A roundup of progressive news...

1.Poll puts Labour ahead on voting intention, the economy and leadership –LabourList

LabourList reports on how polling shows that Keir Starmer is ahead of Boris Johnson on leadership and found that Labour leads the Conservatives in terms of which party the public would back in a general election and on who would better manage the economy.

The report is based on polling carried out by the Mirror which found that 42% of people would back Labour to run the nation’s finances compared to 36% who would prefer the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak for the job.

Keir Starmer also has a net approval rating of +4 while Johnson is on -4.

2. When the Algorithm Is Your Boss –Tribune Magazine

A thought provoking piece in Tribune Magazine looks at how algorithms have taken on the role of the professional managerial class.

Jamie Medwell writes about how an Amazon delivery driver was fired by the company’s algorithmic Human Resources Management (HRM) system with no explanation. Medwell writes: “And although Amazon might be the most evangelical convert, it’s far from the only one. A recent study revealed that forty percent of HR departments in international companies use AI-based tools.”

Algorithms are also being used to discipline workers.

The piece calls for the democratisation of technology in the workplace, ‘to be developed and applied only with the input of those who actually understand and carry out the work’.

3. Rishi Sunak could become PM. Here’s what he doesn’t want you to know –openDemocracy

OpenDemocracy takes a look a closer look at the richest MP in Parliament, Rishi Sunak, a front runner to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister. The piece highlights how a prime minister Sunak would be a ‘boon for the financial lobby.’

Experts say the Sunak has not been transparent with his finances and that his hedge fund background raises questions about his commitment to fighting tax avoidance.

The piece also takes a deeper look at Sunak’s privileged background, a topic he’s keen to avoid and at the chancellor’s extensive property portfolio.

4. Nearly a quarter of pensioners worried they will have to choose between heating and eating ahead of energy bill increases –Morning Star

The Morning Star looks at research from Age UK which shows that three-quarters of older people in Britain are worried about the rising cost of living with nearly a quarter fearing they will have to choose between heating or eating.

More than nine million people over the age of 65 are worried about rising costs, according to Age UK.

The survey also found that 43 per cent said they would have to cut back, go into debt or simply will not be able to afford to pay their bill.

The findings come amid soaring energy prices and a cost of living crisis for households up and down the country.

5. It’s Not Enough to ‘Save’ the NHS – We Must Transform It –Novara Media

Joanna Sutton-Klein writes for Novara Media about how we can transform the NHS following a decade of brutal cuts that has seen the health service fall to its knees. The piece argues that it is not enough to merely patch up the problems the National Health Service faces but what’s needed is transformative change that places care at the centre.

‘The pursuit of efficiency must be replaced with a vision of abundance. The NHS should have plentiful staff, with ample time, opportunities and resources to care deeply for their patients and for each other. Medical schools and all forms of healthcare worker training should be free, and open to the public and clinicians’, writes Joanna.

The piece also calls on progressives to ‘focus on building our own healthcare centres’ before demanding centrally driven change.

Basit Mahmood is the editor of Left Foot Forward

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