John McDonnell at Fire Brigades Union conference

John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, speaking at the Fire Brigades
Union (FBU) conference today in Blackpool, will say:

“I’m delighted to be speaking here today after the
FBU took the historic decision to re-affiliate to the Labour Party after Jeremy
Corbyn became Labour leader.

“Over the next four weeks of campaigning in this
General Election, Labour candidates will proudly stand shoulder to shoulder
with our firefighters who dedicate their lives to keeping the British public
safe.

“It is also ‘National nurses day’ today, and we know
how little Theresa May appreciates them, along with other public sector
workers. When she is not reducing their numbers, she is holding down their pay
as prices rise.

“The situation has got so bad in our country under
the Tories that nurses, and I am sure some of your members, are reliant on
foodbanks.

“And what is Theresa May’s response when asked about
this?

“She
dismisses it as a ‘complex’ issue, and refuses to do anything about it.

“That
is the difference between a Labour Prime Minister and a Tory Prime Minister.

“We know it is not a ‘complex’ issue for why people
use foodbanks, it’s because they cannot afford to buy food.

“It’s
because the Tories are letting public sector pay fall behind prices.

“That is why I can I give you this promise
today, if a Labour Government is elected next month, then we will end the
public sector pay freeze, and we will protect our fire and rescue services
by ending the reckless and dangerous Tory cuts, which are a risk to communities
up and down this country.

“The Conservatives have cut fire services’ budgets in
England by 17 per cent since 2010. These reckless cuts are putting the British
public and our firefighters in danger.

“On the economy there is no hiding from the truth.
The Conservatives’ failed economic plan is holding Britain back, undermining
our economy and threatening working people’s living standards.

“This week we’ve seen that only Greece, Italy and
Austria are forecast to suffer bigger falls in real wages by the end of 2018,
according to the TUC. And the Bank of England says
that the economy is falling back, and wages will not keep up with prices.

“Real wages haven’t risen since the Tories came
to power in 2010. And the UK is the only country which has had GDP
growing but wages falling in the last decade.

“After seven years of Tory economic failure, it is
working people in our country who are being made to pay the price as the Tories
handout billions in tax giveaways to the super-rich and big business.

“This General Election is a choice between a Labour
Party that will stand up for the many and a
Tory Party that only looks after the
privileged few.”



NATS sign Armed Forces Covenant with the MOD

NATS sign Armed Forces Covenant with the MOD

NATS, the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services, has signed a formal declaration of support to acknowledge its close co-operation with the Armed Forces community.
The Armed Forces Covenant was jointly signed at NATS Control Centre in Swanwick, also home to RAF(U) Swanwick, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by Air Vice Marshal Chris Elliot and NATS’ HR & Corporate Services Director Julie Elder. It means that NATS has committed to a number of key principles, primarily:

  • Ensuring that no member of the Armed Forces Community faces disadvantage compared to any other citizen
  • Offering special treatment to those who need it in circumstances such as injury or bereavement

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In addition, NATS has made further commitments to supporting military personnel by ensuring they can participate in key events such as Armed Forces Day, advertising job vacancies amongst the armed forces community and supporting the employment of Services spouses and partners.
NATS sites are based in areas where there is a significant military presence and NATS colleagues work side-by-side with military personnel on a daily basis. Many NATS employees are in fact either former Service personnel or belong to military families.
Ewan Kelbie, Director MOD Capability for NATS, said: “We are very lucky that our control centres in Swanwick, Hampshire and Prestwick in Ayrshire and our corporate office in Whiteley, Fareham are all located in areas of the country with a rich military history and numerous existing military bases.
“Having people in the organisation with a deep understanding of the Armed Forces enables us to continue to develop our relationship with the MOD and to improve the services we provide now and into the future.”
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Air Vice Marshal Chris Elliot said: “I am delighted to be signing the Armed Forces Covenant with NATS on behalf of Defence, as it is an important step in further developing the mutually beneficial relationship between ourselves in support of our Armed Forces Community.
“The RAF has a long association with NATS, with regular, reservist, former members, and family members of the Armed Forces working alongside their civilian counterparts. This is a positive commitment by NATS, which I am certain will be fully appreciated by all our community who work within the organisation.”
The UK is a global pioneer of civil and military partnerships in Air Traffic Management and NATS is committed to ensuring that this partnership widens and deepens over the coming years.
© MOD Crown Copyright 2017

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Mike Hookem MEP – “Ted Heath betrayed the fishermen and Theresa May will do exactly the same!”

UKIP fisheries spokesman, Mike Hookem MEP, yesterday accused the Tories of planning to “betray” the UK’s fishing industry, saying, “Ted Heath betrayed the fishermen… and Theresa May will do exactly the same!”

Mr Hookem’s comments came as he launched UKIP’s new “Future for Fishing” policy, which aims to return the UK’s fishing industry to Westminster control; and find investment to rebuild our fishing fleet.

UKIP’s vision for the future of British fishing includes restoring our sovereignty and control over the UK’s entire 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), potentially worth a massive £6.3 billion to the British economy. Other measures include withdrawing from the 1964 London convention, and introducing a time-limited, paid license fee option for selected foreign flagged vessels to fish within the UK’s territorial waters during the industries rebuilding period.



The unregulated cannabis market is harming our young people. Something must be done.

The Liberal Democrats plan to break the grip of criminal gangs and protect young people by introducing a legal, regulated market for cannabis.

Why are we doing this?

Because the current approach to cannabis has been a catastrophic failure.

Unregulated cannabis is freely available and widely used, generating significant mental and psychical health problems – especially for young people – who are being harmed by increasingly potent products.

And because organised criminals are making huge profits at the expense of people’s health, in an illegal industry with no age checks, and no controls on quality or strength. The UK cannabis economy is worth an estimated £7bn a year. We could put that money to better use.

Every British government so far has passed the buck of responsibility for this problem, thereby giving total control to the illegal rings who benefit from it. This is irresponsible and dangerous.

It’s time for an honest and pragmatic response. Only the Lib Dems can do this.

We propose a series of strict regulations, such as limiting sales of cannabis to over-18s, making cannabis safer by limiting its psychoactive chemical content, and taxing all cannabis sales (generating up to £1bn for investment in drug education and treatment).

How do we know it will work?

We’ve rigorously consulted a panel of experts, including senior police officers, drugs policy analysts and public health experts. They considered evidence from countries who’ve successfully legalised cannabis.

When a country as eminently sensible as Canada has come to the conclusion that regulation is better than prohibition, you know that the tide has turned. The question is now how to regulate responsibly and effectively. We can do it.

If you believe Britain’s young people deserve a sensible, progressive policy on cannabis, support us today:



Improved access to Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services

Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, has today [12 May 2017] highlighted the improvements that have been made to the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) across Wales, in response to  the McClelland  strategic review of Welsh Ambulance Services.

The changes have significantly improved access for patients, carers and health care professionals to the service. Abandonment rates have fallen from 11% to 5% and call waiting times have also reduced. 

Patients can make a booking through a single national number (0300 1232303) and can cancel or make enquiries about transport by using enhanced on-line services that are available 24/7.  

Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething said:

“In January 2016 I announced plans to modernise the provision of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) across Wales following the strategic review. 

“I am pleased to see that the significant changes made to NEPTS so far have made a real difference to patients. There is far better access and it is simpler to use, meaning patients are getting a higher quality service and inefficiency in the system has been reduced.

“I am keen to see the health boards and the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust continue to work collaboratively to build on this success even further.”