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Labour will never govern unless it can appeal again to working class – report

Exclusive: publication by Labour MPs in once safe seats warns party’s problems predate Corbyn’s leadership and Brexit
Labour will never get back into government unless it can reinvent itself to appeal again to working-class voters, a major examination of the party’s future has warned, saying the problems go far beyond Brexit or Jeremy Corbyn’s time as leader.
The conclusion comes in a collection of pieces written by Labour MPs representing once safe seats which are now at risk, among them several shadow ministers, including John Healey, the shadow defence minister, who edited the report.
While it is not an official Labour publication, the inclusion of a series of frontbenchers in the Fabian Society report means it can be seen as reflecting priorities under Keir Starmer.
The publication stresses that the task for Labour goes beyond winning back so-called red wall towns lost to the Conservatives in 2019, and that the party must find a way to appeal to working-class voters across the UK while not alienating other groups, for example those in big cities.
Healey argues for a focus on what he calls the “real middle” – people who earn around the median British wage of just under £25,000 – saying these should be Labour’s “core constituency”.
The report features a series of subject-specific essays by Labour MPs from the party’s “new marginals”, including shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds on crime, Dan Jarvis on patriotism, Tracy Brabin writing about creating closer communities, and Yvette Cooper on a Labour alternative to Boris Johnson’s “levelling up”.
“Colleagues who simply see this as purely a product of Jeremy Corbyn’s period of leadership, just about the red wall seats and 2019, or traditional industrial towns, or just the north, are missing the fact that there’s a long-term trend and it’s country-wide,” said Healey, who was a shadow minister throughout Corbyn’s time in charge.
Healey pointed to the fact that Labour lost 87 seats to the Conservatives in the 2010 election, and eight more in 2015. Of these, 83 areas went on to support Brexit in the 2016 referendum. Brexit was, he said, “both an effect of this dislocation and a cause of further disillusion”.
The report highlights the need for a shift more in vision for the party, rather than a response based on specific policies, for example on patriotism, an area already highlighted by Starmer. Other areas include an examination of perceptions about fairness, and how people can feel secure and fulfilled in their work.
Polling which took place before the 2019 election showed that voters often liked Labour’s economic policies until they found out they were proposed by Labour, Healey said: “That tells you the damage, and therefore the task, lies in the sentiment, in the view of who we are, what we stand for, and what we offer the country.”
Healey said: “We can’t duck the really difficult conversations about things like tax, and race and culture divides. If you don’t have a bigger vision, then others will fill that vacuum.”
He added: “We need to avoid being limited to the politics of compassion. There is a core that will always have Labour on the side of those who are most vulnerable and most disadvantaged, but also opportunity, fairness and ambition have to be a big part of what Labour stands for.”
Some within Labour have argued that regaining the voters lost since 2010 while not alienating existing supporters has become increasingly difficult in a more atomised political culture, and that the party should ally with other parties, and comprehensively embrace proportional representation.
Healey called this “a prospectus of surrender”, saying: “If Labour as a political party can’t win confidence and support across the breadth of the country, and is simply going to build on its city base, then we don’t deserve to lead the country.”
source: Peter Walker
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
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.
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