Author: Miles Donavan

For as long as the Government fails to deliver on its NHS promises, Labour’s days are numbered.  NHS patients with serious eye conditions, from glaucoma and macula degeneration to retinopathy of prematurity in babies, are at increased risk of losing their sight as a consequence of the massive outsourcing of cataract surgery to the private sector. Five private companies with NHS cataract contracts worth £536 million extracted 32% profits (£169 million) in 2023-24. The Royal College of Ophthalmology warned: ‘Investing so much scarce resource into treating cataracts – a reversible, relatively low-risk condition – in the independent sector has led…

Keir Starmer today delivered what was probably the best speech of his premiership, issuing a rallying cry for the country to unite against the likes of Nigel Farage Keir Starmer today delivered what was probably the best speech of his premiership, issuing a rallying cry for the country to unite against the likes of Nigel Farage who stoke division and fan the flames of division. The Prime Minister set out what the government had done to help working communities up and down the country, with his pledge to renew Britain, while also setting out his vision for the country and…

He’s branded the decision ‘pathetic’ and ‘Trumpian’ The left wing journalist Owen Jones has had his pass at the Labour Party Conference revoked. Jones, who has been at the event filming his annual video at the conference, shared an email he received on social media which told him that his pass had been cancelled ‘with immediate effect’. In the email, Jones was told that the Labour Party had “concluded that we cannot continue your attendance while ensuring we meet our safeguarding obligations to all attendees”. It also said that the decision was taken following complaints received about Jones’ conduct. Sharing…

The letter says the ban was “irrational” and without legal basis A local newspaper has launched a legal challenge against a Reform-led council after its leader imposed a media ban on the paper’s journalists. Nottinghamshire Live has sent the Reform leaders of Nottinghamshire County Council a legal letter. It warns that further steps could be taken if they don’t lift the ban. In an unprecedented move, Reform leader of Nottinghamshire County Council Mick Barton announced back in August that his administration would no longer deal with The Nottingham Post and its online arm Nottinghamshire Live. Barton allegedly issued the ban…

Singer-songwriter who has spent most of his life fighting against homophobia and racism says it is ‘absurd’ the far-right is using his song Tommy Robinson has been accused of theft after using an anti-apartheid song at his far-right Unite the Kingdom rally without authorisation.  Singer-songwriter Labi Siffre has written a cease and desist letter to Robinson telling him to stop using his hit song (Something Inside) So Strong and has accused him of theft. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, invited former X factor contestant Charlie Heaney to perform the song at his rally. The far-right activist also incorporated…

‘The fact that anti-abortion MPs and ex-MPs are flocking to Reform is deeply worrying’ Reform UK “is fast becoming the political refuge for anti-abortion hardliners”, a campaign group has warned. Abortion Rights has highlighted that politicians with anti-abortion views are “flocking to Reform”, and called the trend “deeply worrying”. For example, last year right-wing US think tank AZ Liberty paid Reform leader Nigel Farage £13,000 to give a speech to abortion “abolitionists”, extreme faith and alt-right groups.  In his speech, he said these groups were “saving western civilisation”. In May, Farage said “I am pro-choice, but I think it’s ludicrous,…

The means-tested grants will be aimed at “those who need them most” and would be funded by a new international student levy, as outlined in a recent immigration white paper. The Labour government will bring back maintenance grants for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, after they were abolished by the Tory Government in 2016. Announcing the policy at Labour conference, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “The Tories treated our universities as a political battleground, not a public good. Labour is putting them back in the service of working-class young people.” The means-tested grants will be aimed at “those who need them…

Burnham told those gathered that he was not motivated by personal ambition but rather the concerns of councillors and party members. The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has denied any leadership ambition, telling a fringe event at Labour Party conference that all he has done is ‘launch a debate’. Speaking at a Guardian Live event in Liverpool, Burnham said: “The only thing I’ve launched is a debate to come up with a plan to beat Reform, May 2026 is in front of us now’. Burnham has faced criticism in some quarters, after openly criticising the direction of the party…

Nowak said that the best way for the government to tackle the rise of Reform UK was by delivering change. The TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, has likened the policies of Reform UK to those being pushed by the far-right National Front of the 1970s, in what is the strongest condemnation yet a trade union boss has given of Nigel Farage’s party. Speaking to Left Foot Forward, Nowak was asked if he agreed with the Prime Minister’s comments that Reform’s migrant policy was ‘racist’ and ‘immoral’. Farage has proposed scrapping indefinite leave to remain, the main route by which migrants…

‘This poll proves we as a nation are not falling for that fake propaganda’ The public is not buying into Reform’s destructive portrayal of Britain as a lawless nation that is full of racial tensions, a massive new poll has revealed. The mega poll of 45,300 people, commissioned by millionaire green entrepreneur Dale Vince, found that the majority of people reject the right’s attempts to depict Britain as “divided and broken”. The majority of respondents (66%) said they live in peaceful, friendly communities, while 80% said they enjoy mixing with people of different backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. While Reform UK…