Latest news with #FBU
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Labour MP Mary Foy failed to declare relationship with union boss
Labour MP Mary Foy has referred herself to Parliament's standards watchdog after lobbying on behalf of a trade union run by her Durham MP is understood to be in a relationship with Matt Wrack, who was the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) for two decades until January introduced two campaigns in Parliament about the FBU and also received a £2,000 donation from the union in August 2024. She did not declare her relationship on the MPs' register of told the BBC: "I've contacted the standards commissioner to ensure all of my work is recorded in line with the rules - as any MP would." Wrack has not responded to a request for has introduced two Early Day Motions about firefighters in the House of Commons - one in November 2022 about pay increases, and a second in November 2023 about protecting them from toxic contaminants which can cause Day Motions are used by MPs to draw attention to campaigns but very few are debated in Parliament. She also lists an FBU employee under her name on the register of MPs' staff, meaning they receive a security pass for the parliamentary was ousted as the FBU's general secretary earlier this year after facing a leadership challenge from another union official. He is currently acting general secretary of the education union said in a statement: "As a Member of Parliament I work with a wide range of stakeholders, including a number of trade unions."I've proudly advocated for paramedics, prison officers, teachers, firefighters, doctors and other frontline staff in Durham, the wider North East and indeed the country during my time as an MP - that work will only continue."The parliamentary commissioner for standards declined to comment. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Labour MP in undeclared relationship with trade union boss she lobbied for in Parliament
A Labour MP is under pressure to explain why she lobbied Parliament on behalf of a trade union while in an undeclared relationship with its boss. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Durham MP Mary Foy is in a relationship with militant former fireman Matt Wrack, who led the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) for two decades until January. Ms Foy introduced two Early Day Motions on behalf of the union when Mr Wrack was the FBU's general secretary – one asking for a pay rise for firefighters and the other calling for the Government to support a union campaign. She also accepted a £2,000 donation from the FBU for her 2024 General Election campaign, which she launched alongside Mr Wrack. The union also provided a staff member from its political team to work in Ms Foy's parliamentary office for more than a year. It is understood that Ms Foy has now contacted the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to check whether she has complied with the rules on MPs' declarations. When approached for comment by the MoS, neither Ms Foy nor Mr Wrack denied the relationship but both maintained that Ms Foy had always campaigned for workers' rights. Meanwhile, multiple well-placed sources have told this newspaper that it was 'well known' within the union that the pair began a relationship after splitting from previous partners. While they have now been together for several years, Ms Foy has not declared the relationship in the MPs' register of interests. The code of conduct requires MPs to declare any family members involved in lobbying the Government, which includes 'cohabiting partners'. Asked repeatedly whether she felt that she should have declared the relationship, Ms Foy declined to answer. Last night Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: 'If these allegations are correct, Ms Foy has serious questions to answer. MPs have a duty to be open and transparent if their family life has any bearing on our work at Westminster. 'Ms Foy should clarify immediately whether she has been so.' Ms Foy came under scrutiny in 2021 during the 'Beergate' probe after Sir Keir Starmer was pictured drinking beer in her Durham office when there were strict Covid rules in place. The Daily Mail reported in 2022 that she had launched a 'drunken tirade' on the Commons terrace against Richard Holden, the Tory MP who led calls for a police investigation into the event. She later apologised to him. Police carried out a two-month investigation before concluding that there had been no breach of the ban on indoor mixing because it was a work gathering. Ms Foy has been a long-time supporter of both the trade union movement generally and also the FBU. While in a relationship with Mr Wrack, Ms Foy said in 2023: 'I'll continue to back the demands of firefighters in Parliament.' Mr Wrack has faced his share of scrutiny in recent months after he failed to be re-elected as the FBU's general secretary in January and then was controversially named as the head of Britain's second-largest teaching union, despite having never been a teacher. The militant socialist was appointed to the £130,000-a-year job at the NASUWT unopposed, but there will now be a contested election for the role after a challenger launched legal action, claiming that he had been barred from running. A spokesman for Ms Foy said: 'Mary Foy works with a wide range of stakeholders, including a number of trade unions. 'Mary has proudly advocated for paramedics, prison officers, teachers, firefighters, doctors and other frontline staff in Durham, the wider North East and indeed the country during her time as an MP – that work will continue.' Mr Wrack said the FBU had introduced a conflict-of-interest policy under his leadership and that he did not attend any discussion on donations relating to the 2024 General Election He added: 'It is entirely reasonable for an MP to raise concerns about the pay of dedicated public servants, especially after years of austerity and falling living standards.' An FBU spokesman said: 'Our union's funding of the Labour Party and a number of its MPs is completely transparent.' A spokesman from the Fire Brigades Union said: 'Our union's funding of the Labour Party and a number of its MPs is completely transparent. Ours is the cleanest money in politics. 'Every political donation made by the union goes through a process and is agreed by the FBU's executive council. 'The FBU is proud of the role our representatives played in campaigning to ensure that Labour's General Election manifesto included a plan to extend workers' rights such as by banning zero-hour contracts and outlawing fire and rehire. 'Labour must be funded by trade unions and membership subscriptions. That transparent relationship is in stark contrast to that of the Tories and Reform UK who are bankrolled by the super rich.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At NZ$3.46, Is It Time To Put Fletcher Building Limited (NZSE:FBU) On Your Watch List?
Fletcher Building Limited (NZSE:FBU), is not the largest company out there, but it led the NZSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. The company is now trading at yearly-high levels following the recent surge in its share price. With many analysts covering the mid-cap stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stock's share price. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Fletcher Building's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists. Our free stock report includes 1 warning sign investors should be aware of before investing in Fletcher Building. Read for free now. Great news for investors – Fletcher Building is still trading at a fairly cheap price. Our valuation model shows that the intrinsic value for the stock is NZ$4.79, which is above what the market is valuing the company at the moment. This indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. Another thing to keep in mind is that Fletcher Building's share price may be quite stable relative to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This means that if you believe the current share price should move towards its intrinsic value over time, a low beta could suggest it is not likely to reach that level anytime soon, and once it's there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range again. Check out our latest analysis for Fletcher Building Future outlook is an important aspect when you're looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so let's also take a look at the company's future expectations. Though in the case of Fletcher Building, it is expected to deliver a relatively unexciting top-line growth of 8.9% in the next few years, which doesn't help build up its investment thesis. Growth doesn't appear to be a main reason for a buy decision for the company, at least in the near term. Are you a shareholder? Even though growth is relatively muted, since FBU is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation. Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on FBU for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its future outlook isn't fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it's not too late to buy FBU. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed buy. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Fletcher Building and you'll want to know about this. If you are no longer interested in Fletcher Building, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The National
14-05-2025
- Climate
- The National
Fire crews spend fifth day tackling major forest blaze
At the height of the incident, more than 50 firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze in woodland near Fauldhouse. A helicopter was also used to drop water onto the burning trees and moorland. Firefighters were called to the scene at 11.43am on Saturday. READ MORE: NC500 named least electric vehicle-friendly road trip in UK-wide study On Wednesday morning, a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson confirmed that two appliances remained at the scene. People living nearby have been urged to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke. An SFRS spokesperson said on Wednesday at around 7.30am: 'There are still sporadic hotspots, so we still have crews in attendance fighting it.' The fire service had earlier warned of an 'extreme' risk of wildfires across mainland Scotland due to the warm, dry weather, which remained in place until May 12. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the incident highlighted the need to reverse cuts to fire and rescue services. Colin Brown, FBU executive member for Scotland, previously said: 'Firefighters from across central Scotland have been in attendance at this major wildfire. 'They have worked in searing temperatures to try to control its spread and protect the public and nearby property. 'Their commitment and skill has ensured that the fire didn't spread and cause much further damage or loss of life. 'Sadly, events like this are likely to be more frequent in future as a result of global warming. 'If communities are to be protected we need to reverse the cuts to the fire and rescue service that has resulted in 1200 jobs lost over the last decade, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Government need to withdraw their proposals to close fire stations and cut yet more fire appliances from community fire stations. 'Representatives from the FBU will be making these points very forcibly to the minister for victims and community safety Siobhan Brown when we meet her this week.' The Scottish Greens said the fire, as well as the extreme wildfire warnings issued for May 9-12, signalled the country was on the front line of the climate crisis. MSP Ariane Burgess previously said: 'We aren't even in the height of our summer yet and we are already seeing our woodlands burning and warnings in place across much of the country. 'We should all be grateful to the firefighters who are risking their lives and putting their safety on the line to protect us and our communities. 'It's not just the immediate threats they face, but also the lifelong increased health risks from exposure to smoke and toxic substances. 'We need to do everything we can to ensure that they are well supported and properly equipped for the growing threats that we face from increasing temperatures.' READ MORE: Scotland sees warmest day of year as thunderstorms lash parts of England She added: 'Scotland is blessed with amazing and iconic landscapes that attract visitors from across the world. 'But they are also homes and places where people live and work, and, with our climate changing around us, they are being put at growing risk and thrust on to the front line of the climate crisis.' Deputy assistant chief officer Kenny Barbour, of the SFRS, previously said: 'We are currently in the midst of a service delivery review, which aims to ensure that our resources – our staff, stations and appliances – are matched to operational risk and demand across Scotland. 'We have now concluded an options appraisal and development process and a number of change options have been recommended to progress to public consultation in the summer. This remains subject to final approval by the SFRS Board. 'Any permanent changes to our station footprint or how we deliver our services will only come after we have sought views from the public and a final decision has been made by the SFRS Board.'
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
London mayor urged to halt new Penge flats over fire safety fears
The mayor of London and Bromley Council have been urged to halt plans for what the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has described as an "unsafe" block of flats in south-east a letter to Sir Sadiq Khan, the FBU said the planned 16-storey block at the old Blenheim shopping centre, Penge, risked a "fire safety disaster" as it would have only a single staircase as an escape Hadley Clarion said the scheme complied "fully with the latest building regulations and fire safety standards" after it recently reduced the height of the planned tower, and was subsequently granted planning permission by Bromley Hall said the mayor was satisfied the plans were "compliant". In an open letter signed by fire safety campaigners, the FBU general secretary Steve Wright calls on the Greater London Authority (GLS) to stop the project until plans meet the "highest standards of building safety".Mr Wright accused developers of attempting to "circumvent" planning rules by adjusting the height of the building to just 30cm (12in) the height limit permitted for blocks with single staircases. "This is an attempt to cut corners and get around the building safety regulations introduced to avoid a repeat of the Grenfell Tower tragedy," Mr Wight said."If the development goes ahead in its current form, residents of this property will only have one staircase which they can use to evacuate. This could cost lives."A spokesperson for Hadley Clarion said the building was re-designed twice to comply with "evolving legislation". The Blenheim Square development will see the current shopping centre demolished and the construction of 230 homes, including 73 affordable homes, as well as commercial the plans were were first proposed in 2022, the law was changed requiring any new residential building in England more than 18m (59ft) to have two staircases installed as fire escape routes - part of a government response to the 2017 Grenfell Tower for one of the blocks initially designed to six storeys high, 18.74m (about 61ft), with a single staircase were then revised down to a height of the London Fire Brigade's continued concerns about fire safety, Bromley Council approved the development in March 2024. The mayor of London has the power to intervene in local authority planning decisions, but his office said the application was found to be "compliant with London Plan policies on fire safety" and that the mayor was "content" for Bromley Council to rule on the plans.A City Hall spokesperson added: "We aware of the FBU's concerns and hope FBU and Bromley can meet and find a solution that all parties are happy with."The Hadley Clarion spokesperson added: "At a time when London faces its worst housing crisis in generations, with record numbers across London - including in Bromley - living in temporary accommodation, town centre regeneration projects like Blenheim Square are exactly what the capital needs."
