Charlie Alford

Unions and anti-corruption campaigners react to damning Covid Inquiry report

Post author:Grace
Post published:15 July 2026
Post last modified:16 July 2026

Yesterday, 15 July, the Covid Inquiry published its latest update — this time focusing on the Johnson government’s failure to secure adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). In response, both anti-corruption campaigning organisations and the unions representing affected hospital workers have been swift to issue their condemnation. As the Canary’s Joe Glenton previously reported: Boris Johnson’s government wasted £10bn on unusable personal protective equipment (PPE), the Covid inquiry report has found. Inquiry chair Heather Hallett also slammed the then-Conservative government’s use of firms with Tory ‘VIP’ connections to fulfil major PPE contracts. BMA: Government performance ‘an omnishambles’ Reacting to the Module 5 report,…

Disability charities and campaigning organisations react to the interim Timms Review

Post author:Grace
Post published:10 July 2026
Post last modified:11 July 2026

Disabled people’s charities and advocacy organisations have been swift to respond following the publication of the interim Timms Review into the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system. The preliminary findings recognised the benefit as vitally important, but also criticised the “degrading” and “dehumanising” assessment process. Ultimately, it determined that PIP was “not fit for purpose”. Almost universally, the response from advocacy organisations was something along the lines of ‘That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you for years’. Likewise, most also welcomed the review’s initial findings, and echoed the vital necessity of PIP. In this article,…

Campaigners react to damning report on Nottingham maternity care failures

Post author:Grace
Post published:26 June 2026
Post last modified:26 June 2026

Charities and campaigning organisations have reacted with sadness and a damning lack of surprise to the findings of the Ockenden Report, which detailed extensive failings in maternity and neonatal care under Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust. The review’s leader, independent senior midwife Donna Ockenden, included a detailed 18-point framework of ‘Immediate and Essential Actions’ for improvement, both nationally and in Nottingham. A single overarching principle — ‘Martha’s Rule’ — underpinned every recommendation. NHS England explained that: Martha’s Rule is a patient safety initiative to support the early detection of deterioration by ensuring the concerns of patients, families, carers and staff…