The Prime Minister has backed a move towards more working from home after senior Labour figures pushed for wide-ranging workplace reforms.
Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman warned that a “culture of presenteeism” was driving down productivity, following plans to hand staff across the country the “right to switch off” and impose fines on bosses who contacted employees out of hours.
He said: “Good employers understand that for workers to stay motivated and productive, they do need to be able to switch off and a culture of presenteeism can be damaging to productivity.
“It’s about making sure we have the right balance between making the most of the flexible working practices that we saw following the pandemic, with also having appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that people can stay productive.”
But research into working from home has debunked its supposed productivity bump.
A study of over 1,500 workers at a Chinese tech firm found that despite making workers “happier”, there was no real increase in output.
Stanford University’s Nicholas Bloom said the results would surprise people who “love working from home and expect large productivity gains” – as well as those who “hate working from home and expected the productivity impacts to be really negative”.
Bloom told The Times: “Their claim would be that all the time saved travelling and the quiet at home would lead to a productivity surge for remote work.”
Labour launches Pension Credit ‘drive’ after backlash to Winter Fuel Payment means-testing
Reeves is urging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit – after means-testing the Winter Fuel Payment GETTY
The Labour Government has launched a new “awareness drive” for Pension Credit following its decision to effectively axe the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners going forward.
In previous years, all older Britons were entitled to up to £300 in energy bills but households will now need to be in receipt of means-tested benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has received backlash from pensioners, policymakers and charities following her decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, especially as energy bills are projected to rise in line with Ofgem’s price cap in October.
Some 1.3 million households in England and Wales will continue to receive Winter Fuel Payments, however Reeves and pension ministers are looking to boost uptake of Pension Credit.
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Starmer pledges to help protect Port Talbot jobs
PA
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to do “everything we can” to preserve jobs at the steelworks in Port Talbot, South Wales.
Asked whether he risked giving “false hope” to workers in the town, the Prime Minister replied: “No. We’re working really hard on this, both the First Minister and myself jointly on this, because it’s so important that we do everything we can to preserve those jobs.
“We were working on this when I was in opposition – we’ve turbocharged that since we’ve been in power.
“Of course it’s difficult, I think everybody understands that.
“We’ve been able to put some money down just in the last week or so, particularly with the supply chain side of it, but we will do everything we can to preserve those jobs.”
SNP slammed for ‘tragedy of unimaginable proportions’ after rise in drug deaths
The SNP has been accused of overseeing “a tragedy of unimaginable proportions” after a rise in drug-related deaths in Scotland.
New figures from the National Records of Scotland found there was an increase of 121 fatalities in 2023 compared with 2022.
People in Scotland’s most deprived areas were 15 times more likely to die of drug misuse last year than those in the least deprived.
Glasgow and Dundee council areas had the highest rates of drug misuse deaths in 2023 while East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire had the lowest.
Describing the figures as “tragedy of unimaginable proportions”, drugs campaigner Annemarie Ward added: “It’s a heartbreaking reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive, truly compassionate support systems and effective policy changes that prioritise prevention, treatment, and recovery.
“We must remember that behind every statistic is a human story, a life cut short, and a family in mourning. Our collective response should be one of empathy, understanding, and unwavering commitment to ensuring that no more lives are needlessly lost.”
Starmer vows to make UK an ‘energy superpower’ with eco plans
Sir Keir Starmer said his hopes of making Britain an “energy superpower” will include a key role for Wales, ahead of a wind farm visit with the new First Minister.
The Prime Minister and Eluned Morgan will travel to a site in West Wales on Tuesday as part of their first official visit together.
The pair, who held talks on Monday in Cardiff, are expected to pledge to work closely on realising the benefits of a publicly-owned energy company.
The Welsh Government previously launched Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru while the UK Government is developing Great British Energy.
GB Energy, which has been allocated £8.3billion of funding over the next five years, has been tasked with developing future offshore wind projects as part of moves to hasten the UK’s transition to renewable energy.
Lib Dems fined for election spending failures
PA
The Liberal Democrats have been fined a total of £3,600 by election authorities for 22 offences linked to the late reporting of donations.
The Electoral Commission said the five fines were paid by August 2.
Meanwhile, the Richmond Park Constituency Labour Party in south-west London was fined £1,000, which it paid on July 26.
The Electoral Commission probed the local party’s “failure to deliver its 2022 statement of accounts by the deadline”, and found one offence.
Jackie Killeen, electoral administration and regulation director at the watchdog, said in a statement: “The laws we enforce are there to ensure there is transparency over the money spent and received by political parties, and to increase public confidence in our system.
“It’s important that parties comply with the requirements, and report to us in a timely fashion.”
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