Warning of high risk of damage from leatherjacket grubs
Scientists from SRUC are warning that this spring there is a high risk of damage to spring cereals from Leatherjacket grubs.
Peter Dowd speech at the close of tonight’s Budget debates
Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow
Chief Secretary to the Treasury, speaking at the close of the
Budget debates tonight, said:
Mr Speaker, last week the
Chancellor painted a rosy picture of the
nation’s finances.
He claimed the Conservative Party’s stewardship had been nothing short of
miraculous.
A relaxed Chancellor attempted jokes throughout his
speech.
The Prime Minister shoulders shook
with amusement.
Many members opposite chuckled
away.
Some of the more experienced Members
opposite were watching cautiously, as the nose dive gained velocity.
The Chancellor got it wrong – big
time.
Within hours he was attacked by many of his own
backbenchers.
He
was left
hung out to dry by the Prime Minister.
Unsurprisingly,
he has faced
universal criticism over his plans to raise national
insurance to 11 per cent for millions of people who are self-employed.
As Sir Michael Caine, playing the
character of Charlie Crooker in the iconic Italian Job movie said to
his bumbling side kick.
“You’re only supposed to
blow the doors off!”
Well, the debris from the
explosion is still in descending.
A manifesto pledge broken – pure
and simple.
And since last Wednesday No.10 and
No. 11 have been in a briefing war with
each trying to blame the other for the fine mess.
Ostensibly, No.10 suggests the
Chancellor sneaked the NI rise into the Budget.
Apparently, other shocked Cabinet
colleagues have indicated that he failed to mention, that it would break their
manifesto pledge.
It’s worrying, Mr Speaker, that
Cabinet Ministers don’t know what manifesto commitments they made or perhaps
they don’t care?
Then again the Government has an
insouciant attitude towards its manifesto commitments.
First, the Government committed to getting rid of the deficit
by 2015 – a promise broken.
Second, they said it would be
pushed back to 2019/20 –
another broken promise.
Third, they vowed the debt would
start to come down after 2015 – another broken promise.
The Government will have virtually
doubled the debt and doubled the time they’ll have taken to get it down.
And this is what they call success
and fiscal credibility?
They seem to think that they can
simply press the reset button when it comes to meeting their own fiscal rules
and no one will notice.
The flip side of John Maynard
Keynes’ approach, namely when I change my mind the facts change with it.
When the Government’s misses a
deadline it’s modus operandi is to set a new one and brazenly move on.
The immutable Tory law of
economics – make it up as you go along.
What happened to the long term
economic plan?
Well, it didn’t last very long? Mr
Speaker
The Prime Minister and the
Chancellor have their finger prints all over every single financial decision
that has been made during the last seven years.
It’s no surprise that
they have come under criticism from many in their own party including the
former Member for Witney.
Or the former Chancellor, Lord
Lamont, who called the NI debacle a “rookie error”.
Otherwise known, in the real
world, as gross incompetence.
But regrettably it’s other people
who will pay the price for that incompetence.
Mr Speaker, turning to Brexit,
I’ll mention it even if the Chancellor doesn’t, it’s the tenth anniversary
since the production of
“Freeing Britain to Compete: Equipping the UK for
Globalisation”
This
publication was a wide ranging policy document authored by the right
honourable Member for Wokingham and friends.
It was endorsed by the then Shadow
Cabinet which included the current incumbents at numbers 10 and 11 Downing
Street.
The publication was hard to track
down as it has been removed from the Conservative Party website and for good
reason.
But I found a copy.
Its contents were toxic and all
the more so in the wake of the subsequent global financial crisis and remain
so.
But in the light of Brexit, and
the resurgence of the honourable member for Wokingham’s influence, it will soon
be getting a second run out.
Mr Speaker, it is worth appraising
the House of a few of the nuggets contained in its pages.
It includes policies such as the
abolition of inheritance tax.
Charging foreign lorries to use
British roads.
The potential
abolition of the BBC licence fee, which it refers to as a poll tax.
The watering down of money
laundering regulations.
The deregulation of mortgage
finance.
Because it’s the:
“lending institutions rather than
the client taking the risk.”
Try
telling that to someone whose house has been repossessed.
It
goes on:
“we need to make it more difficult
for ministers to regulate, and we need to give the critics of regulation more
opportunity to make their case against specific new proposals.”
Remember this document, dated
August 2007, was rubber stamped by the current Prime Minister and
Chancellor at the same time Northern Rock was about to go under.
It continues:
“the Government (the Labour
Government) claims that this regulation is all necessary. They seem to believe
that without it banks could steal our money.”
That
is not quite the case but the
taxpayer, at its peak, had liabilities for the banking crisis of £1.2 trillion.
But, Mr
Speaker, many people did believe the banks were stealing their money.
It refers to wanting:
“reliably low inflation,
taking no risks by turning fiscal rules into flexible friends.”
As for Europe, in search
of jobs and prosperity, it says:
“An incoming Conservative
Government should go to Brussels with proposals to deregulate the whole EU…”
No wonder they wanted to bury the
evidence.
It’s the autobiography of the hard
line Brexiteers.
It’s the Tory blue print for a
post Brexit deregulated Britain.
It’s a race to the bottom.
These policies are a telling
narrative of the views of the fundamentalist wing of the Conservative Party.
The Prime Minister is a hostage to
the far right of the Tory Party.
She is on the hook.
The stage directions are coming
from Wokingham, Haltemprice and Howden, North Somerset and Chingford and Wood
Green with occasional guest appearances by the Foreign Secretary.
The forlorn, melancholic
Chancellor is briefed against because he may just have a less hard-line outlook
as far as Brexit is concerned.
These are the dusted off policies
of the hard Brexiteers who will stop at
nothing until Britain becomes a low wage, low tax, low regulation economy.
They want to turn our country into
the bargain basement of the western world.
They have the Prime
Minister in tow.
Parliamentary scrutiny is a
hindrance.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has
put Kamikaze pilots in the cockpit.
The Chancellor knows this too well and that is why
reportedly he is putting aside £60 billion, equivalent to a year’s worth of
borrowing on the national debt to cope with the trauma.
It’s not Brexit proofing the
economy but rather proofing the economy from the toxic ideology of the hard Brexiteers.
Mr Speaker, ultimately, it comes
down to choices and values.
The Government’s choices in this
Budget are informed by their values and they are not the same as the vast
majority of people in this country.
The
Government propose to increase Insurance Premium Tax
from 10 per cent to 12 per cent, a regressive measure which will be a further
hit on household finances and act as a deterrent to families wanting to obtain
proper insurance cover.
It
was a surprise to see this measure in the Autumn Statement, coming as it did
from a government which constantly uses the high cost of insurance premiums as
an excuse for curbs on victims’ right to claim compensation for their losses,
with particularly damaging effects for those injured in accidents at work.
We
will oppose this rise.
And while the Government drives up
insurance price for millions of families, it has chosen to forego £73 billion
of revenue to give corporations and the wealthy few tax handouts between
now and 2021.
A choice we would not make.
Their choice is informed by the
value they put on elites and corporations, many of whom readily avoid paying
their fair share of tax.
They
plan to loosen the rules on the Business Investment Relief, increasing the
scope for non-doms to avoid tax when they bring funds into the UK.
This
is straightforwardly a giveaway to non-doms, which we will oppose.
There
is little evidence that this relief has had a significant impact on inward
investment since it was first introduced in 2012.
And there is little genuine reason
to believe that expanding the relief now will do anything but give non-doms
even more advantages over millions of UK taxpayers.
These and other tax cuts for
elites and corporations come off the backs of public sector employees who have
foregone pay rises for years.
Or those in the private sector
whose wages and salaries remain in the doldrums and will for another decade or
more.
Or the self-employed who are
increasingly driving our economy who will see an increase to 11 per cent in
National Insurance contributions.
We would make a different choice.
We reject the kick in the teeth to self-employed people.
Not only does it hit many on low
to middle income but will it raise anywhere near the
£2 billion the Treasury
projects?
It may also deter many people from
setting up their own businesses, from innovating and excelling.
It’s a moratorium on aspiration.
We would choose not to give tax
breaks to those who do not need them.
Mr Speaker, in this Budget the
Government claims it’s giving lower and middle earners, the NHS, social care
agencies, the self-employed, schools, businesses, pubs, the strivers, the
entrepreneurs the thumbs up.
Mr Speaker, in practice, this
Budget is not giving a thumbs up to all those people.
On the contrary, it’s two other
digits being put up to those people.
That’s another choice that Labour
would not make.
Construction firm fined after worker fell from height
Construction company Kier Construction Limited has been fined £400,000 after a worker fell from height.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how Jair Morales was installing plywood boards covering holes on the third floor of a building at a construction site in Uxbridge, Middlesex when he fell a distance of 3.95m to the floor below.
The court heard no steps had been taken to prevent him falling through the opening as he installed the plywood boards. Mr Morales suffered fractures in his pelvis and his arm following the fall and has been unable to work since the accident.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Kier failed to ensure the work was properly planned and carried out in a safe manner.
Kier Construction Limited of Tempsford Hall, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching section 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, has been fined £400,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,534.
Speaking after the case HSE inspector Owen Rowley said: “This incident could have been a lot worse. The system that Kier Construction Ltd has in place to control the risk from installing the protection for openings was not implemented on site, ultimately resulting in the accident.
“The risks of working at height are widely recognised throughout the construction industry. This case highlights the importance of ensuring that all work at height is properly planned and carried out safely.”
Notes to Editors:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
- More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
- HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases.
News story: Defence Secretary announces 1,500th signing of Armed Forces Covenant
Building materials supplier Travis Perkins were revealed as the 1,500th signatory during the third annual Partnering with Defence employer conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London today.
Speaking at the conference, Sir Michael said:
By signing the Covenant, Travis Perkins joins firms across Britain committed to ensuring those who serve or have served our country are better supported.
Reaching this milestone also shows growing recognition of the unique skills and experience that reservists and former service personnel offer their organisations.
Amongst their commitments, Travis Perkins has pledged to provide Armed Forces personnel and veterans with a variety of work experience placements in their centres, branches, and stores across the country and are supporting members of the Royal Engineers in gaining NVQ qualifications for their construction skills.
Travis Perkins currently employs nine reservists and other members of the Armed Forces community across the country.
Maria Walding, a Compliance Manager at Travis Perkins, who is an Army Cadet Force adult volunteer, said:
The Travis Perkins Group has fully supported and values my role as a Reservist. I am proud to say I work for a company that consistently gives military personnel the chance to use their existing skills and build a lasting career outside of the military.
Travis Perkins CEO John Carter said:
As a business, Travis Perkins has long recognised the valuable skills and attributes those with a serving background can contribute, not only to our own workforce but also to the wider economy.
We are delighted to not only be here to celebrate the Group’s commitment and ongoing support of the Armed Forces in our signing of the Armed Forces Covenant, but incredibly proud and honoured to be recognised along with our community of ex forces and serving colleagues, as the 1500th organisation to do so.
Travis Perkins joins a growing number of businesses that are making tangible pledges to the Armed Forces community.
Earlier this week Defence Minister Mark Lancaster also announced that the UK’s main broadband providers including Virgin Media, Sky, Talk Talk, BT, EE and Plusnet, representing 95 per cent of Britain’s broadband market, had committed to waiving fees on contracts that personnel had to cancel when posted abroad or to another part of the UK, often at short notice.
Since 2013, the Covenant has helped to deliver these key improvements for the Armed Forces community:
- A new agreement with mortgage lenders allowing personnel posted abroad to rent out their homes without facing higher mortgage costs or having to change their mortgage;
- Fairer mobile phone contracts, freezing the accounts of Armed Forces personnel and their families posted overseas and removing cancellation fees;
- Better deals in motor insurance, allowing personnel to keep their no claims bonuses and avoid cancellation fees when posted overseas at short notice;
- Employer networks in a wide range of sectors to support Service leavers through their transition to new careers;
- Better access to banking, such as savings accounts to Service families posted overseas;
- Tackling commercial disadvantage previously experienced by the Armed Forces community in relation to credit rating and access to mortgages on offer. For example, if their Service overseas forces them into a situation where they will need to rent out their home, members are now free from the need to switch to a ‘buy to let’ mortgage;
- Better access to mentoring, work placements and employment opportunities for personnel leaving the Services;
- Increased funding and sponsorship of military charities and sports events such as the Invictus Games;
- Flexible paid or unpaid leave for mobilised Reservists;
- Employment support for Veterans, Reservists, Service spouses and partners, as well as support for Cadets;
Discounts and special deals for individuals and their families.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation, enshrined in law, ensuring that those who serve or have previously served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged by their service.
Green Party Animal spokesperson welcomes vote to #EndTheCageAge for caged rabbits
14 March 2017
Keith Taylor MEP: “This is great news for millions of rabbits across Europe and a great example of how the EU can take a lead on animal welfare. Greens have always opposed factory farming and I wholeheartedly welcome the result of today’s vote.”
Green Party Animals spokesperson Keith Taylor MEP is welcoming the vote to #EndTheCageAge for farmed rabbits across Europe. The MEP for the South East was among a majority of MEPs who voted to support a report calling for the practice to be outlawed at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg this afternoon. More than 4,000 people across the South East had contacted their MEPs calling for action.
Rabbits are the fourth most farmed animal in the world. An estimated 340 million rabbits are slaughtered annually after a life kept in barren wire cages where their natural behaviour is severely restricted. Many scientists have called for the cage system to be urgently replaced by one which allows for the natural needs of rabbits to be better taken into account.
The report adopted by MEPs calls for higher welfare standards for rabbits and concrete legislation that would ban the use of cages. Responding to the result, Keith said:
“This is great news for millions of rabbits across Europe and a great example of how the EU can take a lead on animal welfare. Greens have always opposed factory farming and as the Green Party’s Animals spokesperson I wholeheartedly welcome the result of today’s vote. The report prioritises putting an end to the inhumane conditions in which rabbits are kept and eradicating the other problems associated intensive rabbit rearing. The current system leads to the spread of disease and the subsequent overuse of antibiotics.”
“Rabbit farming is relatively small-scale in the UK, but the fact that the European Parliament has voted to end the cage age serves to highlight the key role EU membership has played and continues to play in raising the welfare of millions of farm animals in Britain and across the EU.”
“The closer the relationship the UK maintains with the EU, retaining animal welfare and wildlife protections through single market membership, the better the outcome for British animals. Animal advocates across the UK must continue lobbying the UK government to ensure the current legal protections, for all species, offered by European Union membership are maintained and strengthened.”