Responding to the commitment by new prime minister Rishi Sunak to govern with compassion, Jennifer Nadel, Co-Director of Compassion in Politics said:

"We congratulate the new prime minister on his selection and welcome his commitment to governing with compassion. In recent weeks and months, no doubt in response to both the scandals we've witnessed and the crises we face, politicians from all parties have been calling for compassion to be at the heart of politics. We look forward to working with them to ensure that the PMs statement is borne out in reality through policies to address inequality, prevent hardship, and ensure everyone leads a good and happy life."

Commenting on the alleged bullying that took place during last night's Commons vote on fracking, Co-Director of Compassion in Politics Jennifer Nadel said:

“The worrying reports we’re hearing about the use of physical coercion and intimidation in the lobby last night just shows we need a total change in the culture of our politics. 

“One immediate step that must be taken is, as so many parliaments across the world have done, to introduce electronic voting. That allows members to cast their vote in a professional manner without undue influence from colleagues. 

“We also need a complete review of the Whipping system in parliament. We have repeatedly called for this system - which in its present style and form is a type of institutionalised bullying - to be either scrapped or significantly reformed. The public needs to know that their representatives are making decisions in good faith, not because they have been threatened, cajoled, or extorted.

“And more generally we need MPs, party leaders, and the Speaker to come together to undertake a thorough review of the culture of our politics - inside and outside Westminster - to ensure that it is working to the highest standard of inclusion, cooperation, and compassion.”

Responding to the government’s u-turn on the top rate of income tax, Co-Director of Compassion in Politics Jennifer Nadel said:

“This is a victory for compassion and fairness. The overwhelming opposition this policy has faced has shown that the public want to see economic policies aimed at supporting the common good, not the interests of a minority. With this in mind, the government needs to re-evaluate its priorities. It ought to look at the support that it can provide to those in the most vulnerable circumstances - by, for example, raising the minimum wage and increasing social security - as well as empowering public bodies across the country to take action in the name of reducing inequality by finally adopting the socio-economic duty.”

Around 50 charities, academics, and campaigners have written to Conservative leadership contenders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak asking them to support a public right to housing, food, and income.

The letter, sent as forecasters predict UK inflation will hit 18% next year and companies warn of “catastrophic” energy prices, calls for “era-defining solutions” to the cost-of-living crisis.

It argues that the offers of one-off payments to households, while welcome, will do nothing to fix the structural problems facing the UK economy including rising prices, falling wages, and insufficient social security payments.

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Ahead of the results of the latest round of voting in the Conservative Party leadership election, Compassion in Politics has called on the remaining candidates to end the infighting and antagonism. 

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Staff and MPs are working in a culture of excessive pressure and conflict which is damaging their mental health according to the initial findings of a new report into working life in politics.

The Compassion in Politics and Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) study also found that the staff of MPs frequently feel unsafe when performing their role in public - such as at an event or in an MP’s constituency.

The research, which was commissioned by the All-Party Group for Compassionate Politics (APPG) and carried out with the support of the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, is based on the results of a survey of MPs and their staff carried out in late 2021.

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