Labour’s already in policy muddle
NOBODY can deny Sir Keir Starmer’s ambition.
In the King’s Speech last week, the new PM hit the ground running with a massive programme of 40 new bills.
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But on two crucial issues his Government is pulling in two directions at once.
On illegal migration, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper pledges that Labour is determined to move fast to smash the evil people-smuggling gangs.
She promises a summer of raids on workplaces where migrants are employed illegally so that those from “safe” countries can be speedily removed from the UK.
It is a welcome initiative. But meanwhile callous people-smugglers are celebrating Sir Keir’s move to end the Rwanda scheme.
They are already using the PM in adverts to attract more customers for their lethal trips across the Channel.
Labour has often denounced the Rwanda plan as a gimmick. But without its deterrent effect, Britain risks becoming an ever bigger magnet.
Over 15,000 have already crossed illegally this year and 2024 is likely to see a new record.
Yesterday some migrants were even found brazenly crossing on a suspected stolen yacht.
Meanwhile, on the economy, owners of small businesses fear Labour’s sweeping new rights for workers will prove ruinous.
Banning exploitative zero-hours contracts is one thing.
Ending them altogether could put many small firms under.
The new Government needs to urgently reassure these vital employers that it has their backs.
They should be at the heart of Sir Keir’s push for growth.
Sort I.T. out quickly
IT IS bad enough that the global computer crash has wreaked havoc on holidaymakers and businesses.
But much worse is the devastating impact CrowdStrike’s disastrous Windows update has had on vital health services.
The NHS is still reeling from a Russian cyber attack that hit hospitals last month, disrupting thousands of appointments and procedures.
Now GP surgeries and pharmacies have been hammered, with around a third of medicines unavailable from chemists.
Tech experts are warning mass computer outages are almost certain to happen again.
The Government and NHS urgently need a Plan B.
We cannot have lives reliant on the whim of a computer glitch.
