Labour plans fair work commission – Media and blog round-up, April 2nd 2013

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Labour plans fair work commission

“Labour is examining plans to introduce a new fair work commission to bring together the existing enforcement bodies that aim to secure workers their rights, and act as a champion for vulnerable employees, as part of its policy review. The body would help extend the scope and principles of the existing Gangmasters Licensing Authority – from farming and food production to other sectors of the economy – and help ensure that migrants workers are neither exploited or used to undermine other workers. Target industries would be construction, hospitality and the social care sector.” – Guardian

Burnham suggests migrants could face NHS restrictions

“For the first time, Burnham says that, if he becomes health secretary, he would wish to restrict migrants’ access to the NHS. “There have to be pretty clear rules about entitlement. It can’t be an open system. People do try to take advantage of it, and we have to protect it [the NHS] from that.” So would he say that people had to spend a year here before they had any access to free health care and that they would have to carry cards to prove their entitlement? “I do take a pretty tough line on these things,” he says, citing only one exception. “If someone is in this country, I think they should get emergency care without checking up. If something’s life-threatening or could seriously impair them, I think care should be given without checking their credit card details. To go down an American system [for emergencies] would be antithetical to me.” – Telegraph

Other highlights

• ‘They always moan’: Osborne attacks critics of welfare reform – The Times(£)
• David Miliband and the debasement of British politics – Aditya Chakrabortty, Guardian
• Sun to remain neutral on Scottish referendum – Independent