The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 7 November 2022.
I think that the Prime Minister has got people who are clearly not fit for the job around the cabinet table. Gavin Williamson has got history when it comes to breaches of security and leaking. He is clearly not suitable, but the central focus really here is on the Prime Minister, to ask the question why has he put these people around the cabinet.
A section of the article written by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, in the Observer Newspaper on 6 November 2022.
Sunak is the latest person to attempt to govern an ungovernable party. He is unable to focus on Britain’s future because he’s plastering over the mess the Tories have made. Just this weekend, he used his first interview as prime minister to shrug his shoulders and say he can’t fix the problems we face. This tired, fatalistic, outdated approach is a recipe for more of the same. It has no chance of grasping a fairer, greener future.
It is time for a fresh start. One that recognises the crises we face are linked and will only be solved by a new approach.
The UK’s energy bills disaster was exacerbated by Putin’s grotesque invasion of Ukraine. But it was caused by 12 years of failure by Tory governments to unhook Britain from its dependence on fossil fuels.
At the same time, we have an accelerating climate crisis, illustrated most recently by the devastating floods in Pakistan and Britain’s first 40C days.
The truth of our age is that the solution to both of these calamities is adopting cheap, clean, homegrown power as fast as we can. We are lucky; our island nation has abundant natural resources of wind, water and solar. It is an act of national self-harm not to prioritise them over more expensive gas. I wouldn’t be dragged to Cop27 as prime minister, I’d be leading the way. My first objective would be to persuade world leaders that we need to get to clean energy as quickly as possible. It’s why I have set a world-leading commitment for Britain to be the first major economy to reach 100% clean power by 2030. The ambition of those plans is matched only by my determination to deliver them. Under my Labour government, the UK will become a clean energy superpower.
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on Twitter on 3 November 2022.
Higher interest rates mean:
Increased mortgage rates.
More financial pressure on families.
Increased anxiety for millions of people.
The Conservatives crashed our economy and working people are paying the price.
It’s time for economic stability with Labour.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the objection in the Euston Area Plan on prioritising local people’s needs adopted by the London Borough of Camden, the Mayor of London and Transport for London in January 2015 is not referred to in the Supplementary Environmental Statement for High Speed 2.
Mr Robert Goodwill
HS2 Ltd deposited an Additional Provision (AP3) to the HS2 Phase One hybrid Bill and a Supplementary Environmental Statement (SES2) on 16 September 2015. AP3 and SES2 include revised plans for London Euston station.
SES2 reports on the likely significant environmental effects of updated environmental information and changes that are new but within the powers already being sought under the Bill and within the limits described in it. Changes that go beyond the existing powers and limits described in the Bill are contained in AP3.
The purpose of SES2 however is not to consider objections to the proposed changes; these are considered through the relevant consultation and petitioning processes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make provision for additional compensation schemes for people in (a) the London Borough of Camden and (b) other parts of London, supplementary to the existing High Speed 2 compensation scheme and similar to the additional support provided to people in rural areas affected by that project.
Mr Robert Goodwill
HS2 property compensation schemes in urban areas already go well beyond what is required by law. There are no plans to extend the rural provisions to the London Borough of Camden or other parts of London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the proposed Crossrail 2 project; and what assessment he has made of the relationship between that project and the successful completion of work on High Speed 2 at Euston Station.
Mr Robert Goodwill
A decision is yet to be taken on Government support for or investment in Crossrail 2.
The current safeguarding direction represents the proposed route and includes an area north of the Euston Road, necessary if Crossrail 2 was to serve Euston Station.
The completion of work on High Speed 2 at Euston Station is not dependent on the construction of Crossrail 2.
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on Twitter on 2 November 2022.
Caving in to criticism is not leadership.
Real leadership is seizing your seat at the table.
For UK jobs. For clean energy. For our environment.
Rishi Sunak acts in the name of political management.
Labour acts in the national interest.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what increase there has been in the mitigation and compensation budget of High Speed 2 as a result of the greater impact of AP3 construction works on Camden residents and businesses in (a) intensity, (b) length of construction period and (c) need for temporary rehousing and secondary glazing.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The cost of mitigating the construction works impacts arising from changes to the hybrid Bill scheme for Euston introduced by AP3 and the budget for any additional statutory and discretionary compensation costs will be accommodated within the existing overall budget for Phase One of HS2.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications have been made in each community forum area in Camden under the (a) Exceptional Hardship and (b) Need to Sell schemes of High Speed 2; and what the outcome of each such application has been.
Mr Robert Goodwill
We do not categorise applications for the Phase One Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS) or the Need to Sell (NTS) scheme by the applicant’s Community Forum Area. Nevertheless, from Holborn and St Pancras, we have received six Phase One EHS applications, including two reapplications. Two have been accepted, two were refused and two were withdrawn. Regarding the NTS, from Holborn and St Pancras we have received six applications, including one reapplication. Three have been accepted, two were declined and one is on hold.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-10-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what compensation HS2 Ltd has to pay to rail franchise holders for the track possessions required to bring High Speed 2 to Euston; and what effect the provisions made in the AP3 Environmental Statement have had on this figure.
Mr Robert Goodwill
HS2 Ltd deposited an Additional Provision (AP3) to the HS2 Phase One hybrid Bill on 16 September 2015 which includes revised plans for London Euston station. The new plans focus on an incremental strategy which will deliver new high speed platforms (Stages A and B1) and do not preclude wider redevelopment of the existing station in the future (Stage B2).
We have listened to train operators and worked very closely with them throughout the development of the new design. The staged approach will mean less disruption to passengers using existing train services and therefore compensation to train operators. We have made budget provision for a level of compensation to train operators as part of the overall Phase One rail budget. These allowances have still to be agreed with the relevant train operators and will be assessed further as part of the design development process. The information also remains commercially sensitive.
Any necessary impacts to the existing railway will be carefully planned with Network Rail and the affected operators from the outset, learning from experiences at other major stations such as Kings Cross and London Bridge.