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All the Big Government Reforms the Media Hasn't Been Telling You About
Byline Times Audio Articles
17 minutes 40 seconds
1 week ago
All the Big Government Reforms the Media Hasn't Been Telling You About
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A whole heap of important legislation will become law this week. But with most of the media focusing on rows over Chinese espionage and one asylum seeker's release, they're likely to be largely missed.
Away from the newspaper front pages, the Labour Government has been busy with some pretty major reforms, as well as some smaller initiatives that could significantly affect people's lives.
So here's a collection of some recent news from Westminster and Whitehall you may have missed, as part of an occasional series looking at what the Government is really getting up to.
Here's our usual caveat: This list is by no means conclusive, and it is up to you whether you think the news is either good or bad. Mostly, as you'd imagine, they are things the Government sees as positive developments - as we've picked out announcements which haven't been extensively reported on.
However, the examples do offer a flavour of some of the things that we could, but aren't, talking about thanks largely to the priorities of the British press, or if you prefer, due to a maddening failure of communication by No 10.
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1. London-Style Buses
The boringly-named Bus Services (No. 2) Bill became law on Monday night (27th October), enabling local transport authorities to implement franchising schemes for bus services in England - potentially reversing the decades-old deregulation of buses which opponents say has contributed to spiralling prices and worsening, reduced services while transport firms pay millions to shareholders.
But it will also end the (surprisingly recent) Conservative ban on councils setting up their own bus companies to directly compete with private firms.
Buses are the most frequently used form of public transport and are relied on by millions of people - disproportionately lower-income workers, young people, retirees and more.
Greater Manchester took up the opportunity of regulating buses by setting up the 'Bee Network', but the legal framework mayor Andy Burnham had to use to do it took years to utilise, and faced relentless challenge from transport firms. The new process is set to massively streamline it.
This bill won't make the front pages, but if councils take up the opportunity, it could revolutionise this vital form of transport in England.
Cat Hobbs, director of pro-public ownership campaign We Own It, told Byline Times: "After 40 years of bus deregulation and privatisation, it's fantastic that this government is making it easier to take back control of our buses," though she also called for the ambition to be matched with extra funding to help make this a success.
Hobbs added: "It's excellent news that the absurd ideological ban on new publicly owned bus companies, introduced under the last government, has now been reversed. Publicly owned bus companies like Lothian Buses and Reading Buses consistently win awards for their brilliant services."
Transport for London-style transport in Cornwall, Leeds, and Newcastle, here we come?
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2. Awaab's Law
Millions of social housing tenants in England are set to benefit from safer homes due to new rules coming into force in England this week, the Government says.
The first phase of 'Awaab's Law' will force social landlords (including councils and housing associations) to take urgent action to fix dangerous homes or face the full force of the law.
New legal duties w...
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The latest articles from Byline Times converted to audio for easy listening