A lot of Tories want to oppose universal credit cut, says Keir Starmer
January 18, 2021, 12:37 pm

A lot of Tories want to oppose universal credit cut, says Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer condemned Boris Johnson’s dismissal of the Commons vote, saying PM should join him in going to a London food distribution centre on Monday.

Labour leader highlights Tory divisions before vote on £20-a-week pandemic increase

A number of Conservative MPs would like to join Labour in opposing a cut in universal credit for millions of families, Keir Starmer has said, as he sought to highlight Tory divisions before a parliamentary vote.

Political tensions are rising over the scheduled end to the £20-a-week increase in UC introduced during the first wave of the pandemic, with Conservative backbenchers representing 65 northern seats publicly calling on Boris Johnson to extend the help.

The prime minister has instructed his MPs to abstain on Monday evening in an opposition day motion called by Labour to demand the increase remains in place, with the government calling the vote, which has no legal impact, “a stunt”.

Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine programme on Monday morning, Starmer said the increase was, for many families, “the difference between being being able to pay the gas, electricity and internet bill combined”.

The Labour leader condemned Johnson’s dismissal of the Commons vote, saying the prime minister should join him in going to a food distribution centre in south London on Monday.“These are people who were working just a few months ago, and are now desperate,” Starmer said. “If he’s going to call it a stunt, he should probably come with me to the food distribution centre to see these families this morning, and explain to them why he thinks that what is a lifeline to them is a stunt.

“I actually think, in their heart of hearts, quite a lot of Tory MPs know that cutting this money to people who desperately need it, in the middle of a pandemic, is the wrong thing to do. They know that.”

Starmer said Johnson’s decision to order Tory MPs to abstain, a tactic used previously by the government over opposition day motions to head off any prospect of a rebellion, was “pretty pathetic”. “He’s saying: ‘I don’t want to say yes, and I don’t want to say no. So we’re going to abstain.’ He’s got no view on whether it should stay in place or not.”

Speaking earlier on Monday, Nadhim Zahawi, the minister in charge of the vaccination programme, told Sky News: “It’s unfortunate that Labour has chosen a political stunt. This debate today has no real impact on the outcome on those families, other than a political little stunt for Labour.”

Some Tory MPs have gone further. One video, made by the Mansfield MP, Ben Bradley, and shared by some colleagues on social media, accuses Labour of trying to “intentionally misrepresent government policy” with opposition day motions.

Johnson echoes that rhetoric in a message sent to Conservative MPs explaining the decision to abstain. He claimed that after a previous opposition day debate on free school meals, Labour had used its “army of momentum trolls … to misrepresent the outcome and to lie about its meaning and frankly to intimidate and threaten colleagues”.

But the government faces increasing pressure over the plan to end the £20 increase for 6 million families in April. Among those opposing the plan is the Northern Research Group, which represents 65 Conservative backbenchers, many of them in ex-Labour “red wall” constituencies.

The Carlisle MP, John Stevenson, a member of the group, said: “While we are still in the pandemic, we’ve still got the consequences of coming through furlough – the implications of that – it would be far better to have a stable UC environment.

“Levelling up is about improving people’s lives, improving people’s standard of living, giving people greater opportunities. You could argue that the UC uplift is helping people get lifted.”

In a report on Monday the Resolution Foundation thinktank said the increase was critical to protect the poorest households from the worst economic impacts of Covid in 2020, and that refusing to extend it would contribute to pushing 730,000 more children into poverty.

Karl Handscomb, a senior economist at the thinktank, said: “The living standards outlook for 2021 looks bleak at present – but the government can directly improve it.”

source: Peter Walker

Levant

Prosecutors want Putin foe Navalny jailed for 30 days, Moscow tells West to butt out EHRC undermined by pressure to support No 10 agenda, says ex-chair

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.