Latest news with #CliveLewis
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Ofwat to be scrapped as ‘not fit for purpose'
Ofwat, the UK's water regulator, is reportedly set to be abolished next week following a government review led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, which concluded it is not fit for purpose. The review recommends replacing Ofwat with a new regulator for the water industry, a decision that follows years of underinvestment and public dissatisfaction. The Environment Agency recently reported a 60 per cent increase in serious water pollution incidents in 2024, with Thames Water, Southern Water, and Yorkshire Water responsible for the majority. Labour MP Clive Lewis criticised the proposed abolition, arguing it would not resolve issues like river pollution or high bills, advocating instead for public ownership of water companies. The potential scrapping of Ofwat coincides with Thames Water, Britain's largest water firm, facing the prospect of nationalisation due to its significant debt and a recently failed bailout.
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
New blow for Starmer as welfare rebels fix sights on migrant deal
Sir Keir Starmer is facing a fresh wave of dissent from Labour backbenchers over his deal with France to stop small boat crossings. Under the 'one in, one out' scheme, Britain would send migrants coming in from the Channel back to France within weeks of their arrival in return for the UK taking asylum seekers from France. Details of the plan are expected to be set out during a state visit by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, to London this week. But restless backbenchers who recently rebelled against Sir Keir's welfare plans have threatened to revolt again over his proposed migrant deal. Clive Lewis MP told The Telegraph: 'Last week felt like it was the starting gun on more Labour MPs beginning to seriously question the Government. You can't help but think its judgment will now be called into question far more frequently.' Mr Lewis continued: 'On immigration and asylum, why don't we have safe routes? There's no safe routes; if you want to stop the boats, establish safe routes. 'Labour should have a practical, humane policy. But any sense of a logical process that is based on human rights, basically what a Labour Government would traditionally be expected to do, is now out of the window. 'Tony Benn was right – if you want to know what your government would do to you if they could get away with it, look at how they treat asylum seekers. That's what you saw this week with disabled people and you're seeing it again with this.' Another Labour MP added that the proposed deal 'could be illegal under international law'. Relations between Downing Street and the parliamentary Labour party have broken down in recent weeks as the Government's approach on issues such as welfare has clashed with the Left-wing values of many Labour MPs. No 10 and the Prime Minister himself have also been criticised for a perceived lack of engagement with MPs and an allegedly haughty attitude towards the back benches. Labour 'moving Right' One senior Labour MP and former minister said: 'I am very concerned by the proposal. It's a bit like the debate we had last week about welfare and disability payments. It just doesn't really seem like a Labour thing to do. 'My view is that we should have more safe routes. But there are a number of my colleagues, particularly those in Red Wall seats, that think being seen to be more conservative on immigration will help them win again next time. 'I know that Morgan McSweeney has been a strong voice for moving Right on immigration. Many of us disagree with this approach.' Another senior MP added: 'A lot of people across the country are agitated about the small boats but there is no easy solution. But they're on the wrong track. 'What happened to smashing the gangs? Human traffickers are the scum of the earth and the idea was to get them but we don't seem to be doing too well on that front. I'm not convinced by this, it sounds like another gimmick that is doomed to fail.' One MP suggested any revolt over the scheme could be as big as this week's rebellion over disability benefits. Some 49 rebels voted against the Government's Bill on welfare reform despite a series of concessions from No 10. At one point the rebellion included as many as 120 MPs, enough to wipe out Sir Keir's landslide majority. France has previously resisted moves for a returns agreement with Britain since the Dublin returns agreement was scrapped under Brexit, and has argued that any new agreement would have to be EU-wide. However, France opened the door to taking back Channel migrants for the first time after Bruno Retailleau, the country's interior minister, said that it would 'send a clear message' to other migrants planning to make the perilous journey. The summit between Mr Macron and Sir Keir is set to take place from 8-10 July in the wake of Labour's first anniversary of being in Government.
Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Nine Labour MPs vote against banning Palestine Action
Nine Labour MPs voted against the government's move to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. MPs overwhelmingly backed the decision to add the direct action group to a list of terrorist groups alongside al-Qaeda, Islamic State and Hamas. If approved by the House of Lords on Thursday, Palestine Action will become a proscribed terror group on Friday, which will make it illegal to be a member or to invite support for the organisation, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. On Friday the High Court will hear a last-minute injunction application from Palestine Action to try to suspend the move. The group of Labour MPs included the veteran left-winger Diane Abbott, Clive Lewis and Richard Burgon, who served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet.
The Guardian
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Labour using Brexit to weaken nature laws, MPs say
Labour is using post-Brexit freedoms to override EU nature laws and allow chalk streams and nightingale habitats to be destroyed, MPs have said. The planning and infrastructure bill going through parliament will allow developers to circumvent EU-derived environmental protections and instead pay into a nature restoration fund. This would override the habitats directive, which protects animals including otters, salmon and dormice. Under the new bill it will be possible to pay into the fund and build over their habitats. The bill also allows potential development of EU-designated sites including sites of special scientific interest and special protection areas. This week the Guardian revealed that the bill poses a threat to 5,251 areas known as 'jewels in the crown' for nature. They include cherished natural landscapes such as the New Forest, the Surrey Heaths, the Peak District Moors and the Forest of Bowland, and rivers such as the Itchen in Hampshire and the Wensum in Norfolk. The Office for Environmental Protection, the nature watchdog set up to replace EU checks and balances, has warned that the bill would be a 'regression' in terms environmental protection. Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, said the public did not realise Brexit was being used to weaken nature laws. 'I don't think people have made the connection about Brexit,' he said. 'What we, the Labour government, are doing with Brexit is using it in such a poor way. We've already seen it with water standards, pesticide standards over the last eight years, but this just turbocharges it all. 'There's a sense we are able to get away with it because it's not what people expect us to do. There is immediate outrage from the public when the Tories do it. People are confused when Labour does it.' He said he would be voting against the bill in its current form. 'I don't understand how anyone who is environmentally minded can vote for this bill,' Lewis said. Other political parties are planning to try to win over disaffected nature-loving Labour voters who will be disheartened to see their local green spaces concreted over before the next general election. Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrats' planning and housing spokesperson, said: 'The government seems content to dilute protections of our waterways and local wildlife with vague promises of future benefits and little clarity about when they will materialise. With national landscapes and precious chalk streams disappearing, we need urgent action from the government, working with our European neighbours, to protect vital ecosystems which run right across Europe. 'The Liberal Democrats have long led the campaign in parliament to clean up our rivers and chalk streams. We will continue to fight for their survival with our amendments to protect chalk streams and natural habitats in this bill.' Zack Polanski, the deputy leader of the Green party, said: 'Labour are once again showing there's nothing they won't learn from Reform. Not only are they content to sell off nature to the highest bidder, they're only able to do so because they've utterly failed to defend the regulations that once protected our environment. 'This destruction is only possible because of their utter inaction on making the case for the value of EU environmental protections. From nightingales to chalk streams, our natural habitats deserve so much better than this bill – and so much better than this nature-destroying Labour party.' The Wildlife Trusts said: 'The legislation would significantly weaken important habitat regulations – rules which have helped to effectively protect wildlife and wild spaces for decades. In so doing the bill risks stripping away vital protections without clear requirements on developers to deliver the nature restoration needed to revive precious landscapes such as chalk streams, wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands, and to protect treasured species like hazel dormice, otters and struggling bird and butterfly species.'
South Wales Argus
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Chepstow and Mansfield male voice choirs perform together
The concert took place at The Drill Hall in Chepstow on May 5, bank holiday Monday. More than 50 choristers from Chepstow Male Voice Choir (CMVC) and Mansfield Male Voice Choir joined together to perform. The audience included Chepstow's deputy mayor. CMVC invited Mansfield to come and join them for this joint concert, finishing off their tour of Cardiff and the surrounding areas. Both choirs played together in a joint performance but also performed separately. The evening also featured Clive Lewis playing the cornet. This event was organised after the two choirs performed for the charity last year at The Royal Albert Hall in London. Bill Evans, CMVC events manager said: "They are a top choir and have invited us to join them in Manfield in 2027". Kirsten Watson, the musical director at Chepstow Male Voice Choir, said: "The day was outstandingly successful in showing our Welsh hospitality, of camaraderie between choristers and musicians and the resulting concert of wonderful music making."
