WES STREETING has refused to intervene in an NHS puberty blocker trial despite concerns about childrenâs safety.
The drugs were banned last year in the wake of the independent Cass Review, which found no evidence to support their use and warned they may also disrupt brain development.
But an NHS trial to examine the evidence around their use in children is awaiting the green light from the ethics regulator, which controversially approved a pilot into the drugs in 2011 but failed to ensure the results were shared.
Some 6,000 children are on the national gender clinic waiting list and could be eligible to receive the drugs if their clinical team and parents agree.
AND
SIR KEIR STARMERâS plans to reset relations with the European Union risk dealing a ÂŁ1âŻbillion blow to farmers, senior Tories have warned.
The Prime Minister has been urged not to throw British growers âunder the busâ by agreeing to adopt overly restrictive EU red tape. Brussels is demanding the UK agrees to copy its agricultural rules in return for a deal that would reduce checks on food exports. But agreeing to the terms risks killing off a booming UK industry centred on developing new drought and pest-resistant crops, as a world leader in research on gene-edited fruit and vegetables.
The development, which is already worth ÂŁ1âŻbillion a year to the economy and has boosted harvests by 1 per cent, is only possible because of Brexit. Gene-edited crops are subject to a de facto ban in the EU, where they are subject to such stringent red tape that they are impossible to grow at scale. Britain would have to revert to effectively banning them if it were to sign up to mirroring Europeâs rules on agriculture.
Jerome Mayhew, the shadow business minister, said: âAttempts to get closer to the EU risk throwing our farmers and scientific communities under the bus ... The Labour-EU love-in must draw the line at watering down UK progress on precision breeding.â
A Defra spokesman said: âThis Government recognises that food security is national security. Thatâs why we have laid legislation to enact the Precision Breeding Act for plants [to ensure] our agriculture sector will be at the forefront of innovation across the world.â
(both from articles in the Sunday Telegraph today which I find concern, now Iâve switched my allegiance back to Labour).
What do other Labour voters think about these two issues?
Wes Streeting is doing better than I thought he would. I am on an NHS waiting list which has reduced by several weeks since Labour came to power.
I still couldn't vote for a party that wants to retain the two child benefit cap though.
Starmer is voting against ban on first cousin marriages. These marriages often result in terribly handicapped babies who cost the taxpayer millions over their lifetimes in special care, support workers, special schools, special equipment at home, transport, medication, operations etc.
These cousins are mainly from the Pakistani community and should be stopped from marrying in my opinion.
I remember in the 70s and 80s my friend was a teacher in special schools in the Midlands and there was a massive surge in the number of severely handicapped Asian kids as more of them came to this country.
I think it is wicked to knowingly create kids like this and Starmer should vote for the ban and put an end to it.
Primrose53
Starmer is voting against ban on first cousin marriages. These marriages often result in terribly handicapped babies who cost the taxpayer millions over their lifetimes in special care, support workers, special schools, special equipment at home, transport, medication, operations etc.
These cousins are mainly from the Pakistani community and should be stopped from marrying in my opinion.
I remember in the 70s and 80s my friend was a teacher in special schools in the Midlands and there was a massive surge in the number of severely handicapped Asian kids as more of them came to this country.
I think it is wicked to knowingly create kids like this and Starmer should vote for the ban and put an end to it.
Probably because heâs aware that such a ban would have little effect.
theconversation.com/banning-first-cousin-marriage-would-be-eugenic-and-ineffective-expert-view-251187
That was very helpful, Casdon. Thank you.
It's instructive to, to see how few countries do ban it, tho its discussed of course.
If I hadnt left the labour party over the assisted dying bill, I think the refusal to ban cousin marriage would have probably been my next line in the sand. I work with those children. Words fail me in terms of that article. It is again those who will never be touched by these issues who cheer them on.
Galaxy itâs up to you what you believe, obviously, but The Conversation is not a fly by night organisation, it aims to provide academically rigorous assessments, itâs not British, itâs Australian, and has has strict editorial standards around fact checking.
It was an opinion piece generally. Presumably the author must also see pregnancy screening as eugenics, or advising against drinking in pregnancy, after all it just stops some children being born and means that other children with a lower risk of disability will be born.
I actually think it is some weird form of racism. Not acceptable for 'our' children but for those children over there.
Galaxy
It was an opinion piece generally. Presumably the author must also see pregnancy screening as eugenics, or advising against drinking in pregnancy, after all it just stops some children being born and means that other children with a lower risk of disability will be born.
I actually think it is some weird form of racism. Not acceptable for 'our' children but for those children over there.
Itâs a real specious argument it seems to me having just read it.
A ban on first cousin marriage within the Asian community in Bradford ( and anywhere else in the UK) would result in less problems for the children themselves and ease pressure on NHS services.Whatâs not to like?
If I find that Starmer isnât going to vote against first cousin marriage then thatâs another black mark against him in my book.If he doesnât it means that he fears Asian voters wonât like it and it will affect votes for Labour.No way at all to look at this problem with no concern for the children themselves.
eazybee
I agree with you, FriedGreenTomatoes, but then, I have never been and doubt if I ever will be, a Labour supporter.
Same here.
I suspect that banning first cousin marriage goes against Starmerâs HR principles despite all the evidence of the harm it causes.
It goes against his ethical principles I would imagine, given the relationship between law and ethics..
I still have faith in Reform, there are hiccups and spats in all political parties, Reform are the only party with British values at their heart, they will get through. Some people are too quick to judge. Reform are our only hope of getting this country back on its feet and ending the decline. I am standing by them.
I admire your loyalty JudyBloom.
I just think now theyâre a spent force, sadly. If theyâd been up against Starmer at a GE say in October (I know, itâs just speculation here) theyâd have romped it.
Timing eh?
There is just no good reason to not prevent first cousin marriage here within the Asian community.
I agree Oreo. However I can imagine the protests against a ban because they will see it as a challenge to their culture regardless of the suffering it causes. They may also get married abroad to get round a ban and we will still be picking up the bill for treating their children. However, legislating for a ban is better than doing nothing âbecause it wonât workâ.
Would banning it include religious marriages? Not all Muslims will have civil marriages as the Nikah is considered more significant to the religious. I would think it would be difficult to police religious marriages that aren't considered legal.
I've heard that Imams are becoming involved in discouraging cousin marriages.
The late Baronness Flather was very outspoken on the subject of First cousins marrying. She was of Pakistani origin and was very much against it and very upset about all the disabled children being born to first cousins.
My friend who worked with such kids often roped me in to help at school fetes and other events. It is absolutely shocking to see kids with such deformities and handicaps who need 24/7 care for the rest of their lives.
I would like us to match the EU regarding agriculture.
...and don't trust the Telegraph so would need to do some actual checking! 
There are substantially fewer first cousin marriages than there used to be.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67422918
Yes they are, theworriedwell, and now second and third generation people from those cultures originally with higher rates are making different choices.
I'm against the bill: as I believe education and changing cultures are changing the situation, I see that as the way ahead.
I also think there are dangers moving law into banning marriages on genetic grounds as it moves into the dangers of eugenics. The possibility for example, of a having a child with birth defects is the same as for women over 40, are we going to ban them too?
'"Women over the age of 40 have a similar risk of having children with birth defects and no one is suggesting they should be prevented from reproducing. People with Huntington's Disease or other autosomal dominant disorders have a 50 per cent risk of transmitting the underlying genes to offspring and they are not barred either," Professor Spencer says."
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081222221535.htm
Wyllow3
nanna8
Iâm wondering where all those Reform supporters will go now. There were reasons for their support, it wasnât just a whim on the part of their supporters and I am certain they werenât all right wing extremists, either, despite what Starmer would like people to believe.
Where has Starmer said that all Reform supporters were right wing extremists nanna ? I cant find a reference, look forward to one.
Presumably you use google ? It is everywhere. I am not in the UK but still hear that all the time. There is a Utube video plus lots of other references. He has a problem with labelling people he doesnât agree with. But you know that.
Always willing to view what you have found, as I haven't.
If you want to be change culture, it is a good idea to be clear of the values that are important, for me that wouldnt be cousin marriage.
Sometimes I cant believe the things I have to write.
JudyBloom
Agree 100%.
Reform still get my vote.
Amazing how quickly some people turn their backs.
All parties suffer set backs. Labour have spent many a year in the political wilderness.
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