The NEU kept children and teachers safe during the pandemic, yet we are disgracefully slandered by the politicians who have truly failed our children by not funding a proper education recovery programme — here’s what is needed, explains KEVIN COURTNEY

FORMER Tory energy minister Claire O’Neill – you might know her better by her former name Claire Perry – has been hired as a “senior adviser” by a top international lobbying form, which also employs former Labour Party ministers.
Claire O’Neill was David Cameron’s rail minister from 2014-16 and Theresa May’s energy minister from 2017-19 before standing down at the 2019 election.
This June she became a “senior adviser” to FTI Consulting: FTI is a major international management consultancy, with a big “strategic communications” or political lobbying arm.

The new angle from private firms shmoozing their way into public contracts was the much-trumpeted arrival of ‘artificial intelligence’ — and no-one seemed to have heard the numerous criticisms of this unproven miracle cure, reports SOLOMON HUGHES

It is rather strange that Labour continues to give prestigious roles to inappropriate, controversy-mired businessmen who are also major Tory donors. What could Labour possibly be hoping to get out of it, asks SOLOMON HUGHES

Keir Starmer’s hiring Tim Allan from Tory-led Strand Partners is another illustration of Labour’s corporate-influence world where party differences matter less than business connections, writes SOLOMON HUGHES

MBDA’s Alabama factory makes components for Boeing’s GBU-39 bombs used to kill civilians in Gaza. Its profits flow through Stevenage to Paris — and it is one of the British government’s favourite firms, reveals SOLOMON HUGHES