Close ticket offices for a better railway

Close ticket offices for a better railway

SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE July 05, 2023 View in browser Close ticket offices for a better railway Interesting that Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, has avoided the trap of outright opposition to railway ticket office closures (first reported by our own Simon Calder). She has merely said that "rushed" closures "could" contribute further to the decline of the rail network.  She has presumably observed that kneejerk opposition to ticket office closures on the London Underground turned out to be mistaken: moving staff out on to concourses has improved service and cut crime.    Quiz question Which recent cabinet minister wrote and illustrated The Perils of the Pushy Parents: A Cautionary Tale? Answer at the bottom of today's email Daily briefing Government denies Sunak will break flagship £11.6bn climate pledge Ministers  'remain committed' to climate finance pledge Labour candidate speaks out against Sadiq Khan's ULEZ expansion Uxbridge MP hopeful Danny Beales splits with mayor: 'Not right time' for scheme Shaun Bailey given start date for Lords despite new Partygate probe Tories urge ex-mayoral candidate to reconsider taking peerage Articles driving the biggest conversations Tony Blair says NHS is finished unless private sector used more Articles available exclusively to subscribers Rishi Sunak seems powerless to prevent death by factionalism What else do you need to know today?   Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen will meet next week to finalise agreement on the UK rejoining the EU Horizon science programme Prime Minister's Questions: the liveliest exchange was between Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, and Mhairi Black, the SNP deputy Commons leader: he said he was sad she was standing down at the election – they had come into the House at the same time. Black replied: "I'm pretty sure we'll be leaving the House at the same time too" Kevin Maguire in the New Statesman reports that "lefties" are "putting it about" that Keir Starmer might not make Angela Rayner deputy prime minister if Labour wins, and adds: "Starmer's people are quashing the rumour" Labour U-turn watch: Maguire also suggests that Starmer might not replace the House of Lords with an elected second chamber, but I have already assumed that Thanks to Adam Forrest and Archie Mitchell, without whom this newsletter would not be possible Rentoul's reading list     Emily Fry and Sophie Hale of the Resolution Foundation on the UK's chance to set its own trade strategy Christina Robinson, Jeremy Hunt's former special adviser, on leaving her job to home-school her four children (paywall) I wrote for Independent Premium about Tony Blair's plan to save the NHS – it doesn't go far enough  See also: Alan Milburn, Blair's health secretary, who told my students at King's College London that NHS reform was "unfinished business" (from April, now unpaywalled)   Enjoy a year of unlimited digital access for just £99 £20 ✓ Full access to Premium news analysis ✓ Advert-free reading across web and app ✓ The Independent Daily Edition newspaper ✓ Puzzles, virtual event tickets and more SUBSCRIBE NOW Inside the bubble What to look out for tomorrow The Commons sits at 9.30 for environment, food and rural affairs questions to Therese Coffey's department, followed by questions to the attorney general, Victoria Prentis. Debate on the estimates continues, followed by a general debate on building safety and social housing. Meanwhile in Kent, Keir Starmer and Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, will launch the fifth and last of Labour's "missions", on "opportunity", which is what they have rebranded education.  Quotation of the week "We have to flip the debate towards hope – hope of better pay, better work, better public services." Darren Jones, Labour MP, on artificial intelligence Quiz answer: Boris Johnson, in 2007 We noticed that you might not be registered By registering, you will enjoy limited access to Independent Premium articles, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists REGISTER FOR FREE OTHER NEWSLETTERS YOU MIGHT LIKE Morning Headlines Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by the UK team Join now Health Check Every Thursday, 7am (UK time) Written by Rebecca Thomas Join now Morning Headlines Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by the UK team Join now Health Check Every Thursday, 7am (UK time) Written by Rebecca Thomas Join now The Independent proudly partners with Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 News you can trust The Independent has a 100% NewsGuard trust rating FIND OUT MORE If you can spare a minute we'd love your feedback on our newsletters. 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