Brexit
Express
Sir Keir Starmer today called for Britain to have “closer trading relations” with the EU. The Labour leader, who backed Remain in the 2016 referendum, hit out at the current Brexit agreement.
Sir Keir said it was “not a very good deal” and “we need to improve on that”.
But the Labour leader, who previously campaigned for a second referendum, insisted his party would “make Brexit work”.
Speaking at Queen’s University in Belfast this morning, he said: “I have made clear that what an incoming Labour government would do would be to make Brexit work.
“All we have got at the moment is a deal and not a very good deal for the whole of the United Kingdom and we need to improve on that.
“We need closer trading relations, we need better joint work on research and technology, we need stronger security arrangements.
“All of that I think is possible if we are able to restore good faith and integrity into the negotiations.”
Sir Keir also urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to strike a deal with Brussels over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Guardian
Senior Tories are warning Rishi Sunak that he is enjoying the “calm before the storm”, with his own MPs already plotting to tackle him over immigration and a beleaguered plan to secure “Brexit freedoms”.
The prime minister spent Saturday attempting to show his commitment to easing the crisis in the NHS – one of the five pledges he made in his new year’s speech – by holding a summit with health services figures. Delays to discharging people from hospital, social care shortages, an A&E crisis and waiting lists were all discussed at the “NHS recovery forum”. Sunak told those attending that “boldness and radicalism” would be needed to solve the pressures.
He has also invited unions in for talks with government departments on Monday about next year’s pay settlements, as he battles to end rolling NHS, rail and postal strikes that have represented the biggest wave of industrial action in decades.
However, as his team attempts to restore relative political calm, the prime minister is being publicly warned by the right of his party that his authority rests on a pledge to remove most EU-derived laws by the end of the year – a plan expected to be blocked in the House of Lords. Other Tories are already preparing to amend promised new laws to tackle the issue of small boats crossing the Channel, with some planning to target the influence of the European court of human rights.
GPs
Telegraph
The number of GP receptionists is rising at three times the rate of family doctors, data show.
Across England, there are almost 40,000 receptionists working in doctors’ surgeries – nearly 10 per cent more than the number of GPs.
The figures, published by NHS Digital and analysed by The Telegraph, show the rate at which receptionists are growing is also three times faster than that of family doctors.
It came as campaigners warned that patients still experience difficulties accessing their GP.
During the pandemic, family doctors turned to telephone and video appointments, with many also switching to online booking systems.
However, patients continue to face “long waits” to get through to GPs on the phone, often with appointments booked up when they get through, according to public feedback reported last November to Healthwatch England, the healthcare consumer body.
ITV News
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has formally given backing to his shadow health secretary’s reforms to effectively nationalise GP services.
Wes Streeting’s proposals to make general practitioners salaried NHS employees have been criticised in some quarters of the medical profession.
But Sir Keir, writing in The Sunday Telegraph, said that “if we don’t get real about reform, the NHS will die”, giving his backing to overhauling the current GP model.
The pledges have echoes of New Labour’s 1997 promises, when Sir Tony Blair swept into power on the back of a manifesto vowing to slash NHS waiting times and make the service more patient-focused.
Sir Keir used his article to outline a series of reforms that a future Labour government would introduce.
They included getting rid of “bureaucratic nonsense” to allow patients to bypass GPs and self-refer themselves to specialists.
He also backed gradually “phasing in a new system” for GPs, turning family doctors into direct NHS employees.
NHS
Mirror
Patients phoning the NHS’ 111 service are being forced to wait for up to 14 hours to speak to a doctor.
The outrageous wait times are being compounded by delays of up to get through for an initial consultation.
And callers say the problem has been ongoing since last month.
Complaining online, Lyndsay MacKay said: “111 take about 14 hours to respond and if you get worsening symptoms you call them back and on average it’s about a 90 minute wait on the phone!
She added: “It’s been like this for weeks.”
Mandy Anderson told how she faced a nine-hour wait for a callback on December 7.
She said: “Most suicidal people don’t really want to chat on the phone! Your ignorance is sad.
BBC News
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said the NHS must “reform” or “die” as he outlined his plans for it.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he argued the idea the NHS is still the envy of the world is “plainly wrong” and said the situation for patients was “intolerable and dangerous”
His NHS vision includes allowing patients to make self-referrals.
This is the first time Sir Keir has publicly backed reforms suggested by shadow health secretary Wes Streeting.
The Labour leader also said his party would double the number of graduating doctors and district nurses, increase training placements for nurses and midwives, and gradually turn family doctors into direct employees of the health service,
He writes: “But our primary care model isn’t working…
“It’s time for us to think about a new, sustainable system, one that allows GPs to focus on caring for patients rather than the admin that comes with effectively running a small business…
“We also need to be ruthless with the bureaucratic nonsense you encounter every day in the health service.
Telegraph
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to slash “mind-boggling” NHS bureaucracy, as he said the service must either “reform or die”.
The Labour leader cautioned that “well-meaning reverence” for the health service has “supplanted reality”, adding that it must not be seen as “off limits” for criticism.
He outlined a series of reforms that a Labour government would bring in, which include allowing patients to bypass GPs to make self-referrals to specialists, as well as gradually turning family doctors into direct NHS employees.
It is the first time Sir Keir has publicly backed the proposals, previously mooted by Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary.
Writing in The Telegraph, Sir Keir said the situation for NHS patients is now “intolerable and dangerous”, adding: “The idea the service is still ‘the envy of the world’ is plainly wrong.”
Strikes
Mirror
Nurses have given PM Rishi Sunak until Friday to increase their pay offer or face even worse NHS disruption.
After Thursday’s walkout and another to come on Tuesday, they have given the Government a 48-hour window to head off strikes in January. If there is no deal on the table within two days of their return to work, nurses’ leaders say more will join the 100,000 already taking action.
The Royal College of Nursing says new walkouts will hit more hospitals and cut skeleton levels of care further.
RCN leader Pat Cullen said: “Government should get this wrapped up by Christmas. January’s strikes will see more hospitals, and more nurses, taking part than at present.”
Thursday’s walkout led to up to six in 10 routine ops being cancelled. But it did not dent public support.
ITV News
Double the number of nurses will be asked to strike in early February in a bid to increase pressure on the Government, union leaders have warned.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said that if progress is not made in negotiations by the end of January, the next set of strikes will include all eligible members in England for the first time.
The move comes as ministers push for new laws requiring minimum levels of service on strike days – legislation which is expected to take around six months to pass through Parliament.
The NHS is currently facing a crisis, with major delays in emergency care, and average ambulance response times in England reaching up to 90 minutes by the end of last year.
Nursing staff from more than 70 NHS trusts in England are set to take industrial action on Wednesday and Thursday. The RCN has said the next strike is likely to be on February the 6th.
Sun
ENGLAND will this week be hit by the “biggest nurses strike the world has ever seen”, it was claimed yesterday.
Tens of thousands of NHS staff will down tools this Wednesday and Thursday in the second wave of walkouts in a month.
Staff across 55 trusts are taking part — 11 more than joined the December strikes.
A source at the Royal College of Nursing union said they think it will be the “biggest nurses strike the world has ever seen”.
The union — whose walkouts last month were the first in its 106-year history — is demanding an improvement to the existing pay offer.
Government sources warned that the action will harm sick and vulnerable patients.
Meanwhile, as the country is battered by the worst strikes since the 1980s, there are growing hopes the RMT could come to an agreement.
The rail union, led by Mick Lynch, is “ready to sue for peace” after recent stoppages left members heavily out of pocket.
The RMT could agree to ballot members on a deal as early as Tuesday.
Express
More nurses strikes that would see twice as many workers walkout will be announced for February if talks with ministers do not make progress, union leaders have warned. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said that the strikes will be announced if negotiations with the Government over pay fail to make progress by the end of this month.
Should it go ahead the February strike would see all eligible RCN members going on strike for the first time.
This would make it the union’s biggest strike to date.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said that the public backed the nurses in their pay dispute and blasted Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “baffling” attitude to negotiations.
Initially the union insisted on a 19 percent pay rise, although they have indicated that they may be willing to accept 10 percent.
Downing Street appears to be aiming to end the dispute by considering a one -off payment to nurses, according to Sky News.
Guardian
Sara Gorton thought the Covid pandemic was as bad as things could get for the NHS. But now, as nurses, ambulance staff and other health workers plan more strikes in a service already on its knees, the woman leading pay negotiations for the health unions believes she was wrong. “This is worse – because it is a situation we are in because of political choice,” she says.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak and his ministers like to portray union leaders as leftwing militants, modern-day Arthur Scargills. By doing so they believe they can turn the public against the strikers as the disputes drag on and sympathy wears thin.
But Gorton, the head of health at Unison, the country’s biggest union, and chair of the NHS Staff Council representing staff in pay talks with ministers and employers, does not fit that stereotype at all.
Telegraph
Striking teachers will put vulnerable pupils at risk, the Children’s Commissioner has warned as she said schools must not be allowed to close again.
Dame Rachel de Souza said children have already sacrificed enough during the pandemic and “cannot afford” to have any more disruption just as they are getting back into a normal routine after prolonged periods of school closures.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, she said that teachers’ strikes would not only disturb pupils’ learning but could also lead to vulnerable youngsters coming to harm.
“As we face the prospect of teacher strikes in England, I feel more strongly than ever that this is the wrong course of action,” Dame Rachel said.
“It’s damaging to children’s outcomes. It will disrupt their learning just as they are getting back on track. And it can put some children at risk, particularly the ones that school provides protection from other difficulties in their lives.”
Express
Teachers have voted to strike next month after ministers refused to meet their pay demands, union sources have said. According to The Times, on Monday leaders of the National Education Union (NEU) will announce the result of the ballot of its 300,000 members.
It has planned a number of national walkouts and regional strike action which would start in February and run until mid-March.
Members in all schools in England and Wales would be called to strike.
The two to three day stoppages would follow the pattern of rail unions and the ballot for action will last for six months.
Union leaders also believe that a strike could close thousands of schools.
Ukraine
Mail
Rishi Sunak will heap pressure on Britain’s allies to follow his lead in taking advantage of a ‘window of opportunity’ to support Ukraine in the drawn-out war with Russia.
Confirming his decision to provide 14 British tanks to Kyiv during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Prime Minister will now deploy his ministers on an international diplomatic blitz in an attempt to gain widespread support.
Officials said the decision was made after Mr Sunak ‘analysed the military picture’.
He is said to have concluded Ukraine would need early assistance if it was to push Russia back following President Vladimir Putin‘s stalled and protracted invasion.
Telegraph
Rishi Sunak has confirmed that Ukraine will shortly receive the first British Challenger 2 tanks, piling pressure on Germany to follow suit.
The move makes the UK the first Western power to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks.
A squadron of 14 Challenger 2s will be sent in the coming weeks and the UK will begin training the Ukrainian army to use them this week, Downing Street said.
Mr Sunak said that the modern tanks were needed to “seize the moment” and to “push back Russian troops” in a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, on Saturday.
“The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine, including through the provision of Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
ITV News
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed the UK will provide tanks to Ukraine to help Kyiv’s forces “push Russian troops back”.
Downing Street said Mr Sunak made the pledge during a call on Saturday morning with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a readout of the phone conversation, a No 10 spokeswoman said the Prime Minister offered Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems as a sign of the UK’s “ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine”.
The move would make the UK the first Western power to supply the Ukrainians with main battle tanks.
Earlier this week, Western officials warned Ukraine would not be able to take back significant territory from Russia without an increase in fighting power – including tanks and other heavy armour.
BBC News
The UK is to send Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine to bolster the country’s war effort, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.
He spoke to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in a call on Saturday, during which he confirmed he would send the equipment and additional artillery systems, No 10 said.
Downing Street said the move shows “the UK’s ambition to intensify support.”
The BBC understands the initial commitment is for 14 tanks.
Around 30 AS90s, which are large, self-propelled guns, are also expected to be delivered.
President Zelensky has thanked the UK, saying that the decision to send the tanks “will not only strengthen us on the battlefield, but also send the right signal to other partners”.
He said the UK’s support was “always strong” and was “now impenetrable”.
No 10 said that during the call, Mr Sunak and Mr Zelensky also discussed also recent Ukrainian victories, as well as the “need to seize on this moment with an acceleration of global military and diplomatic support”.
Express
Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador has warned Rishi Sunak “better think twice” before sending tanks to Ukraine. He said the Prime Minister “is becoming more and more involved with direct confrontation with a military power”, warning “the stakes are very high.” Dmitry Polyanskiy warned that everything sent to Ukraine will be “destroyed and demolished”.
He said NATO’s involvement in Ukraine has turned the conflict into a “proxy war”, warning that Russia is “fighting with NATO in Ukraine“.
The UK is currently weighing up whether or not to send tanks to Ukraine for the first time, to assist them in their defence against the Russian invasion.
When asked by LBC’s Andrew Marry what the Russian reaction to Western powers sending tanks would be, Mr Polyanskiy said: “Well, I think we’ve already said, that everything that is being delivered to Ukraine is becoming an absolutely legal target and it will be destroyed and demolished as all the other deliveries that were sent before and of course, these kind of discussions are proving the fact that NATO is being more and more deeply involved in this crisis and this is a very dangerous situation.
Guardian
Demands for a special tribunal to investigate Russia for a “crime of aggression” against Ukraine have been backed by senior UK politicians from across the political divide in a move to show Vladimir Putin and his generals that they will be held to account.
In a joint statement shared with the Observer, figures including the Labour leader Keir Starmer, the former Nato secretary general George Robertson, the former foreign secretary David Owen, and former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith say the tribunal should be set up to look into the “manifestly illegal war” on the same principles that guided the allies when they met in 1941 to lay the groundwork for the Nuremberg war crimes trials of Nazi leaders.
While the International Criminal Court (ICC) is already looking at allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to the Ukraine invasion, advocates for a special tribunal say it is needed because the ICC does not have the power to examine the crime of aggression.
“For the last decade energy policy has been a mixture of muddle, incompetence, short-sightedness and wishful thinking”
These are not my words, but those of Matthew Lynn writing in the Business section of Saturday`s Daily Telegraph.
He was writing under the headingf “Coal, the world`s dirtiest fuel is back – and it`s not going away”
Apparently on the continent they are digging like fury
“Poland has massively started to increase production”
“Germany is putting mothballed coal plants back into service as it grapples with potential blackouts over winter”
“In November France rebooted a coal plant in Saint-Avold to help cope with the temporary closure of nuclear Plants”
“In Spain the energy giant Endesa has been asked to keep coal plants open”
“Italy has postponed closures that were scheduled for 2025”
“All it will take is a cold snap in February – hardly a rare occurrence – and the grids across the Continent will be in crisis, and coal will be the only solution”
“Imports of liqueified natural gas have partly made up for that (Russia cutting off supplies -my words) but in an emergency coal is the only back up available at short notice”
“The race to net zero has been so rushed , with grand – standing and virtue signalling elevated above every other consideration, that we have been left dependent on wind and solar power far earlier than we should have been”
“Coal is a stop gap resource , and yet, we should not kid ourselves that it is going to disappear any time soon”.
“There is plenty of shale gas as well. if only we were bold enough to brush aside the madder conspiracyt theorists on social media” – Lynn pointed out no earthquakes in Alberta Canada.
Matthew Lynn hits all the right notes, it`s unlikely the rest of the MSM will take up his cry
Somehow Rishi must be made to hear and suspend our current net zero policy and ensure we control our own power supply. Otherwise failure on his part can only be construed as deliberate neglect of duty. Perhaps some body could ask an urgent question in Parliament!
So Britain is sending 14 tank to help the Cocaine Comedian.
With 11,000 tanks in storage (!) I assume the Russians are quaking in their boots.
Apologies for a wikiped pointer, an indicator only, but even if it is 20 pct wrong that’s still 9,000 tanks:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_main_battle_tanks_by_country
And where is the money coming from to replace them. Its not as though we have 14 spare ‘in storage’. Nor have we any budget due to HS2, illegals, nhs, and so on.
And the grudging, Russians might have, could have, allegedly, would have, possibly have, should have, taken the salt mine town. Only a 25 min drive (along Russian artillery targeted roads) to the next town – maybe, possibly, only if they are going that way. Oh, and the town comprises only maternity hospitals, but we knew that.
Talking of tanks, this is from October 2022. All three ‘clips are about 30 seconds long each. Third one down illustrates the futility of the nato, usa, gb efforts to ‘even things up’.
https://sonar21.com/what-is-russia-planning-to-do-next/#comment-92400
More tanks on one train than the whole of the British army.
Sites giving details of tanks by country differ, but this one does an annual survey so ought to be up to date.
https://www.globalfirepower.com/armor-tanks-total.php
The UK has 227 main battle tanks, Challenger 2s. This has not changed for over ten years, although a Mk3 version is in development, with an order for 148, so that’s alright. We now rank world 57th by number.
Russia has 12,566 (China almost 5,000).
We taxpayers are donating a squadron, normally 15 tanks, that we can obviously afford to give (each costing upwards of £4m, so £60m worth), and won’t diminish our tiny fleet at all. Hmm. But according to our ‘free’ and truth-telling, and no way in the pocket of our government, media, this will turn the tide in a Spring offensive. This is from the same play book as the ‘drowning’ Maldives, which, year after year, is always about to happen.
Ridiculous; a “free” nation that cannot defend itself will not remain free for long. However our freedom has already been severely compromised by the many traitors in and outside our own government. Whether or not we can recover it is a moot point but we must try.
PoS- Looks like our posts were made before updates. Yes, I read Britain has 227 Challenger 2 tanks and is in the early stages of a £1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) upgrade of 148 vehicles. The first of those though won’t be available until 2027 (!). Ref ‘defencenews’.
I also read that Britain’s Army has more horses than tanks. Ref ‘bbc’ – must be true.
Next up capital ships?
Biscotte. The army has horses? Someone is having a larf, methinks. They went out in WW1. Perhaps there is a confusion with our mounted police. I believe we still have a few of them. Just thought though, who supplied the horses to pull coaches in past coronations? Will Charles 111 be ‘traditional’?
So Sir Keir you`ll “make Brexit work”, as the Express points out you are the one “who previously campaigned for a second referendum”, well it is said a leopard can change its spots but you `aint one of those, you are a weasel and they don`t often have spots to change and I don`t believe in the darkest deepest depth of your heart you have rowed back at all from your previous position. and would now make “surrendering Brexit work”
Remember you were and still are the “Ringmaster” of the Labour push to return to the slavery of the EU and I`m sure your position fully accorded with the position of those of the Conservative party who were the `enemy within`, as was much of the Establishment and also the `enemy without` such as the Lib Dems and Greens.All who still are in your chort or frame of mind (and still working assiduously to that end)
All who had suckled at the EU teat for many years and were in a form of feifdom to their masters there and dependent for their very existence, income and continued `employment` and lucrative pension at their termination of service.
What is this Brexit you intend to make work?
Well for a start it isn`t “your” Brexit it is “our” Brexit (The peasants and grassrooters), a clean break from 40 odd years of their deception your cowardly compliance and their tyranny over us. The one we instructed you by referendum to bring TOTALLY into effect if not immediately, but at most within 6 months .(not meaninglyless “negotiating” for umpteen wasted years)
As I said this drip drip drip of increasing EU suzerainty over our parliament, our Civil Service and Establishment persisted over a period of 40 odd years, It`s effect was well disguised from the electorate whose desires and needs were never taken into consideration and perhaps to be reasonable the hoi polloi were too engaged in other pursuits to have been aware of how they were being fiddled,finnagled,misled, deceived or just too apathetic (I leave to you to fill in the full story)
Anyway the penny finally dropped to the `masses` helped and martialled by Nigel and his panel of like minded friends from across the political, trade union, establishment and media, board who conducted wonderfully attended and informative public meetings.(in fact public outcries)
I have one final observation, what we all learned was that the EU was the ENEMY a deadly enemy who never hesitated to lie (ask J C Juncker an authority on lieing)or manipulate
The EU is still the same ENEMY and the Protocol must not be surrendered, our COMPLETE Independence must be the only outcome to these FINAL discussions (there is nothing more to Negotiate AWAY)
Sorry Viv if this offends length, but I think it must be said, we are sleepwalking into disaster,if words from me can be said to liven things up,;then…………
Had to look it up. The perfect word.
suzerain, n. (a.)
[ad. F. suzerain, older s(o)userain, app. f. sus above, up (:—L. sūsum, sursum, f. sub from below, up + vorsum, versum, pa. pple. of vertĕre to turn), after souverain sovereign.]
A feudal overlord. In recent use, with reference to international relations, a sovereign or a state having supremacy over another state which possesses its own ruler or government but cannot act as an independent power.
Agreed Roger Turner at 1:10 pm; Sadly far too many MPs and government employees at all levels would have us back in the Evil Union. To many in the electorate are willing to support them. Time for a robust Treason and Sedition Law with the time-honoured penalty.
Roger Turner 1.10pm, Sunday. Totally agree. Also would add global tyranny from global government also threatens us.
The first response of a bureaucrat under pressure, is to take on more staff. ( Grannies sayings )
Ukraine = money down the drain, but never mind it’s only our money!
Debbie. It is Sunday 15th. January, not the 25th.
Not your fault though that ‘the news’ is a load of cobblers as usual. Why on earth would someone feeling suicidal ring 111? Just checked and ‘The Samaritans’ still exist. Available on 116123.
Starmer – everything he has said shouts out that Bliar is pulling his strings. Snake is useless but Starmer would be worse. Our only hope is that the few, almost sensible, Con back benchers might somehow drag that party in the right direction in time to prevent Starmer getting in. But personally I shall vote for whatever ‘alternative party’ is offered. BTW Lisa, how do I prove my identity when I use postal voting? You supported Ukip’s demand that all must produce I.D. when voting.
PB- yes, ‘mein herr – der papers please’ is everywhere. Changing my bank account showed that I don’t have any valid ID.
Next up is a laminated card with my picture and name on one side, and position (Supreme Commander (for Life)) on the other side. It will apparently count for more than all my bills, house deeds, marriage certificate, credit cards and so on.
Pauline, driving licence, bus pass, passport for starters. This is very different from what the government are trying to do. I even have a disabled badge with a picture on. Absolutely no need for any other type of I.D. I still have a National Insurance card which was issued after personally attending a government office with my mother where I lived, and produced a birth certificate as proof of identity when I was 15 for a Saturday job. Now they are handed out like smarties.
Lisa. I have ALL of those too. How does that help me when being disabled I need to VOTE BY POST !?!
PB- with all ‘the bring your spirit down’ ‘news’, at first, I thought you meant Debbie!
Thanks Pauline – typo!
99.1/7 weeks to go.