Latest editorial
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, held at the historic Horse Guards Parade in central London, May 8, 2025
THE LABOUR government was slammed for failing to repeal anti-trade union laws banning prison officer strikes and imposing austerity measures at the Prison Officers’ Association annual conference today.
The union’s national chair Mark Fairhurst told conference: “It hasn’t been the best of starts for them has it?
“Freezing the pensioners by removing their winter fuel allowance, forcing millions more children into poverty… betraying the Waspi women and now they target the most vulnerable among us with their welfare cuts.”
He said that ministers have “conveniently” forgot to rescind the “most long-standing pernicious piece of anti-trade union legislation this country has ever witnessed” — prohibiting prison officer strikes in England and Wales.
Referring to his comment at a TUC conference that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “deserves to be thrown in the Brighton sea” should he not agree to lifting the ban, he added: “If any of you see any Labour politicians’ heads bobbing up and down in the waves then guilty as charged.”
Labour will find increases in the state pension age are unacceptable, just as cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, personal independence payments and universal credit are — it needs to change direction immediately, writes PCS general secretary FRAN HEATHCOTE
