As food and fuel run out, Gaza’s doctors appeal to the world to end the ‘genocide of children,’ reports LINDA PENTZ GUNTER

IN the last months of 2018 we saw two damning reports of outsourced asylum accommodation in Britain, and yet this week the government went ahead and gave billions of pounds worth of new contracts to outsourcers, including Serco which alone got an estimated £1.9 billion over a 10-year period.
These private companies have already failed to provide decent asylum accommodation, as they have failed in so many areas of social provision and campaigners have termed the award of these contracts as a slap in the face to those of who have suffered at their hands.
A report from Parliament’s cross-party home affairs select committee in December received widespread coverage and delivered a devastating critique of the system of housing for those who apply for refugee status and castigated Home Office failure to show “greater urgency” about improving conditions.

DIANE ABBOTT looks at the whys and hows of Labour’s spectacular own goal


