Listen here on your chosen podcast platform.
It is only a slight exaggeration to suggest that a government which ensured the trains ran vaguely on time — even if it achieved nothing else in power — would secure re-election. Indeed, get the wi-fi working too and a landslide might beckon.
In an exclusive interview for today’s Standard, new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh vowed to “tackle the hard yards” to modernise outdated work practices and get Britain’s strike-plagued railway network back on track.
Indeed, there are already signs of optimism, as the Aslef union yesterday voted overwhelmingly to accept a multi-year pay deal, bringing to a conclusion a two-year dispute affecting 16 rail companies which has made commuters’ lives a misery. But now the money is to be handed over — and these are significantly above inflation — passengers and taxpayers alike will expect improvements.
Moreover, ministers will surely be aware that, once Britain’s railways are in public ownership, the blame for each delay or cancellation will fall squarely on them. All the more reason to institute much-needed reforms to ensure value for money.
Met failures
Londoners might be forgiven for concluding this is business as usual for the Metropolitan Police. Scotland Yard has launched an investigation into four officers, following the murder of two vulnerable black women by a man they had reported to the force.
Naomi Hunte, 41, who was stabbed in the chest, and Fiona Holm, 48, whose body has never been found, were murdered by Carl Cooper, 66. Both women had been in a relationship with Cooper roughly a year apart and each had complained to the police about his violence and harassment. Yet despite being arrested, Cooper was not charged.
Violence against women and girls represents a national emergency. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has himself stated police should treat it as it does terrorism. Yet this is the same police force that was found to be failing in all areas of its work bar one, according to a recent and devastating report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service. This latest litany of failures by the Met will sadly only serve to make women and girls in London feel more, not less concerned for their safety.
Vital journalism
Two Standard campaigns have been shortlisted for the prestigious Cudlipp Award. Courts correspondent Tristan Kirk has been nominated for his indefatigable reporting to reveal the repeated failures of the Single Justice Procedure which has led to miscarriages of justice.
Meanwhile, our “Show Respect” campaign, which highlighted misogynistic attitudes of teenage boys and how it is contributing to the epidemic violence against women, was also shortlisted. A testament to Tristan and to campaigns editor David Cohen for their vital journalism.
