After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
BRITAIN has deliberately structured its plans to deliver change to the energy system around big business. The dependency on entities which have extraction at their heart have no regard for lowering energy bills, increasing energy security or combatting climate breakdown.
Central to Labour’s climate agenda has been the establishment of Great British Energy, a state-owned energy company tasked with driving the shift to renewables.
It has been hailed as a transformative step, with £8.3 billion set aside for the next parliamentary term. The funding has two key components: £3 billion for Labour’s Local Power Plan, a scheme allowing local governments to apply for funds to develop community energy projects, and £5 billion earmarked for co-investments.



