Labour U-turns over plans to stop paying volunteer coastguards for attending emergencies in a ‘major win’ for coastal communities

Labour U-turned today over plans to stop paying volunteer coastguards for attending emergencies.

In what might be the last about-turn under Sir Keir Starmer, ministers said they were dropping the plans after hundreds threatened to quit the service and amid a furious backlash from coastal MPs.

In a Commons statement, Transport minister Keir Mather said he had listened to the views of Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) and that a move to an expenses-only model had been ditched. The plans had been drawn up by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), a Government agency.

Addressing MPs, Mr Mather said: ‘We want to ensure that

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