Latest news with #IlfordNorth
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Health secretary Wes Streeting could lose seat to pro-Gaza rival under Labour plans to reduce the voting age to 16
Controversial plans to allow votes at 16 could see four ministers lose their seats to pro-Gaza independents, analysis has shown. Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood are among a string of senior Labour figures at risk from a potential surge in support for independent candidates running on a pro-Palestine platform. Labour has been accused of trying to 'rig the political system' by giving the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, who have traditionally been seen as being more Left-wing. But analysis by the polling organisation More In Common suggests the big winners could be hard-Left figures such as the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and pro-Gaza independents, who stunned the party by winning four seats at last year's election. The research found there are seven Labour seats where the number of 16 and 17-year-olds is bigger than the sitting MP's majority over a pro-Palestine independent at last year's election. They include Ilford North, where Mr Streeting clung on by just 528 votes, and Birmingham Ladywood, where Ms Mahmood saw her majority slashed to less than 3,500 following a 40 per cent collapse in Labour's vote share. Mr Streeting, who is tipped as a potential future Labour leader, has been urged by allies to seek a safer seat before the next election – known at Westminster as 'doing a chicken run'. But he appeared to rule out the move earlier this year, insisting he does not believe in 'cutting and running'. Ms Mahmood said her local campaign had been 'sullied by harassment and intimidation', with some opponents trying to 'deny' her Muslim faith. Also possibly at risk is the seat of outspoken Home Office minister Jess Phillips, whose majority last year was cut to just 693 following a vigorous campaign by a local pro-Gaza candidate. Ironically, elections minister Rushanara Ali, who is responsible for introducing the change in the law, could also be ousted. Ms Ali held on in Bethnal Green and Stepney by just 1,689 votes last year. Mr Corbyn has already formed a loose 'Independent Alliance' at Westminster with the four pro-Gaza MPs. They are now in talks with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana about creating a new party to fight the next election. The More In Common analysis found that a party led by Mr Corbyn would top the poll with Gen Z voters. The study found that the overall impact of extending the franchise to 16-year-olds was likely to be limited. But it added: 'It is likely that independent candidates running on pro-Gaza tickets could do very well out of this change.' The findings will fuel concerns among some Labour strategists that the rule change could backfire. Election experts have suggested the Greens, Lib Dems and Reforms could do well among the new electorate. Nigel Farage, who has a large youth following on TikTok, accused Labour of an 'attempt to rig the political system', but said: 'We intend to give them a nasty surprise'.
Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Corbyn targets Streeting's seat with new hard-Left party
Jeremy Corbyn held an event in Wes Streeting's constituency hours after announcing that he would help to create a new Left-wing party. The former Labour leader, now an independent MP, spoke in Ilford North alongside Leanne Mohamad, the pro-Palestiniancandidate who came within 528 votes of defeating the Health Secretary at last summer's general election. Mr Streeting will face an uphill battle to keep his seat if the backlash over Labour's stance on the Israel-Gaza war continues. He is one of the most prominent MPs in Labour's moderate wing, and widely tipped to run for the party leadership when Sir Keir Starmer's tenure comes to an end. At the event, Mr Corbyn singled out the Starmer Government's record on tackling child poverty and failure to be more critical of Israel over its military campaign in Gaza, according to one source present. His appearance at the event at the City Gates Conference Centre, attended by around 300 people, took place at 6.30pm on Friday – five hours after he issued his statement about setting up a new party. The event, called Breaking the Two-Party Nightmare, had been planned before the public statement and was held to mark a year since the election. Mr Corbyn was joined on stage by Andrew Feinstein, the pro-Palestinian candidate who stood against Sir Keir in Holborn and St Pancras. One person present said of his speech: 'He talked about the failures of the Labour Government, particularly on child poverty, and critiquing arms to Israel and the Government's position on Palestine.' Mr Corbyn is also understood to have repeated comments made on ITV last week, where he said he and fellow pro-Gaza independents would 'come together' and 'there will be an alternative'. There was also fund-raising to help those campaigning against Labour. Two pots of Mr Corbyn's home-made jam raised £1,500. After the event, the former Labour leader shared footage of the gathering on the X social media platform in a post along with the words 'real change is coming'. Last week, it emerged that former Labour MPs on the Left were planning to launch a new political party. Zarah Sultana, suspended from Labour for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap, said on Thursday that she and Mr Corbyn 'will co-lead the founding of a new party'. Mr Corbyn released his own statement on Friday, saying that 'a new kind of political party will soon take shape' but not stating Ms Sultana would be co-leader. It is still not known what the party would be called or what policies it will adopt, but it is widely expected that it will position itself considerably to the Left of where Sir Keir has taken Labour and be pro-Palestinian. Both issues could cause problems for Labour, which has attempted to balance its support for a two-state solution and condemnation of the lack of aid for Palestinians during the conflict in Gaza with supporting Israel's right to defend itself. Critics have warned that the new movement could help Nigel Farage's Reform UK, currently topping opinion polls, by splitting the Left-wing vote. Lord Kinnock, the former Labour leader, on Sunday called it the 'Farage Assistance Group'. Mr Corbyn enjoyed vast popularity with Labour members in 2015, when he surprised Westminster by claiming the leadership, and 2016, when he saw off a challenge from Owen Smith after the country had voted for Brexit. Labour's defeat in the 2019 election was followed the next year by his suspension from the party, after Sir Keir became leader, over his response to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's report on how it had handled complaints about anti-Semitism. Mr Corbyn never regained the Labour whip, meaning he stood as an independent candidate at the last general election. He was re-elected in Islington North, the London seat he has represented since 1983.
Telegraph
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The Labour giants Corbyn will aim to oust
Jeremy Corbyn's new hard-Left party is expected to target Labour giants including Wes Streeting and Jess Phillips at the next general election. The former Labour leader, who now sits as an independent MP, broke his silence on Friday to confirm he is in talks about a 'real alternative' to Sir Keir Starmer's party. It comes after Zarah Sultana, an ally of Mr Corbyn who was also stripped of the whip by Sir Keir, announced that the pair would co-lead the new movement. Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana are staunchly pro-Palestine. They have both accused the Israeli government of 'genocide' over its military response to the Oct 7 massacre by Hamas. Labour shed a significant amount of support among Muslim voters at the general election last year after Sir Keir initially refused to call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. The election saw five MPs, including Mr Corbyn, returned to the Commons on a pro-Gaza ticket at the expense of their defeated Labour rivals. Now Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana will hope their own electoral vehicle will be able to make similar gains at the next national poll. Both Mr Streeting, the Health Secretary, and Ms Phillips, the safeguarding minister, won their seats on Jul 4 2024 with majorities of less than 1,000 votes. An analysis by The Telegraph shows they have a significantly higher number of Muslim constituents than the last known England and Wales average of 6.5 per cent. Mr Streeting's Ilford North constituency has a Muslim majority of 30.6 per cent. He only just held on to the seat by 528 votes in the general election. Ms Phillips, meanwhile, has a constituency where 42.6 per cent of voters are Muslim. She won with a majority of 693 votes to beat Jody McIntyre, an independent hard-Left candidate. Her victory speech in Birmingham Yardley was interrupted by pro-Palestinian activists who booed and jeered her as well as chanting 'free Palestine' and 'shame on you'. Ms Phillips said the general election was 'the worst election I have ever stood in' and said she had been targeted by activists because she was a 'strong woman'. Other seats that could be targeted by the new party include Bradford West, where Naz Shah has a majority of 707 and almost three in five constituents (58.7 per cent) are Muslim. In Peterborough, Andrew Pakes has a majority of 155 in a constituency where almost 18 per cent of people are Muslim. The slimmest Labour majority in the country is just 15 votes in Hendon, which is represented by David Pinto-Duschinsky. One in six constituents (16.5 per cent) are Muslim according to the most recent census in 2021. Last year, an analysis by Survation and Royal Holloway identified the most culturally Left-wing seats in the UK. These were Nottingham East, Clapham and Brixton Hill and Hackney North and Stoke Newington. All three constituencies are currently represented by Labour MPs on the Left of the party. Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, served as Mr Corbyn's shadow home secretary but has already ruled out joining his new party. Nadia Whittome, the MP for Nottingham East, worked closely with Ms Sultana on various issues – most prominently the Gaza conflict – while both women had the Labour whip. In Clapham and Brixton Hill, Ms Ribiero-Addy, a member of the Socialist Campaign Group, was one of the Labour MPs to defy Sir Keir earlier this week by voting against his welfare Bill. Mr Corbyn has already joined forces with Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed since their election as independent MPs last summer. They formed the so-called Independent Alliance in September and have gone on to vote as a bloc in the Commons while also issuing a number of joint statements ahead of key votes. It remains to be seen whether Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana could persuade Apsana Begum, who was stripped of the Labour whip last year, to join their new party.
The Guardian
22-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Wes Streeting questions affordability of setting up NHS assisted dying service
Wes Streeting has voiced doubts over whether the NHS can afford to establish an assisted dying service, after MPs passed a bill to legalise the procedure last week. The health secretary was previously a supporter of assisted dying but switched sides last year, expressing concerns about the ethics of offering such a service before significant improvements could be made to the NHS. 'The truth is that creating those conditions will take time and money,' he wrote in a message to constituents. 'Even with the savings that might come from assisted dying if people take up the service – and it feels uncomfortable talking about savings in this context, to be honest – setting up this service will also take time and money that is in short supply. There isn't a budget for this. Politics is about prioritising. It is a daily series of choices and trade-offs. I fear we've made the wrong one.' The bill will now head to the House of Lords, where there are expected to be continued battles over its progress, with campaigners urging peers to use 'dark arts' to impede it. MPs who backed the legislation have said it would be anti-democratic for peers to block the private member's bill passed by the elected house. Writing on Facebook, the health secretary said he wanted to speak directly to his Ilford North constituents on the issue. 'There is no doubt that this is a major and profound social change for our NHS and our country. I can understand why many people who are facing terminal illness, or fear terminal illness, are seeking the right to die at a time and manner of their choosing and I have enormous respect for their position,' he wrote. 'I also have the utmost respect for Kim Leadbeater and my other friends and colleagues in parliament who have supported this bill. I've seen first-hand how hard Kim has worked to listen to everyone's views and take onboard amendments to her bill with integrity.' But Streeting said he was disturbed by the concerns about the bill that have been voiced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Royal College of Physicians, the Association for Palliative Medicine and disability campaigners. Streeting said the department would work closely on the technical aspects of the bill, even though the government was neutral, and that Stephen Kinnock, the care minister, would work on the bill should the Lords pass it, in order to make sure 'we do a good job with it for the country'. The impact assessment produced by the government on the bill suggested that panels set up to approve procedures would cost about £2,000 a day, adding up to between £900,000 and £3.6m over a 10-year period. The total cost of running the panels – and employing a dedicated commissioner – would be between £10.9m and £13.6m a year. 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 However, the assessment estimated that the bill would ultimately cut end-of-life care costs by millions, with a central estimate that 2,183 people would use the service by its 10th year. The bill, which passed with a majority of 23 on Friday, would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales who have fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death. This would be subject to approval by two doctors and a panel including a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The Labour peer Charlie Falconer, who is expected to take the lead on the legislation in the House of Lords, said despite the depth of feeling on the issue, peers should not use procedural devices to block it. 'The overwhelming instinct in the Lords will be not to block or delay but to see whether there can be any improvements which do not interfere with the bill's principles,' he wrote in the Sunday Times. 'The last time there were votes of real substance on this issue was on a bill I introduced in 2014 for which the votes in the Lords were in favour. There have been many new peers introduced into the House since then, and many departures. Where the House's views are now is difficult to judge but they will work towards a bill that gives effect to the Commons' view.'
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Moment vape shop boss in Wes Streeting's constituency ridicules disposables ban during undercover probe
A crackdown on disposable vapes has been branded a 'total farce' as shops in the Health Secretary's own constituency were found still selling the throwaway devices. Investigators were able to buy a pile of contraband in under 20 minutes in Wes Streeting 's Ilford North stronghold, with hundreds of products marked 'disposable' openly displayed and advertised in shop windows. Seven businesses in one street casually advertised and sold the illicit vapes, despite a ban introduced on June 1. Few acknowledged there was any change in the law, with just two out of 20 retailers tested across London turning investigators away. Shopkeepers face a £200 fine if caught selling the one-use devices which have been blamed for a rise in youth vaping and piles of discarded devices on the streets. But there was seemed little sign of Trading Standards teams being allocated to enforcing the ban, nor that products had been hidden or removed from shelves, campaigners carrying out their own new survey say. Under the new law, the only permitted devices are those considered reusable - with a rechargeable battery and replaceable coil. But one retailer told investigators from campaign group We Vape to simply bin reusable devices when done - potentially making a mockery of suggestions the ban could help improve the environment. Shopkeepers face a £200 fine if caught selling the one-use devices which have been blamed for a rise in youth vaping and piles of discarded devices on the streets When asked on camera how to use a rechargeable Big Puff vape - which can contain upwards of 6,000 puffs per device rather than 600 - the shopkeeper replied: 'You can use it, then you can throw it away. 'If you want to reuse it, you can. If not, you can throw it out.' There have also been reports across London of compliant retailers turning investigators away, all the while neighbouring stores were going on selling disposables for as little as £5. Some retailers have appeared prepared to break the law without consequences and gain a competitive advantage, while those obeying risked slumps in footfall and profit. The disposables ban will be followed by the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently working its way through Parliament. This proposes further restrictions on flavours, an advertising ban and a vape licensing scheme for retailers, similar to the system used for selling alcohol. Critics say failures to enforce the disposables law could now further embolden rogue traders and make new elements of the bill more difficult to enforce. Mark Oates, founder of pro-vaping campaign group We Vape, said: 'The disposable ban has been in place for little over a week and it is already a total farce. 'Our investigation shows there are many retailers who do not care about the law because they know the chances of getting caught are almost nil. 'This defiance is the seed of a new black market we will see emerge, which we have warned the government about for a year, so it is only going to get worse. 'The ban will do nothing to stop kids vaping, as they can only be sold to over 18s already, so the Health Secretary needs to tackle rogue traders by starting the vape licensing scheme as soon as possible. 'This will drive funds into Trading Standards and other enforcement agencies, forcing bad actors out of the market. A deposit return scheme would also solve littering concerns. 'If lawmakers cannot get the disposables ban right, how on earth are they going to enforce all of the new regulation brought in under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill? 'The disposables ban was the first big test of government readiness for these regulations and it has been a colossal failure.' Conservative MP Jack Rankin said: 'I share the serious concerns raised by authorities across the UK about the practical challenges of enforcing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 'Without proper resources and clarity in implementation, it is becoming increasingly clear this is just bad legislation.' A recent study by former government advisor Richard Sloggett showed up to 200,000 vapers could return to smoking following the disposables ban. Future Health Research Centre said the move risks undermining progress towards a 'smoke-free' Britain if vapers are not supported to maintain their 'quit journey'. Modelling scenarios based on its findings indicate the disposable vapes ban will see between 175,000 and 378,000 people stopping vaping, and between 630,000 and 1.36million people switching to another vaping product. But the smoking rate could increase by between 90,000 and 200,000, adding 0.2 per cent to 0.4 per cent to the overall population smoking rate. Mr Sloggett said: 'The Government has committed welcome and strong action to reduce smoking and tackle youth vaping. 'However these findings show that urgent work is needed to ensure that efforts to reduce youth vaping do not have the unintended consequence of increasing the numbers smoking – particularly amongst younger people. 'The ban also feels like being a missed opportunity, with hundreds of thousands of people soon to be looking for alternatives to disposable vapes but over half saying they will simply switch to another product. 'With the ban looming, the Government now needs to get on the front foot, commit to a national mass media anti-smoking campaign and set out more clearly how it will use its forthcoming regulatory powers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to help ensure that those using disposable vapes do not turn to smoking instead.' From June 1, it has been illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes, such as Elf bars and Lost Mary, in shops and online. The law is aimed at protecting the environment and tackling a surge in youth vaping rates, which have soared from 0.8 per cent in 2013 to 7.2 per cent last year. Disposable vapes, known for their variety of flavours and brightly coloured packaging, have become increasingly popular among teenagers. Moreover, an estimated 5million single use vapes, which are available to buy at pocket money prices, are thrown away in the UK every week. Retailers in England who are caught breaking the law face a minimum £200 penalty or a two-year-prison sentence for repeat offenders. Any single-use e-cigarettes that are found on sale, will be seized by Trading Standards. Rechargeable vapes that are refillable and have a battery and replaceable coil will remain on the market. It will not be illegal to own or be in possession of a single-use vape - with reports that millions of Brits have stockpiled the devices in preparation for the ban. MailOnline revealed this month that nearly 40 per cent of vapers have enough disposable e-cigarettes to last three months. All ages showed interest in stockpiling but it was 45-54-year-olds who led the way, with almost 90 per cent saying they were putting together a collection in preparation. Vapes are not currently subject to an additional tax like tobacco products, although 20 per cent VAT is charged. However, a new vaping duty is being introduced by the government on October 1 next year - to be charged at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml vaping liquid. Vape advertising is also set to be banned as part of the government's Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament. Then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak initially announced the plans to ban disposable vapes in January last year. The former prime minister was acting on evidence that those taking on the habit across all age groups had ballooned by more than 400 per cent since 2012. Moreover, recent NHS figures showed a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have tried vaping, with almost one in 10 using e-cigarettes regularly. And the highest rates of disposable vape use are among those aged 18 to 24, a survey of 4,393 British adults previously revealed. The NHS has historically recommended vapes to help people quit smoking, which is one of the biggest causes of illness and death in the UK. About 76,000 people die every year from smoking-related health problems, including heart disease, strokes and cancer. E-cigarettes are less harmful and can help people quit smoking for good, according to the health service. However, vaping is not risk free - e-cigarettes contain harmful toxins and their long-term effects remains a mystery. Some doctors fear a wave of lung disease and even cancer in the coming decades due to vaping. Experts are also concerned the high nicotine content might increase blood pressure and cause other heart problems. Freedom of Information requests revealed that 24 children in England were hospitalised due to vaping since the start of 2022. These could include lung damage or a worsening of asthma symptoms. When putting the Tobacco and Vapes Bill before Parliament last November, Mr Streeting told MPs: 'The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and without urgent intervention, we're going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction. 'It is unacceptable that these harmful products are being deliberately targeted at children with brightly coloured packaging and flavours like "gummy bear" and "rainbow burst". 'The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides the protection that children and young people need to avoid a life imprisoned by addiction. That's why it's so incredibly important it is voted through.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson today told MailOnline: 'Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help us crack down on rogue retailers by giving trading standards stronger enforcement powers and it includes powers to introduce a retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vaping and nicotine products. 'We are also investing £30million in total this year to tackle the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes, supporting enforcement agencies including Trading Standards, Border Force and HMRC to enforce our rules.'
