Key events16m agoSurge of Labour MPs standing down creates vacancies in safe seats being eyed up by Starmer allies51m ago120 business leaders sign lettter backing Labour, saying it will ‘partner fiscal discipline with growth strategy’1h agoRachel Reeves will vow to lead most ‘pro-growth’ Treasury in UK history1h agoTories’ ‘triple lock plus’ planned tax cut for pensioners a ‘desperate move’ says LabourFilters BETAKey events (4)Rachel Reeves (3)Keir Starmer (3)3m ago04.48 EDT
The Liberal Democrats have said the Tories cannot claim to be on the side of pensioners. Commenting on the “triple lock plus” announcement (see 8.34am), Sarah Olney, the Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson, said:
The sheer hypocrisy of the Conservatives to claim they are on the side of pensioners is laughable at best and dishonest at worst.
Our nation’s pensioners have been clobbered by stealth taxes, and failed on social care – these promises are empty.
Share16m ago04.34 EDTSurge of Labour MPs standing down creates vacancies in safe seats being eyed up by Starmer alliesJessica Elgot
Labour has opened applications for a string of new safe seats after half a dozen MPs announced last-minute retirements, with key allies of Keir Starmer expected to be lined up to take their place.
Those standing down include the former shadow minister Barbara Keeley, the chair of the parliamentary Labour party Jon Cryer, as well as John Spellar, Virendra Sharma and Kevin Brennan.
Julie Elliott, the MP for Sunderland Central, joined the ranks of those retiring on this morning. Senior Labour sources said they anticipate there could be several more departures announced in the next 24 hours.
The party is also advertising a number of other safe seats in London, including Stratford and Bow and West Ham and Beckton.
A number of senior Labour figures are widely expected to seek a seat in the coming days, including Josh Simons, the director of the highly influential pro-Starmer thinktank Labour First, and Georgia Gould, leader of Camden council.
Members of the party’s ruling national executive committee who have been instrumental in transforming its rules in the aftermath of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership are also tipped for seats. Those include Luke Akehurst, Gurinder Singh Josan, Abdi Duale and the party’s national executive commitee’s chair James Asser.
The move will trigger controversy from critics who argue that Labour candidates – particularly those in plum seats – should be selected with local input from grassroots members, and not simply handed to allies of the leadership.
In February 2020, while he was campaigning for the Labour leadership, Starmer said that “the selections for Labour candidates needs to be more democratic and we should end NEC impositions of candidates. Local party members should select their candidates for every election.”
Starmer added then that “there should be no power without accountability, and true accountability requires transparency”.
Labour…
2024-05-28 03:34:59
Article from www.theguardian.com
