Latest news with #RebeccaLongBailey
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Where the UK's third tallest building could be built
Plans for an 895ft tower, which would be the UK's third tallest skyscraper and Greater Manchester 's tallest building, are set to be decided by Salford councillors this week. The proposed tower is part of a £1 billion project at Salford's Regent Retail Park, encompassing 10 buildings and up to 3,300 new homes, alongside commercial and community spaces. Despite over 450 objections, including from Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, planning officials have recommended the development for approval. Objectors have raised concerns about the level of affordable and social housing, potential parking issues, and the tower's impact on the local area's character and skyline. Developers, Henley Investment Management, have stated that a significant proportion of the scheme will be affordable housing, with planning officers supporting the proposal as an efficient use of an underused site.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
City set to approve plans for UK's third-tallest skyscraper
Plans for the UK's third tallest skyscraper are set to be decided on by councillors later this week. If approved, the proposed 895ft tower would be the tallest building in Greater Manchester and come in third across the country after the Shard and Horizon 22. The tower is part of a £1 billion project which would see ten buildings being built in Salford's Regent Retail Park. Up to 3,300 homes are set to be built across the buildings, with the tallest planned to be some 78 storeys high. Salford councillors are due to meet on Thursday to discuss the plans, and despite hundreds of objections, officials have recommended its approval. Over 450 complaints have been submitted to Salford City Council about the development. Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey is among the high-profile objectors who have campaigned against the plans. Writing in a letter last year, she said the development 'does not adequately address the need for affordable and social housing in Salford' and also said it would add pressure onto parking issues in the area. She also said the tower would not be in keeping with the local area's character and said it 'won't help with the loss of shops, existing employment and parking, and will drastically impact Salford's skyline". Alongside the new homes, the plans include commercial and community spaces with a public park and 600 parking spaces also planned. The developers, Henley Investment Management, wrote a letter responding to the objections, insisting that a significant proportion of the scheme would be made up of affordable housing. In their report, planning officers recommended the site's approval and wrote: 'Over the course of the analysis section of this report, it will become apparent that, on balance, the development accords with the Development Plan. The proposal would result in efficient use of an underused Site within the urban area and has the potential to amount to sustainable and inclusive development, which can be secured at reserved matters stage. 'The development would make a substantial contribution to the delivery of Salford's identified housing requirement, and deliver an enhanced local centre, and environmental enhancement of the Site, which would benefit the wider community (discussed further below).'
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Salford Council to consider plan for city's tallest skyscraper
Plans to build one of the UK's tallest skyscrapers in Salford look set to go ahead in a major development for the tower could stand 895ft (273m) tall in a £1bn project which could see as many as 3,300 homes being built across 10 buildings at Regent Retail Park. Conceptual images in the planning documents show the skyscraper being up to 78 storeys approved, it would become the tallest building in Greater Manchester and the third tallest in the country, behind the Shard and Horizon 22, which are both in London. The plans include creating commercial and community space along with a new public park and 600 parking councillors are due to meet on Thursday to consider the scheme, with officials recommending its approval. 'Impact on skyline' The development would be in the northern half of Salford's Regent Retail Park, near the River Irwell boundary with Manchester city would include a significant proportion of affordable everyone is happy with the proposals though, with more than 450 objections lodged with Salford City councillors in Ordsall have led a campaign against the plans, along with Salford MP Rebecca shared fears that the work would pile pressure on the existing community, cause new parking issues, and could lead to the loss of local a letter to development bosses last year, Long-Bailey said the plans "won't help with the loss of shops, existing employment and parking, and will drastically impact Salford's skyline".Developers Henley Investment Management said existing businesses at the retail park would be welcomed and stressed that their plans included affordable housing. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
WASPI MP sets out next steps after debate in Parliament
The WASPI campaigners recently launched a legal bid in their fight for compensation An MP backing the WASPI campaign (Women Against State Pension Inequality) is fighting for more discussion of the matter in Parliament. Labour member Rebecca Long Bailey said she and other MPs supporting the movement will continue to raise the issue, after she last week led a debate on the question in the Commons. She and other MPs stood up to urge the Government to reverse its decision not to grant compensation for the 1950s-born women and to finally come up with a scheme to deliver compensation. Reflecting on the debate, Ms Long Bailey said: "I thought the debate was powerful and deeply moving. "It was a chance for Parliament to speak with one voice and stand up for the thousands of 1950s-born women who have fought so long and so hard for justice." Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary spoke during the debate - his party has long supported compensation. He said: "This Government made a cynical calculation that these women can be ignored and that they would not fight back and would not keep pushing. "But they underestimate the strength and determination of women across this country, including in my constituency, who have stood up and demanded fairness. This decision cannot and must not stand." 'A remedy must be found' Outlining what happens next, Ms Long Bailey said: "The campaign continues. I and many other MPs across the House will keep pushing this issue forward through further debates, questions, and direct engagement with ministers. "There's cross-party consensus that a remedy must be found. It's now for the Government to get round the table with the 1950's women's groups and bring a proposal to Parliament that we can all support." The dispute revolves around the 1950s-born generation of women who were affected when the state pension age for women increased from 60 to 65 and then 66. WASPI and other campaign groups representing the women claim many did not know of the change, ruining their retirement plans. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman previously looked into the issue. The watchdog concluded there was maladministration in the DWP's efforts to inform the women, as the Government should have sent out letters to inform the women sooner. The Ombudsman also recommended payouts ranging from £1,000 to £2,950. Yet Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, announced at the end of last year that there would be no compensation, arguing most women did know of the change and it would have made little difference to send out letters earlier. The WASPI campaign has now asked for a judicial review of the DWP's decision, which the high court has agreed to take on. A fundraiser by WASPI to cover their basic legal costs has raised almost £230,000 to date. 'It's time for action' Asked for her views on the legal challenge, Ms Long Bailey said: "On the question of the judicial review, my position is that women shouldn't be forced into lengthy and costly legal battles to get the justice they're owed. That said, I understand why some are pursuing this route out of desperation." The MP went on to say her work to support the campaign will continue in Westminster. She said: "I'll continue to engage with campaign groups and look at how Parliament can support efforts to bring about redress that avoids unnecessary litigation and delays. These women have waited long enough. "The facts are clear. The injustice is real. It's time for action." A DWP spokesperson said previously about the judicial review: "We do not comment on live litigation. "We accept the Ombudsman's finding of maladministration and have apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women. However, we do not agree with the Ombudsman's approach to injustice or remedy and that is why we have decided not to pay compensation."
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
MP likens Government to flat-earthers over refusal to compensate Waspi women
Sir Keir Starmer's Government has been likened to flat-earthers by one of its own MPs, over its refusal to compensate women affected by state pension age changes. Labour's Rebecca Long Bailey said the arguments against compensation for the 1950s-born women are 'bizarre' and akin to those made by people who believe the Earth is flat. The Government last December ruled out a compensation package for women born in the 1950s, whose state pension age was raised so it would be equal with men. This is despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves being among the senior ministers to support the Waspi campaign when Labour was in opposition. A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) had recommended the UK Government pay compensation to women born in the 1950s whose state pension age was raised so it would be equal with men. The watchdog also said the women should be paid up to £2,950 each, a package with a potential total cost of £10.5 billion to the public purse, as poor communication meant they had lost out on the chance to plan their retirement finances. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group is currently seeking a judicial review to force the Government to reconsider its decision to rule out a compensation package. Work and pensions minister Torsten Bell, who is also a Treasury minister, said the Government does not agree with the Ombudsman's approach 'to injustice or to remedy'. Speaking in the Commons, Ms Long Bailey argued that 'cost does not need to be and should not be a barrier to justice', as she urged the Government to introduce a wealth tax to fund a compensation scheme. The MP for Salford said: 'I don't want (Mr Bell) to go down in history as the man who denied justice for the 1950s women, I honestly don't. I want to see action on this, and I want him to go down as the person who finally, finally managed to award them justice. 'But at the moment, he's got to understand that the arguments being put forward by the Government are absurd, to say the least. In fact, they're akin to somebody arguing that the world is flat, in denying the Ombudsman's report.' Earlier in her contribution, the former Labour leadership candidate, who had called the debate, disputed the Government's assertion that the women knew the change was coming. She said: 'Whilst the Government agreed with the finding of maladministration and apologised, no redress would be forthcoming. 'And contrary to the Ombudsman, they actually felt that the majority of women did know about changes to their pension age, based on Department for Work and Pensions research, and that sending the women letters would not have been effective, which I'm sure most people would agree is bizarre. 'It's pretty effective when a bill addressed to you coming through your door comes through, it's pretty effective when it's a hospital appointment, it's pretty effective on the very rare but joyous occasion that HMRC gives you a tax rebate cheque. 'So, I ask, honestly, would 1950s-born women have actively refused to open letters with their name on from the DWP? It makes no sense.' Ms Long Bailey went on to say: 'In terms of options to make sure that schemes could be financially sustainable, Waspi have calculated that HM Treasury have saved a whopping £181 billion alone by increasing the state pension age. 'Well, there's other options, there's the option of applying a 1% to 2% wealth tax on assets over £10 million, raising up to £22 billion a year. Equalise capital gains tax with income tax rates, raising £15.2 billion a year. Apply national insurance to investment income, raising £8.6 billion a year. 'End stealth subsidies on banks, and you get up to £55 billion over the next five years, and even Gordon Brown has advocated for this. So cost does not need to be, and should not be, a barrier to justice.' During the debate, Independent MP for Hayes and Harlington, John McDonnell joked that the Government would soon be proscribing the Waspi group. On Wednesday, MPs supported legislation to proscribe the Palestine Action group as a terrorist organisation. Mr McDonnell said: 'I pay tribute to the campaign. A lot of those ladies have been patronised over the years, it was a terrific campaign. In fact, it was so terrific under this Government at the moment, they would probably be proscribed.' Responding to the debate, Mr Bell said: 'We agree that letters should have been sent sooner. We have apologised, and we will learn the lessons from that. 'However, as honourable members and campaigners on this issue are well aware, we do not agree with the Ombudsman's approach to injustice or to remedy.' He added: 'An important consideration when making this decision was that evidence showed that sending people unsolicited letters is unlikely (to) affect what they knew, which is why letters are sent, but they are sent as part of wider communication campaigns. 'This evidence was not properly considered by the Ombudsman. 'Another consideration was that the great majority of 1950s-born women were aware that the state pension age was changing, if not their specific state pension age.'
