Charles Windsor during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London, November 7, 2023
CLUELESS Conservatives have run out of ideas to confront the country’s crisis, campaigners and trade unions claimed after PM Rishi Sunak’s programme for the next year was unveiled today.
The King’s Speech setting out the Tories’ plans — likely the last before the next election — was long on right-wing posturing and short on measures to deal with economic hardship and social problems.
A centrepiece was bringing in the strike-breaking minimum services agreements in key public services, which will force workers to work on strike days.
New PM slashes fuel bills and culls Starmer deadwood, but peace activists warn that placing John Healey as new Chancellor shows ‘beyond doubt that the military industrial complex is in charge of Burnham’s economic policy’
Labour’s long-promised Act has scraped through the Lords. While the law marks a step forward, its lack of collective rights leaves workers short-changed — and sets the stage for a renewed campaign for an Employment Rights Bill #2, argues TONY BURKE
Roger McKenzie talks to general secretary of Unison CHRISTINA McANEA about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on members, the local government funding emergency and the threat of Reform UK
