Voices on the Left: 5 blogs from the left you need to read this week
A roundup of progressive news….
Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead
Johnson to ditch ‘lefty’ green policies, in ‘secret’ deal Tory backbenchers – Express reports
In a bid to “warm the cockles of Tory hearts”, the PM is to make a deal with backbench MPs to maintain their support of his leadership, including abolishing ‘lefty’ policies of ‘prioritising a green agenda’, the Sunday Express reports.
‘Unacceptable and entirely preventable’: Homelessness in London rises by 20% in a year
New data shows the magnitude of rough sleeping in the capital, sparking calls for immediate government action.
Brexit friction mounts as NI first minister quits and Portugal’s economy minister cites Brexit damage
As Johnson announces a Brexit Freedoms Bill, tension over the UK’s departure from the EU heightened this week among leading ministers.
Rishi Sunak’s energy crisis ‘bailout’ derided as ‘hopelessly inadequate’
The chancellor’s support to the ‘Black Thursday’ energy rise has been met with contempt, with unions warning the increase is a cost-of-living ‘catastrophe’ for ordinary workers.
The five most agonising car-crash interviews with Tory MPs on the parties’ fiasco
The partygate debacle has put Conservative MPs under pressure on camera as they attempt to defend the beleaguered PM and add some justification to the whole sorry affair.
‘How about we get what we were promised’: Andy Burnham hits out at Tories’ Northern Powerhouse remarks
As the government finally publishes the long-waited ‘levelling up’ white paper, the Manchester mayor blasts MPs for suggesting the city ‘should be grateful’ for scaled-back rail plans.
‘Hugely outrageous’: Raab under fire for inaccurate claims on rape conviction rates
The deputy PM has been slammed for making false accusations that Starmer oversaw falling rape and sexual offence conviction rates while director of the Crown Prosecution Service.
Energy crisis: Shell reports ‘momentous year’ as households face 50% rise in bills
As families face soaring energy bills, the oil giant celebrates a 14-fold rise in profits, sparking fresh calls for a windfall tax.
Food banks risk turning people away as government continues assault on welfare claimants
As the government launches a fresh attack on Universal Credit claimants and confirms the NI rise will go ahead, food banks warn they will not be able to keep up with demand.