Tribune – Comment, news and reviews from Britain's democratic left

CAMPAIGNERS and housing advisers urged the Government to do more to encourage councils to build homes this week after ministers proposed to let councils keep more of their income for council house building.

RAIL unions this week warned the Government of “another Hatfield” if cuts to the maintenance and renewal of Britain’s railways are not reversed.

THE Government was this week forced to deny that its hospital building programme will grind to a halt, after a leaked memo suggested that the Private Finance Initiative – ministers’ preferred method of delivering major projects – is threatened by the recession.

LEFT-WING activists are preparing to campaign nationwide for a socialist response to the economic crisis, which would target ordinary members of the public and promote a new “people’s charter”.

PRIVATE companies contracted to run the benefits system could profit as the Government attempts to help them through the recession, under measures proposed by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell this week.

Home-seekers will be able to get a mortgage from their local council under plans being prepared by the Government, Gordon Brown told Labour chiefs this week.

COMMUNITY, the union which represents the majority of British workers at the steel company Corus, has reacted angrily to the firm’s announcement that it wants to cut 2,500 jobs and make major changes to its pension scheme.

by Keith Richmond DEREK SIMPSON, joint general secretary of Unite, has welcomed plans for two new nuclear power stations in Cumbria – much to the fury of environmental campaigners. Mr Simpson, who toured the site of the proposed new plants with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said: “Pushing ahead with Britain’s nuclear new build addresses the [...]