Latest news with #Inequality
The Independent
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Corbyn and Sultana's new breakaway party will only boost Nigel Farage, Neil Kinnock warns
Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana are working on the creation of a 'Farage assistance party', Neil Kinnock has said. The former Labour leader said left-wingers Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana would 'only assist the enemies of Labour' by forming a breakaway challenger party. Lord Kinnock said that division on the left 'can only assist the parties of the right', including Kemi Badenoch 's Conservatives and Nigel Farage 's Reform UK. Asked how much of a threat he thought any new party could be, after Corbyn suggested that discussions were under way, Lord Kinnock said: "I understand they are having a bit of difficulty over thinking of a name. "In a comradely way, I'd suggest one. It would be the Farage assistance group." Lord Kinnock added: "The splintering offered by a new party of the left can only be of assistance to the enemies of Labour, of the working-class - the people who have no means of sustaining themselves other than the sale of their labour by hand and by brain - and can only be of benefit to the egos of those who are running such a party." His comments come after Ms Sultana on Thursday night said she would co-lead a new party with Mr Corbyn aimed at tackling poverty and inequality and opposing war. Mr Corbyn, who led Labour in 2019 to its worst general election defeat in decades, appeared to have been wrong-footed by Ms Sultana's announcement, however. In a non-committal statement, the independent Islington MP said: 'The democratic foundations of a new kind of political party will soon take shape. Discussions are ongoing – and I am excited to work alongside all communities to fight for the future people deserve.' It emerged on Sunday that Mr Corbyn's top team had repeatedly urged Ms Sultana to walk back the announcement, and even asked her to delete it once he had seen it. The Sunday Times reported that Mr Corbyn's wife, Laura Alvarez, also urged Ms Sultana to delete social media posts unveiling the new venture, but was ignored. Messages seen by the paper show that Pamela Fitzpatrick, a co-director at Mr Corbyn's Peace and Justice Project, said in a group chat: 'Neither Jeremy nor Laura deserves to be treated with such a lack of respect.' Asked about the challenger party, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said 'some of those involved checked out of the Labour Party quite a long time ago'. She told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that Labour will be judged on the difference they "make to people's lives" come the next election, when asked whether she was worried about a party to the left of the Government. "I think when it comes to the formation of a new party, some of those involved, I think (...) checked out the Labour Party quite a long time ago. "Now it's for them to forge their way forward.' The warnings come despite polling conducted by More in Common last month – well before Ms Sultana unveiled the plans about how the public would vote if a left-leaning party led by Mr Corbyn emerged. The hypothetical scenario saw 10 per cent of voters say they would back the party, taking three points from Labour, four points from the Greens, one point from the Lib Dems and one point from the SNP. Labour was left with 20 per cent support, neck and neck with the Tories, while Reform UK was on 27 per cent. Unveiling the planned party on Thursday, Ms Sultana confirmed her resignation from Labour and announced plans to co-lead the new party alongside Mr Corbyn and 'other independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country'. She had been sitting as an independent MP despite being a Labour member after losing the whip for rebelling against the government's King's Speech. 'Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper', she said, warning that the 'two-party system offers nothing but managed decline and broken promises'. The MP added: 'A year ago, I was suspended by the Labour Party for voting to abolish the two-child benefit cap and lift 400,000 children out of poverty. 'I'd do it again. I voted against scrapping winter fuel payments for pensioners. I'd do it again. 'Now, the government wants to make disabled people suffer; they just can't decide how much.'
CNA
28-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Venice protests target Bezos over mounting grievances
ROME: Mass tourism, impossibly high rents, worker exploitation, inequality and elitism: Venice, Italy's protests in recent days against Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's high-profile wedding have highlighted growing global grievances. Local politicians dismissed protesters as a fringe minority. Bezos's fame and Venice's stunning visual backdrop have offered them international visibility which they effectively exploited. "No Space for Bezos" banners draped over the iconic Rialto Bridge and a huge canvas laid out on St Mark's Square urging the tech billionaire to pay more taxes have been seen all over the world. Concerns of greater disruptions forced Bezos and his bride to move their final and biggest celebrity party from the central district to a more isolated venue in the eastern part of the lagoon city. "The idea that the city should be seen as a set, a stage, or an amusement park has been highlighted like never before by Bezos' wedding," Tommaso Cacciari, a frontman for the No Space for Bezos movement, told Reuters. In the final protest on Saturday, around 1,000 residents and activists rallied in front of Venice's train station under a scorching sun, before marching roughly 1.5 kilometres (0.93 miles) to the Rialto Bridge. They carried banners including one proclaiming 'Kisses yes, Bezos no', playing on Venice's reputation as the city of love, and another one saying 'No space for Bezos' with a rocket, in a reference to his Blue Origin space technology company. Venetian businesses and politicians, however, welcomed the event, hailing its major boost for the local economy. Luca Zaia, the regional governor of Veneto around Venice, said the city should be proud of hosting the wedding. TRUMP TIES Alice Bazzoli, a 24-year-old university student, called Bezos a "hypocrite" for donating 3 million euros (US$3.5 million) to Venice while flooding its fragile ecosystem with high-polluting private jets and yachts. Bezos and Sanchez have given 1 million euros each to three Venetian institutions: CORILA, an academic consortium that studies the lagoon, UNESCO's local office, and Venice International University. "I'd love Venice to be tailored for citizens, not for tourists, with affordable housing," Bazzoli told Reuters, complaining that students were being priced out of the market, with the best accommodations offered to visitors. Andrea Segre, a 49-year-old Italian film director born in Venice, said the city was also pushing out ordinary residents. "People aged 25 to 35 — the age group that starts families — cannot afford to live in Venice. The consequence is a lack of diversity and social liveliness," he said. Venice is rapidly depopulating, largely because of the cost of living crisis. Its historic city centre now has fewer than 50,000 residents, compared to more than 100,000 some 50 years ago. The city has hosted scores of other VIP weddings, including that of actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014, but the latest luxury nuptials have attracted far greater resentment because of Bezos' corporate and political role. The Amazon founder is the world's fourth richest man, and has developed ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner were in attendance at the wedding. "Bezos is the embodiment of the most absolute wealth gained through the exploitation of everything around you," 28-year-old student Giulia Cacopardo told Reuters in the run-up to Saturday's march. In Italy, the e-commerce giant has faced criticism and strikes from trade unions over labour practices, and scrutiny over tax compliance. Reuters reported in February that Italian prosecutors were investigating alleged tax evasion worth US$1.2 billion. "I would have protested against Bezos even if he had come on a rowboat with just a handful of people ... because he contributed practically, materially and politically to Donald Trump's re-election," protest leader Cacciari said.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
British TV's Working-Class Problem: Nearly A Quarter Of Top Execs Went To Private School, Report Finds
Nearly a quarter (22%) of top execs in the UK TV industry went to private school, according to research sparked by Sherwood creator James Graham's MacTaggart lecture. The figure is triple that of the roughly 7.5% of people in the country who went to a fee-paying school and is a stark reminder of the inequalities in British TV, a traditionally middle-class field. More from Deadline Breaking Baz: 'Punch', The Must-See New Play By James Graham, Will Transfer To London's West End While A Production Plays On Broadway Warner Bros. Discovery Drops Diversity & Equity Language Amid DEI Rollbacks - "Our Overarching Work In This Space Will Now Be Referred To As Inclusion" Disney Overhauls DEI Efforts Amid Trump Administration Purge The report titled Let's Talk About Class: Appealing to the UK's largest TV audience was commissioned after Graham's Edinburgh TV Festival MacTaggart lecture during which he argued passionately for greater working-class representation in the British TV industry. At the time, research had found just 8% of people working in television were from a working-class background, which was a 12-year low despite multiple recent interventions to try and improve the situation. The Let's Talk About Class report was less damning with its overall numbers, finding that 29% of those in TV come from a working-class background compared to the 39% across the UK. A person's class background was defined by the occupation of their main household earner when they were a teenager. Today's report from a class and social equality working group including broadcaster Carol Vorderman, presenter David Olusoga and Banijay UK Boss Patrick Holland, analyzed people in leadership roles across 21 of the UK's major broadcasters, streamers and large production companies. The report's compilers asked for data about the education background of senior level staff while speaking with experts and academics for anecdotal and evidence-based insight. The report argues that working class audiences are TV's largest potential audience, yet they feel underserved and their lives either represented by outdated tropes or are barely represented at all. However, with the current crisis facing the TV industry as commissioning slows down, broader diversity commitments are being thrown into chaos, it says, adding that there is a 'growing concern that the current crisis will make the industry less diverse and only accessible to a small group with economic and cultural advantage.' The report gave best in class examples of recent shows such as ITV's Coronation Street and new BBC comedy-drama Just Act Normal. It said the next step is to 'provide guidance on what being a Class Confident organisation in the TV industry looks like.' Gemma Bradshaw, Impact Director of the Edinburgh Festival TV Foundation, said: 'Since starting the class and social equality working group, we have heard many difficult and painful stories about the hurdles in people's TV careers that were all the bigger because of their class background. The aim of the report is to move the conversation about class up the agenda, making it business critical and provide companies with the inspiration to move away from talking about people in terms of their 'cultural fit' or 'risk' and start talking about what they bring.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Ari Aster's 'Eddington' So Far Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Suicide rates ‘three times higher' in Northern Ireland's most deprived areas
Suicide rates in Northern Ireland are three times higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived, a new report has found. The report, by the Samaritans, found that the self-harm rate in Northern Ireland is 64% higher than in the Republic of Ireland, with the largest disparity among men, where rates are 82.9% higher. It also found that in 2021/22, there were 13,803 emergency department presentations for self-harm – higher than the 12,661 in the same time period in Ireland, despite the Republic's much larger population. Meanwhile, it was found that 18% of the population in Northern Ireland lives in poverty, with child poverty rates described as particularly high. The charity has emphasised the situation is not just a health issue, but also pertains to poverty, government policy issues and represents 'systemic failure'. The new policy research report, Lost Futures: Poverty, Inequality and Suicidality in Northern Ireland, makes a series of recommendations, including a fully funded anti-poverty strategy to reduce financial hardship and address economic inequality. The report also calls for a funded childcare strategy, a cross-departmental suicide prevention approach, targeted financial support and debt relief for those in crisis and investment in early intervention and community-led mental health support. A call was made for all government departments to 'act urgently'. On Monday, Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the Executive's long-delayed anti-poverty strategy was to be sent to Executive ministers that day ahead of their next meeting on Thursday. He said the strategy required Executive approval. Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt described the Samaritans report as a 'wake-up call'. 'If we want to reduce suicide, we must recognise that suicide prevention cannot sit solely with the Department of Health, it requires action across housing, education, social security and employment,' he said. 'Suicide prevention is not just about mental health services — it's about creating the conditions where people can thrive, not just survive.' Ellen Finlay, policy and development manager at the Samaritans, said Stormont 'cannot continue to rely on crisis response'. 'Suicide is not just a health issue — it is a poverty issue, a policy issue, and a systemic failure,' she said. 'We cannot continue to rely on crisis response while neglecting the policies that push people to despair. 'This report makes it clear: if we are serious about reducing suicide, we must be serious about reducing poverty and inequality. 'That means implementing an anti-poverty strategy, a childcare strategy, and proper funding for all policies that tackle inequality. 'Suicide prevention must be embedded in every department, not just left to overstretched mental health services. 'If you or someone you know is struggling, Samaritans is here to listen. No matter what you're facing, you don't have to go through it alone. Our volunteers are available 24/7 to offer a safe, confidential space where you can talk without judgment. Reach out to us anytime by calling 116 123 for free.'
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Suicide rates ‘three times higher' in Northern Ireland's most deprived areas
Suicide rates in Northern Ireland are three times higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived, a new report has found. The report, by the Samaritans, found that the self-harm rate in Northern Ireland is 64% higher than in the Republic of Ireland, with the largest disparity among men, where rates are 82.9% higher. It also found that in 2021/22, there were 13,803 emergency department presentations for self-harm – higher than the 12,661 in the same time period in Ireland, despite the Republic's much larger population. Meanwhile, it was found that 18% of the population in Northern Ireland lives in poverty, with child poverty rates described as particularly high. The charity has emphasised the situation is not just a health issue, but also pertains to poverty, government policy issues and represents 'systemic failure'. The new policy research report, Lost Futures: Poverty, Inequality and Suicidality in Northern Ireland, makes a series of recommendations, including a fully funded anti-poverty strategy to reduce financial hardship and address economic inequality. The report also calls for a funded childcare strategy, a cross-departmental suicide prevention approach, targeted financial support and debt relief for those in crisis and investment in early intervention and community-led mental health support. A call was made for all government departments to 'act urgently'. On Monday, Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the Executive's long-delayed anti-poverty strategy was to be sent to Executive ministers that day ahead of their next meeting on Thursday. He said the strategy required Executive approval. Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt described the Samaritans report as a 'wake-up call'. 'If we want to reduce suicide, we must recognise that suicide prevention cannot sit solely with the Department of Health, it requires action across housing, education, social security and employment,' he said. 'Suicide prevention is not just about mental health services — it's about creating the conditions where people can thrive, not just survive.' Ellen Finlay, policy and development manager at the Samaritans, said Stormont 'cannot continue to rely on crisis response'. 'Suicide is not just a health issue — it is a poverty issue, a policy issue, and a systemic failure,' she said. 'We cannot continue to rely on crisis response while neglecting the policies that push people to despair. 'This report makes it clear: if we are serious about reducing suicide, we must be serious about reducing poverty and inequality. 'That means implementing an anti-poverty strategy, a childcare strategy, and proper funding for all policies that tackle inequality. 'Suicide prevention must be embedded in every department, not just left to overstretched mental health services. 'If you or someone you know is struggling, Samaritans is here to listen. No matter what you're facing, you don't have to go through it alone. Our volunteers are available 24/7 to offer a safe, confidential space where you can talk without judgment. Reach out to us anytime by calling 116 123 for free.'
