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| Rail firms could be allowed to run fewer trains because of coronavirus, Shapps suggests - Politics live | Rail firms could be allowed to run fewer trains because of coronavirus, Shapps suggests - Politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| Echoing a point made by Grant Shapps in his Today interview this morning (see 9.20am), Prof Jason Leitch, the Scottish government’s national clinical director, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland today that the government advice to the over-70s, which is due soon, would not include telling them to cut off all contact with others. They should have more family contact, not less, he said. | |
| And, even though this has been characterised as people being asked to stay at home, he said that people would not have to stay at home all the time: He explained: | |
| There has been a lot of confusion about the ‘stay at home’ advice because in interviews about the proposal yesterday, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, and people interviewing him referred to staying at home as self-isolating. Some people use the phrase in this way, but the term has also been used to apply to a much stricter, no-contact regime meant to be followed by people with coronavirus. | |
| The Labour MP Kate Osborne, who represents Jarrow, says she has been diagnosed with coronavirus. | The Labour MP Kate Osborne, who represents Jarrow, says she has been diagnosed with coronavirus. |
| Politicians like to maintain some semblance of control but in recent days it has become clear that the coronavirus outbreak is threatening to overwhelm public health systems, the economy and even everyday life to a staggering extent. Only 11 days ago Boris Johnson was saying that as far as possible it should be it “business as usual for the overwhelming majority of people in this country”. Only five days ago Rishi Sunak delivered a budget that featured a total coronavirus rescue package worth £30bn. Less than a week later, with sections of the economy grinding to a halt, that is starting to look well short of what’s needed. Mel Stride, the chair of the Commons Treasury committee, said as much on the Westminster Hour last night. He told the programme: | Politicians like to maintain some semblance of control but in recent days it has become clear that the coronavirus outbreak is threatening to overwhelm public health systems, the economy and even everyday life to a staggering extent. Only 11 days ago Boris Johnson was saying that as far as possible it should be it “business as usual for the overwhelming majority of people in this country”. Only five days ago Rishi Sunak delivered a budget that featured a total coronavirus rescue package worth £30bn. Less than a week later, with sections of the economy grinding to a halt, that is starting to look well short of what’s needed. Mel Stride, the chair of the Commons Treasury committee, said as much on the Westminster Hour last night. He told the programme: |
| It must be serious because No 10 let Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, give an interview to the Today programme this morning. Here are the main points he made. | It must be serious because No 10 let Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, give an interview to the Today programme this morning. Here are the main points he made. |
| Shapps suggested rail companies could soon be allowed to run reduced services. Rail companies have been asking for their franchise obligations to be reduced because passenger numbers have been plummeting. Asked about this, Shapps said: | Shapps suggested rail companies could soon be allowed to run reduced services. Rail companies have been asking for their franchise obligations to be reduced because passenger numbers have been plummeting. Asked about this, Shapps said: |
| Asked if that meant companies being freed from some of their current obligations, he went on: | Asked if that meant companies being freed from some of their current obligations, he went on: |
| By “ghost planes” Shapps was referring to rules that require airlines to fly planes, even if they are empty, just to preserve their landing slots. He claimed that he had been successful in obtaining a dispensation from these rules from the EU. | By “ghost planes” Shapps was referring to rules that require airlines to fly planes, even if they are empty, just to preserve their landing slots. He claimed that he had been successful in obtaining a dispensation from these rules from the EU. |
| He said the government would be considering measures to help the airline industry. He said that he had been speaking to the aviation industry over recent days, and that he would be taking their proposals to an economic business and response committee being chaired by the chancellor to discuss what the government could do to help. Asked what the government would do, he said the industry had “a variety of different asks”. He did not say how the government would respond, but he said the industry was “clearly right at the forefront of this”. | He said the government would be considering measures to help the airline industry. He said that he had been speaking to the aviation industry over recent days, and that he would be taking their proposals to an economic business and response committee being chaired by the chancellor to discuss what the government could do to help. Asked what the government would do, he said the industry had “a variety of different asks”. He did not say how the government would respond, but he said the industry was “clearly right at the forefront of this”. |
| He said that, when the government wanted the over-70s to stay at home, it would be asking them to do that, not telling them that they had to. | He said that, when the government wanted the over-70s to stay at home, it would be asking them to do that, not telling them that they had to. |
| He stressed that the advice to the over-70s would not rule out their going out in any circumstances. Asked if people would be free to go out, for example, to walk the dog, he said: | He stressed that the advice to the over-70s would not rule out their going out in any circumstances. Asked if people would be free to go out, for example, to walk the dog, he said: |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 9.15am: Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, holds an off-camera briefing on coronavirus. | 9.15am: Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, holds an off-camera briefing on coronavirus. |
| 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. | 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| 12.30pm: The Welsh government holds a briefing on coronavirus. | 12.30pm: The Welsh government holds a briefing on coronavirus. |
| Early afternoon: Boris Johnson chairs a meeting of Cobra, the government’s emergency committee, to discuss coronavirus. | Early afternoon: Boris Johnson chairs a meeting of Cobra, the government’s emergency committee, to discuss coronavirus. |
| Late afternoon: Johnson holds a press conference after the Cobra meeting. | Late afternoon: Johnson holds a press conference after the Cobra meeting. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although I expect to be focusing mostly on the political aspects of the coronavirus crisis. But this is a global story that goes well beyond Westminster politics, and even politics generally. For the full picture, do read our general coronavirus live blog, which is here. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although I expect to be focusing mostly on the political aspects of the coronavirus crisis. But this is a global story that goes well beyond Westminster politics, and even politics generally. For the full picture, do read our general coronavirus live blog, which is here. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |