Cuban trade union federation CTC leader OSNAY MIGUEL COLINA speaks to Ben Chacko about life and work under a crippling US siege
JEREMY HUNT’S latest Budget continued themes of all his previous fiscal interventions. He takes from the poor to give to the rich and takes from working people to give to big business. But austerity has been imposed for so long that it has brought the economy to a virtual standstill, and the impact on living standards will get worse.
This then is the key domestic challenge for an incoming Labour government. Unfortunately, all the signs are that the current Labour leadership is completely wedded to austerity. Forcing sick people to work is not a recipe for higher living standards.
To leave no doubt, the shadow chief secretary even took to the airwaves to proclaim the party’s full adoption of the austerity policy. If the party persists with this line in office, it will have disastrous political and economic consequences.
A sharp rise in public-sector investment is required to kick-start the economy, argues MICHAEL BURKE
Only an ambitious programme of state-led investment can restore growth and improve living standards, argues MICHAEL BURKE
The 2025 Budget shores up the PM’s political position with headline-grabbing welfare U-turns, but with no improvements on offer to declining public services or living standards, writes MICHAEL BURKE
We cannot refuse to abolish the unjustifiable two-child benefit cap that pushes children into poverty while finding billions of pounds for defence spending — the membership and the public expect better from Labour, writes JON TRICKETT MP


