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Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'Labour must act on bin strikes or people will vote with feet' says Unite chief
As Birmingham's bin strike enters the sixth month, Real Britain guest columnist Sharon Graham, general secretary of trade union Unite, says workers are not being supported. The Birmingham bin strike has just entered its sixth month. It could be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Workers are being told to take up to £8,000 worth of pay cuts while councillors' allowances increase and government commissioners – brought in to control the council – earn an eye-watering £1,200 a day. In the last six months, not one Labour politician, either locally or nationally, has bothered to find out about the state of negotiations or even join them. Not one. This, in a Labour -controlled council and with commissioners directly accountable to the Labour government to oversee decisions – a council that has spent tens of millions on a failed IT system, and many more other failed projects, and which is now asking workers to pay the price. These workers, like so many others now, are scratching their heads and asking, "What the hell is Labour doing?" Instead of rolling up her sleeves and finding out what is going on, Angela Rayner – who has direct authority in the government for the commissioners – has not spoken to one single worker who is on strike. It seems she's too busy holding photo opportunities with agency staff, using Thatcher's laws to try to break the strike. Workers aren't stupid, they can see what is going on. It comes after Keir Starmer hails a major UK-France deal to tackle Channel small boat crossings. These drivers are being told to accept their wage cuts or get out. Jobs some have been doing for more than 20 years. Their homes are now at risk because they can't pay their mortgages. Labour is effectively threatening these workers with "fire and rehire". Pure and simple. All of this makes an absolute mockery of Labour's pledge to "make work pay". The government is failing to deliver for workers. From Grangemouth and now the Lindsey oil refinery, for example, too often Labour hasn't safeguarded Britain's industrial base. In Birmingham, Labour seem blinded by its own self-regard, lost in a toxic mix of arrogance and incompetence. It seems to expect Unite to roll over and allow this outrageous attack on workers to continue because the government wears a red rosette. Workers will always come first for me no matter the colour of the political rosette. Last month, 800 Unite shop stewards at our biennial conference decided to suspend the Unite membership of Angela Rayner and re-examine our relationship with Labour. It should be a red flag warning. Everyone who is asking what on earth Labour is doing can't be wrong. There are key moments for leaders when they need to see and feel the workers' mood music. This is not just a case of what I think, or what the workers in Birmingham think. There is now a groundswell against Labour, fast becoming irreversible damage. I'm not sure the penny has dropped within the ranks of the Cabinet. Workers will look for alternatives. Labour needs to wake up, and wake up quickly. In Birmingham a Unite poll has revealed 77% of residents believe the government should do more to resolve the dispute. And 49% say they will be less likely to vote Labour at the next election if it continues to refuse to intervene. It is a fact that millions of workers now feel politically homeless and are looking elsewhere to cast their votes. If Labour does not get a grip now and instead remains content with listening to those who tell it what it wants to hear, an even bigger vacuum will appear. One that will be large enough to swallow the party whole. Tory austerity debt should be re-structured or cut Thanks to years of Tory austerity, councils have been loaded with debt. Who pays for this? Residents and workers. Councils, in turn, pay the government interest, including in Birmingham where debt interest payments alone cost £9million a year. It means the Labour government is making money from years of Tory austerity when council budgets were slashed, forcing many into debt to keep services running. The picture across the country is shocking. As of the end of 2023, councils pay the government more than £3billion a year in interest. A major part of the problem is that Labour charges councils more than it must pay out itself. We estimate local authorities pay an additional £450m a year in interest above the government's own borrowing costs. This is a political instrument that Labour could change. During the financial crash RBS didn't pay any similar charges on its £ bailout. It's time for different choices. Workers and communities need to see and feel that Labour are on their side The Tories left a mess, but Labour calls the shots now. Nobody thought one of its first acts would be to target pensioners and disability benefits. While hitting some of the poorest in society, the party failed to restore the cap on City bonuses. So hundreds of thousands of OAPs panicked with anxiety before the eventual U-turn, while the City racked up record bonuses of £7billion last year alone. Failing Labour is losing millions of voters Workers want real change and will look for alternatives. We voted for change, not fiscal rules. After years of austerity and now more than 12 months into a Labour government, it's hard to argue that change is on its way. But perhaps more worrying is the growing expectation this government will fail to make our lives better. That's the reason that millions of workers are turning to Reform or considering a new Left party. Many now believe it is only Nigel Farage or Jeremy Corbyn that will deliver real change. Labour will get one shot to deliver. The party needs to change course and take it. Increased defence spending must deliver jobs at home When the government cut international aid at the same time as it committed to increased defence spending, I argued that it was presenting a false choice. If Britain wants influence overseas, then our aid budget is critical. Soft power is still important, even when you may need more combat drones. And when you commit to extra defence spending, it is just as important that the money to develop military production is spent in the UK, not overseas. We must invest in Britain, in British jobs and British industry and be proud to do so. This country has an enormous skills base in sophisticated defence manufacturing, and it cannot be allowed to wither on the vine. On the contrary, while nobody welcomes global instability, increased spending should be on British manufacturing, securing tens of thousands of jobs. It's not complicated.
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Mum-of-nine took own life when her benefits were wrongly cut off
Joy Dove was determined to fight for justice for her daughter Jodey Whiting, who took her own life aged 42 when she 'lost hope' after her mental health declined when her benefits were cut incorrectly A campaigning mum won an eight-year fight for justice today after an inquest ruled benefits cut had led to her daughter's tragic suicide. Joy Dove refused to let Jodey Whiting, 42, die without her true cause of death being revealed. She was vindicated as a coroner found that the mental health of the mum-of-nine deteriorated when her benefits were stopped incorrectly by the Dept of Work and Pensions. She had 'lost hope' which led to her taking her own life after leaving notes for her family. For years Joy, 71, was championed by the Mirror and 'Real Britain' columnist Ros Wynn-Jones, who called for justice for Jodey. Senior Coroner for Teesside Clare Bailey recorded a verdict of suicide due to a "deteriorating mental state" precipitated by the benefits decision She praised the family's determined campaign to bring about justice, describing their "perseverance, resilience and dignity." Afterwards Joy, of Norton on Teesside, said: "I have always believed that Jodey took her life due to failings by the DWP. The coroner has confirmed that mistakes made by the DWP in the way they handled Jodey's case caused her death. "It should not have taken an eight-year fight for justice to get where we are today. It has been an uphill battle trying to get answers and accountability, but I would never give up. I was determined to keep fighting for justice for Jodey. "This did not just happen to Jodey, it has happened to many others. Jodey's death was not a one-off failing by the DWP, the way they have treated some of their most vulnerable claimants is absolutely disgraceful." The family's solicitor Merry Varney, of Leigh Day, stressed the coroner had shown the importance of 'thorough inquests that properly investigate how a death occurred'. Without them, the "dangerous and sometimes deadly way" that those unable to work due to ill health or disability are treated by the DWP "will remain covered up and unchecked," she added. Jodey was found dead on Feb 21, 2017, 15 days after being denied Employment Support Allowance (ESA) because she had been deemed 'fit to work'. The DWP said it was "deeply regretful" after the inquest heard that the mum-of-nine, who had six grandchildren, "had lost hope" at the time of her death. Teesside Coroner's Court was told how in late 2016, Jodey missed a benefits assessment after being admitted to hospital with pneumonia. Doctors then discovered a cyst on her brain. After being discharged, a DWP letter was found in unopened mail at her flat asking why she had not attended a recent medical assessment. Another letter then arrived four weeks later, on Feb 6, 2017, telling her she was "fit to work". From that moment on, she struggled to cope and was 'shocked, distressed and desperate', the inquest heard. Jodey had serious mental and physical problems. She had bipolar disorder and curvature of the spine. Joy demanded a second inquest after the original lasted just 37 minutes and ruled she had taken her own life. The second inquest was granted after Joy went all the way to the Court of Appeal. Extracts from notes found alongside prescription drugs in her flat were read in court today. Bridget Dolan KC, coroner's counsel, said: "She wrote about not being able to pay her bills and having no food. In some she wrote about feeling breathless and trying to pay her bills and being in debt." Another note stated: "I have had enough." Her mum told the inquest: "Her death really impacted on me, and to learn of the number of failures by the DWP was a further deep shock that I have not recovered from." Her father Eric Whiting said in his tribute that Jodey was like the "Pied Piper" with children around her who adored her. He added: "She always saw the fun side of life until her health issues started." Jodey was increasingly housebound towards the end fof her life. She had a hospital stay in December 2016 after contracting pneumonia and that meant she missed a letter about her benefits, saying she needed to be medically assessed. Joy reassured her daughter that she would help, telling the inquest: "I said, don't you worry, we will explain how you have been in hospital and you are still convalescing." But in January 2017, Jodey was told she had missed a medical assessment and was judged to be fit to work. As well as losing her Employment and Support Allowance, she would also lose housing and council tax benefits. Joy said when she saw her daughter, two days before her death, she was "shaking and crying" and had threatened to kill herself. She was sure that the stress of losing her benefits was the trigger for her to decide to kill herself. "I know my daughter and I know it was that," she added. "It was the fact she couldn't find a job, the worry of paying bills and being pushed out after being so vulnerable all those years." Helga Swidenbank, a DWP director for disability services, said they should have recognised that she had "good cause" not to attend a health assessment, given her illnesses and mental health concerns. She added: "I was not in post at the time but those who I have spoken to are deeply regretful and sorry about what happened. There were a number of opportunities to have picked up concerns about Jodey and we are very sorry about that." They were now more focused on people's vulnerabilities, although this remained a "work in progress". She added: "I understand that there is a culture shift to being much more compassionate. We are not there yet, we still have more work to do." Psychiatrist Dr Trevor Turner said losing her benefits was the "straw that broke the camel's back". Ms Bailey said: "Dr Turner says, and I accept, that withdrawal of her benefits would have had an acute and pervasive effect on Jodey's mental state given her vulnerability and her emotional instability." The coroner added: "Her actions were in the context of her benefits having been wrongly withdrawn by the DWP in circumstances where there had been five missed opportunities to avoid the significant errors. This had the effect of negatively impacting upon her mental health, and was the trigger to her taking a fatal overdose."
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
'Keir Starmer has got it wrong - here's why we're not an island of strangers'
Real Britain reports on All Souls church, which closed in 1986, became a magnet for anti-social behaviour, until community worker Inayat Omarji decided to try to do something about it At All Souls in Bolton, a striking brick and sandstone church built in 1881, Muhammed Ali likes to tell departing visitors to think about who they met there that day. "I say to them, 'when you go home write down something positive about the person that was sat next to you'," the 27-year-old says. "Sharing a space can be very powerful, a way to change things. Just by sitting next to someone there can be a shift in how we understand each other." Behind him, inside the church, a group of 30 women are enjoying a free chair exercise class. "People who live in different communities and don't know each other or who wouldn't usually mix, can do here." Muhammed, who runs a help desk at All Souls for a charity called Flowhesion, says, "You start to talk, there might be a few words or a conversation and then people start to get to know each other and then understand each other, learn how similar they are. We want people to look at one another and see the good things." All Souls has a history of radical community. Built for 19th century millworkers by two local brothers Nathaniel and Thomas Greenhalgh, it has a high roof and no pillars to ensure everyone – whatever their status – had a clear view of the altar and pulpit. The church closed in 1986 and became a local symbol of dereliction and neglect. Vandalised and plundered for its lead, it fell into disrepair for two decades until a local council community worker, Inayat Omarji, decided to try to do something about it. The abandoned church had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour in the area. What if, Inayat, thought, it could become a lodestone for community instead? 'I could see that if it was cleaned up it could make a really good place for the whole community,' Inayat, 50, says. "Now we've got all kinds of groups in there – bell ringers, yoga, karate, ESOL classes, business space.' It matters, he says, because "Bolton bears the brunt of what happens nationally. At the moment, nationally there is this uneasiness. It trickles down, so we have to keep an eye on what is happening." It's been a week since Prime Minister Keir Starmer weighed in on the UK's immigration debate with his 'Island of strangers' speech. At All Souls in Bolton, and across other communities in the North-West from Manchester 's Stretford to Merseyside's Birkenhead, we've found the opposite to be true – that where communities share space and resources, something very different is happening. Bolton was among the towns hit by last summer's riots, which followed false rumours spread around the horrific murder of three little girls in Southport. A mile and a half away, Far Right protestors clashed with mainly Asian counter-protesters in the town centre. Yet here in All Souls, no-one is giving up on bringing people together. "Keir Starmer spoke of an island of strangers – but places like All Souls tell a different story," Inayat, who is part of the We're Right Here community power movement, says. 'All Souls is for all souls, a space where people come together to build shared opportunities and meaningful connections. When communities are trusted with power, belonging becomes real." The idea of building 'Community Britain' community by community in villages, towns and cities across the United Kingdom is central to a new report from the Co-operative Party and HOPE not Hate, 'Holding onto Hope', released on yesterday. New polling from Focaldata, found the most common word associated with Britain today is "declining" with four in ten people saying their neighbourhood has declined and a worrying 70 per cent saying they feel ignored by politicians. But with 65 per cent of people backing more power for local government and local people, the authors make the case for growing community power as an antidote to the rise of the populist radical right. This call is backed by Unison and the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods. "It's clear the path to rebuilding trust in politics runs through our communities," says Co-operative Party General Secretary, Joe Fortune. "A comprehensive communities strategy which puts genuine power in the hands of local people is an antidote to the trust crisis." CEO of HOPE not hate Nick Lowles says supporting communities and winning back lost trust is the only way to fight the rise of Reform UK. "After over a decade of austerity, communities in Britain feel isolated," he says. "In times of economic hardship, it is harder to come together, forge friendships and tackle local issues. Yet this report clearly shows the country is full of proud and friendly people who deeply care about their communities." On the other side of Greater Manchester, at Stretford Hall – another building built by the Victorians, this time by philanthropists John and Enriqueta Rylands as the town's first ever library – has been rescued by the community and turned into a thriving hub. "I don't like being on my own all the time, so I come here," says retired nurse Margaret Pendleton, 79. "I like the company. It's the people that I come for." Stephen North, 76, a retired Royal Mail worker, is sitting on the same table, enjoying soup and a roll. "I just walked in one day and found all this," he says. "Here, we are all friends. You meet lots of different kinds of people. That's what it's all about really isn't it?" British Army veterans, Ivan Bailey, 72 and Joe Nathan, 76 are also having lunch. "There's so much going on in the world right now but there's community in places like this," Ivan says. "There are lots of things that aren't right in the country, we all know that, but this gives you hope, doesn't it?" Across the Mersey in Birkenhead, friends Craig Pennington and Chris Torpey, 40, have set up Future Yard in one of the UK's most deprived postcodes – to address the dearth of local music venues and training opportunities on the Wirral. "We created Future Yard because we could see that it was needed and no-one else was going to do it," Chris says. "This is our area, and we wanted to do something good. To create the kind of opportunities for people that exist elsewhere." Across the country, in town after town, are people who see the beauty in bringing disconnected, alienated communities together – rebuilding pride in where they come from. All the government needs to do is give power back to the people and join the dots to build an island of communities. "Once you engage communities you have a community, not communities," Inayat says. "That's why having a space like this is so powerful."
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former GB News presenter to stand for election in County Durham
A well known former GB News presenter and right wing commentator has quit his broadcast role as he stands for election in County Durham. Consett born Darren Grimes is set to stand for election in Tanfield and Annfield Plain in the upcoming May local elections. Grimes, 31, said he is gave up his "cushy" media job on March 1 to stand for election as the UK is "spiralling". I've never been in a window before – so that's a first. I walked away from a well-paid job, a cosy number in tellyland, to come back home and stick my neck out for the people, the places – and yes, even the pothole-riddled, bin-missed, crime-plagued paradise that is my beloved… — Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) March 23, 2025 The 'no-nonsense North' broadcaster said: "This wasn't an easy decision. I gave up a well-paid national media job because I simply couldn't stomach watching my country being run into the ground any longer – and, thanks to Ofcom rules, I couldn't do both. "But the stakes are too high. Our country is spiralling – economically, culturally, socially – and if people like me don't put their necks on the line now, Britain might not make it to 2029 in one piece." This comes three years after the broadcaster began his run on GB News - where he presented 'Real Britain' but he now says he wants to come back to his "home". Recommended: Jury expected to retire tomorrow in trial of three man accused of murdering man All you need to know about new Durham City road restrictions for motorists Man who stabbed ex-partner who needed airlifting to hospital jailed for a decade He added: "This is my home. I went to school here. My family still live here. "This is a part of the country where family, community, and country still thankfully mean something – and I'm not prepared to sit back while it's all destroyed by political cowardice and national decline." Grimes' official campaign launch will take place on Sunday in County Durham.
