Since 2010, one in five firefighter jobs has disappeared alongside 30% funding cuts — all while climate breakdown brings record blazes and flooding. It’s time to fund our fire service properly, writes FBU general secretary STEVE WRIGHT
Latest editorial
Labour’s missed opportunity on Lords reform
It is impossible to ignore the huge flaws in our unelected second chamber — yet despite Labour’s promises of consultation, PAULINE BRYAN argues that it is falling short of doing what’s needed to safeguard democracy
Members of the House of Lords seated ahead of the State Opening of Parliament in chamber of the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster, London, July 17, 2024
In the current climate, it is vital to bust the myths and put forward the case for a humane and decent social security system that supports people, argues FRAN HEATHCOTE
CWU leader DAVE WARD tells Ben Chacko a strategy to unite workers on class lines is needed – and sectoral collective bargaining must be at its heart
Labour must not allow unelected members of the upper house to erode a single provision of the Employment Rights Bill, argues ANDY MCDONALD MP
With 121,000 vacancies and 44.8% of staff feeling unwell from work stress, the NHS 10-year plan will not succeed unless the government takes immediate action to retain existing staff, writes ANNETTE MANSELL-GREEN
With 90 courses from health and safety to neurodiversity, AI and political economy, we are helping workers understand the political context of their struggles, writes general secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions GAWAIN LITTLE
THERE does seem to be an English exceptionalism that allows commentators to sing the praises of our democratic structures while failing to see its flaws that would be considered unacceptable if they were present in another country.
I say “English” as I think the populations of the other nations in the UK tend to have a less rosy view.
Imagine the critical comments that would rightly be made of a wealthy influential country that had an unelected second legislative chamber with some members there on a hereditary basis; that had reserved places for members of the established religion; that is one of the largest legislative bodies in the world; that doesn’t have fair representation from the nation’s regions; that has less than 30 per cent women members and favours ex-MPs and members from selected well-paid professions. We would probably question the country’s democratic credentials.
More from this author
On the release of her memoir that reveals everything except politics, Sturgeon’s endless media coverage has focused on her panic attacks, sexuality and personal tragedies while ignoring her government’s many failures, writes PAULINE BRYAN
From the ‘marketisation’ of care services to the closure of cultural venues and criminalisation of youth, a new Red Paper reveals how austerity has weakened communities and disproportionately harmed the most vulnerable, write PAULINE BRYAN and VINCE MILLS
There is little benefit coming to Scotland or the wider UK from projects like Rosebank or Jackdaw – or indeed renewables – as profits are siphoned out of the country by foreign companies, writes PAULINE BRYAN
Unwanted, imposed Tory interventions on Scotland fuelled demands for devolution, and today Labour risks repeating past mistakes if Ian Murray seeks to bypass Holyrood on spending, warns PAULINE BRYAN
