Tag Archives: Politics

‘Recipe For Disaster’: Labour’s Plan To Cut Civil Service Slammed

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Labour’s new plan to cut civil service jobs was torn apart this morning as union chiefs said it was a “recipe for disaster”.

Whitehall departments have increased by over 15,000 since the end of 2023, but, according to the government, working people have not seen tangible improvements.

In a plan set to be announced in the coming days, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden is going to introduce “mutually agreed exits” so people who are underperforming are able to leave their jobs easily.

The highest paid civil servants will be dismissed if there’s no improvement within six months, and there will be a new pay-results system, while also increasing the use of digital systems.

But, the plan has been slated by unions and compared to “Trumpian” efforts to slim down the state in the US.

The general secretary of the Trades Union Congress Paul Nowak told Times Radio he is “disappointed” in this plan, and said cuts to the civil service are not what’s needed right now.

He said: “I think these are a set of proposals that look more about grabbing headlines rather than about a serious plan for reforming our public services.”

Nowak said to enact public sector reform, “you have to be serious about engaging the staff who are involved in delivering those services” otherwise it is a “recipe for disaster”.

He also took issue with the suggestion the civil service is not working effectively, saying: “It was a decade and a half of underinvestment in our public services. Now the number of civil services, civil servants has gone up.

“We have had Brexit in the last few years and we now do things in the UK, trade agreements for example that we didn’t do before.

“A whole range of things around veterinary standards for example that we didn’t have to do before.”

Prime minister Keir Starmer sparked backlash last year when he claimed “too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in tepid bath of managed decline,” and warned change was coming to the civil service.

Touching on the prime minister’s comment, Nowak said he did not agree “on the Trumpian language”.

He said: “I don’t think the language is always helpful when you try and paint those who are delivering public services often at the sharp end in difficult circumstances as somehow part of the problem.

“Now the civil service public service workforce is like any workforce there are some people who don’t pull their weight.

“To characterise the vast majority of people who are working hard day in day out as somehow the part of the problem and that’s what they do I think is unfair.”

Similarly, the general secretary of the FDA – the civil service union – Dave Penman told the same radio that the issue comes down to the constant changing of hands in government.

He said: “We’ve had six prime ministers, eight chancellors, 40 ministers in the Treasury departments, hundreds of different ministers because of the chaotic political leadership over the last 10 years.

“If you want to look at how you solve the problem with public services, look at the political chaos that we’ve had to deal with as well, not just simply headlines around sacking civil servants.

“We wouldn’t be in business if people weren’t sacked for poor performance in the civil service. ”

Penman said this new plan was all about “cheap headlines”.

“The idea that you can simply get more for less is rhetoric. It’s a headline that’s not reality. You have to demonstrate how you do that. Technology can play a role, AI can play a role, but how is it actually going to do that? That’s what ministers should be setting out rather than these cheap headlines,” he said.

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Starmer’s Past Warning About What UK Foreign Aid Cuts Could Mean For Russia Comes Back To Haunt Him

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Keir Starmer once advised against cutting foreign aid over the boost it could give to countries like Russia, it has emerged.

Last week, the prime minister announced he was slashing the international development fund from 0.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 0.3%.

That money will now be redirected to the defence budget, which will increase from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5%, amid the growing concerns about Europe’s security, Vladimir Putin’s land grabs and the Ukraine war.

Starmer admitted that he was not “happy” about the decision but said: “At times like these the defence and security of the British people must always come first – that is the number one priority of this government.”

But, as leader of the opposition, Starmer told the then-Conservative government not to reduce the international aid budget from 0.7% of GDP to 0.5% – precisely because of the boost it gave to countries like Russia.

Speaking in July 2021, the Labour leader said: “Our overseas aid budget goes beyond that moral obligation: it also helps build a more stable world and keeps us safer in the UK.

“This cut will also reduce UK influence just when it is needed most, and of course it risks leaving a vacuum that other countries – China and Russia, for example – will fill.”

The Tories decided to cut foreign aid spending in 2021 because of the strain on public finances at the time.

Starmer chose to cut it again to boost defence spending last week after US President Donald Trump said America would no longer provide military protection for Europe – even amid fears Putin will push further into Europe unless deterred by the west.

But the PM’s decision to boost defence at the cost of foreign aid has been heavily criticised – especially in light of his past warning.

A Labour MP told HuffPost UK: “It does seem the PM has once again been hoisted by his own petard. For many observing this latest display, the ‘vacuum’ he warned about was the one where his principles used to be.”

Tory MP – and deputy foreign secretary under Rishi Sunak – Andrew Mitchell criticised Starmer over the comments too, saying: “I hope the prime minister will revisit his wise words when he supported the rebellion in the Conservative Party against the cut from 0.7% to 0.5%.

“How much more compelling is the case he put so eloquently back then when applied to today’s savage cuts and cynical proposals.”

Speaking almost four years ago, Starmer also said: “The House should have had the opportunity for a straight up/down vote on whether to approve or reject the Government’s cut to overseas aid.”

Now, as prime minister, Starmer has not given parliament a chance to vote on the decision to cut aid.

Back in 2021, the Labour leader also warned: “Cutting aid will increase costs and have a big impact on our economy. Development aid – we all know this – reduces conflict, disease and people fleeing from their homes.

“It is a false economy to pretend that this is some sort of cut that does not have consequences.”

Labour backbencher Sarah Champion quoted these warnings from Starmer in parliament this week during a debate on the reduction in aid.

She said it was an “inarguable case against the folly of making massive aid cuts” and claimed Starmer’s words “are as true now as they were then”.

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Reform UK Splits Erupt As MP Takes Swipe At ‘Messiah’ Nigel Farage

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A Reform UK MP has accused Nigel Farage of acting like the “messiah” as splits within the party burst into the open.

Rupert Lowe said Farage must “learn to delegate” and that Reform needed to “start behaving as if we are leading and not merely protesting”.

His comments, made in an interview with the Daily Mail, mark the first time a Reform UK MP has openly criticised the party’s leader.

Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, said: “We have to change from being a protest party led by the Messiah into being a properly structured party with a front bench, which we don’t have.

“We have to start behaving as if we are leading and not merely protesting.

“Nigel is a messianic figure who is at the core of everything but he has to learn to delegate, as not everything can go through one person.”

Lowe went on: “We have to start developing policy which is going to change the way we govern.

“I’m not going to be by Nigel’s side at the next election unless we have a proper plan to change the way we govern from top to bottom.”

But speaking to the Telegraph, Farage hit back at Lowe’s criticism of his leadership style.

He said: “It’s difficult to have a front bench with only five MPs, isn’t it? And he’s one of them.”

Asked about Lowe’s specific criticism of his delegation skills, Farage said: “Delegate? I’ve delegated everything.”

He added: “If we had 30 MPs, we’d have a front bench, but with five, we can’t.”

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “This internecine warfare at the top of Reform just goes to show that their MPs are more concerned with their own egos, and advancing their personal ambitions, rather than standing up for the British people.

“With one of Farage’s most senior MPs doubting his leadership abilities and admitting that Reform is a protest party with no plan, it is clear that Reform are not serious, and will always put self-interest above our national interest.”

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Richard Tice Humiliated As He’s Unable To Answer Most Basic Question About Reform’s New Defectors

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Richard Tice was humiliated today when he was unable to give the full names of the latest two councillors to defect to Reform UK.

Tice called journalists from across Scotland to announce the Tory defections in a press conference outside a Glasgow chip shop.

But, as he was making the declaration, Tice seemed to forget it was Renfrewshire councillor John Gray and South Lanarkshire councillor Ross Lambie who he was welcoming to his party.

According to The National, the MP for Boston and Skegness initially refused to say even their names and ducked inside the chip shop.

When he did eventually come outside to speak to the press, Tice said: “I’ve got John and Ross, and they’re from…”

The Scottish Daily Mail’s deputy political editor, Tom Gordon, cut in and said: “What are their surnames, John and Ross?”

Tice replied: “Are you going to challenge me on everything or are you going to ask a policy question?”

Gordon said: “I’ll challenge you on that.”

Reform UK’s deputy leader deflected and said: “I’m answering policy questions about how we make people better off.”

But Gordon persisted: “My question, my choice of question, to you, is what are their full names, and what council are they from?”

“John and Ross,” the MP replied.

“What councils are they from?” The journalist asked.

Tice turned away from Gordon and asked the crowd: “Next question. Who’s next?”

Gordon asked: “You cannot tell me who your council defectors are, why not?

“Do you know anything about Scottish politics? You can’t even name your own members up here?”

The Reform UK deputy said his party has 10,000 Scottish members, and he does not know them all, adding: “What we have got is policies that will make people better off in Scotland.”

He then posed for photos with the defectors whose names he did not know.

Reform UK has been celebrating the number of politicians leaving the Tories and Labour to join their party, and has even set up a dedicated “defections unit”.

It has also promised to form the next government after a surge in the opinion polls.

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Nigel Farage Savaged Over ‘Morally Wrong’ Criticism Of Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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Nigel Farage is facing a furious political backlash after he criticised Volodymyr Zelenskyy over his bust-up with Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

The Reform UK leader accused the Ukrainian president of showing “no respect” to Trump and said he should have dispensed with his usual military-style clothes and worn a suit.

Trump and his vice-president JD Vance ambushed Zelenskyy, accusing him of failing to show enough gratitude for the military support America has given Ukraine since the start of its war with Russia three years ago.

Speaking on LBC, Farage said: “I think President Zelenskyy was very unwise to tell the Americans what would happen to them if they didn’t back him. Yeah sure, Trump and Vance bit back, but I think in diplomatic terms, Zelenskyy played it very badly.”

He added: “I wouldn’t expect a guest to be rude to me in my own house, absolutely not. I would expect a guest to treat me with respect.”

Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said Farage was “completely wrong” to attack Zelenskyy.

Posting on X, she said: “President Zelenskyy is a hero, who has stood up to Putin’s aggression and led his country’s defence against their barbaric and illegal invasion over the last 3 years – and it is troubling to not hear the leader of Reform say that.

For Nigel Farage to sit there pointing the finger at Zelenskyy is both morally wrong and diplomatically counterproductive. At this uncertain and dangerous time, one would hope that MPs of all stripes would be putting our national interest first, rather than playing politics.

“But sadly, it is not surprising. Like Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Reform UK seems to have history equivocating over Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”

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Nigel Farage is completely wrong. President Zelenskyy is a hero, who has stood up to Putin’s aggression, and led his country’s defence against their barbaric and illegal invasion over the last 3 years – and it is troubling to not hear the Leader of Reform say that.

For Nigel…

— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) March 3, 2025

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Nigel Farage is completely wrong. President Zelenskyy is a hero, who has stood up to Putin’s aggression, and led his country’s defence against their barbaric and illegal invasion over the last 3 years – and it is troubling to not hear the Leader of Reform say that.

For Nigel…

— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) March 3, 2025

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “Nigel Farage is once again showing his true colours as Trump’s own spokesman here in Britain.

“Zelenskyy showed courage and integrity in that room – in stark contrast to Farage’s cowardly approach of licking Trump’s boots.

“Farage is more focused on promoting Trump and Musk’s interests in the UK than British interests in the States. He was once again parroting White House talking points this morning, to the dismay of British people here at home.

“It’s clearer than ever that Nigel Farage is simply out for himself and his Mar-a-Lago cronies.”

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