Left Foot Forward on Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, climate activists and Liz Truss

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Tory Party members deliver scathing verdict on Rishi Sunak’s cabinet, with record negative rating

Tory Party members have delivered a scathing verdict on Rishi Sunak and his cabinet, with a record number of ministers given a negative approval rating, according to the Conservative Home website.

It’s a further sign of just how unpopular Sunak and his government are, ahead of the May 2nd local elections, as pressure continues to mount on the Prime Minister.

The latest survey of Tory members conducted in March, shows that 12 ministers have negative ratings, that is up from 11 the month before.

At the bottom of the table is Michael Tomlinson, illegal immigration minister, with a negative rating of 43.1, with Rishi Sunak next at -27.7.

The Prime Minister is then followed by chancellor Jeremy Hunt on minus 22.7, with Michael Gove on -14.3 and Oliver Dowden on -12.0. Lord Cameron is on -7.8.

Tories plot shock political comeback for Boris Johnson

The plot shows just how out of touch and deranged the Tory party is.

A group of Tory MPs is plotting to bring Boris Johnson back in to a senior role with the Conservative Party and also want to replace Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with Suella Braverman.

The plot, which the Sun is reporting has been hatched by the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) – a powerful Tory members group, comes as Sunak continues to face mounting pressure with the Tories trailing the Labour Party in the polls by around 20 points.

With local elections taking place on May 2nd, it’s expected that there will be another push by Tory rebels to oust Sunak should the party perform badly. Some analysts have predicted that the Tories could be set to lose 500 council seats in the upcoming local elections on May 2nd. That’s half of the party’s councillors facing election.

Climate activists drop giant banner on Westminster Bridge in pre-election warning to MPs

Campaigners are demanding an end to the ‘toxic influence’ of oil money in UK politics

Activists dropped a massive banner over Westminster Bridge this morning to launch a new campaign vowing to challenge MPs who accept oil money in the run-up to a general election. 

As MPs return to parliament after the Easter recess, climate campaigners have issued a warning that they will be holding politicians to account to end the “toxic influence” of fossil fuel lobbyists in Westminster. 

Campaigners for the Stop Polluting Politics movement said they will challenge current and prospective MPs to reject donations from high-polluting industries as they argue the influence from Big Oil is leading to the rollback of key climate policies. 

It comes as the UK Government came under huge criticism for announcing over 100 new oil and gas licences, while it was revealed the Tory Party received £3.5m from polluters and climate deniers in 2022. 

Shameless Liz Truss refuses to rule out running for Tory leader again saying she has ‘unfinished business’

Labour said the prospect of her returning as leader “will send shivers down the spine of working people”.

Shameless Liz Truss who became Britain’s shortest-serving Prime Minister after her disastrous economic policies resulted in her being booted out of office after just 49 days, has refused to rule out running again for leader of the Tory party.

Truss, who has shown no humility after wrecking the economy with her mini-budget, which saw mortgage rates spiralling and resulted in the pound plummeting in value, believes she has ‘unfinished business’.

The former Tory party leader made the comments during an interview with LBC, while promoting her new book, ’10 years to save the West’, which is out today.

Top 5 utterly bizarre comments Liz Truss made during her book promotion

Liz Truss was all over the airwaves today while promoting her new book ‘Ten Years To Save the West’ making a whole number of bizarre and eyebrow-raising claims. 

The Tories are trying to be ‘fashionable’ 

When asked about the government’s climate policies (forget the numerous recent climate policy rollbacks) Truss believed the government had a “ruthless Net Zero agenda” which she claimed was “ruining the economy”. She went on to say it was all down to the Conservatives wanting to “appear fashionable, rather than basing what they’re doing on their principles”. Not sure that’s going very well for them.

The ‘Left smear’ against her

The former-PM made the claim that the backlash against her mini-budget wasn’t due to its disastrous impact on the UK economy and millions of UK households, but in fact down to a ‘smear’ campaign by the Left.

The former PM who seems to lack any sense of self-awareness claimed on LBC the Left were “smearing” her by blaming everything wrong with the economy on her mini-budget. 

“What they are saying is not born by the facts, It’s a smear,” Truss said. “I’m countering it and a lot of economists are countering it. 

“In the same way they say the government was trying to abolish the forests, they are trying to smear me with economic results that I’m clearly not responsible for.”

Continue ReadingLeft Foot Forward on Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, climate activists and Liz Truss

Left Foot Forward

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A few articles from Left Foot Forward, this blog’s favourite blog

This is how we can start to curb fat-cattery and low pay

Inequitable distribution of income has severe consequences.

The Post Office scandal has once again exposed the shortcomings of performance related pay for company directors. The company had remuneration committees staffed by hand-picked obedient non-executive directors. None opposed the rewards accruing from wrongful prosecution of more than 900 subpostmasters and dutifully rewarded directors. Paula Vennells, chief executive from 2012-2019 picked up bonuses of £2.2m for wrecking lives.

Performance related pay has boosted the remuneration of directors even when performance is negative, as exemplified by the 2007-08 financial crash, collapse of Carillion, BHS, London Capital and Finance, Patisserie Valerie, Debenhams and others.

The bottom line is a key feature of most performance related remuneration schemes. The median tenure of a FTSE100 CEO is about 3.75 years and temptation is to grab higher pay in the shortest possible time. Profits can be boosted by depressing wages, dodging taxes, postponing repair and maintenance; cutting investment and spending on innovation; and by using novel accounting practices. Directors are rewarded for such tactics as shareholders chase short-term returns. Little attention is paid to the long-term damage and social cohesion.

Workers invest their brain, brawn and life in companies but have become just another disposable commodity. In the words of former US President Abraham Lincoln: “Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”

Inequitable distribution of income has severe consequences. Millions struggle to have access to good food, housing, education, pension and other essentials. Inequalities are a threat to democracy as the rich are able to control media, buy lobbyists and fund political parties to advance their interests, to the exclusion of the vast majority of the people.

Demands for public ownership as water bills set to rise above inflation

Feargal Sharkey exposes injustice of water bill rise in a single tweet

Question Time audience slams government’s position on Gaza ceasefire

“I have never been more upset and disappointed in our current government”

“I think a ceasefire is crucial,” one audience member said, adding: “What I also think is crucial is that the UK government is held to account for their role in licensing arms to Israel at the moment.” Her contribution was met with applause from the rest of the audience.

Another member of the audience echoed her comments, saying: “I have never been more upset and disappointed in our current government, with how they have dealt with the situation.”

He then went on to say: “Whether it’s the Conservative Party, and even the Labour Party – it’s an absolute disgrace. How many lives need to be lost? We have been 25-30,000 Gazan lives, people who have done nothing wrong. I completely echo what you say. Israel do have a right to defend themselves – absolute. But at the risk – not at the risk – the death, murder of 25-30,000 people who have done nothing wrong, I can’t understand this.”

Bombshell poll reveals the extent to which the public think Brexit has been a failure

Four years on after Britain left the European Union, a damning new poll shows just how disillusioned the public are with Brexit, with the majority believing it to be a failure.

The poll, carried out by Ipsos for the Evening Standard, found that 57% believe Brexit has been more of a failure than success, while only 13% say that it has been a success.

Younger adults, Londoners, and graduates are more likely to say that Brexit has been a failure.

A breakdown of the survey results showed that 70% of 18 to 34-year-olds think Brexit has been more of a failure, as do 64% of 35-54s, compared to 38% of those aged 65+.

Many of the promises made by Brexiteers have failed to materialise, including grater control of borders, free trade deals with America and of course who could forget the promise to invest £350 million more a week into the NHS after Brexit.

Continue ReadingLeft Foot Forward

Left Foot Forward

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A selection of articles from the excellent Left Foot Forward blog, this blog’s favourite blog ;)

NHS waiting lists increase by 400,000 after Rishi Sunak’s pledge to bring them down

“He can’t pull the wool over people’s eyes by claiming it’s down to strike action. Patients, staff and the public deserve better.”

Voters prefer spending on public services over tax cuts, poll finds

Sadiq Khan perfectly sums up why Brexit has been a failure for London

Environmental campaigners hold protest in Brighton, calling for immediate end to sewage dumping

Crowdfunder urging UK government to halt arms sales to groups actively engaged in warfare gains momentum

More

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Left Foot Forward EXCLUSIVE: Poll shows huge support for nationalisation of key industries and utilities

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/exclusive-poll-shows-huge-support-for-nationalisation-of-key-industries-and-utilities/

Privatisation has failed.

Image of an East Coast train
An East Coast train at King’s Cross station

An exclusive poll for LFF shows huge public support for nationalisation of key industries and utilities, with the public having little confidence in the private sector, showing just how badly privatisation has failed.

Our poll shows that a majority of the public support public ownership of key industries and utilities like energy, water, railways, buses and the postal service – including among Conservative voters.

Buses: 67% want public ownership

67% of voters want to see buses in public ownership, with just 23% wanting private sector involvement. Support for public ownership of buses is highest among 18-24 year olds at 77%, with 64% of those aged 65 and over also supporting public ownership.

When it comes to party affiliation, a majority of Conservative Party voters want to see buses in public ownership (61%) as do Labour voters (72%) and Lib Dem voters (66%).

Water: 73% want public ownership

When it comes to water companies, 73% of voters want public ownership of water companies, compared to 18% who want them to be run by the private sector. Once again, a majority of Tory voters also want to see public ownership (70%) as do Labour voters (81%) and Lib Dem voters (77%). 88% of Green Party voters also want to see water companies taken into public ownership.

Railways: 70% support for public ownership

Energy: 65% want public ownership

Postal service: 70% want public ownership

NHS: 81% want public sector involvement only

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/11/exclusive-poll-shows-huge-support-for-nationalisation-of-key-industries-and-utilities/

Continue ReadingLeft Foot Forward EXCLUSIVE: Poll shows huge support for nationalisation of key industries and utilities

LEFT FOOT FORWARD EXCLUSIVE: Caroline Lucas sets out five Bills that need to be in the King’s Speech

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Caroline Lucas Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion. Official image by David Woolfall Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Caroline Lucas Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion. Official image by David Woolfall Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/exclusive-caroline-lucas-sets-out-five-bills-that-need-to-be-in-the-kings-speech/

The Green Party MP has said the PM can use the King’s Speech to reverse the damage he’s caused on UK climate and nature policy

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has written to the prime minister Rishi Sunak setting out five pieces of legislation the government ought to introduce to address the climate and nature emergencies, Left Foot Forward can exclusively report. The letter, seen by Left Foot Forward, was sent in advance of the state opening of parliament on November 7, when the government is expected to set out its legislative agenda through a King’s Speech.

In her letter, Lucas wrote: “This year has already been one of climate extremes – September smashed through previous records and was a staggering 1.75 degrees hotter than pre-industrial levels, causing profound alarm to both scientists and citizens. We have seen climate impacts, from deadly flooding in Libya, to the Cerberus heatwave in Europe and the devastating wildfires in Maui and, as it stands, 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record.”

She went on to argue that the government must “take this opportunity to reclaim the UK’s climate leadership and set out a bold legislative agenda that responds to the urgency of the climate and nature emergency”.

Lucas told Left Foot Forward: “In just 12 short months in the job, Rishi Sunak has set a torch to the UK’s climate agenda – approving new morally obscene fossil fuel projects, ditching vital regulations to improve energy efficiency, and dragging the climate into a dangerous culture war. The King’s Speech is a critical opportunity for the Prime Minister to start reversing this damage and tackling the climate and nature emergencies head-on – our country and our planet can’t wait.” 

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/10/exclusive-caroline-lucas-sets-out-five-bills-that-need-to-be-in-the-kings-speech/

Continue ReadingLEFT FOOT FORWARD EXCLUSIVE: Caroline Lucas sets out five Bills that need to be in the King’s Speech