Tag Archives: The Labour Party

Rachel Reeves Pledges Covid Fraud Crackdown In Barnstorming Labour Conference Speech

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A Labour government would recover billions of pounds lost to Covid fraud as part of its mission to “rebuild Britain”, Rachel Reeves has declared.

The shadow chancellor said taxpayers had lost £7.2bn during the pandemic, with “every single one of those cheques signed by Rishi Sunak as chancellor”.

She said that if Labour wins the next election, it will appoint a “Covid corruption commissioner” whose job it will be to recover as much of that money as possible.

In a barnsotring speech to the Labour conference which earned several standing ovations, Reeves also said she would crack down on the use of private jets by government ministers.

On Covid fraud, she said: “We will go after those who profited from the carnival of waste during the pandemic.

“Today, the cost to the taxpayer of covid fraud is estimated at £7.2 billion, with every single one of those cheques signed by Rishi Sunak as Chancellor.

“And yet just 2% of all fraudulent covid grants have been recovered. So, I can announce today that we will appoint a Covid corruption commissioner.

“Supported by a hit squad of investigators, equipped with the powers they need and the mandate to do whatever it takes to chase down those who have ripped off the taxpayer, take them to court, and claw back every penny of taxpayer’s money that they can.

“That money belongs in our NHS, it belongs in our schools, it belongs in our police. And conference, we want our money back.

“We are ready to serve, we are ready to lead, we are ready to rebuild Britain.”

Reeves also said she would “crack down on Tory ministers’ private jet habit”.

“What is Rishi Sunak so scared of up there in his private jet – meeting a voter?,” she said.

“We will enforce the ministerial code on the use of private planes and save millions of pounds for taxpayers in the process.”

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Boris Johnson Goads Rishi Sunak Over Poor Tory Poll Ratings

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Boris Johnson has goaded Rishi Sunak over the prime minister’s poll ratings, as he delivered his first public speech in the UK after being forced out of No.10.

Speaking in Westminster on Thursday afternoon, Johnson said it was “very unlikely” he would “need to do anything big in politics again”.

But he indicated he would continue to speak out on issues including Brexit, the need to level up the north of England and to help Ukraine.

And the former PM said: “When I stepped down we were only a handful of points behind the Labour Party.”

When Johnson announced his resignation on July 7, 2022, YouGov polling showed Labour on 40% and the Tories on 29% — an 11 point lead.

The latest survey from YouGov has put Labour on 46% and the Tories on 23% — 23 points ahead.

On September 29, 2022, YouGov released a shock poll that showed Labour had surged to a 33-point lead over the Conservatives amid the market turmoil caused by Liz Truss’ mini-Budget.

When Truss quit as prime minister, Johnson mounted a dramatic challenge to Sunak in a bid to return to No.10.

In the end he pulled out of the contest after deciding he did not have enough support from Tory MPs to lead a stable government.

But rumours in Westminster that Johnson still hopes to make a comeback have not gone away, stoked by allies who want him to return.

Asked today about his future plans, Johnson said: “I think it very, very unlikely that I will need to do anything big in politics again.”

He also devoted a large section of his speech to trashing Sunak’s new Brexit deal, which he said would be “very difficult” for him to vote for.

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Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner Avoid Police Fines Over ‘Beergate’

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Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner will not be fined by police following an investigation into whether he broke lockdown rules.

Durham police, which was investigating allegations the pair broke Covid rules last year, confirmed the Labour leader and his deputy have not been issued with fixed penalty notices.

They had both pledged to resign if they had been fined for eating curry and drinking beer at an event in the town last year, when lockdown rules were still in place.

In a statement, Durham police said their investigation found that the event was “reasonably necessary work” and therefore allowed under the rules.

“Accordingly, Durham Constabulary will not be issuing any fixed penalty notices in respect of the gathering and no further action will be taken,” the force said.

In a tweet, Starmer said: “I’ve always said no rules were broken when I was in Durham.

“The police have completed their investigation and agreed: there is no case to answer.

“For me, this was always a matter of principle. Honesty and integrity matter. You will always get that from me.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have always been clear that no rules were broken in Durham. The police have completed their investigation and have agreed saying that there is no case to answer.”

Durham Constabularly re-opened their investigation into whether Starmer breached anti-Covid laws by eating a curry and drinking beer with Labour staff in the constituency office of City of Durham MP Mary Foy on April 30, 2021.

Starmer has said he was “confident no rules were broken” and that there was “no equivalence” between the accusations levied at him and the parties that took place in Downing Street during the pandemic.

Both he and Rayner stated that they would stand down from their posts if they had received a fine in a move that was seen as a massive political gamble.

The news will be greeted with relief in Labour circles that the party will not have to endure a leadership election just as the Conservatives begin electing Boris Johnson’s successor following his dramatic resignation yesterday.

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Keir Starmer Blasts Shadow Cabinet ‘Cowards’ Who Brief Against His Staff

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Stefan RousseauPA

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer has angrily rounded on “cowards” who brief against his staff and warned shadow ministers that they should quit if they’re unhappy with his leadership team.

The Labour leader told the weekly meeting of Labour’s shadow cabinet that he was appalled by recent criticism of his aides, saying those responsible should “either stop now or have the guts to get out” of his frontbench team.

In a rare flash of anger, Starmer said that if anyone wanted to criticise his leadership they should direct that at him rather than act like “cowards who attack my staff”.

Most of his shadow ministers strongly welcomed Starmer’s words, although one insider said that there was “stony silence” from some on the Zoom call meeting.

Among those who then spoke up to strongly support his approach were shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds, shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens and shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon, shadow communities secretary Steve Reed and shadow housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire stressed just how damaging such briefing was to the party particularly in an election period.

Unnamed shadow ministers have in recent weeks criticised Starmer’s aides, including his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, policy chief Claire Ainsley and political director Jenny Chapman, blaming them for Labour’s caution or its reliance on focus groups of former “Red Wall” voters.

Starmer is also understood to be furious at recent briefings against frontbenchers Anneliese Dodds and Rachel Reeves.

“We’ve got a vital set of elections next month and this stuff just shouldn’t be happening. It’s deeply disloyal,” one of those on the call told HuffPost UK.

The May elections are Starmer’s first electoral test since he became leader a year ago, and he faces the added challenge of Labour defending its once safe seat of Hartlepool in a by-election.

The Labour leader has campaigned on crime and policing, council tax hikes and the planned 1% nurses pay rise in the run-up to the May 6 polling day.

Covid restrictions and the week-long pause to mark the passing of Prince Philip have derailed the party’s hopes to get reaching more voters directly.

While Starmer has pointed out the party’s poll ratings have suffered from a “vaccine bounce” for Boris Johnson and the Tories, some MPs believe he needs to do more to set out his plans for a future Labour government.

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