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The NEU kept children and teachers safe during the pandemic, yet we are disgracefully slandered by the politicians who have truly failed our children by not funding a proper education recovery programme — here’s what is needed, explains KEVIN COURTNEY
Privatising the pandemic: a Mitie bad mess
SOLOMON HUGHES reveals that far from re-evaluating public services and the NHS during the Covid-19 crisis, the Tories have pushed ahead with their agenda — putting notorious outsourcing firms in charge
The appalling bigotry and bias of London’s police force has been obvious for years – and the police leadership does not appear inclined to do anything about it, writes CLAUDIA WEBBE
As Holyrood elections approach, BRIAN LEISHMAN MP argues that Labour’s time has come — to open a new chapter which puts an end to the years of managed decline
ASSAF TALGAM talks to an Israeli Communist lawmaker about the need to use every tool of democratic and non-violent struggle; how Israeli society has changed since October 7 2023; and the persecution of the left in the parliamentary arena
Apart from a bright spark of hope in the victory of the Gaza motion, this year’s conference lacked vision and purpose — we need to urgently reconnect Labour with its roots rather than weakly aping the flag-waving right, argues KIM JOHNSON MP
In the face of funding cuts, closures and a shift into women’s centres providing criminal justice-only services rather than a holistic approach, RUTH HUNT urges women to protect existing resources, volunteer and build new networks of support
THE Conservatives’ main response to the coronavirus crisis has been handing out contracts to their favoured corporations: instead of strengthening the NHS and other public health authorities that are our best defence against infection, the government is increasing privatisation.
What qualifies these corporations to get public cash to fight the pandemic above the NHS or local authorities? If you look at one firm, Mitie, the two main qualifications seem to be employing Tory insiders and a record of dirty, badly run services.
Mitie are one of the contractors getting coronavirus work: the key to controlling coronavirus is a “test and trace” system, with widespread testing to find those — possibly unknowingly — infected with coronavirus, and then tracing all their contacts to stop the disease spreading.
First the government were late to develop this. Then they decided to do it through a “car park and call centre” approach: other nations have successful test and trace regimes run by local health officials. Our government has turned to our big generic privatisers.
More from this author
The new angle from private firms shmoozing their way into public contracts was the much-trumpeted arrival of ‘artificial intelligence’ — and no-one seemed to have heard the numerous criticisms of this unproven miracle cure, reports SOLOMON HUGHES
It is rather strange that Labour continues to give prestigious roles to inappropriate, controversy-mired businessmen who are also major Tory donors. What could Labour possibly be hoping to get out of it, asks SOLOMON HUGHES
Keir Starmer’s hiring Tim Allan from Tory-led Strand Partners is another illustration of Labour’s corporate-influence world where party differences matter less than business connections, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
MBDA’s Alabama factory makes components for Boeing’s GBU-39 bombs used to kill civilians in Gaza. Its profits flow through Stevenage to Paris — and it is one of the British government’s favourite firms, reveals SOLOMON HUGHES
