Author: Miles Donavan

“The positive economic impact this report has revealed is a very encouraging outcome for the sector and the general public.” Campaigners are calling for a basic income scheme for artists to be introduced in England and Wales, following the success and upcoming permanency of the initiative in Ireland. Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot, which provides creatives with a weekly stipend of around €325 (£283), is set to become a permanent fixture. Launched in 2022, the scheme was designed to tackle the growing financial instability faced by many working in the creative industries. The pilot supported 2,000 artists…

How long before the Tories dump their useless leader. It’s going from bad to worse for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, with less than a quarter of  voters saying that they think she has done a good job so far as Conservative leader, ahead of the first anniversary of her leadership election win this Sunday. It’s been a horrific year for Badenoch. Following the party’s worst general election defeat last summer in its Parliamentary history, she has failed to make an impact, with the Tories increasingly becoming irrelevant as Reform overtakes them in the polls. The Tories have also suffered a…

Migrants aren’t responsible for the problems in the NHS. ‘Out of control’ migration is often blamed for many social ills, especially ‘over-stretched, overwhelmed’ public services. Many myths abound such as queue-jumping asylum seekers making it impossible to see a GP or receive emergency care. However, the NHS is the perfect example of why migrants are essential to enriching our society. The truth is we must defend and celebrate all migrants including those working in our NHS, because without them it could fail completely. The kind of language that was once confined to the dog-whistle politics of the Tory backbenches –…

‘Katie Lam didn’t speak “imprecisely”. She accurately stated the Conservative party’s existing policy’ Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been mocked for calling Katie Lam’s comments on ILR “imprecise”, even though they accurately reflected her party’s policy. Last week, Lam sparked backlash when she said her party wanted to deport large numbers of families who have already been given indefinite leave to remain (ILR) to ensure the UK is mostly “culturally coherent”. While her disgraceful comments about “cultural coherence” drew criticism last week, even Badenoch’s spokesman confirmed her points on ILR were “broadly in line” with party policy. But yesterday, in…

“I have a suggestion though, Nigel, if you’re reading this … do the job we pay you for.” Jaywick, a seaside village in Nigel Farage’s constituency, has been named the most deprived neighbourhood in England according to the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation published yesterday. Farage, who is often questioned over how much time he spends in Clacton, said he is “sad” to hear that the neighbourhood remains the most deprived in England. However, he said he believes he has “definitely helped” tourism in the area, stating that “having a high-profile MP [is] helping to put Clacton on the map”. …

Approximately 8.5m workers, who currently have less than two years’ service with their employer, don’t have protection from unfair dismissal – particularly younger and BME employees. While the Labour government sets about delivering the biggest boost to workers’ rights in a generation with the Employment Rights Bill, Tory and Lib Dem amendments could leave more than 2 million workers at risk from unfair dismissal. The Trades Union Congress has published new analysis which reveals more than 2 million workers would be denied protection from unfair dismissal if a six-month qualifying period was implemented before those rights kick in. The Employment…

“I think it’s quite poor that today you’ve used immigrants as a scapegoat for every single issue we’ve discussed.” GB News presenter and Reform activist Matt Goodwin was torn apart on BBC Question Time last night after blaming almost every issue raised during the show on immigration. Goodwin went on a rant about “open borders” and “illegal migrants” entering the country.  He then selectively highlighted cases of asylum seekers charged with sexual violence or murder. He added that the narrative is that people who talk about the ethnicity of offenders are “far-right” and “racist”. An audience member then perfectly dismantled…

Thus far, Farage has refused to take action against Pochin, showing how spineless he is as party leader Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has taken a dig at Sarah Pochin, after the Reform MP was condemned for making racist comments about Black and Asian people. Pochin caused outrage last week when she made racist and hateful remarks during a TalkTV phone-in on Saturday, in which she said that ‘it drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people’. Her comments caused widespread condemnation, with calls for her to resign and Wes Streeting slamming her comments…

“Isn’t the positive though from the Caerphilly by-election that Reform are beatable.” There is nothing unstoppable about Reform, and the party’s performance in the Caerphilly Senned by-election last week, a seat that it threw the kitchen sink at but still lost, shows that it can be beaten, Andy Burnham says. The Mayor of Greater Manchester said that there was an “appetite” in the country to challenge and stop the march of the right-wing party, with Farage wrongly portrayed as a ‘Prime Minister in waiting’. Right-wing papers have been busy portraying Farage and his party as ‘unstoppable’, however in the Caerphilly…

Farage wrongly claimed that some women involved in the government’s inquiry weren’t grooming gang victims Five female survivors have called on Reform leader Nigel Farage to issue an apology, after he wrongly suggested they weren’t grooming gang survivors. Last week, the women wrote to Keir Starmer saying they would only remain involved in the government’s grooming gang inquiry if Jess Phillips remained as Safeguarding Minister. This came after four women quit the government inquiry, citing concerns that the scope of the investigation was being “watered down”. Phillips denied these claims. The group of four women called on her to step…