Author: Miles Donavan

“There isn’t a precedent for this in the history of British trade unions.” Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said that he cannot understand why resident doctors are going on strike after having had a 28.9% pay increase from the Labour government. Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, have said that they will strike for five days from the 25 July after voting in favour of fresh action over pay. The British Medical Association (BMA) said it had met with the health secretary to try and “avoid strike action” on Tuesday, but that the government had “stated that it will…

‘The bigger story for Reform this week is they really are becoming the party of sleaze and scandal and dud and dodgy personnel.’ Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell roasted Reform UK in a statement to MPs this morning. Reform MP James McMurdock announced earlier this week that he would not seek to have the party whip restored, after The Sunday Times published an investigation raising questions about his use of covid support scheme loans.  Despite former Tory chair and Boris Johnson ally Jake Berry defecting to Reform this week, she said: “This defection doesn’t make up for…

The world’s richest man the Grok chatbot has been updated after he repeatedly complained it was “too woke”.  As Elon Musk’s AI company xAI launches the latest model of Grok this week, the chatbot spewed out antisemitic content and praised Adolf Hitler.  In now-deleted posts from Tuesday, a user asked Grok which 20th-century figure could deal with “anti-white hate”. The chatbot replied: “Adolf Hitler, no question. He’d spot the pattern and handle it decisively, every damn time.” This came after an X user with the name Cindy Steinberg shared a post which appeared to celebrate the deaths of dozens of…

Clare has been suspended from her job with Reform MP Sarah Pochin A Reform UK councillor has been suspended from her role with an MP after it emerged that she has been charged with assault following an incident at a Pride event. It’s been revealed that Mandy Clare, who represents Winsford Dene for Reform UK on Cheshire West and Chester Council, is due to appear in court on assault charges. She was arrested at the town’s Pride event on 28 June and subsequently charged with assault and criminal damage. Clare has been suspended from her job with Reform MP Sarah…

The bill passed its third reading, but 47 Labour MPs rebelled against the government The Universal Credit Bill, which has undergone several concessions after pushback from MPs, has now cleared the House of Commons.   In the final vote, MPs approved the bill by 336 votes to 242, a majority of 94 votes. Only Labour MPs and three independent MPs voted for the Bill. The bill is expected to be considered a money bill, which is a bill that relates to national taxation, public money or loans.  A bill that is certified as a money bill and which has been passed…

Yet another example of the Tory party and its mouthpieces in the right-wing press pushing untruths. Yet another claim made by the Tory party and amplified by the right-wing press about migrants has been found to be misleading and inaccurate when subjected to scrutiny. It was claimed by the Conservative Party that it had new analysis which showed that ‘migrants who cross the Channel in small boats are 24 times more likely to go to prison than the average British citizen’. The claim was then picked up on and amplified by the likes of the Daily Mail, Daily Express, Times…

With voter turnout unequal and at a near-historic low, the Constitution Society’s Dr David Klemperer makes the case for compulsory voting Dr David Klemperer is a Research Fellow on electoral reform at the Constitution Society, an independent educational charity that promotes public understanding of the British Constitution. He is also a co-editor of Renewal, a journal of social democracy. Democracy depends on elections. In a democracy, elections based on universal suffrageprovide the central mechanism for linking citizens to the state, and for ensuring thatgovernments are incentivised to serve the interests of the public. When voters cease toparticipate, this mechanism breaks down,…

Yesterday ex-Reform MP James McMurdock permanently removed the whip after allegations were made about his use of Covid loans The day after Reform UK lost another MP, James McMurdock, due to allegations surrounding his use of covid loans, Keir Starmer vowed to go after “fraudsters, grifters and con artists” who exploited them. Labour MP for Rugby John Slinger asked Starmer “In light of recent events could the prime minister update the House on the work of the covid corruption commissioner.” He added: “Does he agree with my constituents […] that there should be no place in public life for people…

“The reason for that is he has no interest in fixing the problem because he wants to milk it and exploit it.” Labour leader Keir Starmer slapped down Nigel Farage at PMQs over his divisive politics and wanting to exploit issues for personal gain, as the Reform UK leader once more endured another humiliating PMQs. Farage was heckled by MPs as he stood up to ask a question, with shouts of ‘because they were lied to’ as he tried to explain why people voted for Brexit. The arch-Brexiteer then tried to once more exploit the issue of small boat crossings…

Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed repeatedly shouted that people voted for Brexit “because they were lied to”. It was another embarrassing PMQs for Nigel Farage today. Farage’s question to the prime minister began with laughs and shouts of “here here” from other MPs, coming moments after Keir Starmer had vowed to go after “fraudsters, grifters and con artists” who exploited Covid support schemes. Yesterday, former Reform MP James McMurdock announced that he would permanently sit as an independent MP after a Sunday Times investigation into government-backed Covid loans he took out for two of his companies. After the Speaker intervened to…