Covid restricted Keir Starmer from setting out vision for UK, says Labour
May 8, 2021, 10:17 am

Covid restricted Keir Starmer from setting out vision for UK, says Labour

Keir Starmer. Labour will undergo a significant policy review as it braces itself for further losses.

Labour supported government in pandemic and did not play party political games, says shadow home secretary

Labour has been unable to set out its vision for the country because of the pandemic, the party’s shadow home secretary has said, with the party braced for further knife-edge results over the weekend.

Important mayoral elections could provide further difficult results for the Labour leader but the party is hoping for narrow victories in the west of England mayoralty and the West Yorkshire mayoralty, expected on Sunday.

Labour is expected to fail to defeat the West Midlands Conservative mayor, Andy Street, after significant Conservative gains across the region. A Labour source said the contest was “not looking good”. The Tories now have majorities on Dudley and Walsall councils and have increased their majority in Redditch.

But Labour has had one of its best ever results in Wales, taking the Rhondda seat from the former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and seeing off massive Conservative challenges in north-east Wales seats like Delyn, Clwyd South and Wrexham, and south Wales seats of Newport West, Gower and Bridgend.

“Given that at the beginning of the campaign polls put us 10 points behind and on course for our worst ever seat tally, this is a remarkable turnaround, and shows the strength of the Welsh Labour campaign,” a party spokesman said.

Sadiq Khan is also expected to comfortably win the London mayoral election, though Labour sources played down expectations of a first-round victory, saying that many Londoners had felt emboldened to put smaller parties as their first preference votes because of his expected win.

“It is still very early in the day but it is looking promising at this stage,” a London Labour source said. “However, we remain extremely cautious because there has been a national swing to the Conservatives in this election and it’s only five years since London had a Tory mayor.”

There were further difficult results for Labour in the north of England on Saturday, with 15 new Conservative councillors elected in Rotherham, after the South Yorkshire town elected its first ever Rother Valley Conservative MP in 2019.

Speaking on Saturday after punishing results on Friday across the north of England and the Midlands, including the loss of the Hartlepool byelection, the shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said the pandemic had “restricted the opportunities” for the Labour leader, Keir Starmer.

“At a point of national crisis, yes, of course, you criticise the government when it was appropriate to do so, but it was also appropriate to do things like support the government on the furlough scheme or support the government on its public health messaging and not, for party political reasons, try to create confusion around that,” he said.

“What that has also meant is that it’s restricted the opportunities for Keir to set out his vision.”

Thomas-Symonds said there would be a significant policy review within Labour, “economically setting out the difference that we will not go back to the insecure economy of the past and reimagine our economy … And also make sure we are changing our party so that our party is connected in communities up and down the country – that is the challenge and we are determined to do it.”

Despite challenges for the Conservatives in Wales and some parts of the south of England, as well as the expected SNP dominance in Scotland, senior Conservatives have said they now believe the realignment of politics across much of the north of England and the Midlands is such that Johnson could spend a decade in power.

The Queen’s speech, which will take place at the opening of parliament on Tuesday, will set out 25 bills, including major planning reform.

The environment secretary, George Eustice, said Labour had taken voters for granted, but also acknowledged the party was capitalising on pushing through Brexit and the vaccine rollout.

“When it comes to the really big breakthrough in the Hartlepool byelection and the election of Ben Houchen as well , I think really it is a case of parts of this country feel they have elected Labour for a very long time, they feel taken for granted,” he said.

“I think the Brexit decision and the wrangling over that in recent years has focused minds in that they have questioned whether the Labour party was really in touch with their priorities. And, of course, the rollout of the vaccine has been successful and I think people feel positive and that they can see a way out of this terrible pandemic we have been enduring.”

source: Jessica Elgot

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.