Author Archives: GovWorldMag

The Government must repair damage caused to legal aid reforms, not apply a plaster to a broken system – Richard Burgon

Richard Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, responding to today’s statement by Justice Secretary David Lidington that the government’s review into its Legal Aid reforms will conclude by July 2018, said:

 “When people can’t afford to defend their rights, those rights are worth nothing more than the paper they are written on. Government cuts to legal aid have priced out hundreds of thousands of people from being able to enforce their hard won rights.

 “Justice delayed is justice denied, so it is disappointing that even though the Government first announced its review nine months ago, it still won’t conclude for another nine months.

 “The Government must use this review to fundamentally repair the damage caused by its legal aid reforms, rather than simply applying a sticking plaster to a broken system.”

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Labour •

Ministers have squandered a real opportunity to curb highly addictive Fixed Odds Betting Terminals – Tom Watson MP

Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, responding to the Government’s review into gambling stakes and prizes and social responsibility measures, said:

 “This response from the Government is deeply disappointing. 

 “Ministers have squandered a real opportunity to curb highly addictive Fixed Odds Betting Terminals, which can cause real harm to individuals, their families and local communities. After months of delays they’ve simply decided to have another consultation.

 “And instead of taking firm measures on the proliferation of gambling advertising, on TV and online, the Government have again been found wanting. 

 “Britain is suffering from a hidden epidemic of gambling addiction. The measures announced today will do very little for those suffering from gambling addiction and for the millions, including hundreds of thousands of children, who are at risk of developing an addiction.

 “Labour is committed to reducing the maximum stake for FOBTs to £2 a spin and will ban gambling company advertising on football shirts.”

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Labour •

The planes will fly and the City will be fine

The Bank of England has told its regulated businesses to prepare for No Deal. It has also asked them how many jobs would be lost on the worst case scenario from the City. Their answer, we are told today, is 75,000. It  is difficult to believe  their figure . What I see is companies continuing to commit to new space and new recruits in London at a time when there is no sign of a deal. I also hear from the continent that many financial businesses there are keen to keep their access to London and its large pools of talent and capital. The Bank at least has scaled back its gloom, which got all its forecasts wrong about growth and job losses for 2016-17 on the back of a No vote. UK Employment increased then when they said it would fall.

Meanwhile one of the gloomy worries  put around that the planes will not fly the day after Brexit if we leave without a deal has been refuted by someone who should know. Willie Walsh, the CEO of British Airways has said he expects the planes to fly. Will the doom mongers now stop using this absurd forecast? BA is owned by IAG who have every interest in UK planes flying to the continent and Spanish planes flying to the UK. They are right to expect that to continue, even without a UK/EU general Agreement.

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John Redwood MP •

Wighton on Wednesday

From Sheena Wellington :

Wednesday 1st November, Lunchtime Recital, 1.15pm – 1.45pm 
Free, donations welcome

Change of programme   :    Our announced guest Lorraine Wilson has had to reschedule her visit to 7th February 2018 but the distinguished Irish harpist and fiddle player, Sylvia Crawford, has kindly agreed to be our guest on the 1st November. 

Sylvia, from Co. Armagh, combines both a classical and a traditional music background. She graduated in music and ethnomusicology from Queen’s University Belfast, and in arts administration from NUI Galway. She is currently completing a Masters by Research at Dundalk Institute of Technology on music and tourism in the Oriel region, with a focus on the life and music of Patrick Quin, an eighteenth century harper from Co. Armagh. 

Sylvia teaches and plays early Irish harp, fiddle and piano. She is actively involved with the running of The Historical Harp Society of Ireland, as well as teaching at Scoil na gCláirseach. 

Most recently she has been working with Irish singer, Pádraigín Ní Úallacháin, and Sylvia’s harp music and research features on Pádraigín’s 2017 online project, Oriel Arts. 
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Fraser Macpherson