Them and us fishes, photo Suzanne Beishon

Them and us fishes, photo Suzanne Beishon   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Clegg in California

Facebook has hired failed politician Nick Clegg as head of global affairs. The Guardian said “when ex-politicians use their public profile to make millions, it feels like exploitation.”

As a politician Clegg paved the way for trebling tuition fees and helped the Tories pursue vicious austerity when they couldn’t muster a majority in parliament from 2010 to 2015. In a self-justifying article in the Guardian Clegg omitted to mention Facebook’s paltry tax payments, privacy infringements, or his reported £1 million-plus pay.

Right-wing Labour MP Chuka Umunna came to Nick Clegg’s defence after the Blairite himself landed £65,000 a year for 12 hours ‘work’ a month at a think tank.


Bonus embarrassment

After being asked about his £100 million bonus, Jeff Fairburn, the CEO of housebuilding firm Persimmon, walked off a BBC TV interview. Following an outcry, Persimmon’s three-person senior management team agreed to give a proportion of their handout to charity taking home a mere £166 million between them.


Nurse pay

Nurses and doctors marching to save the NHS, 4.3.17, photo DavidMBailey Photography

Nurses and doctors marching to save the NHS, 4.3.17, photo DavidMBailey Photography   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Nurses on zero-hour contracts at the Royal Free Hospital in London face hourly pay cuts of up to 91p according to the Ham and High newspaper. Already the nurses don’t receive sick pay or holidays.

The hospital trust claims that nurses pay is topped-up to include the equivalent of other workers’ annual leave. But some nurses estimate this latest cut will cost them £5,000 over three years.


Repeat racism

The police force that tasered its own race relations adviser, Judah Adunbi, has targeted him again. In Janaury 2017 they supposedly mistook the Bristollian know as Ras Judah for Royston McCalla, a man wanted on drug offences (see ‘Bristol police taser own race relations adviser’ at socialistparty.org.uk).

According to Judah Adunbi, a police car pulled up next to him and the officers were giggling and laughing “hey Royston, Royston” and “are you Royston or are you Ras?”


Costly cuts

Support in education is not up to scratch for children with special educational needs and disabilities according to a Guardian investigation. 89% of parents that challenged inadequate support were successful at tribunal hearings. In August, Bristol parents proved that £5 million worth of education support cuts by the Blairite Labour council were illegal.