Local government
Grenfell: Michael Gove Deflecting the Blame Away from Conservative Politicians
Michael Gove is on the warpath. In the Housing Secretary’s crosshairs are the private contractors and suppliers to the Grenfell Tower.
In Gove’s view, they were to blame for the rapid spread of the fire which killed 72 people in West London in 2017.
According to Gove, they now have a duty to put right other high-rise towers and apartment blocks that carry the same insulation and cladding materials as Grenfell. In typical Gove fashion, he has not held back in his criticism, accusing cladding company Arconic, of engaging in “shameful practices” and displaying “an abhorrent culture of disregard for the safety of residents in their homes.”
He claimed that Kingspan, the Irish insulation maker, “is a company that gives capitalism a bad name”.
Again, his characteristic, guns-blazing tactic includes using all fronts, including social media, to put his message across.
Anyone reading his department’s postings, and there is much more, could be forgiven for supposing Arconic, Kingspan and the other firms involved in the 2016 installation of cladding and insulation at Grenfell were entirely responsible for the terrible inferno and loss of life.
You see, it’s all the fault of the greedy, grasping commercial sector, putting profits before people’s lives. The Secretary of State ends one diatribe with: “My Government Department will continue to be driven by its commitment to protect people in their homes. People who bought their rented homes in good faith and whose safety continues to be threatened by your products deserve better from the companies who have exploited their basic need for a home. Those companies who do not share our commitment to righting the wrongs of the past must expect to face commercial consequences.”
It’s an election year, and for Gove, putting himself in the shoes of the little man is a key part of the Tory strategy. By targeting private business he is exploding the age-old myth that the Tories are on the side of big business.
Again, though, anyone would think that the public sector had no role to play, that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where Grenfell stands, central government and London Fire Brigade bore no responsibility - that the tragedy was all down to the commercially rapacious profit chasers.
Which is why it comes as a surprise, then, to read that Arconic and Kingspan are not the worst offenders - that the worst is the local royal borough council, and that Gove’s own government and the fire service shoulder more of the burden than Kingspan ‘that gives capitalism a bad name.’
The Bindman Settlement
While the Grenfell Tower inquiry continues on its pain-staking journey, nine of those organisations, commercial and public, involved in the disaster undertook an ADR, an alternative dispute resolution, as a way of ensuring compensation reached the victims’ families and those forced from their homes in shorter order than if they’d waited for any potential litigation to conclude.
Represented by teams of lawyers, they agreed to meet before a senior judge who would determine the sum to be awarded and apportion their contributions.
In May last year, it was announced that the ADR was to pay £150m to those affected. But how that figure was broken down was not revealed, apparently for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
I’ve seen the percentage breakdown and it shows, top on 35.84 per cent is the borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Next is Arconic on 22.84 per cent. Then, Rydon (builders), 10.84 per cent, Celetex (manufacturer of most of the insulation) at 9.84 per cent. The fire service’s share is 5.84 per cent, the same as the Government’s, Exova (fire testing) is 3.24 per cent while Whirlpool, which made the fridge where the fire originated and Gove’s target Kingspan are in for the smallest portions, 2.84 per cent each. The accuracy of the figures has been confirmed.
The ‘Bindman Settlement’ - so-called after the leading London law firm where the nearly two years worth of detailed, behind-closed-doors discussions were held - was mediated by Lord Neuberger, the former president of the Supreme Court. In all, 900 people, including those who lost their relatives and those required to relocate, agreed to the out-of-court settlement. The ADR route was chosen after a claim was lodged at the High Court in 2021.
Five of those involved in the Grenfell refurbishment, which is when the cladding was added, chose not to participate in the Bindman process: CEP architects, Studio E architects, CS Stokes fire safety assessor, Harley Facades and Artelia project consultants.
“Some firms stepped up and others didn’t,” said one of the Bindman signatories. “We took the view that you can’t be a proxy where responsibility is concerned.”
The settlement does not have any bearing on the Grenfell Tower inquiry. Nor does it impact any potential criminal action. “Who paid what doesn’t necessarily reflect blame,” said the signatory.
Nevertheless, in the absence of the official inquiry’s findings, it is the nearest we have to apportioning fault.
Possibly, because the percentages are supposed to remain secret, Gove is confident he can lambast the companies, confident of not being challenged - and he can choose to ignore the larger role played by the public sector.
That the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Government also happened to be led by Tories at the time of the tower’s refurbishment in 2016, is something else Gove may be keen not to dwell upon.
Tens of Billions in Government and Council Pandemic Spending Unaccounted For as Local Authority Auditing Scandal Worsens
Some £55 billion spent by the Government and local councils during the pandemic year remains unaudited and unaccounted for two years later, a new report by MPs has revealed.
The House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee lambasts the Treasury for being “too passive” in chasing up the cash which is resulting in inaccurate figures being published by Whitehall and making it difficult for ministers to plan future spending.
The Treasury's report on the latest Whole of Government Accounts for 2020-21 – an annual report comprehensively listing all public expenditure for each financial year – was published 27 months late and is incomplete, inaccurate and too long delayed, according to the committee.
It also raises the question of whether the Government will ever be able to account for the £372 billion spent by ministers on the pandemic because the Treasury plans to end monitoring of Coronavirus spending next year.
This will particularly affect money loaned to private industry – such as through the Bounce Back loan scheme – and money loaned to the Cultural Recovery Scheme worth £1.57 billion to save theatres entertainment venues and national heritage organisations from bankruptcy because of the lockdown. All these low-interest loans did not have to start to be repaid until this year and are due to be completely paid off by 2040.
The report reveals that the number of public bodies providing no data is rising, making future reports even more inaccurate unless action is taken.
The previous year, 137 bodies did not submit data – the number has now risen to 155. For the first time, two large public pensions schemes – the Scottish NHS and Scottish Teachers – did not submit any data. They have liabilities of more than £135 billion between them. The Local Government Pension Scheme was late in submitting accounts.
Failure to audit local authorities – already highlighted as a growing scandal by Byline Times – forms a large part of the problem.
The previous year, 630 authorities – some dating back to 2015-16 – did not submit accounts that had been independently audited. Some have now submitted a combined account for two years which may not be accurate.
The committee warns that the system of local auditing – which is close to breaking point – is resulting in poorer quality data for central government and that this risks spreading to other sectors.
Just five of 467 local government entities met the statutory deadline for publication of their 2022-23 audit opinions. This week, after it was revealed that councils were £98 billion in debt, the Government provided a £500 million bail-out to help them survive.
Labour's Dame Meg Hillier MP, the committee's chair, said: “If the Whole of Government Accounts didn’t exist, we would have to invent it. A high-level overview providing an overall snapshot of the nation’s finances, if produced accurately and reliably, could be both an essential resource for decision-makers and for scrutiny from Parliament and the public. The Treasury had made great progress on delivering this in a timely fashion but the delays in this report take us back years.
“The Treasury needs to be far more front-footed in curating the WGA and following up with public bodies where data is missing. But this report further underlines our committee’s continued warnings of the crisis in local government finance, and the risks it poses to central government and other bodies.
"Performance in this area had continued to deteriorate at the time of our report, and a credible plan must be urgently implemented if we are to prevent the rot continuing to spread.”
Activists labelling Israeli supermarket items as ‘apartheid’ and ‘apartheid Starmer’
Hum(our)ous and deadly serious
Activists have begun labelling Israeli items in supermarkets as ‘apartheid’ products, in a campaign to raise public awareness of Israel’s crimes against Palestinians and promote the peaceful ‘BDS’ (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement to pressure Israel into ending its apartheid and war crimes – with different versions laid out to match (at least) Sainsburys and Tesco label layouts:
And Keir Starmer has also made himself a target of the campaign for his unstinting support of Israel’s flagrant breaches of international law, after at least one group took the original labels and edited them to reflect his ties to and funding from right-wing and pro-Israel groups and figures, before applying them liberally to supermarket shelves:
The global BDS campaign’s effectiveness can be seen in the fact that Israel created a whole ‘Ministry of Strategic Affairs’ to combat it and the way that Israel’s supporters constantly attack it. The UK government is in the process of passing probably-unlawful legislation to ban local authorities from applying BDS against goods and services from illegally-occupied territories.
The campaign has also been deployed against global brands such as Starbucks and McDonalds, with reportedly substantial impact on their profits.
Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza has so far killed at least 33,000 civilians, mostly women and children, and wounded more than twice that number of people – often with life-changing injuries. The country is facing a genocide case brought against it before the International Court of Justice by South Africa.
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Redbridge councillor quits Labour with blast at local and national leaders
Shannell Johnson leaves party in disgust at local conduct and threats – and national complicity in Gaza slaughter
Redbridge councillor Shannell Johnson
Labour has lost yet another councillor over the party’s Stalinism to its members and representatives of principle, its lack of meaningful action for good and its complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza – and its threats to try to force her to toe the Starmeroid line.
Cllr Shannell Johnson has resigned from the party with a withering blast at local and national ‘leadership’ and will continue to serve as an independent. She wrote to right-wing Labour council leader Jas Athwal with concerns that included accusing the leadership of fostering a ‘toxic’, ‘ego-centric’ culture of ‘gaslighting’:
Dear Cllr Athwal,
I trust this message finds you in good health following the festive season.
It is with a heavy heart and a profound sense of duty that I write to inform you of my decision to resign from the Labour Party. This decision comes after much reflection, on the time spent with the Redbridge Labour Group, on the National issues I feel strongly about, and on the disconnect between the party’s declared values and its actions. Particularly within the Redbridge Labour Group, I have witnessed and been subjected to things that make it hard for me to sleep at night.
Over the past 18 months, I have observed troubling trends within Redbridge Council Labour Group. The atmosphere has grown increasingly toxic, marked by a lack of openness and a discouraging environment for critical discussion. This shift towards unquestioning compliance has hindered effective governance and oversight, leaving us ill-prepared to address key challenges. Cabinet members put in place via email directions with everyone too fearful to question the lack of a democratic process.
However, my concerns extend beyond local issues. The party’s refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza is deeply troubling, in the last 82 days the death toll is now more than 30,000. This stance contradicts our professed commitment to peace and justice on an international scale, raising questions about our consistency and our moral compass.
Equally concerning is the Labour leadership’s failure to fully implement the recommendations of the Forde Report. This lack of action speaks volumes about our commitment to accountability, transparency, and internal reform. It undermines the trust and credibility we seek to build, both within our ranks and with the public.
Despite Labour’s strong position in the polls, the arrogance I have encountered, particularly in the Redbridge leadership, is disconcerting. The upcoming election represents a chance for a fresh start and a renewed commitment to listening. However, the current trend of negative campaigning directly contradicts my values.
The closure of Wanstead Youth Centre and displacement of services for under-represented groups exemplifies the leadership’s short-sighted decision-making. This centre played a crucial role in our community, and its closure, coupled with the leadership’s failure to engage with concerned stakeholders, is a misstep that cannot be overlooked.
I am also haunted by a specific incident where I felt my position was threatened for simply questioning the status quo. This event is emblematic of a deeper issue, as the example set is followed closely within our officer group. Characterised by manipulation, an ego-centric leadership style, and a reluctance to engage in genuine dialogue. Another example was two direct threats in the chamber regarding a planning application, unchallenged in the moment and even encouraged, representing a concerning overstep of advisory roles.
As if these examples were not enough, being chastised for daring to raise concerns about knife crime and request its inclusion in our policy development was a defining moment for me. It is here that I choose to stand my ground, guided by my values and integrity.
My attempts to address pressing issues, such as racism and public safety, were met with delays and inadequate responses. The leadership’s dismissive approach to these critical problems left me deeply disillusioned.
The culture of silos, cliques, and gaslighting within the group contradicts our stated values of teamwork and open dialogue. I have personally felt excluded and unsafe in committee settings, undermining the very purpose of my involvement.
The financial practices within the group have further compounded my disillusionment. My reluctance to continue financially supporting an organisation that lacks transparency and dismisses legitimate inquiries has solidified my decision.
After discussing with colleagues across London, it’s clear that the problems in Redbridge are symptomatic of a broader issue within the party. However, here in Redbridge Council it’s in overdrive as this top-down leadership approach prioritises personal political ambitions over collective progress and democratic principles that should underpin our actions.
In stepping down as a Labour member, I can act independently and I aim to uphold my commitment to questioning and exercising my rights without the constraints of the current team dynamic. This decision is not easy, as there are some very nice people I have grown to like and admire. I fully understand that my decision may provoke a range of reactions, so if you have read this far, I hold no ill feelings towards anyone. Quite the opposite, I wish everyone well on their individual journeys and genuinely wish you all the best for 2024 and beyond.
The world needs love, compassion for all humanity, and care for fellow citizens. My conscience dictates that I must stand firm in my principles of peace and love. So thank you for the experiences and the lessons learned.
Athwal, who is close to the appalling right-wing local MP Wes Streeting, is Labour’s candidate in the neighbouring Ilford South seat. He was selected after complaints of ‘serious sexual assault’ were dismissed by a committee of Labour national executive members – against the advice of the party’s barrister – and won the selection vote when six hundred postal votes ‘turned up’ late in proceedings, while supporters of his opponent, incumbent MP Sam Tarry, were denied entry to the selection meeting. Labour general secretary David Evans dismissed the evidence as ‘irrelevant to the result.
Labour under Keir Starmer has a record of promoting and protecting candidates despite grave allegations – and has been repeatedly accused of anti-Black racism, including blocking Black candidates from standing, anti-Gypsy racism and Islamophobia.
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Half of all Local Authorities in England at Risk of Going Bust Next Year
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Half of all the 350 local councils in England could be at risk of going bust next year unless urgent action is now taken by the Government, the Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has been warned.
Clive Betts, the Labour chair of the Commons Levelling up, Housing and Communities Committee, has written to the minister in advance of his appearance before the committee next week expressing their concern, following an inquiry which revealed the financial distress currently facing councils across the country.
In his letter to Gove he quotes John Fuller the Vice-chairman of the Local Government's Resources and Economy panel and the Conservative leader of South Norfolk council, warning that: "We are probably at an inflection point, where the number of authorities contemplating issuing 114 [bankruptcy] notices is becoming more general, as opposed to the specific reasons we have seen thus far.
"There is a general understanding that if not this year, next year, about half of the authorities will be in distress. That is a significant number. “
The committee found that the situation had been made significantly worse by a huge backlog in auditing of local councils because they could not get private firms to do the work.
So far six authorities have had to declare they have run out of money – Labour run London borough of Croydon, Conservative run Thurrock, Liberal Democrat run Woking; Labour run Slough, Labour run Birmingham and now joined by Labour run Nottingham. This is leading to huge increases in council tax and services being pared to the legal minimum.
Unprotected departments face 14% cuts to fuel the Conservatives’ pre-election tax rebate
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Critics say that some cases – such as in Croydon and Thurrock - have been largely caused by bad decision making and risky commercial ventures which ran into trouble. However, the growing scale of the problem goes well beyond local issues.
Mr Betts writes: “Throughout our inquiry, we have heard from councillors, officers, and independent experts who have informed us that many local authorities face a difficult financial situation, with severe demand and cost pressures impacting on local authorities’ ability to deliver key services to their residents. This situation is becoming untenable for some local authorities and greater central Government support is clearly required.”
Among the councils complaining about support from Government include Conservative controlled North Yorkshire, which covers Rishi Sunak’s Richmond constituency,
Gary Fielding, an official from the council is quoted by Mr Betts as saying “We have moved from having one or two councils, with particular issues—whether it is maverick behaviour or leadership—being affected, to having what I regard as good councils, run by good officers and with political stability, now facing existential challenges.”
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Mr Sunak has so far used the crisis in councils to blame Labour. He cited Birmingham’s crisis an example of what would happen if Labour was in government, condemned Labour run Kirklees Council which runs services in Huddersfield as “not fit for purpose” and he said on Nottingham “working people are paying the price” for Labour councils' “financial mismanagement” after Nottingham City Council went bust.
However a recently published analysis by Moody’s, the credit rating agency has singled out 20 councils notably a slew of councils in Surrey, West Sussex and Essex that had high debt ratios. These include Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Worthing, Runnymede, Brentwood, Uttlesford, Guildford, Adur and Epsom and Ewell. These are all councils that the Conservatives lost a lot of votes and some like Worthing and Surrey Heath- which is Gove’s own constituency- where Labour and the Liberal Democrats gained control.
Unlike the big cities affected they represent small towns and rural and suburban areas.
89yo councillor ‘bullied’ by right-wing MPs, for opposing NHS closure, suspended by Labour
Barbara Dring has been suspended on the same day her whistleblowing about planned NHS closure – denounced as ‘lies’ by local right-wing MPs – was confirmed correct
Barbara Dring, the 89-year-old Birmingham councillor ‘bullied’ and labelled a liar by right-wing Labour MPs for warning that a vital local health centre was about to be closed, has been suspended by the party – for talking to third parties about local issues.
Cllr Dring and a local health campaigner warned in the summer that Warren Farm health centre faced closure, forcing local people to travel miles for treatment – and was dismissed as a liar by MPs Khalid Mahmood and Paulette Hamilton. The situation prompted campaigner Lorraine Donnally to put in a formal complaint to Labour. Cllr Dring was briefly hospitalised with a suspected stroke that her supporters believe was a reaction to the stress of the situation.
Today, local newspapers confirmed that the centre will be closed and its services moved more than two miles away.
On the same day, the party suspended Cllr Dring, apparently for whistleblowing. At the same time, it has also suspended Des Hughes, the only other Labour councillor in Oscott ward – leaving Labour with no representation in an area with two Tory councillors.
One local told Skwawkbox that Labour has ‘shot itself in the foot’:
They’re idiots. There are two Tory councillors there and under the new boundaries the ward will fall into the Erdington constituency that Paulette Hamilton will be trying to win, without local council representation. They’ve really shot themselves in the foot.
Others were even more plainspoken. Ms Donnally, the health campaigner who complained to Labour about the behaviour of the local MPs, wrote on Facebook to link the suspensions to the health centre closure – and her comments about the party’s ‘disgusting’ conduct were echoed by other locals:
Birmingham City Council’s Labour chief whip Ray Goodwin is reportedly under investigation by the party over his conduct in the position but has not been suspended – yet Labour has suspended two councillors fighting to keep open a crucial important health facility.
Khalid Mahmood’s awful record as Birmingham Perry Barr MP includes wrongfully sacking former staffer Elaina Cohen for blowing the whistle on ‘criminal’ and ‘sadistic’ abuse of vulnerable domestic violence victims by another Mahmood staffer who was also his lover. Sworn testimony by one of the victims to an employment tribunal in the wrongful dismissal case was not challenged by either Mahmood or his legal team.
The right-winger has also been accused by Bangladeshi media of accepting a bribe from a convicted Bangladeshi fugitive seeking help with his asylum case – and by Elaina Cohen of accepting cash from the Kuwait embassy. He has denied any wrongdoing.
At no point has Keir Starmer or his sidekick David Evans taken action against Mahmood, even to suspend him to protect alleged victims while Mahmood was on Starmer’s front bench. The whistleblower’s emails to Starmer and Evan, as well as Mahmood’s own sworn testimony, make clear that Starmer and Evans were fully aware of the allegations and covered them up.
Bullying, smears and cover-ups have been exposed as rife on the part of the Labour right.
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Democracy Experts Sound Alarm on Corruption Risk as Local Council Audits Collapse
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This is a joint letter coordinated by Research for Action, a co-operative undertaking research to support social, economic and environmental justice
We represent a range of organisations and individuals working on audit and accountability, local government and local democracy. We are deeply concerned about the current situation in local government audit.
In October, a cross-party group of MPs and peers wrote to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, asking him not to drop audit reform. We are also alarmed that the Government has shelving long-promised audit legislation, with no mention of it in the King’s Speech on 7 November.
In particular, we are concerned that a lack of primary legislation is continuing to damage local government and local accountability.
In 2022 and 2023, KPMG was fined a record amount for its failures to audit Carillion effectively. But where is the accountability for local government audit and its shortcomings?
Local Audit Is Barely Happening
Local audit is an annual opportunity to scrutinise and improve the £100 billion of spending decisions made by local government. It is potentially a powerful accountability mechanism, but it is in a terrible state.
It is well-known that the backlog of local audits being delivered on time is huge, with only five local authority audits for 2022-23 being delivered by the deadline of September 2023, a sharp decline in the already-unacceptable 12% of local government audits delivered on time in 2021–22 (Public Accounts Committee Report on ‘Timeliness of Local Audit’, June 2023).
But it is not just the backlog that is the problem.
The quality and scope of audit has also been reduced. This lack of proactive oversight has been identified as a contributing factor to the disastrous situation at Thurrock Council, and in the financial crisis facing Birmingham City Council in September.
Meanwhile, behind the big stories, there are many problems across other authorities which cumulatively have a major impact on the people living there.
Additionally, there has been a knock-on effect on the delivery of 'whole of government accounts', which in turn has an impact on transparency and accountability at a national level.
Damaging Local Democracy
Another democratic aspect of this problem is that ‘interim solutions’ put in place after the abolition of the Audit Commission in 2014, for example the Local Audit and Accountability Act, have created a huge backlog and stifled democracy.
These piecemeal arrangements have created the conditions for poor decision-making and have shut out the ‘armchair auditors’ who the Government expected would replace the Audit Commission.
Citizens and journalists are stonewalled when they try to raise questions and concerns to councils’ external auditors, as analysis produced by Research for Action ('Democracy Denied' (2021), 'Local Audit: Why Public Interest Needs to Count' (2023)) has repeatedly shown. While there is some good practice in local government with regard to transparency and accountability, there are also many examples of people being refused information which should be in the public domain.
In May 2023, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee began an inquiry into financial reporting and audit in local authorities. The committee’s report has not yet been published but will certainly reinforce what has been said already; there is an urgent need for consistent and wholesale reform in the way local authority audits are carried out and delivered.
The promised new body, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA), already much-delayed since the white paper of 2023, has no firm start date. Given this situation, it is unacceptable that the Government has yet again postponed the legislation that would enable this significant reform.
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Josiah Mortimer
What Is Needed
Audit, and local audit in particular, needs deep change and not superficial reform. This change has three key aspects: transparency, robust scrutiny, and regulation. This needs both new primary legislation and amendments to existing legislation. We call on the current Government to bring forward audit reform legislation in this parliamentary session.
In this legislation, it must firstly ensure robust scrutiny by, for example, developing the remit of audit with more capacity for identifying fraud and corruption, making local government audit committees and scrutiny arrangements more comprehensive and well-resourced, and ensuring greater civil society participation in audit.
Secondly, it must improve regulation and oversight by, for example, doing more to eliminate conflict of interest in auditors, officers and councillors.
Additionally, we call on the Government to foster greater transparency by amending existing legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act 2000 so that there is improved disclosure over external audits and, similarly, over private companies delivering public contracts.
We ask MPs and peers from all parties to demand that the Government bring forward draft legislation and work across parties to develop better support and understanding for the particularities of local audit, and to listen to the local government sector, civil society and grassroots organisations in making local audit into a genuine tool for accountability and transparency.
With a record number of local authorities facing the Section 114 notices that signal possible financial collapse, it is imperative that auditing is carried out in a timely and thorough manner. Inaction is hurting the local government sector, and stifling democratic participation. Comprehensive audit reform is long overdue.
Signed,
- Professor Adam Leaver (University of Sheffield/ Audit Reform Lab)
- Tom Brake (Director, Unlock Democracy)
- Gillian Fawcett (former Auditor, Audit Commission)
- Dr James Brackley (University of Sheffield/ Audit Reform Lab)
- Dr Ben Worthy, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London
- Dr Ruth Hubbard, co-founder, It’s Our City!
- Alan Hall (former Chair, Lewisham Council Audit Committee)
- Research for Action
- The Peoples’ Audit
- Joanna Booth
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