Monica Lennon fights for a seat in Holyrood election
Five years ago Labour's Monica Lennon was ranked tenth on the magazine's list of women who had changed the world thanks to her pioneering work delivering free period products.
Now it is not clear whether the politician can even win her party's backing to stand in a winnable seat.
Lennon, the Central Scotland-list MSP, has been out of favour with the Scottish Labour hierarchy since standing against Anas Sarwar in the 2021 leadership contest. She has languished on the back benches since she stood down as a spokeswoman shortly after her defeat.
She is seeking the nomination for a Lanarkshire constituency. Announcing her challenge for the twinned seats of Rutherglen & Cambuslang, and Cumbernauld & Kilsyth, Lennon gave her backing to the Labour leader.
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Telegraph
29 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Trump attacks ‘train wreck' Musk's plan to start new political party
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The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Monday briefing: What Zarah Sultana's new breakaway party could mean for Labour and the left
Good morning. Last week, Zarah Sultana resigned from the Labour party and announced she was co-founding a new leftwing political party alongside former leader Jeremy Corbyn. The MP for Coventry South, who was first elected in December 2019, lost the Labour whip last July after defying the party to oppose the two-child benefit cap. She has stood by that decision, saying she would 'do it again'. In her resignation statement, Sultana accused the government of seeking to make disabled people suffer and called the political system in Westminster 'broken'. She said she was joining forces with other independent MPs and activists to build an alternative to what she described as a political establishment that no longer served ordinary people. The news will not come as a surprise to many Westminster watchers – Corbyn has been hinting at the formation of a new party since last September, and an appeareance on Peston on Sunday two weeks ago was widely seen as a soft launch for the project. But so far Corbyn has confirmed only that he is in discussions about a new party; some reports suggest Sultana caught parts of the emerging alliance off guard, exposing divisions over strategy and direction – and a struggle for leadership and power. While we await more key details – including the party's name – it's worth asking whether there is real public appetite for a new leftwing party, what it could look like, and what impact it could have on not just Labour but the entire political landscape. To explore those questions, I spoke with veteran pollster and Deltapoll co-founder Joe Twyman for today's newsletter. That's after the headlines. Labour | Downing Street is facing another bruising battle after last week's humiliating retreat on welfare reforms as MPs, campaigners and parents voice concern at its overhaul of special needs education for children in England, the Guardian can reveal. Middle East | Israeli warplanes launched a wave of strikes in Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 38 Palestinians, according to hospital officials, as talks over a ceasefire in the devastated territory reached a critical point. US news | Residents in central Texas were observing a day of prayer on Sunday for at least 82 people killed and dozens missing in flash flooding. A search, rescue and recovery operation was continuing. Australia | A jury in Australia has found Erin Patterson, 50, guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a poisoned beef wellington lunch almost two years ago. UK news | Keir Starmer, King Charles and the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, have marked the 20th anniversary of the 7 July attacks in London in which Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 people and injured more than 770. Sultana published a statement on Thursday accusing Labour and the Conservatives of offering 'nothing but managed decline and broken promises'. She pointed to Reform – and its leader, Nigel Farage, a 'billionaire-backed grifter' in her words – leading the polls as evidence of the political system's failure. Framing the next general election as a battle between 'socialism or barbarism', a slogan famously used by the Marxist thinker Rosa Luxemburg, she called for urgent political change. The MP's statement strongly criticised some of Labour's most controversial policies in government, including the two-child benefit cap, winter fuel payment cuts and welfare reform proposals that the government's own impact assessment says would push many disabled people into poverty. She also condemned politicians across the spectrum for smearing 'people of conscience trying to stop a genocide in Gaza as terrorists'. Sultana ended the statement by urging supporters to 'join us' in building what she presented as a new political alternative. As of this morning, more than 45,000 people had signed up as 'actioners'. Together, these two themes – inequality and poverty, and anger over the war in Gaza – point to the communities this new party is hoping to mobilise and represent. But is there any appetite for this among the British electorate? What does the polling say? It's hard to measure hypotheticals in polling, Joe Twyman told me, yet he warned: 'The last 10 to 15 years of British politics have taught us that you cannot rule anything out, and that nothing can be guaranteed.' On the question of whether there is a desire for a new leftwing party among the electorate, Twyman said: 'There is always a desire for a new party … if there were a general election tomorrow and the following parties were running, the normal parties, and then a new party, left, right, whatever, they will always poll relatively well. And by relatively well, I mean around 10-15%.' A recent poll by More in Common, shared with the New Statesman last month, backed this up, finding that a new party fronted by Corbyn could pick up 10% of the votes in an election. But Twyman was keen to temper expectations. 'That's because you're asking in an abstract way: how would you hypothetically vote in a hypothetical election for a hypothetical party? But what people are actually answering is how they feel about the existing parties. We project our hopes and expectations on to a new party. People think, 'Oh yeah, I'd vote for that,' not because they like the new party, but because they don't like the established ones. There's nothing bad yet about this new party in the eyes of many people.' He added that he speaks from experience. Twyman was the official pollster for the ill-fated Change UK party, made up of centrist defectors from Labour and the Conservatives in 2019. Ultimately, not a single candidate won a seat. 'It lasted so short a time I didn't even get the T-shirt,' he joked. What does this mean for the Greens? It has been particularly interesting to see how leading figures in the Green party have responded to the announcement of a new political party. Zack Polanski, the insurgent London assembly member running to lead the Greens on a radical, mass-membership 'eco-populism' platform, quickly announced he would work with any party that wanted to stop Reform and challenge Labour. So did Mothin Ali, the most high-profile candidate currently running to become the party's deputy leader. Could we soon see a political pact between the Green party and this new organisation? James Meadway, an economist, former adviser to John McDonnell and now a Green party member, has been calling for exactly that, and he isn't alone. He claims there are 60 seats up for grabs for an alliance between socialists and environmentalists. But could this actually work? Twyman told me it is difficult to test the public appetite for formal alliances. 'The average person in the street has not thought about this at all,' he said. 'What you're dealing with here is hypotheticals, but the reality can be very, very different.' He said the mistake people often make is simply adding up parties. It's the same trick Conservatives use when they add Reform's vote to their own and claim that is what they would get if Reform didn't stand. So for now, there is no reliable way to model how well such an alliance would actually perform. Will it be a serious threat to Labour? As for Labour leadership, they have so far brushed off the announcement of this new party, while some Labour backbenchers actively welcomed Sultana's resignation. But could this new party prove to be a headache for Labour down the line? 'Everything's a headache for Labour,' Twyman said. 'If you're Tony Blair and you're 40 points ahead in the polls and you get complaints from your left flank, then you can laugh it off. If, on the other hand, you're Keir Starmer and you have had a really tough first year, you're trying to get things back on track, you recognise the risk that Reform represents on some of your voters … and now you're thinking, well, maybe here's another risk.' Should Downing Street be worried as things stand right now? No, Twyman said. But he wouldn't dismiss it completely, especially if the new party gains money, momentum, or defections. He suggests the announcement of the party adds to growing evidence of fragmentation in British politics. 'Reform and this new party didn't create this wave of dissatisfaction, but what they're being very effective at doing is riding it on to the beach.' 'Labour governments are meant to make people feel less scared, not more.' John Harris is typically powerful in today's column asking incredulously: is Labour really about to target the educational rights of special needs children? Charlie Lindlar, acting deputy editor, newsletters What does it mean to come dead last on the nation's most beloved reality TV show? I loved this roundup of contestants from a range of shows, from The Traitors to Bake Off. Aamna In case you missed it on Saturday: First Edition's own Archie Bland is excellent in this column on Bob Vylan and the coalescing of a steadfast public opposition to Israel's war on Gaza. 'It isn't just that people are angry that the catastrophe in Gaza isn't being given due attention: it is that their encounters with observable reality are being flatly denied,' he thinks. Charlie From his earliest reading memory (The Very Hungry Caterpillar) to the author he once struggled with but now frequently rereads (Jane Austen), this is a lovely, quiet meditation from bestselling author David Nicholls on the books that changed his life. Aamna I'm in the midst of yet another Girls rewatch – the perfect time for Lena Dunham's long-awaited next project, Too Much, and this Michael Segalov interview with its star, Megan Stalter. Charlie Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Tennis | At Wimbledon, Cameron Norrie lost a third-set match point but beat Chile's Nicolás Jarry 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-3 to set up a quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz. Briton Sonay Kartal lost to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (3), 6-4 in a clash marred by technological failure, with Wimbledon organisers apologising after the electronic line-calling system was turned off in error at a crucial moment on Centre Court. Football | Second-half goals from Géraldine Reuteler and Alayah Pilgrim gave Switzerland a 2-0 win against Iceland in Group A of Euro 2025. Caroline Graham Hansen struck late on as Norway ended 2-1 against Finland for their second win in two games at Euro 2025, with Switzerland's win sealing their qualification. Formula One | Lando Norris took his maiden win at the British Grand Prix after a dramatic and incident-packed race at Silverstone in treacherous wet and dry conditions. The Guardian begins the week with 'New battle for No 10 as MPs raise alarm on special needs provision'. The Times likewise has 'PM facing fresh revolt over special needs help'. 'Labour 'willing to explore' wealth tax' says the Telegraph. 'State pension tax would be 'insult to all OAPs'' – that's the Express while the i leads with 'UK was 10 years from turning off the taps: Labour vows to avert new water crisis'. The Financial Times tells us that 'China reroutes exports via south-east Asia in bid to skirt Trump's tariff wall'. The Metro reports on a call by the Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, for ''12 mega forces' in policing shake-up'. Biggest story in the Daily Mail is 'Top police chiefs: Smell of cannabis is a 'sign of crime''. ''Fined'... for keeping teeth healthy' – it's a 'perverse' case that stains NHS dentistry, says the Mirror. A rogue fertility clinic, stolen eggs, and an unlikely friendship Jenny Kleeman reports on the IVF clinic in the US that stole women's eggs to get other women pregnant. Sign up for Inside Saturday to see more of Edith Pritchett's cartoons, the best Saturday magazine journalism and an exclusive look behind the scenes A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad Two decades after the 7/7 London bombings, families of victims have channelled grief into powerful memorials that continue to change lives. The Miriam Hyman Children's Eye Care Centre in India now treats thousands of children each month, while initiatives like Fiona Stevenson's swimming project in Belize and Michael Matsushita's orphanage fund in Cambodia and Vietnam have safeguarded and uplifted countless young lives. Closer to home, bursaries and hospital donations honour victims like Helen Jones, Benedetta Ciaccia, and Philip Russell. Alongside these legacies, families have also campaigned for reconciliation and social cohesion. From clinics to classrooms, each initiative reflects the values of those lost and the enduring power of compassion. Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
What's the point of Anas Sarwar if he won't fight our corner?
Labour has ruled Wales for three decades and Scotland is probably superior in every aspect of governance, yet Scottish Labour disparages its own country at every turn. The UK does need reform, but it needs serious targeting to avoid hurting the actual sick and making the poor poorer. The UK has had a stagnant economy for decades, with perceptions of an untouchable and unchanging ruling elite (no matter which party is in No 10) and this has radicalised the electorate into losing trust in traditional politics. The UK needs growth. The UK needs industrial and infrastructure investment from the south of England to the north of Scotland. Why isn't Anas Sarwar insisting Scotland gets regional pricing for electricity instead of arguing for costly foreign nuclear power? Why is he not pushing for a per capita share of defence spending or carbon capture and storage investment, or asking why new trade deals are centred on cars and steel (important to England but meaningless for us)? If Mr Sarwar is not willing to fight 'Scotland's corner', what on earth is the point of him and his branch office puppet party? GR Weir, Ochiltree. It's the same old Labour A few weeks ago, I asked if Labour had reached peak insanity (Letters, May 25). Judging by the humiliating U-turn on disability benefit reform, we're still at base camp ("Starmer ditches key welfare reform as bill passes", The Herald, July 2). Once again, Labour has reverted to form: all dogma, no discipline, and a deep aversion to difficult decisions. We've seen this cycle before. Labour enters office promising fairness and social justice. But reality intervenes: growth stalls, spending soars, and tough choices are abandoned. Eventually, the money runs out, and the government collapses into chaos, clutching tired slogans as the bond market circles. Read more letters Despite the rhetoric, Labour is punishing the very people it claims to support. You cannot tax your way to growth, yet that's exactly what it is doing. Higher National Insurance, scrapped investment incentives, and new taxes on education and entrepreneurs have reportedly driven out over 15,000 millionaires, along with the jobs and investment they take with them. The North Sea oil and gas sector faces a crippling 78% tax – disastrous for energy security, as we're forced to import more at higher cost. Meanwhile, immigration overwhelms public services, yet Labour offers no coherent plan. Illegal migrants are housed in hotels at vast public expense, while there is no effective deterrent. Net zero dogma consumes billions in subsidies, dictates how we live, and delivers negligible – even negative – global benefit. The fact is, Labour continues to borrow endlessly, with national debt now exceeding 100% of GDP and more grief to come. Increased defence spending commitments remain unfunded, yet we hand over sovereign territory like the Chagos Islands, only to lease it back. Labour's slogan, 'fixing the foundations', has become an embarrassing absurdity. Same old, same old Labour – incapable of reform, allergic to realism, and, yes, destined to end in tears. Can we please just skip to the inevitable collapse before more damage is done? Ian Lakin, Aberdeen. When will they wake up? Douglas Eadie (Letters, July 4) in mocking John Swinney's recent article ('There is nothing wrong in Scotland that cannot be fixed', The Herald, July 1) stated that 'one saving grace was that he did not invoke the old chestnut that the answer to all our challenges is independence'. While I have never heard any independence supporter claim that independence will immediately solve all the problems currently facing Scotland, one wonders how much worse life for many living in the UK has to become before the other half of Scotland's electorate (the latest Ipsos poll for STV has support for independence at 52% with more general support for self-determination via the Scottish Parliament probably close to the devolution referendum level of 75%) finally wakes up to the stark reality of a fatally dysfunctional Union. Stan Grodynski, Longniddry. There is no conspiracy Brian Wilson in his article about the Arran ferries ("Is the Scottish Government secretly working to kill off Ardrossan Harbour?", The Herald, July 4) seems to be of the opinion that there is some conspiracy to ensure that Troon rather than Ardrossan should be the island's mainland port. I would suggest that the reason is much more simple. As Mr Wilson has pointed out, Troon has existing, relatively new, infrastructure suitable for the largest ferries ever likely to serve Arran. That existing infrastructure, with some minor modifications, has been shown in recent times to perform well handling two quite different types of vessel. In contrast Ardrossan requires very considerable capital expenditure to perform to the same operational standard as Troon. After the ending of the Burns & Laird Belfast ro-ro service in 1976 and the eventual move of all Scotland's Irish services from both Ardrossan and Troon to Cairnryan, what is still referred to locally as the Irish berth has deteriorated to such an extent that it is no longer safe to use. As for the existing Arran ro-ro berth this needs to be reconfigured at very considerable cost to ensure CalMac's new big ships can arrive and depart safely – a need which was foreseen when these ships were ordered. However, unlike Troon's private owner which sees the Troon ferry terminal as an asset, Ardrossan's private owner sees no economic case for it making the investment necessary to enable that port to continue as a ferry terminal. As users of the Arran ferry now appreciate, Ardrossan has many advantages over Troon – not least the shorter sailing time and direct rail connection – but the balancing of these with the public sector investment needed to retain the Arran sailings at Ardrossan can hardly be considered as part of some conspiracy. John Riddell, Fairlie. A poll last week put support for independence at 53 per cent (Image: Newsquest) We must boost our civil rights Brian Wilson's article on Ardrossan harbour was all about an SNP plot to move the ferry to Arran from Ardrossan to Troon. I was not very impressed by the logic behind this alleged plot. What is however perfectly clear and beyond dispute is that the actions of the public authorities in this issue have been appalling What stands out like a sore thumb in this long saga is how the local people in Ardrossan and in Arran have been treated with contempt, and brushed to one side. What is the problem that is presenting such difficulty? The problem can't be the fact that CalMac has had ferries built to use on this service which were too big for the harbour and nobody noticed that until they were built some years later than planned. No, that can't explain it. Nor do I accept Brian Wilson's SNP conspiracy theory, that has no real substance. In fact, there is no problem with the ferry which could not have been simply resolved years ago, before the new ferries were ready. The problem is not with the ferry, it is with our democratic system, that is where the problem is. How can our 'democratic' system of government treat local people with such lack of attention. Such conduct by elected representatives at local, regional and national level would not happen in Switzerland: why? Because in Switzerland the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is applied in the democratic system, and this ensures that the people, at local, regional or national level have legal rights, such as the right to call a referendum on public policy and a referendum which the government, and any other public authority, must comply with. Is that not a good idea, and would that not be helpful to the campaigners on this issue? There is a petition on the Scottish Government website calling for this particular UN Human Rights Covenant to be put into Scots law, which our parliament has the power, under the Scotland Act, to do tomorrow. If you go online to the Scottish Parliament website, look up 'petitions' and go to 'view petitions', insert the petition number PE2135 and you will be able to read the petition, and if you agree with it, to sign it. Andy Anderson, Ardrossan.
