Tag Archives: Jo Stevens

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Jo Stevens responds to House of Lords Gambling Industry Committee report

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Jo Stevens MP, Labour’s Shadow Culture Secretary, responding to the House of Lords Gambling Industry Committee’s ‘Gambling Harm – Time for Action’ report, said:

“This hard-hitting report sets out what has long been obvious – that the gambling industry needs more effective regulation and the Government has been far too slow.

“The committee’s criticism of ministers for sometimes being ‘more obstructive than reactive’ is damning. And the report raises questions over the impartiality of Action Against Gambling Harms, established by Tory Peer Lord Chadlington and largely funded by betting companies.

“The Government needs to show more leadership so that gamblers are not relying of the goodwill of companies to keep them safe. Delays over the promised Gambling Review are leaving people at the mercy of some unscrupulous practices that could have dangerous consequences.”

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Jo Stevens responds to allegations in the Sunday Times that Boris Johnson promised to change the maximum legal jackpot for Health Lottery to £1million

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Jo Stevens MP Shadow Culture Secretary, responding to allegations in the Sunday Times that Boris Johnson promised to change the maximum legal jackpot for Health Lottery to £1million, said:

“These revelations raise further questions about the cosy relationship between Richard Desmond and the Conservative Party.

“The government has already said they plan to review gambling legislation.

“But the conversations reported in the Sunday Times do nothing to allay fears that the Tories are looking out for their friends and Party donors’ best interests, rather than addressing the need for fit for purpose gambling legislation that ensures transparency across the industry and protects those who are at risk.

 “This appears to be yet another example of behind the scenes dodgy dealing and raises more questions for the Prime Minister to answer.”

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Labour MPs urge against cuts to award-winning local BBC reporting

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Labour has today issued a call for the BBC to protect local political and current affairs reporting across England. The demand comes amidst a BBC review into regional programming and reports that the award winning local investigative reporting of Inside Out is set to be scrapped.

In a letter to the BBC and Ofcom, Labour’s Shadow Culture Secretary Jo Stevens warned that local reporting is a “critical part of a functioning democracy and a transparent society”. Stevens urged the BBC to clarify when local programmes will return to air after being cut due to coronavirus.

The letter comes as over 130 Labour MPs across the country wrote jointly to regional BBC chiefs urging them to protect local programmes. Labour has also called on the BBC to protect its regional politics debate programme Sunday Politics, highlighting its important role in holding local government, councils and politicians to account and keeping communities informed.

Defending the “agenda-setting” investigative reporting of local BBC journalists, Stevens highlighted the exposure of poor working conditions at Sports Direct and livestock theft in rural areas. As recently as January 2020, the Mayor of London announced an urgent Transport for London investigation into illegal cab drivers following a BBC London Inside Out investigation.

Labour today recognised the significant challenges facing the BBC, including the Conservative Government’s cut to the free over-75s TV licences and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the party urged against cuts to local reporting, calling for programmes to return with the same number of hours output per week.

Commenting, Jo Stevens, Labour’s Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, said:

“Across the country, local and regional BBC reporting is a lifeline for communities, keeping people connected and informed.

“Too often, politics and current affairs feel remote and London-centric. But local issues deserve a platform as much as those dominating at Westminster.

“The Conservative Government has repeatedly tried to undermine our BBC, and the coronavirus crisis presents huge challenges for media organisations. But local reporting is vital for democracy and transparency. Despite the challenges it faces, we urge the BBC to protect local programmes.”

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Shocking figures on harm caused by unregulated online gambling – Jo Stevens

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Jo Stevens MP, Shadow Culture Secretary, responding to the APPG on Gambling Related Harm report published today, said:

“This report lays bare truly shocking figures on the levels of harm caused by currently unregulated online gambling – and the mountain we have to climb to tackle the problem for good.

“The Government must now act to protect those at risk. The report contains several long-overdue recommendations to safeguard players, from the banning of advertisements and VIP accounts to the introduction of online stake limits.

“We need a regulated and safe gambling industry in the UK both for the industry itself and for those who are at risk from gambling-related harm.”

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Labour calls for action to help PAYE freelancers

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Shadow Culture Secretary Jo Stevens has today written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for action to help PAYE freelancers who are unable to access any support through the Government’s financial assistance schemes.

This is a particular problem for staff at the BBC who cannot be furloughed because the BBC does not qualify for the Job Retention Scheme as a public sector organisation.

According to a BECTU survey, only 50% of creative industries workers have been able to access support through a Government income support scheme.

Despite direct calls last month from Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds and Jo Stevens, to look to address the gaps in the support schemes, no steps have been taken, leaving many workers in crisis and a very real risk of an exodus of skills in this vital, growing sector of the UK economy.

Jo Stevens said:

“Creative industries have become a vital, successful part of the UK economy – outgrowing the UK economy on the whole and contributing £13 million every hour.

“But many in the creative industries have been left to go through this crisis without support and their concerns and proposed solutions to the Government have so far been ignored.

“The Chancellor needs to listen to these pleas. We know that many talented people are now considering their futures in the sector. If we lose these skills, it will prevent this critical sector from surviving and playing its part in our recovery once the virus is beaten for good.”