Latest news with #MikeySmith
Daily Mirror
06-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'I know the struggle to bring up a family on low and unpredictable pay'
Like many Mirror readers, I know what it's like working hard and struggling to bring up a family on low and unpredictable pay, never knowing if I'd be able to make ends meet. Just over a year ago, we came into government with a commitment to deliver change for working people – and we're getting on with the job. Interest rates have been cut four times – a cost-of-living boost for every single person in Britain with a mortgage. Three and a half million people got a huge boost to their pay packets in April thanks to our changes to the national minimum wage. We're creating new jobs – 384,000 since the election – and helping hardworking families by rolling out breakfast clubs, meaning a £450 boost for parents. But I get that people are impatient for change. That's why our plan to Make Work Pay is so personal to me. We committed to waste no time once we were in government to making work fairer, more secure and more family-friendly, especially for the lowest-paid and facing poor working conditions. Our landmark Employment Rights Bill going through Parliament will go even further to change lives. This includes an end to the kind of disgraceful fire and rehire practices we all remember from the P&O scandal in 2022 that become a byword for business at its worst. That's why today I can tell Mirror readers we are going further – this week we will be amending this landmark Bill to close loopholes so that people cannot be fired and replaced with agency workers. Businesses will still have the flexibility to hire contractors or agency workers to meet their needs. But these new changes will stop employees being replaced by others doing essentially the same job under worse conditions. We promised to call time on scandals like P&O and with this amendment we are removing any doubt. It's about time. Because for years, the good and secure jobs our parents and grandparents relied on have been replaced by low paid, insecure work. Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. That's been bad for workers and bad for the economy. But thanks to our pro-growth Bill, over 15 million people stand to benefit. That's why, as well ending disgraceful fire and rehire tactics, we're also banning exploitative zero hours contracts and giving every worker basic protections from their first day on the job – making sure they can't be sacked unfairly or threatened with dismissal for refusing lower terms and conditions, and can get sick pay when they need it. These historic changes will deliver for millions. More job security means more money spent on our high streets, more people able to get on the housing ladder and more prosperity across the UK. This is what we promised to deliver, as part of our Plan for Change. It's a promise made, and a promise kept.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Labour is already making a difference, writes Labour chair Ellie Reeves
One year ago, the British people voted for change — and today, we mark the first anniversary of a Labour government committed to delivering just that. Over the past 12 months, we have begun to turn the page on 14 years of Tory chaos and decline. And while it hasn't been easy, and we know there is much more to do, our Plan for Change is already making a difference. The first phase of this government was about taking immediate action to fix the foundations and stabilise our economy. Because of this action, Britain had the highest growth of any G7 economy in the first quarter of this year. Interest rates have been cut four times, lowering people's mortgages. Wages are rising faster than prices. NHS waiting lists are falling, with the delivery of four million extra NHS appointments. And breakfast clubs are being rolled out across the country, to give kids a healthy start to the day and to put more money in parents' pockets. Yes, we know the job is far from done and we won't sugarcoat the scale of the challenge. But if the first phase of this government was about taking immediate action to fix the foundations and clean up the mess the Tories left behind, the second phase is now about making working people better off. And as our focus shifts firmly to the future, we are going further and faster to deliver the change we promised. While the Conservatives and Reform UK risk the economy by making unfunded promises they cannot keep, we are working tirelessly to improve living standards for people across the country. Striving to build a renewed Britain, where your hard work is rewarded. Where your NHS is there when you need it. Where your community is safe, and your future is secure. That is the country we're building together. This is not about quick fixes. It's about rebuilding Britain — to make it fairer, stronger, and more secure. To put money back in working people's pockets and build a better future together. Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.
Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'Welfare reforms remain cruel policy despite changes - they are fatally flawed'
The UK government claims its latest benefits shake-up will help disabled people back into work, offering 'opportunity' and 'support.' But, despite the concessions the government has made, beneath the surface of their welfare reforms remains a cruel, short-sighted policy that risks driving thousands of disabled people in the future into poverty. This is still a fatally flawed bill. At Mind, we've heard from nearly 600 people with mental health problems who currently receive benefits. Nearly two-thirds (63%) said a reduction in welfare support would harm their ability to work or even look for a job. That's hardly surprising when 93% said the changes would damage their finances. How can anyone focus on job hunting if they can't afford the bus fare to an interview, or are too busy working out how to feed their children to polish up a CV? The government has agreed that protections will remain in place for disabled people currently receiving benefits. But if these protections are right for disabled people now, why are they not also right for disabled people in the future? The most controversial changes around future access to PIP (Personal Independence Payments) remain. The way new applicants will be assessed from next year will strip away PIP from thousands of people who would previously have qualified. PIP isn't about work incentives, it's there to help cover the extra costs disabled people face. Scope estimates disabled households need at least an extra £1,000 a month just to have the same standard of living as others. Taking that away might make a government spreadsheet look better, but it strips away a vital lifeline for people who become unwell in the future. Unless the bill is scrapped altogether, it will lead to poverty. Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. People tell us they use PIP to pay for essentials like transport (81%), food (78%), and help with daily living when they're too unwell to leave home (70%). Half said that they needed PIP to cover the cost of treatments unavailable through the NHS, such as therapy for debilitating conditions like PTSD. The extra costs of mental illness may be invisible, but they are no less real. Side effects of antipsychotics, for example, can include tremors, heart problems and drowsiness, which impact on day-to-day life significantly. Even with concessions, the cuts this bill introduces to future benefits makes it untenable. What we need instead is decent mental health services, evidence-based employment programmes, and compassionate, flexible workplaces. We urge MPs to oppose these plans and call on the government to build a system that supports people to live, recover and Thrive.
Daily Mirror
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
"We will serve our warriors as well as they serve us" Keir Starmer writes
As you read this, our armed forces are out there, protecting our seas and our skies, guarding NATO's eastern flank with Russia, working 24/7 to keep us safe. All the freedom and comforts we enjoy at home are secured by them. For that, we owe them not just our thanks and respect, but also our support. So that's what this government is doing. With our historic commitment to spend 5% of GDP on national security by 2035, we are backing our brave men and women in uniform like never before. We're putting the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law for the first time – putting support for our warriors and veterans on a legal footing, as we promised in our Manifesto. And we've already acted. We've given the Armed Forces the biggest pay rise in 20 years. We're improving housing for soldiers and their families. And we're giving better support for our veterans in need – because those who have given the most, such as the injured or bereaved, should always be the priority. Our service men and women are the best there is – and they deserve the best from us. That's what we're striving to give them – during and after their service. Not just homes for heroes – but better weapons for our warriors, salaries for our soldiers, and careers for our Commandos. That is our commitment – that the nation will serve our warriors as well as they serve the nation. On Armed Forces Day, the whole country should get behind that effort – and take a moment to say a heartfelt: thank you. Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.
Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'DWP disability benefit cuts could become Labour's poll tax moment'
It's with a heavy heart that I write about the Government's proposed Welfare Reform Bill. The planned cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are already turning the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in Britain into a nightmare of fear and uncertainty. These changes are not the way forward. Moreover, they are certainly not remotely helpful to those who rely on PIP to live with dignity and independence. We cannot claim to be a democratic and inclusive society if we punish people for circumstances beyond their control, while pretending we are levelling the playing field. These cuts do not fix a broken system — they make it worse. In my Bradford East constituency, where half of all children are growing up in poverty, I hear first-hand from constituents who are terrified they may lose their PIP support. The sense of panic is real. And so is the damage. Let's be honest with ourselves: PIP supports people with serious physical or mental health needs — people who often require help to cut their food, to wash, or to go to the toilet. These are not luxuries. They are necessities. And losing that support would strip away the last threads of independence and dignity that people have. The anxiety is palpable. People already feel pushed to the brink. Now, they fear falling off it altogether. These reforms may have been presented with good intentions, but they place us on a road that leads straight back to austerity and failure. They are not guided by a moral compass, but by the cold calculations of a Treasury spreadsheet — the same spreadsheet that failed to anticipate the human impact of scrapping the Winter Fuel Allowance. Let me be absolutely clear: these cuts are not the Labour way. If passed it will lead to extreme poverty for the most vulnerable in its tracks. That's why I have joined more than 100 Labour MPs in signing a reasoned amendment to stop this unjust legislation in its tracks. I urge the Government to heed the warnings of Labour MPs, disability rights campaigners, and charities. If they do not, we risk walking straight into a political disaster — one that could become Labour's poll tax moment. We must learn the lessons of the Winter Fuel U-turn. When it was clear the policy was wrong, we changed course. We must do the same here. Because let's be honest - we all know this is wrong. It is wrong to persecute those most in need. It is wrong to target people with mental health conditions. It is wrong to attack the most vulnerable. Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. That is why I will not vote for this Bill. Because stripping away vital support is not the way to build a fairer society. The Government must rethink these damaging proposals, reject further cuts to disability benefits, and focus instead on raising living standards and protecting those most at risk. There are clear and fair alternatives available. The Government could raise funds through a simple two per cent wealth tax on the super-rich — which could raise £24 billion a year-would put The burden on the broadest shoulders, while protecting those most in need. It could continue to invest in jobs, infrastructure and public services to revitalise the economy after 14 years of Tory decline. Instead, this Bill targets those least able to fight back. It sows fear, breeds injustice, and abandons principle. If we continue down this path, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past — and creating a defining failure of this Government.
