14 HYDE
November 16, 2023
In Remembrance Lest we forget
Hyde
Striking up the band
JONATHAN REYNOLDS
Uniformed organisations, local dignitaries and the people of Hyde, took part in the town’s traditional Remembrance Day parade to honour those who have sacrificed their lives in conflicts over the years. The parade began on Greenfield Street, making its way to the town hall. The parade was followed by a service of Re- membrance inside the hall and wreath laying cer- emony.
MP for Stalybridge & Hyde
An embarrassing week in politics
As I write this, it’s only Wednesday, and already it feels like a long week in Westminster. It began with Prime Minis- ter Rishi Sunak finally finding the guts to sack his divisive Home Secretary Suella Braverman, after her brazen political interference with policing and active encourage- ment of far-right thugs making trouble by the Senotaph on Armistice Day. I was pleased and proud there were big, peaceful turnouts at moving, united and well-run local services here in Tameside, but undoubt- edly Remembrance week was marred by unacceptable scenes and needless division nationally. It is the responsibility of those in power to draw com- munities together not drive them apart, so frankly, I was relieved to see her go. Her departure prompted what looked like a panicked ministerial reshuffle by Sunak,
including dusting down David Cameron and ennobling him to make him Foreign Secre- tary, in an act of recycling which looks a lot like an omission that none of the cur- rent lot are up to the job. Britain has indeed lost its standing and influence in the world after 13 years of chaotic Conservatism, and it is sad to see. I was asked by Sophy Ridge on Sky News what I made of it, and I had to be frank: I’m sick of it all. If anyone had any doubt that this government have run out of steam and have nothing left to do with their power than fight each other, this reshuffle has removed that doubt. Braverman’s subsequent burning letter to Sunak with a string of accusations about his performance as PM is as extraordinary as it is embar- rassing. I take no pleasure in seeing politicians behave this way, especially when the rest of us
are focusing on a struggling economy, a biting cost of living crisis, crumbling public services, and international landscape destabilised by two horrific wars. Britain needs statespeople and visionaries now more than ever; not incompetent school children taking public swipes at their own colleagues. Some of us are, however, getting on with the job. This morning I gave my first major speech on trade policy as Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade. I set out Labour’s plans to boost trade and grow our economy, by backing British small businesses to export more, aligning our trade poli- cy to our industrial policy, and making sure our trade strategy fits hand in glove with our foreign policy objectives. There may be clowns to the left of me and jokers to the right, but Britain deserves a serious trade policy, and I’m determined to deliver one.
pictures by NIGEL WOOD
More pictures - pages 16-19
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