£1.20 Weekend edition Saturday/Sunday December 16-17 2017 MorniIncorporating theng Daily Worker ForS peace andt socialismar MIGRANT DETENTION STRUGGLE ON THE STREETS UNEMPLOYED YOUTH Diane Abbott: p9 Protest pics of the week: p8 John Green: p17 www.morningstaronline.co.uk Labour surges in council For a sustainable food by-elections future SIMPSON: P10 Tories punished by voters in local polls by Lamiat Sabin Parliamentary Reporter THE Tories were facing yet another humiliation yesterday as a tally of council by-elections over the last six months showed voters punishing them time and again. The ruling party gained nine, Poets muse over 2017’s lost 25 and held 43 over the period, an overall loss of 16 since Theresa May called her ill-fated fi nest verse ARTS: P16 general election in May. Labour by contrast found itself solidifying and extending its gains, picking up 15 new seats, losing six and holding 50 — a net gain of nine on top of the 30 gains it made at the last election. The Liberal Democrats have also made some gains, picking up 13 seats, losing four and hold- ing eight. The Greens have gained three seats and Ukip has lost another two seats after being nearly wiped off the map in June. In the latest by-elections held this week attention focused on two contests at Newcastle-under- Lyme. The council has been rocked by a scandal over the running of the ballot in their marginal Commons constitu- ency, which was held by Labour’s Ryanair to recognise Paul Farrelly with a majority of when Labour’s Elizabeth Shen- The turnover came after coun- last month, following a report by just 30 votes. ton stood down as council leader, cil chief executive John Sellgren former Electoral Commission Conservatives took minority having lost support from inde- and head of audit and elections high-up Andrew Scallan. unions WORLD: P7 control of the council last week pendent councillors. Elizabeth Dodd were suspended Turn to page 2 PROGRESS IN BREXIT TALKS POLAND RISKS EU CENSURE RACING EU leaders agree to start stage two: p4 Brussels reacts to judicial reforms: p6 Cheltenham tips: p21 Morning Star 2 NEWS HOME Saturday/Sunday December 16-17 2017 DISABILITY FRONT PAGE LABOUR Millions wasted on benefi ts appeals SURGES by Lamiat Sabin overturned since April 2015. She noted that the govern- the person’s favour. Over three quarters of PIP ment wanted to use PIP to cut Disability charity scope AHEAD IN appeals in the past three its spending. chief executive Mark Atkin- MINISTERS have wasted £35 months have been won by the Since April 2015, 104,198 son: “It’s imperative that million processing appeals claimant, revealing the deep people have won their PIP assessments for PIP and ESA BYELECTIONS against disability benefi t deci- injustice of the government’s appeal at a tribunal, and are overhauled to iron out the sions in the past year — and assessments. another 100,600 had their mistrust, lack of transparency FROM P1: Mr Scallan lost most of the case, accord- Offi cials claim this is original decisions changed at and routine inaccuracies found more than 500 postal ing to new government fi gures because more evidence is sub- the prior mandatory reconsid- which disabled people report voters in the Newcastle- published this week. mitted for the appeal. eration stage. on a weekly basis.” under-Lyme constituency Most people win their Tory peer Ros Altmann, a And for employment and The DWP said it would drop had been disenfranchised, appeal against cuts to their former minister Department for support allowance (ESA), for its entirely unmet target of close to 1,000 potential benefi ts, with 200,000 deci- Work and Pensions (DWP) min- the most recent year of fi g- having four in fi ve appeals electors were not included sions on the Tories’ personal ister, obtained the spending fi g- ures, 68 per cent claims taken uphold the cuts decision. in the election register and independence payments (PIP) ure in a parliamentary question. to appeal were overturned in [email protected] two people not entitled to vote actually did so. Council staff from neighbouring Stoke-on- LIVERPOOL Trent assisted with running the two by-elec- tions which saw the Conservatives take one seat (Newchapel) from Merseyrail evacuation Labour while Labour held the other (Bradwell). The turnouts were very low at 18.4 per cent and ‘underlines need for guard’ 16.6 per cent respectively. Writing in an article for weblog LabourList London by Steve Sweeney Mayor Sadiq Khan called yesterday for the “energy and optimism” displayed THE evacuation of a smoke- by party activists during fi lled train underneath Liver- the snap election to be pool city centre underlines the carried through to 2018’s need for a guard on the new local elections on May 3. Merseyrail service, transport He said there is now “no union RMT warned yesterday. corner” of London where RMT members have written Labour could not win. to Liverpool Mayor Steve Mr Khan wrote: “Under Rotheram and other leaders, Jeremy Corbyn’s leader- urging the Liverpool city ship, Labour in London is region combined authority to continuing to go from suspend its “untenable” sup- strength to strength and port for driver-only operated we are seeking to build on trains in light of last week’s that success.” incident. GUARD DUTY: Merseyrail has been accused of undermining safety on the lines [email protected] A guard was forced to evac- uate the train after smoke bil- RMT general secretary “But if Merseyrail get their seytravel — must now reverse lowed into the front carriage, Mick Cash said the “frighten- way those guards will be its decision to support leaving the driver to isolate the ing incident invokes the night- removed once the new trains the removal of guards incident and call for support. mare scenario of a fi re aboard are introduced in 2020, and a from Merseyrail trains. Labour mayor Mr Rotheram a Merseyrail train with no serious incident under the city He said rail bosses is reminded in the letter that guard on board,” something centre could have [had] disas- were using the decision the union’s position of retain- that the union has long warned trous consequences as a to stand in the way of ing the safety-critical guard of. result.” negotiating a “sensible on Merseyrail has the over- Fortunately there was a RMT regional organiser and safe solution” to the whelming support of the pub- safety-trained guard on board John Tilley said the Liverpool staffi ng of the new Mer- CHECK OUT OUR by Steve Sweeney lic along with local constitu- who was able to evacuate the city region combined authority seyrail trains. DIGITAL EDITIONS ency Labour parties, local train with nobody being — a collaboration of six coun- stevesweeney@ MORNINGSTAR MPs and two local councils. harmed, he added. cils that work with Mer- peoples-press.com AT STRIKES on Virgin West ONLINE.CO.UK Coast were “solidly supported” by workers yesterday, rail unions said as they warned of MEDIA further action over the Christ- WE’RE HIRING mas period. Members of rail unions Trinity Mirror close to a deal RMT and TSSA walked out for 24 hours yesterday on north SUBEDITOR for Desmond paper empire Wales and Chester lines in a dispute over pay and condi- EFFORTS by Trinity Mirror cent as advertising and circu- tions. We are seeking a subeditor to join the The successful applicant will need… to buy the Sunday and Daily lation incomes fell in the last Union members are angry production team at our busy east London ■ A fl air for the English language and Express newspapers from quarter. over a pay deal which offered newsroom from January 19. for snappy, punchy presentation Northern & Shell have made It is understood that the low-paid workers far less than Regular Sunday working is required as ■ Attention to detail “good progress,” the publish- publisher intends to cut costs drivers. ing giant said yesterday. by merging back-offi ce and Under the offer, drivers part of a fi ve-day 35-hour week in order ■ The ability to operate well as part Trinity, Britain’s largest printing operations. were given a 9 per cent pay to cover the paper’s six publication days. of a small team and off er new regional newspaper fi rm, The National Union of Jour- rise and a one-off payment of Wages start at circa £21,100 per annum ideas announced earlier this year nalists (NUJ) has sought £500 while lower-paid workers subject to a probationary period. ■ Good knowledge of Adobe that it intends to acquire 100 transparency and reassur- received just 3.6 percent, Holidays start at 28 days a year rising to Creative Suite or similar software per cent of Northern & Shell’s ances on jobs following the amounting to as little as £10 ■ Tight copy-editing skills publishing assets, which also takeover. per week for some staff. 30 days, plus bank holidays. include the Daily Star. Northern & Shell is owned by Virgin Trains director Phil If you have the skills and you’re ready ■ An interest in labour movement The publisher, which had pornographer Richard Des- Whittingham accused the to take on a new challenge at a national and progressive issues originally sought to acquire a mond, who acquired the Express union’s leadership of attempt- newspaper which isn’t afraid to tell it like minority stake, said “further titles in 2000 for £125 million. ing to cause disruption during it is, email [email protected] for Women and minority ethnic candidates updates will be provided as The fi rm ran at a loss last the busy festive season.