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The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
The spending review will reveal how far the government has been blown off course
According to what we read, the last holdout in the current set of negotiations with the Treasury about public spending plans is the home office, where the secretary of state, Yvette Cooper, hasn't yet agreed her plans for the next three years with the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. Apparently, there's more cash for the police, although maybe not as much as they'd like (it never is, of course), but certainly not for much else. Given that Cooper is responsible for one of the most politically important jobs in government, getting migration down to levels acceptable to the right-wing media, she's right to be putting up a bit of a fight. There can be no question of impropriety, but I wonder if, in all of this, I detect the guiding hand of someone else in the Cooper household? Mr Yvette Cooper is better known as Ed Balls, he knows how the Treasury works – and he's been intimately involved in the spending review process from both sides. He was the closest of confidants to Gordon Brown when he was chancellor, then as a Treasury minister, education secretary and, for what it's worth, shadow chancellor and co-star of a podcast about politics with George Osborne. Maybe, over the years – and without breaking protocol or the ministerial code, perish the thought – the Balls-Coopers have honed their considerable political skills mutually. Indeed, Cooper herself served as a Treasury minister under Brown, and sat in his cabinet with her husband, when she was holding the purse strings at the Treasury, and he was pleading for more resources to give every child the best start in life. These days, he interviews her on ITV as if she were just another of Starmer's ministers he might be vaguely acquainted with. I wonder if they still go on date nights. At any rate, Cooper plainly doesn't need that much advice, and she's worked out that her best tactic is to dig her heels in and take it to the brink. It's interesting to see these various big and middleweight beasts in the cabinet slog it out because it suggests that the Treasury under Reeves isn't as powerful as it once was, weakened by her own misjudgments of the past year. Indeed, the institution is not as powerful as in the days when Brown and Balls were running it, in the High Noon of New Labour. In those days, the central command and control was pretty much complete, albeit there was more money about. At the time of the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), for example, one close observer at the time described the process thus: 'The CSR was a triumph for a strong prime minister and a strong chancellor, working together. Nothing illustrates this more clearly than the brutality of its execution. The two just called in ministers and told them how much they were getting. There was no appeal.' How different to today! Starmer, like Reeves, certainly started as a strong prime minister, but a combination of errors of judgment by him and by his chancellor have seen his personal ratings slump. He was actually never that highly rated as a leader, even when Labour was 20 points ahead in the polls. Now that he's hitting record lows and lags 10 points behind the ultimate catastrophe – Nigel Farage as prime minister of a Reform UK government – people are getting real, and getting nervous. The Starmer-Reeves axis should be, and is, 'institutionally' strong in the British system; but the reality is they are both politically weak, both in it together and tied together by outrageous misfortune. So they get pushed around far more than did Blair and Brown, for example. Not only has Cooper been able to drag out the process, but so has Angela Rayner, who, unlike Reeves (but like Brown), is actually the second most powerful figure in the party and the government. Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, seems to have been able to exert some leverage, although Reeves seems more sympathetic to the plight of our schools than much else. Liz Kendall, rather like Harriet Harman in the New Labour government, seems to operate social security policy as an arm of the Treasury anyway. Defence secretary John Healey and Wes Streeting at health and social care are in the blessed position of not having to beg too hard. So what we see now is a dramatic, destabilising situation whereby a combination of an undeniably miserable economic position and relatively weak leadership is altering the centre of gravity within the governing party and, before our very eyes, changing its course. For all the talk about tough choices and the squeals of anguish from their cabinet colleagues, Starmer and Reeves are gradually moving away from the kind of Cameron-Osborne 'fix the roof while the sun is shining' devotion to the public finances, and edging towards a more tax-and-spend welfare agenda where, almost out of nowhere, a newfound mission to eradicate child poverty has suddenly seized them. Now, they act left as well as talk left. Well, you can exaggerate that, and the Tories no doubt will, because the real pain comes not from some sado-masochism in the Treasury but from Britain's dangerously dismal growth prospects. The pie isn't getting much bigger, but everyone wants and needs more, and so we end up, as a nation (and mixing the metaphor) fighting like rats in a sack. It's only a question of which rats are cunning enough to run away with a few extra crumbs, which is really what Cooper is trying to extract. Roll on Wednesday.
Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Good Morning Britain fans fume 'this is excruciating' as hosts clash in debate
Good Morning Britain viewers were left furious after a heated debate was broadcast on Thursday morning Good Morning Britain viewers issued a complaint as an "excruciating" debate unfolded on the show on Thursday (May 29). This morning's broadcast saw presenters Ed Balls and Susanna Reid tackle the day's top stories, both domestically and globally, on the popular ITV show. At one point, they began debating the current doctors' strike after health secretary Wes Streeting warned that resident doctors would "choke" the NHS by going back on strike. In a BBC interview, the MP urged resident doctors to "work with the government" and warned strikes risked hampering the progress being made in the NHS. Last week, it was announced that resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors, would be getting a 5.4% average pay rise this year - more than other doctors, nurses and teachers. But they have said it's not enough to make up for below-inflation pay awards since 2008. GMB hosts Ed and Susanna invited Dr Ross Nieuwoudt from the resident doctors' committee and Reem Ibrahim from the Institute of Economic Affairs onto the programme to delve into the contentious issue, reports Bristol Live. "I absolutely believe in markets, but the NHS is not a market, it's a socialised healthcare system. That is the fundamental point. If doctors want to be paid more, then let's look at a social healthcare system," Reem said. "Let's look at countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark that have public and private partnerships where there is competition." She added: "What I would like to see is the National Health Service as a whole, the spending that we're using at the moment, being used more efficiently." Ross was quick to counter, asserting: "I think that's a foolish thing to do. A canary in a coal mine is there to alert people of danger, and that's what the strikes are doing." The debate soon escalated as Ed and Susanna joined the conversation, with tempers flaring on all sides. Viewers tuning into the fiery exchange soon expressed their frustation on X (formerly Twitter), criticising the segment's confrontational tone. One viewer questioned: "Why are they shouting??" while another commented: "Why is Ed Balls getting angry here? So unprofessional." Another exasperated viewer remarked: "This is excruciating," and one more asked: "Can you explain please why Ed Balls's questioning and response to the young lady was more aggressive than to the BMA representative. Seems to forget he's now supposed to be balanced as an interviewer and his political bias as a labour minister put on the back burner."
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
I escaped the Liverpool parade crash by INCHES after diving out of the road - one lucky thing saved my life but now I'm wracked with guilt
A guest on Good Morning Britain opened up about how she escaped the Liverpool parade crash by mere inches after diving out of the road - but confessed that she's now riddled with guilt. Chelsea Yuen appeared on the ITV show on Tuesday to talk to Ed Balls, 58, and Susanna Reid, 54, about the terrifying event, which took place on Monday in the northern city. Several people have been injured after a car ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans on Water Street during their Premier League victory parade yesterday (27 May 2025) evening. Eyewitness Chelsea heard the driver slamming his horn, which prompted her to roll out of the way, and although she's grateful to be alive, she is suffering with survivor's guilt. Recalling what had happened, Chelsea said: 'When the car came plummeting down it was inevitable it was going to hit people.' She added: 'Absolutely everybody was walking up the street. Chelsea Yuen (right) appeared on the ITV show on Tuesday to talk to Ed Balls, 58, and Susanna Reid, 54, about the terrifying event which took place on Monday in the northern city 'When we heard the beeping of the driver that was coming through the crowds, that's when we looked up and seen the car coming towards us. 'We just narrowly missed being hit and we were able to jump out the way into as much safety as we could be. 'Then unfortunately it carried on and continued into the other people behind us.' Ed then pointed out that neither Chelsea or her family members were hurt, but that it was a traumatic experience that will haunt her forever. Chelsea said: 'We were grateful that we were safe, we weren't hurt but then we almost feel guilty now that children were hurt. 'The tragedy is a lot worse than we thought it was at the time. 'We didn't know what it was, we didn't know whether it was a tower or somebody or drunk or even somebody who had a heart attack while drinking. 'We just didn't know what it was. 'So we were angry at first, then scared when we started seeing the people lying on the floor as we walked up the street a bit further.' Susanna said: 'Obviously, shocking that four people got trapped underneath the car and firefighters had to lift the car and one of those people was a child. 'That makes it so much more upsetting, doesn't it? 'This is what is so shocking. 'It's a family event, families everywhere, prams, kids on their dads' shoulders. 'Although it's an obscene amount of people that have been hurt, seriously hurt, I'm surprised there wasn't more. 'But it hurts more that there were kids involved.' British police said they had arrested a 53-year-old white male, and that the incident was not terrorism related. The Liverpool Echo reported that a total of 47 people were injured, with 27 taken to hospital, including an adult and a child in serious condition. Four people are still 'very, very ill in hospital,' Steve Rotheram, the city's metro mayor, told the BBC. 'There are still four people who are very, very ill in hospital and we are hoping of course that they pull through very, very quickly, he said. Nick Searle, a spokesman for the region's fire and rescue service said four people who were trapped under the minivan, including a child, were rescued by firefighters. Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Good Morning Britain hit as ITV cuts hundreds of jobs
ITV is to cut hundreds of jobs across its most popular daytime TV shows as part of the broadcaster's scramble to cut costs. In a radical restructuring unveiled on Tuesday, the channel told staff it plans to transfer production of its flagship breakfast programme Good Morning Britain (GMB) from its in-house studios division to ITN, the news production business it jointly owns with Channel 4 and Channel 5. The move, which will merge GMB's production teams with those of ITV News, is expected to result in more than 220 redundancies – almost half the broadcaster's daytime staff. The shake-up will also see ITV make sweeping changes to its daytime schedule. GMB, whose presenters include Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, will be extended by half an hour until 9:30am. Lorraine, the current affairs show fronted by Lorraine Kelly, will be slashed in half to just 30 minutes. Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will also now air for just 30 weeks of the year, with plans for one team to produce all three shows from next year. The shake-up underscores efforts to slash costs in daytime programming as traditional broadcasters grapple with an exodus of viewers to streaming rivals such as Netflix and Disney. The public service broadcaster has already cut around 200 jobs in the past year and in March, bosses outlined plans to strip a further £60m out of the business. GMB has also been falling in popularity in recent years. The show pulled in an average audience of more than 1m prior to Piers Morgan's dramatic departure in 2021, but has since slid to around 700,000 and is lagging behind key rival BBC Breakfast. ITV is also receiving interest from a growing number of suitors over a potential takeover that could see the channel broken up or sold entirely. RedBird IMI, the UAE fund blocked from taking control of The Telegraph, has approached the broadcaster about a potential merger with All3Media, the production company behind The Traitors, which it acquired for £1.2bn last year. Banijay, the French production behemoth whose hits include Big Brother, MasterChef and Peaky Blinders, has reportedly also held early-stage discussions about a possible tie-up. Discussions over a potential break-up have sparked concerns among MPs about the sustainability of ITV's traditional broadcasting business and potential cuts to its local news programming. Sources close to ITV insisted that the daytime overhaul was unrelated to any possible deal. Instead, they said the broadcaster will reinvest the savings into big-hitting dramas such as Mr Bates vs The Post Office, as well as major sporting events. The shake-up also comes amid calls for greater support for traditional broadcasters in the face of deep-pocketed US rivals. High-profile figures across the industry have warned of a funding crisis facing traditional TV that they say puts quintessentially British dramas at risk. Patrick Spence, the former ITV executive who produced Mr Bates vs The Post Office, has said there is 'absolutely no chance' the programme would get funding now. The crisis has prompted calls by MPs for a 'Netflix tax' on streaming companies to help fund British shows. However, ministers have ruled out a levy. Kevin Lygo, ITV's head of media and entertainment, said: 'Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres. 'These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Good Morning Britain hit as ITV cuts hundreds of jobs
ITV is to cut hundreds of jobs across its most popular daytime TV shows as part of the broadcaster's scramble to cut costs. In a radical restructuring unveiled on Tuesday, the channel told staff it plans to transfer production of its flagship breakfast programme Good Morning Britain (GMB) from its in-house studios division to ITN, the news production business it jointly owns with Channel 4 and Channel 5. The move, which will merge GMB's production teams with those of ITV News, is expected to result in more than 220 redundancies – almost half the broadcaster's daytime staff. The shake-up will also see ITV make sweeping changes to its daytime schedule. GMB, whose presenters include Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, will be extended by half an hour until 9:30am. Lorraine, the current affairs show fronted by Lorraine Kelly, will be slashed in half to just 30 minutes. Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will also now air for just 30 weeks of the year, with plans for one team to produce all three shows from next year. The shake-up underscores efforts to slash costs in daytime programming as traditional broadcasters grapple with an exodus of viewers to streaming rivals such as Netflix and Disney. The public service broadcaster has already cut around 200 jobs in the past year and in March, bosses outlined plans to strip a further £60m out of the business. GMB has also been falling in popularity in recent years. The show pulled in an average audience of more than 1m prior to Piers Morgan's dramatic departure in 2021, but has since slid to around 700,000 and is lagging behind key rival BBC Breakfast. ITV is also receiving interest from a growing number of suitors over a potential takeover that could see the channel broken up or sold entirely. RedBird IMI, the UAE fund blocked from taking control of The Telegraph, has approached the broadcaster about a potential merger with All3Media, the production company behind The Traitors, which it acquired for £1.2bn last year. Banijay, the French production behemoth whose hits include Big Brother, MasterChef and Peaky Blinders, has reportedly also held early-stage discussions about a possible tie-up. Discussions over a potential break-up have sparked concerns among MPs about the sustainability of ITV's traditional broadcasting business and potential cuts to its local news programming. Sources close to ITV insisted that the daytime overhaul was unrelated to any possible deal. Instead, they said the broadcaster will reinvest the savings into big-hitting dramas such as Mr Bates vs The Post Office, as well as major sporting events. The shake-up also comes amid calls for greater support for traditional broadcasters in the face of deep-pocketed US rivals. High-profile figures across the industry have warned of a funding crisis facing traditional TV that they say puts quintessentially British dramas at risk. Patrick Spence, the former ITV executive who produced Mr Bates vs The Post Office, has said there is 'absolutely no chance' the programme would get funding now. The crisis has prompted calls by MPs for a 'Netflix tax' on streaming companies to help fund British shows. However, ministers have ruled out a levy. Kevin Lygo, ITV's head of media and entertainment, said: 'Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres. 'These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.'
