There has never been a time like now for the need of a robust, clever, hard-working opposition.
It is so clearly obvious that the all-party consensus over the Covid-19 crisis has not worked. It hasn’t worked for the country as the Boris Johnson government has made a complete hash of handling this major pandemic. It certainly hasn’t worked for the Labour Party as appearing to follow along with little opposition against every piece of incompetent government policy, which was a really bad start for Keir Starmer’s new leadership.
Fortunately that is changing and we are now seeing a hard pressing set of Labour MPS on our news and in the decent newspapers. They are challenging the incompetence and the contradictions coming out from government mouthpieces. They are highlighting the hypocrisy of Tories clapping for NHS and other essential workers while continuing to leave them vulnerable and low paid.
The Labour movement of the party and unions need a co-ordinated approach to step this up even further. There are enough burning issues out there to tackle.
The early return to school for one. We need to stand up to the stupidity, complacency and ill-thought out plans which will put staff and children at risk. The teaching and health service unions are fighting back and Labour politicians in some areas, particularly in our region, are singing from the same hymn sheets.
Boris Johnson is now saying he wants to work with teachers, staff and their unions along with parents That wouldn’t have happened without political opposition.
As in this case the whole question of health and safety needs to be put on top of the agenda.
Local authorities in predominantly working class areas have been shafted in budgetary terms by this government. It is obviously welcome that the government gives back £40m of the £100m it has cut from the HSE in recent years, hopefully leading to an increase in the number of inspectors. However the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974, set up two wings of authority, the HSE Inspector and the Environmental Health Inspector, the latter provided by local councils. Why no additional funding to councils similar to the HSE? Questions need to be asked and daily pressure put on the chancellor and his pals.
Another area we need to see government movement on, is something else Boris Johnson agreed on early in the onset of the crisis, but has since become very quiet. That is the clampdown through new legislation on profiteering.
Labour MPs need to step up the clamour for laws to tackle this scandal, something that was introduced immediately in France, when it appeared to be a threat.
There are some glaring examples of the unacceptable face of capitalism with evidence of massive mark up in prices of PPE and hand sanitizer. As much as 367% according to the Competitions and Markets Authority, who received tens of thousands of complaints throughout March and April about hikes in prices, particularly online. It appears the competition and consumer laws in the UK do not cover price gouging as it is known as in the industry. It is an issue that doesn’t appear to be gaining much support for action in around the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It should be obvious to the Labour leadership that this is a win-win campaign, which will put the party and movement in a popular position, simply for demanding fairness over greed in our society. And that of course is what we need to fight for as part of the new normal.
Neil Smith
Political Officer
GMB UNION
North West & Irish Region
