US president suggests he might visit the King in September
Make specific commitments on strike rights and retirement age, Gillan urges Labour after shadow justice secretary's address
by Ben Chacko in Eastbourne

SHADOW justice secretary Steve Reed said Labour would give prison officers the professional status and respect the job deserves at the Prison Officers Association conference today.
But the union’s general secretary Steve Gillan said members wanted clear manifesto commitments on restoring the right to strike and lowering the retirement age.
Mr Reed slammed 13 years of Tory failure of the criminal justice system, including cuts to policing budgets, court closures and “the fact that barely two in 100 reported rapes leads to a trial.
More from this author

Ben Chacko asks NIZAR TRABULSI of the now banned Syrian Communist Party (Unified) to explain the country's turbulent, and violent, post-Assad scene

From renewable tech to alternatives to the dollar, BEN CHACKO was encouraged by an optimistic meeting held by the China Media Group this week