Early evening summary
The government has announced that it intends to activate before Christmas new laws to limit the right of railway workers, ambulance staff and border officials to go on strike. (See 5.34pm.)
Boris Johnson referred to Rishi Sunak’s Treasury as “the pro-death squad” as he sought to gain support for a gradual end to Covid restrictions, the official inquiry into the pandemic has been told.
The Metropolitan police has released a statement urging the organisers of the planned pro-Palestinian march in London for Saturday to reconsider given that it will coincide with Armistice Day. Ministers have been strongly signalling that they want the police to initiate the process that could lead to the march being banned.
We ask organisers to consider postponing any demonstrations in #London this #ArmisticeWeekend.https://t.co/wvjmAqAVi6 pic.twitter.com/58v8jD0QTV
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) November 6, 2023
The Conservative peer Michelle Mone has acknowledged for the first time that she was involved with a company that was awarded government PPE contracts worth £200m during the Covid pandemic.
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Labour says the government, not trade unions, is to blame for the public regularly not getting minimum levels of service. Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, issued this statement in response to the announcement from No 10.
This government’s failed approach has led to the worst strikes in decades and now they’re getting their excuses in early for Christmas.
Rishi Sunak is offering another sticking plaster to distract from the Conservatives’ track record of failure. We all want minimum standards of service and staffing but it’s Tory ministers who are consistently failing to provide them.
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