, and actually deliver for the people, with the people.' A newly-elected Labour MP has also said the by-election result should 'Labour must change course' and that the 'first 10 months' in Government 'haven't been good enough'. Brian Leishman, who represents Alloa and Grangemouth, posted on X on Friday morning: 'People voted for real change last July & an end to austerity. 'The first 10 months haven't been good enough or what the people want & if we don't improve people's living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one.' Runcorn shows Labour must change course. People voted for real change last July & an end to austerity. The first 10 months haven't been good enough or what the people want & if we don't improve people's living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one. — Brian Leishman (@BrianLeishmanMP) May 2, 2025 The chairwoman of the Labour Party has acknowledged voters are 'impatient' and that the party needs to go 'further and faster' in delivering policy. Ellie Reeves told Times Radio on Friday morning: 'Change takes time and we know that people are impatient. 'We had 14 years of chaos under the Conservatives. Public services and the public finances were left in a state. 'We've had to stabilise the economy, but we're starting that work. We've got our plan for change, we're beginning to see the results of this, but we know we need to go further and faster.' A Labour spokesperson said by-elections are 'always difficult for the party in Government' and the circumstances of this vote 'made it even harder'. They said: 'Voters are still rightly furious with the state of the country after 14 years of failure and clearly expect the Government to move faster with the plan for change.'
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scottish Labour MP says party 'must change course' after Runcorn by-election defeat to Reform
Brian Leishman, a frequent critic of the UK Government, said Labour first 10 months in power "haven't been good enough". A Scottish Labour MP has warned the UK faces the prospect of an "extreme right wing government" unless his party changes course. Brian Leishman spoke out after Reform UK narrowly won a Westminster by-election in Runcorn as well as numerous council seats across England last night. The Conservative vote collapsed on a night that confirmed Nigel Farage is now the opposition party leader most likely to challenge Keir Starmer to become the next prime minister. The by-election loss in Runcorn by just six votes was a disaster for Labour after it poured campaigners into the constituency. Leishman, a frequent critic of the UK Government, was among the backbenchers to share their dismay on a brutal night for their party. The Grangemouth MP said: "Runcorn shows Labour must change course. People voted for real change last July and an end to austerity. "The first 10 months haven't been good enough or what the people want and if we don't improve people's living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one." Elsewhere, Labour narrowly retained mayoralties in both Doncaster and North Tyneside, with Reform coming a close second in both. The by-election in Cheshire ran alongside local elections across England, having been triggered when former Labour MP Mike Amesbury quit after admitting punching a constituent. A newly re-elected mayor hit out at Sir Keir's changes to the winter fuel allowance, hikes to employer national insurance contributions and welfare reforms. Ros Jones was narrowly re-elected as mayor of Doncaster, beating the Reform candidate by just under 700 votes. Speaking to the BBC after her result, she said that Labour need to 'be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street'. She said: 'I wrote as soon as the winter fuel allowance was actually mooted, and I said it was wrong, and therefore I stepped in immediately and used our household support fund to ensure no-one in Doncaster went cold during the winter.' The increase in national insurance was 'hitting some of our smaller businesses' and the squeeze on the personal independence payment was leaving many people 'worried', Ms Jones said. She added: 'I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street, and actually deliver for the people, with the people.'
