Reading & District Labour Party
News and Views from Reading
Young Labour Book Review: The Dispossessed, Ursula Le Guin
In the aftermath of the crushing 2019 General Election, I felt I had to get ‘active’ in a political sense. To put my money where my mouth is, so to speak, which led me to join the Labour Party. It came at a time of great uncertainty. I’d recently moved back to my home town…
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Reading event shows that Black Lives Matter
Several hundred people joined forces to attend a Black Lives Matter event in central Reading on Saturday 13 June. It is the second event in the town marking the recent death of George Floyd at the hands of the police in the US state of Minnesota and was part of a series of national protests…
Read MoreSTATEMENT OF SUPPORT AND JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD
Black and Asian members of the Reading and District Labour Party wish to express their outrage over the callous murder of George Floyd which took place on 25 May 2020. This horrific and abominable event is not isolated. It personifies systemic racism and police violence all over the world including here in the UK, on…
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Mutual aid groups lead Reading response to Covid-19
Covid-19 has prompted Reading residents to band together and form Reading Mutual Care, a major aid group across the town with a number of Labour Party members helping this drive to support their local communities. The group has now been in operation for several weeks. Reading Mutual Care has quickly grown in size with a…
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Reading East Tory wanna-be MP in hustings no-show
Voters in Reading East who were hoping for ring-side seats to a pre-election showdown event at the town-centre venue RISC have expressed disappointment a no-show from Tory hopeful Craig Morley. “Morley can’t handle public scrutiny – reminds me of someone else in the Tories,” said one voter who attended Wednesday night’s event. The Conservative’s Reading…
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Labour to get UK rail services back on track
The Labour Party has pledged to cut nationwide rail fares by 33% in a move that could save the average commuter over £1,000 a year. Reading rail passengers currently pay some of the highest fares in the country with the price per mile into London coming in at 31.8 pence. A recent BBC study has…
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Tory plans for back-door NHS privatisation
The Labour Party have released uncensored government documents highlighting the risks that US healthcare companies pose to the NHS through potential increases in drug charges. The papers show details from talks between US and UK officials that took place between July 2017 and July 2019 showing that US firms are keen to discuss drug pricing…
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Plans to ease violence and crime
Labour has announced plans to expand 18 Violence Reduction Units in areas where police forces are dealing with high rates of gang-related violent crime. Modelled on a model successfully trialed in Glasgow, the initiative would shift the focus from tackling criminality towards a public health approach to treating violence. Glasgow has seen violent crimes drop…
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Birds of a feather …
Reading East Labour Party canvassers rescued a swan last weekend while door-knocking in Caversham. The bird was found wandering the streets and was returned to safety on the Thames. Matt Rodda – the Labour MP for Reading East – said: “In between doorstep conversations and deliveries today our Caversham team took a break to rescue…
Read MoreLabour manifesto sign-up
The Labour Party is preparing to launch its 2019 manifesto and is inviting people to view the document when it is launched in the next few days. The party is seeking to outline significant change to help deliver “concrete improvements to the lives of millions.” At the core of the manifesto will be the goal…
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Corbyn: ‘Veterans not getting the services they deserve’
On Remembrance Sunday Jeremy Corbyn used a video message to support veterans and their families who have faced multiple cutbacks to key services they rely upon. The Labour Party is pledging better pay, better accommodation and better support for veterans and their families. Corbyn stated: “We remember the many brave people from Britain and all…
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Nurseries to grow as Labour outlines boost for families
The Labour Party has announced an ambitious £1 billion investment plan to reverse savage Tory cuts to the Sure Start programme. Launched originally in 1998 Sure Start is credited with boosting improvements in childcare as well as bolstering early education, health and family support. Labour has dedicated itself to its programme with a series of…
Read MoreTory hopeful’s Reading campaign in ruins
Craig Morley, the Tory hopeful standing for Reading East, has faced ridicule after he mistakenly posted a picture of the ruins of Melrose Abbey in Scotland rather than Reading Abbey ruins on his homepage. Labour councillor Richard Davies said: “It would be obvious to anyone who had visited Reading Abbey ruins that that picture was…
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Berkshire fire risks continue as Rees-Mogg slammed over Grenfell
Recent news that a third of public buildings and flats checked by Berkshire fire services failed to meet fire safety standards have further highlighted the callous attitude of senior Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg who stated the victims of the Grenfell fire lacked “common sense.” Berkshire’s firefighting service carried out 1,137 audits of properties in 2018-19 with…
Read MoreLabour pledge on homes sweet homes
Homes should be safe and warm for families and not damage the environment for future generations, the Labour Party has stated. The party says that at the December 2019 election there is a clear choice and that “this is our last chance to take action to protect future generations or allow the Tories to accelerate…
Read MoreTories’ scandalous record on health
Freedom of Information data obtained by the Labour Party has revealed a huge increase in the number of cancelled operations due to staffing issues and equipment failures. Under the Tories, patients are waiting longer for vital care with the future of the NHS likely to be decided at the December 2019 General Election. Labour is…
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Junior doctor slams Boris Johnson over NHS
Julia Simons, a trainee doctor at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge, last week challenged Tory leader Boris Johnson stating: “We know the NHS is being privatised even if it’s not explained in explicit terms.” The young medic’s public challenge came shortly before Johnson was filmed being booed by staff and members of the public outside the…
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We’re gearing up for a general election!
Reading East is already Labour and Reading West has become a marginal … let’s get out there and take our campaign to the people of Reading … can you help? If you are ready to campaign for a transformative Labour Government between now and December 12th, fill in the form and we’ll be in touch!
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Conference Update – Sunday 22 Sept
Update from Conference, Sunday 22nd September … This morning opened with a long debate on rebuilding Britain’s Public Services and speakers addressed the devastating injustices and Labour’s humane solutions in the areas of education, health and social care. Angela Rayner was up first, outlining the changes Labour would make in education, with many announcements received…
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Conference Update – Saturday 21 Sept
Update from Conference, Saturday 21st September … The main agenda item on Saturday was the priorities ballot where delegates and affiliates voted to decide which motions to debate from a long list. Helen and I met to agree which 10 motions to support and voted for the following which are NOT listed in order of…
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