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The National
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Steve Reed is leading a campaign of disinformation on Scottish water
I'm proud to live in a country with a publicly-owned water company that is demonstrably delivering for the people who live here. Our water is cheaper – we pay much less for our water than people in England and Wales. And our water is cleaner – 87% is judged to be either 'high' or 'good' quality by our environmental regulator, Sepa. READ MORE: Broadcast watchdog called in over Labour's 'misleading' Scottish water claim Any profit that Scottish Water makes off our bills is invested in making improvements to its infrastructure – rather than lining the pockets of shareholders. The benefits of Scotland's approach were outlined this week in the Independent Water Commission's recent report into the water industry in England and Wales. It gave special mention to the way we manage our water sector – specifically highlighting the way the Scottish Government works as good practice. The report also draws attention to our long-term vision, the ongoing flexibility in our investment programme, our approach to sharing costs across generations and our ethical-based regulation model – which ensures we deliver the best outcomes possible for the public. But you wouldn't have heard of this if you listened to the UK Environment Secretary Steve Reed talking about it. Instead, he has taken to the airwaves with a campaign of disinformation about Scotland, designed to undermine the idea of public ownership of water. You might expect this from a Tory politician, but the last time I checked, this UK Government was meant to be a Labour government. Mr Reed's repeated assertion that pollution in Scotland's rivers is worse than England is simply wrong. The independent report commissioned by his own department clearly shows that is not the case, noting that 66% of Scotland's water bodies are of good ecological status as compared with 16.1% in England. Even allowing for differences in the timeframe for those figures, it is clear that Scotland has far higher water quality. Much of the improvement is due to significant investment in the water industry and efforts made by Sepa to address pollution from other sources In fact, we take the issue of pollution so seriously that we have already committed up to £500 million to further improve water quality, specifically to increase monitoring of the highest priority waters and tackle debris and spills. While companies in Labour-run England aren't delivering for anybody except shareholders, Scottish Water has been labelled the UK's top-performing water company and as the most trusted utility in the UK according to the Customer Service Institute. READ MORE: SNP minister calls on UK counterpart to retract 'misleading' Scottish water comments There is much we have to be proud of when it comes to our water. There is also a lot that others can learn from the Scottish Government's approach to managing the sector. However, we are not complacent. Like the rest of the UK, Scotland shares pressures relating to ageing assets and climate change and we will need to do more and more to manage this. But if we're going to make progress and deliver the best outcome for households and businesses, that has to start with an understanding of the facts. So we'll leave Labour to explain to people in England and Wales why they can't have what people have in SNP-run Scotland – and we'll get on with ensuring that our natural resources truly benefit the people of Scotland.
New Statesman
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Statesman
Sharon Graham: Unite's Labour affliation 'getting harder to justify'
Photo byBack in 2021, before she was even elected general secretary of the union, Sharon Graham was already wondering whether Unite should divorce from Labour. During her campaign to succeed the highly-politicised leadership of Len McCluskey, Graham said that Unite's 'obsession with the Labour Party needs to end'. The end may be at hand. On July 11th, 800 Unite industrial and regional representatives gathered in Brighton for its policy conference, where they voted on what could be soon regarded as a landmark motion in the history of the modern British-left: to suspend the membership of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and to 're-examine' the union's long-standing funding of the Labour Party. Only a 'handful' of people stood against it. 'There seems to be a bit of shock that the conference voted that way,' Graham told me over the phone.'There were only a handful of people that voted against that in a group [which] represents 1.1 million workers. That should be a red flag for the government.' The source of Unite and Graham's anger are protracted strikes by waste refuse workers employed by Birmingham City Council – over job reformation and hefty cuts in pay – and the unsatisfactory response from the local Labour-run authority, as well as their national colleagues in Westminster. 'The abdication of responsibility here has been outrageous,' Graham said of Labour's response to the action, which began last summer, and has seen tens of thousands of tons worth of rubbish rot on the streets of England's second city. 'Leaving these workers to wither on the vine is not what I expect from a Labour government.' Rayner, whose ministerial brief covers local government, has deferred responsibility to end the strikes to Birmingham City Council: 'This is a local dispute, and it is right that the negotiations are led locally,' she told the Commons in April. But Rayner's justification for absconding soon switched from giving the council autonomy, to ''legal reasons… which is very odd,' claimed Graham, 'because there is no legal reason why [she] couldn't get involved.' The government-appointed commissioners that help manage the council's operations – following it declaring effective-bankruptcy in 2023 – also report directly to Rayner. Rayner eventually got involved in the dispute. 'She visited Birmingham [in April], and went to speak to the leader of a council [John Cotton]… who's not been in one single negotiation,' Graham said. '[Rayner] went to speak to the strike-breakers – the agency workers who broke the dispute – but didn't have one conversation with the [still-striking] workers. She didn't ask to meet them; didn't ask to sit down somewhere, talk to them; didn't want to really understand what was going on.' Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Does Graham consider this scabbing by Rayner, a former a trade union rep? Graham refused to offer her own view, but projected the angst of her members: 'I think there's something wholly wrong with a decision to ignore workers who are losing up to a quarter of their pay, and essentially picking a side. That's what it felt like for the workers. They were extremely upset about what happened that day.' Despite Labour and Rayner being tied to unions, the industrial angst the Birmingham strikes represent is a 'microcosm of the whole', according to Graham. Resident doctors voted to stage five days of industrial action in the same week Unite staged its turn against Labour. 'I don't expect to win every conversation with the Labour government,' said Graham, 'but… I expect a Labour government to intervene, and I certainly expect Angela Rayner – who talks about workers' rights – to see what is happening, roll her sleeves up and find out what's going on. She didn't do that. That's not acceptable, and our conference took the decision to suspend her membership.' Competition will be fierce to secure Unite's vast funding should it divorce from Labour. It would be a particularly costly split for the latter, which receives £1.4m a year in affiliation fees from Graham's union. Labour is in a 'difficult financial position', an internal document notes, and is under a 'recovery plan' in 2025 in order to bring finances to a 'planned but manageable deficit'. The party needs 'at least £4m to adequately resource the 2026 elections'. Is Graham tempted to channel Unite's heft to the incoming Sultana-Corbyn party, or even an 'eco-populist' Greens led by the emerging Zack Polanski? 'That's all a sideshow,' she said of the speculation. But following any hypothetical disaffiliation with Labour, Graham added, 'I think it's more likely that we would focus on building a strong, independent workers union that was the true, authentic voice for workers, and use that power to move political debate.' But just because there is no imminent threat to Labour's union funding, there is no room for complacency for Keir Starmer and his party. People who 'flirt' with the disaffiliation question typically assume that it's only ever over 'the internal Labour [Party] squabble of the day,' Graham noted. They may have been true before – but not now. 'Actually,' Graham added, 'this is the first time that this has been done because of workers,' something that Labour has lost perspective on. 'Before the election, I couldn't go on a picket line [without] people saying: 'We need a Labour government'… [Now] I go to those same picket lines to negotiate, and those same people are saying: 'What the hell is going on here?'' Unite's threat to withdraw its funding and affiliation is seemingly not a bluff. 'Let's put it this way,' Graham began, reflecting on the overwhelming decision taken at Unite's meeting last week, 'had that policy conference been a rules conference – because at a rules conference, we determine [our] affiliation to Labour – then those workers would have voted to disaffiliate.' The next Unite rules conference is scheduled for 2027. That gives Labour time to fix things. And outreach has already begun. 'There have been conversations in relation to the government itself but I don't want to go down that road [publicly],' Graham revealed. 'I don't want to scupper anything… in that regard.' After airing their dirty laundry for all to see last week, Labour and Unite are now seemingly conducting marriage counseling in private. But existential questions for Labour and Unite remain. 'Now, we are affiliated to Labour, we have a history of being affiliated to Labour, but you can't just blindly affiliate and blindly pay members' money into an organisation that, those members feel, is not speaking for them,' Graham told me. 'The Labour Party… [is] about being the voice for workers; not being embarrassed to be the voice for workers – but [being] very clear so that workers know, 'if you vote Labour, they're on your side'. 'If more and more people are saying, 'Hang on a minute, I'm not sure about that anymore', then it's harder to justify the affiliation.' [See also: Are Unite and Labour heading for divorce] Related
The National
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Dates of Donald Trump's September state visit to UK confirmed
The US president will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, on his state visit to the UK from September 17 to 19, Buckingham Palace said. DONALD Trump will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle during his unprecedented second state visit to the UK in September. This will be Trump's second state visit to the UK – an unprecedented gesture towards an American leader, having previously been feted by a state visit in 2019. The House of Commons will not be sitting at the time of Trump's visit as it will be in recess for party conference season, meaning the president will not be able to address Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did during his state visit this week. READ MORE: Anas Sarwar left red-faced as Labour-run council orders no Alexander Dennis buses However, the House of Lords will be sitting. A senior minister insisted the timing of the trip was a matter for Buckingham Palace, rather than an attempt by the Government to avoid potential embarrassment over a parliamentary address. Treasury chief secretary Darren Jones said: 'I don't know why the particular dates were chosen by the Palace. 'Of course, state visits are organised by the Palace, not by the Government or Parliament.' Former Commons speaker John Bercow (below) opposed Trump appearing in Parliament during his first term in office and 20 MPs have signed a motion resisting an invitation being issued this time around. Jones told ITV's Good Morning Britain the Government was 'looking forward to welcoming' Trump. 'We benefit in terms of our economy and our defence and national security capabilities by continuing our very historic and important relationship with the United States of America, whoever is president,' he said. In February this year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented the US president with a letter from the King as he invited him for the visit during a meeting at the White House. As the pair were sat next to each other in the Oval Office, Starmer handed the president the personal invitation, later saying 'this is truly historic and unprecedented'. After reading it, Trump said it was a 'great, great honour', adding 'and that says at Windsor – that's really something'. In the letter, Charles suggested he and the president might meet at Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland first before the much grander state visit. However, it is understood that, although all options were explored, there were logistical challenges surrounding an informal visit, with complexities in both the King and Mr Trump's diaries meaning a private meeting was not possible over the course of the summer months. This week, a senior Police Scotland officer said the cost of policing a visit by Trump will be 'considerable' and that the force will look to secure extra funding. It emerged on Wednesday that the force was in the early stages of planning for a visit at the end of this month, which is likely to see the president visit one or both of his golf clubs in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire and require substantial policing resources and probably units to be called in from elsewhere in the UK. Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama. The late Queen hosted Trump during his first state visit. News of the plans for the September visit comes days after the King wrote to Trump to express his 'profound sadness' after catastrophic flooding killed nearly 90 people in Texas. Charles 'offered his deepest sympathy' to those who lost loved ones over the July Fourth weekend, the British Embassy in Washington said. Back in March, Trump sent the King his 'best wishes' and 'good health' in a phone call with Starmer after Charles spent a brief period in hospital after experiencing temporary side effects from his cancer treatment. The September state visit comes after Charles visited Canada back in May where he opened the nation's parliament. Many Canadians saw the King's two-day visit to Ottawa as a symbol of support for the country that has faced the unwanted attention of Trump's trade war against his neighbour and threats to annex Canada. This week, French president Macron and his wife Brigitte were hosted by the King and Queen during his three-day state visit. Macron's itinerary included a glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle, a carriage ride through the historic Berkshire town and a ceremonial welcome. The state dinner was attended by the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Prime Minister and senior members of the Cabinet.
Scottish Sun
14-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Labour chiefs in hypocrisy row after ordering NO buses from Alexander Dennis as firm faces closure
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTTISH Labour-run Edinburgh Council failed to buy a single bus from closure-threatened Alexander Dennis for the last three years, we can reveal. The party were last night labelled hypocrites after using bus orders from Labour-run Manchester to attack the SNP's failures to support the business. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 4 The Alexander Dennis site at Camelon, near Falkirk Credit: PA 4 Anas Sarwar had criticised SNP inaction over the future of Alexander Dennis Credit: Getty However, it has emerged that after coming to power in the Capital, council bus firm Lothian Buses failed to make a single order from the company. Lothian Buses is the single largest taxpayer-owned bus operator in Scotland. Scottish Tory transport spokeswoman and Lothian MSP, Sue Webber, said the figures were a 'major source of embarrassment for Anas Sarwar'. She said: 'He has been at pains to demand more support for the under-threat workforce at Alexander Dennis but his own council in Edinburgh haven't lifted a finger for years. Find out what's really going on Register now for our free weekly politics newsletter for an insightful and irreverent look at the (sometimes excruciating) world of Scottish Politics. Every Thursday our hotshot politics team goes behind the headlines to bring you a rundown of key events - plus insights and gossip from the corridors of power, including a 'Plonker' and 'Star' of the Week. Sign up now and make sure you don't miss a beat. The politicians would hate that. SIGN UP FOR FREE NOW 'The Scottish Labour leader must urgently ask his councillors in Edinburgh why they have turned their backs on this firm, which now looks set to leave Scotland.' Figures from Lothian Buses, Scotland's largest council-run bus firm, show 180 buses were purchased from the company between 2018 and 2022. The SNP and Scottish Labour ran Edinburgh council between 2017 and 2022 in a power-sharing deal. Scottish Labour's shock win in Hamilton stuns establishment as SNP face 'false' campaign blast But at the council elections in 2022, ex-party chief Cammy Day seized total control of the city by cutting a deal with Scottish Lib Dem and Tory councillors to block the SNP and Scottish Greens from power. But Lothian said not a single order had been made to Alexander Dennis by the bus operator since Scottish Labour took over as a minority administration. Instead 43 new buses were ordered from other manufacturers in 2023. Alexander Dennis has said it needs around 70 orders this year and 300 next year to stay open in Scotland. 4 Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, had ordered 160 buses from Alexander Dennis Credit: PA 4 Scottish Tory transport spokeswoman Sue Webber said the news was "embarrassing" for Mr Sarwar Credit: Alamy A Scottish Government source slammed Labour for 'playing politics'. They said: 'While the Scottish Government explores all options to secure the future of Alexander Dennis in Scotland, the Labour Party have been focused on playing politics. 'This proves that Labour are not serious, they are more concerned with soundbites and social media videos than actually governing and Anas Sarwar is clearly unfit to be First Minister.' Last week 80 jobs were axed at Fife-based Greenfold Systems which builds parts for Alexander Dennis in the latest blow to Scotland's home-grown bus manufacturing. Figures obtained by The Scottish Sun show major bus firms in Scotland have bought hundreds of buses from Alexander Dennis in the last five years. Stagecoach said they had ordered more than 1,000 buses from the company in the last five years, with a further 669 going to other manufacturers. First Bus said it had 200 electric buses from the firm in operation across Scotland, with 84 from other companies. McGills refused to give figures but said it had reduced its orders from Alexander Dennis due to issues with their electric models. They said before the pandemic when all of their buses ran on diesel, Alexander Dennis vehicles made up over 50 per cent of their fleet. A Lothian Bus spokesman said: 'All vehicle procurement decisions are based on an extensive range of factors including product compatibility with Lothian's evolving fleet strategy.' A Scottish Labour spokeswoman added: 'Scottish Labour is clear that we want to make sure that government contracts support Scottish industry and Scottish jobs. 'While the SNP sends contracts to China and Turkey, Anas Sarwar is convening a summit with Mayors from across the UK to discuss how we boost domestic bus manufacturing businesses, including at iconic firms like Alexander Dennis.' An Edinburgh Council spokesman said: "The Council has no involvement in procurement of vehicles for Lothian Buses. This is decided by the Lothian Buses Board."
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'Kemi Badenoch may hate the 1970s but Starmer should look to them'
The Tories are re-telling their favourite fairytale about the time a nasty wolf in left-wing clothing ate the heart out of Britain. At PMQs, Kemi Badenoch praised Norman Tebbit for rescuing this country from the Labour-run "chaos of the 1970s" before arguing that Keir Starmer wants to return us to that chaotic decade by flirting with a wealth tax. Well, seeing as you weren't alive in those bell-bottom days Kemi, let me give you some facts. Life was far from perfect in the 70s. Racism, sexism and homophobia were given free passes, the global oil crisis and shrinking post-Empire markets caused a run on the Pound, police corruption was off the scale and thanks to weak management, chronic underinvestment and powerful trade unions, industrial relations resembled a warzone. But it was, in many respects, a glorious time to be alive. There was a strong sense of community, belief in public services, free higher education, council houses aplenty, workers grafted for fewer hours in more secure jobs, The Clash and Sex Pistols ushered a new era of music, watching football was as cheap as chips and Thatcher had yet to turn Britain into a selfish, divided bearpit where only the strong survived. Plus, 1976 was officially the year when incomes in this country were at their most equal. Indeed, the only European country where the gap between rich and poor was narrower was Sweden. But Thatcher came to power at the end of the 70s and decreed this equality nonsense had gone too far. So she let the free markets rip and slashed higher rates of tax, helping the rich gorge on the nation's wealth and leaving the poor, the weak and the old industrial heartlands to rot. The gap between the top and the bottom in the UK has only carried on widening, which is why today we are the second most unequal G7 economy after America and the second most unequal nation in Europe after Bulgaria. The richest 70,000 people now take home 67 times more than the average worker, with CEOs like Tesco's Ken Murphy picking up £10 million last year, 431 times more than his company's mean wage. Recent research from The Equality Trust showed the UK's richest 50 families have more wealth than half the population and the billionaire count has soared from 15 in 1990 to 165 last year. We live in times of peak inequality making us an impoverished, unhealthy country where public services have stagnated, the economy has flatlined and a third of children live below the poverty line. Which is why the likes of Neil Kinnock is calling on Starmer to bring in a wealth tax on assets worth more than £10million and why this generation of Tories hate the idea almost as much as they hate the 1970s. Because equality is anathema to them. Whether it's Kinnock's tax on assets, a mansion tax, increasing capital gains tax, a new tax band for the super-wealthy or slashing relief on pensions for the richest, the government has to act. It's no longer a question of whether Labour's reputation can afford a wealth tax, it's whether, in the face of staggering debt and limited options, it can afford not to address the terminal dysfunction caused by a vampiric economy in which most of the wealth gets sucked up by the few at the top. It's about our country Stayin' Alive, as we used to sing in bell-bottom days.
