LOUISE RAW talks to Sabby Dhalu, Kevin Courtney and Steve Wright about why we should all join next weekend’s march against the far right in London
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Labour and the corporate lobbyists
SOLOMON HUGHES charts some cosy links between Labour insiders and big business interests
DIANE ABBOTT says the socialist island has played an outsized role in the fight against racism worldwide — we must stand by it as Trump tries to choke it to death
GAWAIN LITTLE looks at the causes of the far-right resurgence and explains how the General Federation of Trade Unions is helping to combat it
As delegates from the north-east, Yorkshire & Humber meet this weekend in Durham, TUC regional secretary DAVE PIKE speaks to Ben Chacko about the challenges ahead
Prison Officers’ Association general secretary and TUC president STEVE GILLAN looks at what’s missing from the Employment Rights Act, and why we need further legislation
Militarism and war cannot be separated from ‘bread and butter issues,’ argues MICAELA TRACEY-RAMOS — opposing them is central to trade unionism
LABOUR’S leadership is now actively trying to disappoint Keir Starmer fans by jettisoning plans like his £28 billion “green prosperity investment.” While even Starmer-supporting pundits now feel sad about Labour’s ever-shrinking “offer,” one group remains enthusiastic: corporate lobbyists.
The lobbying firms, who act as hired guns for corporations seeking political influence are rounding up even more Labour insiders to join their posses.
Former Sadiq Khan adviser Ben Johnson is one of the latest examples of this rush of former Labour folk saddling up to ride out with the lobbyists. In February Johnson left London City Hall to join lobbying firm The Blakeney Group. The firm boasted about the hire to clients under the headline “Labour policy chief joins Blakeney.” Johnson joins some other Labour insiders-turned-lobbyists at Blakeney. Former Labour MP Melanie Onn is “senior counsel” at Blakeney, while “former Labour senior policy adviser, Dan Hogan” — a former “aide to Jonathan Reynolds” according to the firm — is also a Blakeney director.
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