Latest news with #Tory
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
CHRISTINA McANEA: 'Workers at private firms delivering NHS services rarely get a good deal'
Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea writes for The Mirror on private firms delivering NHS services, saying: 'No one should be making a profit from running public services' Since Labour came to power, things are looking up for the NHS. We've seen record investment and waiting times falling. But this progress risks being derailed. The government plans to transfer thousands of low-paid health workers out of the NHS. Ministers are allowing hospital bosses to set up their own companies to save cash. Before the election, Labour promised to bring workers on private contracts back into public services. But in power, ministers are doing the opposite. Plans to create a company in Dorset are underway. But more than a thousand cleaners, porters and caterers at local hospitals say they want to stay in the NHS. Hospital managers have said there'll be no impact on patients. Nor on staff pay, pensions or jobs. But Unison thinks otherwise. Ten years ago, Tory ministers had the same terrible idea. Health workers didn't like it then. And they don't like it now. The NHS needs help to get back on its feet, recover from the pandemic and years of Tory underfunding. No one should be making a profit from running public services. Workers at private firms delivering NHS services rarely get a good deal. I recently met a group of cleaners from east Lancashire working for contracting giant Mitie in health centres. The company regularly gets their pay wrong. The cleaners often receive less than they should, leaving them struggling. To make matters worse, Mitie refuses to pay staff bonuses given to other NHS workers during Covid. So far, the cleaners have taken eight days of strike action. But the firm still refuses to act. One in five payslips is incorrect. That's unacceptable. Company execs would be fuming if their wages were regularly wrong and they were denied bonuses. The staff take real pride in their jobs. But what really grates is that last year Mitie boss Phil Bentley took home £14.7m. And the firm's profits were £234m. Unison's calculated that giving staff the £1,655 Covid bonus would cost Mitie £70,000. Mr Bentley earns that in just ten hours. Neighbourhood health centres, like the ones the Mitie workers clean will be at the heart of the government's ten-year plan. This promises a revitalised NHS that works for patients. The plans mustn't be blown off course by unnecessary and unpopular privatisation, which doesn't work. Finally, this week I went to Gloucester in a shower of rain to meet phlebotomists who've been on strike for 121 days. These dedicated staff specialise in taking blood from patients and want to be paid fairly. But bosses won't budge. Other hospitals have paid up. It's time NHS managers in Gloucester did the same. Millions to benefit from workers' rights reforms Millions of workers will soon benefit from what's in the employment rights bill. It will stop people on zero-hours contracts being exploited, give workers sick pay as soon as they're poorly and make it harder for bad bosses to sack staff. This is the biggest set of workplace changes in a generation. But lots of people don't know much about it. The government should be shouting it from the rooftops. Filming of frontline workers for clicks has to stop Working on the front line is tough. The likes of paramedics, police officers and firefighters see and deal with horrendous things all the time. They deserve our thanks and respect. What they don't need is people making life tougher for them. But that's what's happening. Research from my union Unison found that one in seven health workers had experienced unwanted filming or photography in the past year. Staff being filmed as they treat heart attack victims. With the footage being livestreamed or put on platforms like TikTok. Someone filmed a car crash with seriously injured people. They refused to stop and had to be escorted away by the police. This ghoulish filming for clicks has to stop. Let our dedicated public servants do their jobs. Put the phone away.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Nigel Farage to unveil mystery 'special guest' in major Reform press conference TODAY
Nigel Farage will today host a Reform UK press conference - with a mystery special guest. The party leader will address the nation, and journalists, in central London from 11am. Previous such events have seen the MP for Clacton announce defections to his party. Sir Jake Berry, a former leading Conservative, was among the latest to switch sides, following ex-Welsh secretary David Jones who earlier this month announced he enrolled as a member. While a defection could be on the cards, Mr Farage has also been joined by well-known faces during press conferences. During the election campaign, boxing champion Derek Chisora often showed up to lend his support. Attention-loving Mr Farage held a press conference just last week, where he unveiled a senior Tory who used a racist slur in a WhatsApp chat is his latest Reform recruit. At an event in Wales, a grinning Mr Farage crowed that Welsh Parliament member Laura Anne Jones had switched sides. Ms Jones has also previously apologised for saying she would "like to do a spot of Chav shooting" on Facebook - and said it is "a shame that isn't legal". 09:55Sophie Huskisson Who could be the special guest? Previous such events have seen Nigel Farage announce defections to his party. Attention-loving Mr Farage held a press conference only just last week, where he unveiled a senior Tory who used a racist slur in a WhatsApp chat is his latest Reform recruit. Sir Jake Berry, a former leading Conservative, iss among the latest Tory heavyweights to switch sides, following ex-Welsh secretary David Jones who earlier this month announced he enrolled as a member. While a defection could be on the cards, Mr Farage has also been joined by well-known faces during press conferences. During the election campaign, boxing champion Derek Chisora often showed up to lend his support.
Gulf Today
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch clashes with Bob Geldof after he accuses Israel of ‘lying' over Gaza aid
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has clashed with Live Aid organiser Sir Bob Geldof over the Middle East crisis as she doubled down on her support for Israel. The pair were the top guests on Sky News' Sunday morning show with Sir Trevor Philips and were both asked about the current crisis in Gaza where thousands are facing starvation, with Geldof accusing the Israeli government of 'lying' over the aid situation. On Sunday, Israel announced a 'pause in fighting' to enable aid to get into Gaza while the UK is set to take up the opportunity to airdrop food into the embattled warzone. But when asked about Israeli government claims that there are hundreds of trucks full of aid waiting to get into Gaza being held up by United Nations incompetence and Hamas, he hit out at Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. 'The Israeli authorities are lying,' he claimed. 'They're lying. Netanyahu is a liar. The IDF are lying." The Israeli government has denied being at fault after reports more than 110 people have died of hunger during the conflict, blaming Hamas for 'stealing aid and prolonging the war'. Sir Bob, who is marking 40 years since his Live Aid concerts to raise money for mass starvation in Ethiopia, said that he felt given his history and ongoing work on helping to tackle poverty he had a right to speak out now on the unfolding crisis. Asked about Israelis protesting against the Netanyahu government, he suggested: 'If Israelis want to protest: get in your cars, stuff your cars full of food, drive through that border and let your own army stop you.' Sir Bob branded Hamas 'disgusting' but claimed that 'we are well beyond' the attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October 2023. He also branded calls for the UK to recognise Palestine as a state 'a distraction that is not going to make any material difference'. The interviews took place after new polling by More in Common for the Sunday Times shows UK voters are more likely to sympathise with Palestine than Israel by 29 per cent to 15 per cent. 'Geldof is wrong' When Sir Bob's remarks were put to her by Sir Trevor, Badenoch said he was wrong. She said: 'I disagree with that. What I'm seeing is Israel allowing humanitarian aid to go in. This has been an unbelievably difficult situation. It's been heartbreaking, seeing some of the pictures, hearing those stories, and what we all want to see is this awful coming to an end, and that will happen when those hostages are released. We need a ceasefire.' It was pointed out that Badenoch is one of the few political leaders to have grown up in a country at war referencing her childhood in Nigeria. Badenoch also dismissed the More in Common polling and how her support for Israel appeared to be against the prevailing public view. She said: 'I'm somebody who believes in looking at what's actually happening. What are the facts and how do we make sure we're always doing the right thing? The right thing is for there to be a ceasefire. 'A lot of people are suffering on both sides, but we must forget how this started. October 7, a massacre occurred. It was an act of war. There are still people who are being held hostage, and they need to be brought home. Incidents 'under review' Israel has denied that it is causing famine in Gaza and insisted instead there is a 'a man-made shortage engineered by Hamas'. An Israeli security official told Sky News that "despite the false claims that are being spread, the State of Israel does not limit the number of humanitarian aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip". A spokesman for the IDF added: 'The IDF allows the American civilian organisation (GHF) to distribute aid to Gaza residents independently, and operates in proximity to the new distribution zones to enable the distribution alongside the continuation of IDF operational activities in the Gaza Strip. "Following incidents in which harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported, thorough examinations were conducted in the Southern Command and instructions were issued to forces in the field following lessons learned. The aforementioned incidents are under review by the competent authorities in the IDF." Keir Starmer is set to make the Gaza crisis one of the top priorities with his discussions with Donald Trump on Monday at the US president's Turnberry golf course.
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Extra bank holiday update for Lionesses' win as minister gives cryptic answer
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has given a cryptic answer after being asked about an extra bank holiday being granted to celebrate the Lionesses' historic victory A minister has given a cryptic answer after being asked about an extra bank holiday to celebrate the Lionesses' historic victory. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he'd "love to announce" an additional day off but mysteriously suggested he could not do so on TV. It comes after England's women's football team won the Euro 2025 tournament in a penalty shootout against Spain last night. Asked about giving England an extra bank holiday on the back of that win, Mr Reynolds told BBC Breakfast: "There should certainly be a celebration. I can't, I'm afraid, promise the bank holiday, but there will be a reception in Downing Street today. I believe the victory parade is scheduled for tomorrow." Pressed on Keir Starmer 's previous calls for a bank holiday if England wins, the Cabinet minister replied: "Well, I'm not aware we've committed to a bank holiday on this. I'm afraid I'd love to announce that on television, this morning, but I can't do but that should rightly be a celebration for this brilliant achievement." Mr Reynolds described the Lionesses' win last night as "absolutely magnificent". He celebrated the team's performance during the tournament, which saw it clinch wins from being behind in several matches. He said: "I've never seen an England team who handle these big tournaments as well as this England team. I mean, not just the final last night, but the Sweden match or the semi. I mean, they've been so impressive in how they do this." The PM yesterday made a surprise appearance at the stadium in Basel with his wife Victoria. He branded the Lionesses "history makers" after watching the team win. The Prime Minister previously backed calls for a "proper day of celebration" for the nation when England women's football team reached the final in the last Euros tournament in 2022, which was hosted by England. The then-Opposition Leader told the Mirror: 'The whole country will be roaring on the Lionesses in the final... They have already done us proud, but if they win it will be a truly historic achievement - one that should be marked with a proper day of celebration, where clubs can open and promote access for women and girls.' England went on to win the match against Germany but the former Tory government did not grant a bank holiday for the nation to celebrate the historic victory. The Lionesses' historic Euro 2025 victory will be celebrated at a special reception at No10 today. Deputy PM Angela Rayner, who will host the team, this morning said it'll be "a privilege to celebrate this amazing win with them in Downing Street".
Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Mental health crisis is overblown, say public
The mental health crisis is overblown and people often exaggerate their problems, according to a poll of public beliefs. More than half (56 per cent) of the public believe mental health conditions are exaggerated, while three quarters (76 per cent) think some people mistake life's normal ups and downs for mental illness, according to the survey of more than 2,000 adults by Electoral Calculus. With the Government facing a backbench rebellion over its efforts to restrict welfare benefits, the survey also suggests that ministers – rather than their backbenchers – may have better judged the pulse of the nation. The poll showed more than half of voters (52 per cent) believed that it was too easy for people to claim benefits for mental health illnesses, against 35 per cent who thought it was too hard and 13 per cent who believed it was about right. Last month, Sir Keir Starmer was forced to back down on controversial plans to slash disability and sickness benefits after more than 120 of his MPs threatened to vote against the proposals. Although the public believe benefits are too readily available, they are evenly divided on whether it is too easy or too hard to prove a mental illness in the UK. Some 44 per cent said it was too easy, while 43 per cent said it was too hard. However, Tory and Reform supporters were more likely to believe it was too easy to be diagnosed as suffering from a mental health condition, with 74 per cent of Conservative voters and 55 per cent from Nigel Farage's party saying it was the case. It comes as the head of the Government's workplace review said that employees who have 'I hate my boss syndrome' should not be signed off sick with a mental health condition. Sir Charlie Mayfield said he was concerned some problems are being 'over-medicalised' when they could be solved in the office. The former John Lewis chairman has been appointed by Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, to come up with plans to stop workers leaving their jobs because of poor health. His report is due this autumn. One in five people of working age have a health condition that affects their job and there are 2.8 million people inactive due to ill health – up from 2.1 million since before the Covid pandemic, although the numbers had been rising for several years. Sir Charlie told The Sunday Times: 'The last thing I wish to do is trivialise [mental health conditions] but I agree that things do get over-medicalised.' Half of those polled (49 per cent) agreed that society spends too much time talking about minor mental illnesses. This rose to 77 per cent of Conservatives and 62 per cent of Reform supporters compared with just 35 per cent of Labour voters. Three quarters (74 per cent) said that social media often led to people thinking they had a mental illness when they did not. However, despite the scepticism about 'over medicalisation' of mental ill health, the public believe by five to one majority (68 per cent to 14 per cent) that there were not enough services available to meet the needs of people suffering from mental health problems. Eight in 10 people believed that mental illness had been stigmatised for too long and that it was healthy for people to talk about it more. Seven in 10 also felt that people with serious mental illness are losing out because of the attention given to the growing numbers of people saying they have less serious mental illness. Martin Baxter, the chief executive of Electoral Calculus, said: 'The public shows strong support for tackling stigma and being open about mental health, yet many worry that everyday challenges are being labelled as mental illness, risking the needs of those with serious conditions being overlooked. 'Mental health policy looks set to become a key political battleground, and these findings suggest that politicians will need to tread carefully as they respond to growing public scepticism and a system that most feel isn't working.'
