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PRESS RELEASE : New TUC leader calls for urgent meeting with Rishi Sunak to help resolve public sector disputes [January 2023]
The press release issued by the TUC on 3 January 2023.

TUC head calls on PM to change approach, and urges ministers to work constructively with unions
Paul Nowak says staffing crises in health and education will get worse unless public service staff get a fair pay deal

Nowak is ready to “clear his diary” to find a resolution

The new General Secretary of the TUC Paul Nowak has today (Wednesday) called for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and a change in government direction that permits ministers to open pay negotiations with unions to resolve disputes.

In a letter to Rishi Sunak, Nowak highlights the need for urgent pay negotiations:

“Our public services are in crisis after years of underfunding and understaffing. We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline.

“Every month experienced employees are quitting, with one in three public service staff now taking steps to leave their professions or actively considering it.

“This is simply unsustainable.

“But we cannot fix the staffing crisis in our schools, hospitals and elsewhere if we do not fix the underlying causes.

“That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions.”

Highlighting the need for the government to change approach, Nowak says:

“Unions worked closely with you during the pandemic to deliver the furlough scheme and to protect millions of jobs.

“That’s the kind of mature approach we need now.

“Unions have already made clear their willingness to sit down with the government and talk about boosting pay. But while your ministers continue to refuse point blank to discuss improving wages, there can be no resolution.

“In the NHS, for example, appropriate structures already exist to allow the immediate start of pay negotiations involving health unions, employers and ministers. This was exactly what happened in 2018, leading to the three-year wage deal.

“We want to find a resolution to the current disputes so our public service staff can get on with doing the jobs they love. And so our public services can start to improve for everyone who relies on them.”
Editors note

The full letter reads:

Dear Prime Minister.

I’m writing to you today to ask for an urgent meeting.

Public sector workers don’t want to be out on strike this winter. They care passionately about their vocations and the communities they serve.

But they have been left with no choice.

Ambulance staff, physiotherapists, teachers and millions of others have seen their living standards decimated by over a decade of pay cuts and wage freezes.

And with inflation north of 10 per cent, they simply cannot afford another real-terms pay cut.

Our public services are in crisis after years of underfunding and understaffing. We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline.

Every month experienced employees are quitting, with one in three public service staff now taking steps to leave their professions or actively considering it.

This is simply unsustainable.

But we cannot fix the staffing crisis in our schools, hospitals and elsewhere if we do not fix the underlying causes.

That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions.

Unions worked closely with you during the pandemic to deliver the furlough scheme and to protect millions of jobs.

That’s the kind of mature approach we need now.

Unions have already made clear their willingness to sit down with the government and talk about boosting pay. But while your ministers continue to refuse point blank to discuss improving wages, there can be no resolution.

In the NHS, for example, appropriate structures already exist to allow the immediate start of pay negotiations involving health unions, employers and ministers. This was exactly what happened in 2018, leading to the three-year wage deal.

We want to find a resolution to the current disputes so our public service staff can get on with doing the jobs they love. And so our public services can start to improve for everyone who relies on them.

I urge with you to meet with us as soon as possible and allow your ministers to adopt new approaches to resolving the public sector pay disputes.

Paul Nowak – TUC General Secretary

– TUC polling published in the autumn revealed that around one third of key workers in the public sector (32%) have already taken steps to leave their profession to get a job in another field or are actively considering it.

– About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
05/02/2023
NEWS STORY : Liz Truss Defends Her Period as Prime Minister

STORY

Liz Truss, the Prime Minister between September and October 2022, has written an article in the Sunday Telegraph defending her time in office and repeating her economic vision. Truss defended her plan for economic growth, but said that:

“At no point during any of the preparations for the mini-Budget had any concerns about liability-driven investments (LDIs) and the risk they posed to bond markets been mentioned at all to me, the chancellor or any of our teams by officials at the Treasury”.

She added that “astonishingly, it turns out that the value of total assets in LDI strategies is equivalent to around 60 per cent of the UK’s GDP” and that the workings of these mechanisms helped to damage her economic plans. Truss added that “knowing what I know now, undoubtedly I would have handled things differently. I underestimated the extent to which the market was on edge and, like many others, was not aware of how fragile our system had become”, also admitting that she wasn’t a slick communicator.

In an attempt to salvage her economic plans, she condemned in the article a number of figures, including the President of the United States and other establishment figures, adding:

“I assumed upon entering Downing Street that my mandate would be respected and accepted. How wrong I was. While I anticipated resistance to my programme from the system, I underestimated the extent of it”.

RESOURCES

Section of Liz Truss’s Article

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Full Article in the Sunday Telegraph

05/02/2023
Liz Truss – 2023 Article Reflecting on Her Time as Prime Minister

A small section of the article written by Liz Truss, the former Conservative Prime Minister, in the Sunday Telegraph published on 5 February 2023.

The date of what inevitably became known as the mini-Budget was set for Sept 23. In hindsight, perhaps we could have delayed it for a few days. However, much longer than that would have meant not sticking to our commitments.

There were concerns in some quarters that the announcement would not be accompanied by forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). However, the OBR’s core purpose is to produce twice-yearly forecasts on whether the Government is on track to meet its fiscal targets. Commissioning a report at that juncture would not have been appropriate, given that the forecast would have been unable to take into consideration the future spending decisions we planned to outline in the Medium Term Fiscal Plan a few weeks later.

It’s also worth recalling that no OBR forecast has accompanied many other fiscal announcements, not least the Covid-19 furlough scheme, which cost £70 billion.

As I had spelled out during the leadership campaign, I wanted to go for growth by reversing the proposed rises to corporation tax and National Insurance and implementing a programme of economic reform in order to prevent recession and stagnation and put the UK on a positive path.

But this was not in line with the instinctive views of the Treasury or the wider orthodox economic ecosystem.

I saw first-hand during my two years as chief secretary to the Treasury that pessimism and scepticism about the growth potential of the British economy are sadly endemic at the Treasury: serious planning reform was dismissed as not politically deliverable; discussing monetary policy was a taboo; deregulation of financial services and other industries was viewed as undermining the prospects of a deal with the EU; and Brexit was seen as a damage-limitation exercise rather than a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Instead, the focus from the Treasury was on micro, top-down tinkering such as productivity initiatives trying to encourage firms to become more efficient, along with government intervention.

Our Plan for Growth was a conscious break from this orthodoxy – focused instead on stimulating competition and economic freedom with incentives from the ground up. The plan comprised the energy package, reversing the tax rises, some additional tax simplification measures, and a package of economic reforms to help grow the economy and build long-term gains in its growth potential.

05/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Business Secretary calls on suppliers to put consumers first [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 5 February 2023.

Grant Shapps is to give energy suppliers a deadline to urgently report back on remedial action for customers who faced wrongful prepayment meter installations.
- Business Secretary gives energy suppliers deadline to urgently report back on remedial action for customers who faced wrongful installations
- This follows damning reports earlier this week highlighting what appear to be breaches of rules and regulations to protect vulnerable households
- Energy regulator Ofgem also asked to toughen up their investigations after they failed to find serious failings by British Gas
Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps has today given energy bosses a deadline of Tuesday to report back to him on what remedial action – such as providing compensation – they plan to take should they have wrongfully installed prepayment meters in the homes of vulnerable customers.

It comes in the wake of British Gas admitting fault as a result of the Times investigation which showed even those with small children or medical conditions have not been shown forbearance, with reports of debt collectors breaking into homes to install the equipment.

But these findings by The Times newspaper follow several reviews by Ofgem of the services provided by energy suppliers, which have not identified this unacceptable behaviour – or other significant shortcomings – and have in some cases even given companies a clean bill of health.

Therefore the Business Secretary has today told Ofgem to toughen up on energy suppliers and investigate the customers’ experience of how their supplier is performing.

He called on the regulator to set up a new customer reporting system for households to pass on their own stories of how they are being treated – especially those who are vulnerable – and not just rely on energy firm bosses to share information with their regulator.

Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“ I am appalled that vulnerable customers struggling with their energy bills have had their homes invaded and prepayment meters installed when there is a clear duty on suppliers to provide them with support. They need to refocus their efforts on their consumers, the British public, who are at the receiving end of this abhorrent behaviour.

“ I’m also concerned the regulator is too easily having the wool pulled over their eyes by taking at face value what energy companies are telling them. They need to also listen to customers to make sure this treatment of vulnerable consumers doesn’t happen again.”

News reports across the country have highlighted examples of the forced installation of prepayment meters in the homes of those who are struggling to pay their bills.

The regulator has also been asked to toughen up their reviews, going beyond the company headquarters to find out what is really happening in people’s homes by hearing from them directly and engaging more with charities and other groups that represent consumers.

Currently, energy suppliers are required to provide Ofgem with information to demonstrate how they comply with the rules on supporting vulnerable consumers, on customers struggling to pay and on the fitting of prepayment meters.

The Business Secretary wants to see the voices of consumers and those who champion their needs heard when deciding which energy companies are meeting expectations – with a customer reporting hotline being just one example we would want the regulator to consider.

On Thursday night a number of suppliers announced they would suspend forced installations after being pushed by Ofgem to pause the practice while they reassure the regulator they’re complying with the rules.

However, just over a week ago the Business Secretary launched a crackdown on the mistreatment of energy users by suppliers, already asking them to voluntarily commit to stopping this practice. He also demanded they share the number of warrants they’ve applied for in recent months and plans to publish the findings.

Earlier this week the Energy and Climate Minister also met British Gas CEO Chris O’Shea and expressed his horror at recent reports. He made it clear this kind of behaviour is unacceptable, especially from such a key and longstanding British company.

He urged Mr O’Shea to take urgent steps to repair the damage done to British Gas’ reputation and urgently come back to him outlining the role he will personally take to fix these cultural issues.

The British Gas boss was also told by the Minister that vulnerable, mistreated customers need to be identified and redress provided. He will be monitoring matters extremely closely to make sure this happens.
05/02/2023
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 5 February 1923

5 FEBRUARY 1923

Progress at the Lausanne Conference stalled following the decision by Turkey to sign the treaty that had been proposed. The conference came to a temporary end, although was reopened in April 1923.

The Lithuanian Government said that it was unable to fulfil the terms of the Allies’ ultimatum on the Memel Question. The Memel Question was a diplomatic and political dispute over the status of the port city of Memel (now Klaipėda), which was located in East Prussia and had a predominantly German population. After World War I, the Allies granted the city to Lithuania, which led to tension between Lithuania and Germany. The Memel Question became a matter of international concern in the years following the war and was eventually resolved through a series of negotiations and agreements, including the Treaty of Versailles. The Memel Question was resolved in 1924 with the signing of the Klaipėda Convention.

05/02/2023
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 4 February 1923

4 FEBRUARY 1923

David Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister, said that he felt the American debt terms agreed by Stanley Baldwin, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, were “very hard”. He added that he would though support the measures, but he had concerns about the future of Europe. At the end of the war, the UK owed the US approximately $4.7 billion, which proved to be a significant burden on the British economy. The debt was finally fully paid off in 2006, over 90 years after the end of World War I.

The death of James William Herschell Gully, 2nd Viscount Selby (1867–1923) was announced. His father had been William Court Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, who had served as the Speaker of the House of Commons between 1895 and 1905. James married Ada Pirie in 1893, but divorced her in 1909, marrying Dorothy Grey in the same year. He died at the age of 55 and his son, Thomas Gully, became the new Viscount.

Wal Hannington, the leader of the unemployed ‘hunger marchers’ was arrested in Coventry for offences that had been alleged to have taken place in Rugby. Before his arrest, he was walking with 130 other marchers from London to Birmingham.

05/02/2023
Elliot Colburn – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Prosecution Rates for Domestic Abuse

The parliamentary question asked by Elliot Colburn, the Conservative MP for Carshalton and Wallington, in the House of Commons on 1 February 2023.

Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)

What steps she is taking to help increase the rate of prosecutions for domestic abuse.

The Attorney General (Victoria Prentis)

We are committed to increasing the volume of prosecutions and supporting more victims. We enacted new provisions to increase the time that victims have to report domestic abuse offences to ensure that we bring more offenders to justice.

Elliot Colburn

Despite Carshalton and Wallington being a relatively safe part of London, domestic violence rates there are higher than the London average. Local charities such as Sutton Women’s Centre do a great job in training people to spot the signs, but what assurance can the Attorney General give me that CPS staff have access to that same training to bring that level of crime down?

The Attorney General

I thank Sutton Women’s Centre for its fantastic work in training the community to spot the signs of domestic abuse. All prosecutors in London are now domestic abuse trained. Close working with the police should continue to increase the rate of prosecutions.

04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 February 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to President Zelenskyy this afternoon.

The leaders discussed the latest situation on the ground in Ukraine and the Prime Minister said he was focussed on ensuring the UK’s defensive military equipment reached the front line as quickly as possible.

As part of that effort, Ukrainian soldiers had already begun training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK this week, the Prime Minister added.

Both leaders agreed that it was vital that international partners accelerated their assistance to Ukraine to help seize the opportunity to push Russian forces back, as well as looking at how they could support the long term capability of Ukraine’s armed forces.

The greatest weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal was the collective international unity in support of Ukraine, the leaders agreed.

The Prime Minister said he had met Ukrainian troops training in the UK last week, and was inspired by their courage and the stories of their loved ones back home. He added that they had paid tribute to President Zelenskyy’s strong leadership.

Discussing the lead up to the one year anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, both leaders agreed on the importance of UN partners once again demonstrating their solidarity with Ukraine.

They agreed to stay in close touch.

04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Construction job drive gives prisoners tools to turn away from crime [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 4 February 2023.

Construction firms have pitched up in prisons across England and Wales for the latest major drive to match offenders with jobs in sectors facing skill shortages and cut crime.
- two-week push across jails to get more prisoners into work
- offenders skilled-up in scaffolding with cutting-edge virtual reality technology
- figures show ex-offenders in work less likely to return to life of crime
More than 80 ‘Unlocking Construction’ events have been held in over 60 prisons as part of a two-week campaign – with scaffolders, crane operatives and building site managers among those showing offenders the ropes in their industry.

Firms have laid the crucial groundwork for prisoner job hunts, with guidance on CV building, interview training and hands-on workshops giving them the chance to secure work ahead of release.

At HMP Wormwood Scrubs, prisoners have also been given an insight into the scaffolding sector using special virtual reality technology that simulates working at height on a building site – helping prisoners to determine if the job is right for them and increasing the chance that successful applicants stick with it.

Evidence shows that ex-prisoners who have a job to go to are nine percentage points less likely to go on to re-offend while 90% of businesses that employ them found reliable, motivated and trustworthy staff.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

Campaigns like Unlocking Construction are steering offenders into work and away from crime, leaving our streets safer.

At the same time, businesses can plug skills gaps with reliable and motivated staff – so it is good for our economy.

As well as helping cut reoffending, the drive is specifically geared towards plugging gaps in essential workforces too, getting prison leavers to contribute to their local economies and boost growth.

This is the second of four campaigns to run over the year led by the Prison Service’s New Futures Network. Manufacturing and retail and logistics drives are earmarked for the coming months.

The construction push builds on the success of Unlocking Hospitality in October which saw almost 50 prisoners land jobs and 150 interviews conducted in the campaign fortnight alone.

One ex-offender who landed a job as a chef as a result of the scheme has since taken on leadership responsibilities in the kitchen and is working to get more prisoners to follow his path.

National Access & Scaffolding Confederation training manager, Henry Annafi, said:

If you get a successful candidate, what I can absolutely guarantee is loyalty – because you’re giving them an opportunity that very few if any people have given them and they will pay you back tenfold in that respect.

Plus there are so many diverse experiences and skillsets that many of these men and women have that it is actually a no-brainer to give people that chance.

A participating prisoner at Wormwood Scrubs said the day’s event, and others like it, would help prisoners to “engage their mind” and offer them “something positive to do on release”.

A lot of prisoners have got skills, but they’re not being utilised, because we’ve committed a crime, so people don’t want to give us a second chance,” he added.

But stuff like this enables prisoners to bring out their skillset and be the best they can be.

Getting prisoners into work is a tried-and-tested way of cutting crime. The government’s Prisons White Paper sets out a strategy to reduce reoffending and keep the public safe, with a laser-focus on helping prisoners develop the skills they need to find work on release and turn their backs on crime.

The government is also investing to reduce reoffending, which includes helping prisoners develop the skills they need to find work on release and turn their backs on crime.
04/02/2023
PRESS RELEASE : The lives of thousands of severely disabled people across England will be enhanced by 120 new changing facilities [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 4 February 2023.

Severely disabled people will benefit from better facilities and greater accessibility in their local areas as councils across England today (4 Feb) receive their share of over £7m government funding to build Changing Places toilets.

Designed for those who struggle to use standard accessible toilets, these new state-of-the-art facilities come with additional equipment such as hoists, adult sized changing benches and space for carers. They are targeted at areas where they are most needed such as parks, shopping centres and train stations with little to no access facilities.

Today’s announcement brings the amount of funding awarded under the government’s Changing Places scheme to £30.5 million. The scheme is providing more than 600 new facilities, bringing the total of Changing Places toilets across England to 1,900.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison, said:

“Everyone deserves to have the freedom to enjoy their local communities – without the fear of whether or not they’re going to be able to access the facilities they need.

“Today’s funding will see 120 new Changing Places toilets in places where they are most needed, helping ensure disabled people and their carers can go about their lives with dignity.”

Robert Burley, Director of Director of Care, Campaigns, and Support at Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK) said:

“We’re very pleased that the remaining balance from this fund has been allocated. This is a wonderful outcome and will see increased provision of Changing Places toilets in the areas most in need.

“MDUK is extremely proud to be supporting this vital programme, and we look forward to providing our continued specialist support to both the Department and to Local Authorities through to its conclusion; and to the increased inclusion this funding will facilitate across England.”

Shelley Simmonds is a campaigner and advocate for MDUK as her son, Fraser, 9, lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition which causes muscles to weaken over time.

Shelley said:

“I am a delighted to hear the announcement today and I know I speak for many families like mine when I say that Changing Places really do change lives. The freedom of being able to visit different places and have days out that we can thoroughly enjoy, without the worry of toilet uncertainty or having to cut our trips shorts, is a wonderful feeling!

“Not being able to access a suitable toilet dictates our everyday life and prevents us from even accessing our most local community. With more Changing Places popping up, families can explore places that were once off limits.”

In a study by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers in 2021, Commissioned by Muscular Dystrophy UK and DLUHC, families and carers said the top locations where these facilities should be made available were country parks, open spaces, tourist attractions and transport networks, as the journey to the destination is a key factor in planning a day out. The top venues were beaches and the seaside, motorway services and parks or gardens.

New facilities will now be built in the following venues:
- Public parks and open spaces
- Tourist attractions including historic properties, seaside resorts and zoos
- Cathedrals
- Museums, theatres, and galleries
- Shopping malls
- Libraries and public buildings
Changing Places Fund Round 2 Allocations

Barnet London Borough

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Breckland District Council

Brent London Borough

Bromley London Borough

Central Bedfordshire UA

Copeland Borough Council

Coventry City Council

Darlington Borough Council

Dorset Council (UA)

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

Durham County UA

East Cambridgeshire District Council

Eden District Council

Folkestone and Hythe District Council

Gedling Borough Council

Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Greenwich London Borough

Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough

Harborough District Council

Havant Borough Council

Havering London Borough

Herefordshire Council

High Peak Borough Council

Huntingdonshire District Council

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council

Kirklees Council

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Maidstone Borough Council

Malvern Hills District Council

Mansfield District Council

Mid Devon District Council

Mole Valley District Council

North Tyneside Council

North West Leicestershire District Council

Northumberland County UA

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

Peterborough City Council

Plymouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council

Redditch Borough Council

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

Ribble Valley Borough Council

Rother District Council

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Rushcliffe Borough Council

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Sheffield City Council

South Holland District Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

South Tyneside Council

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Test Valley Borough Council

Tewkesbury Borough Council

Waltham Forest London Borough

Wealden District Council

West Lancashire Borough Council

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Wirral Borough Council
04/02/2023