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UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson sets out lockdown exit plans to MPs as official death toll rises by 210 UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson rejects claims people don't understand new 'stay alert' slogan
(32 minutes later)
PM publishes 50-page ‘blueprint’ and addresses Commons as Keir Starmer says Johnson’s strategy has caused ‘considerable confusion’ Official death toll rises by 210; PM publishes 50-page ‘blueprint’ and addresses Commons; Keir Starmer says Johnson’s strategy has caused ‘considerable confusion’
Far from the moment of clarity and reassurance many were hoping for, Boris Johnson’s Sunday evening address to the nation seemed to raise more questions than it answered. What day were people supposed to return to work? How many individuals were allowed to meet outdoors?
Metro’s front page on Monday invoked the prime minister’s passion for classics with the headline “It’s all Greek to us Boris”, and the Mirror described lockdown Britain as “chaos”. From a public communications perspective, it was not – it is fair to say – a success.
Chris Whitehouse, the managing director of the Whitehouse Consultancy communications agency, said:
Ahead of the prime minister’s speech on Sunday evening – an embargoed copy of which was shared with the media – government sources briefed political journalists with details of some additional measures that were included in the 50-page guidance to be published 24 hours later.
Whitehouse added:
Equality campaigners, including the former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, have warned that the change in lockdown measures will hit black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people harder because they are less likely to be able to work from home and more likely to to be forced to use public transport to travel to their place of work.
Abbott said: “Low-paid workers across the board are going to be hit by this recklessly premature move to exit the lockdown. This will also disproportionately affect black and Asian workers. No one should be forced to risk death at work. Workers need to know they will be supported if they refuse to do so.”
BAME people have already been disproportionately affected by Covid-19. Figures published last week showed that black people in the UK are more than four times more likely to die from coronavirus than white people. After taking into account age, measures of self-reported health and disability and other socio-demographic characteristics, black people were still almost twice as likely as white people to die a Covid-19-related death. Bangladeshi and Pakistani men and women were more than 1.5 times likely to die than their white counterparts, when other factors were accounted for.
Recent research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that a third of all working-age black Africans are employed in key worker roles – 50% more than the white British population.
Sabby Dhalu, the Stand up to Racism co-convenor, said: “With the previous lockdown Britain already had one of the worst capita death rates in the world. The government’s easing of the lockdown is creeping herd immunity and will inevitably lead to more deaths and infections, with BAME communities disproportionately hit once again.”
The UK government has given permission for the Premier League and other professional sports to return behind closed doors from 1 June, providing its five tests on controlling the coronavirus are met, Paul MacInnes reports.
Around 3% of ambulance service staff with no Covid-19 symptoms have tested positive for the virus during a pilot scheme, PA reports.
Figures released by West Midlands ambulance service (WMAS) said 16 of 543 asymptomatic members of its frontline staff had tested positive during a two-day trial.
A spokesman said:
Moves to reopen garden centres this week in England have been welcomed by the horticulture industry, PA reports.
Garden centres in England are being allowed to open their doors follows months of closure. Many businesses have faced ruin as the market for seasonal plants shut down at a time when people normally flock to outlets to restock their gardens.
Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) chairman James Barnes described the reopening of garden centres in England as “a positive economic move” and called for Scotland to follow suit.
Barnes said:
The Church of England said it was examining what steps were needed for churches to safely reopen following the publication of government’s coronavirus recovery strategy, which said places of worship could be closed until July 4 at the earliest.
In a statement, the Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally said:
The government’s plan to ease certain aspects of lockdown in England is “too fast, too confusing and too risky,” according to British Medical Association (BMA).
The trade union has warned the government’s measures risks a second spike of this virus.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said:
Peter Aldous, a Conservative, says constituents worry that reopening primary schools could be a significant threat, both in the classroom and at the school gate. Will the PM address these concerns?
Johnson says 1 June is a possible date for schools, on the advice of the scientists. But that is only provisional, he says. And he says special guidance for schools will be published.
And that’s it. The statement is over.
Johnson says he thinks the public understand exactly what “Stay alert” means.Johnson says he thinks the public understand exactly what “Stay alert” means.
Maria Eagle, the Labour MP, says the government originally said it would give the councils to cover all the money they spent on coronavirus. But now it is only saying it will pay them for tasks the government wants them to carry out. Will councils get everything they need?Maria Eagle, the Labour MP, says the government originally said it would give the councils to cover all the money they spent on coronavirus. But now it is only saying it will pay them for tasks the government wants them to carry out. Will councils get everything they need?
Johnson says he will consider this point, and take it up with the communities secretary.Johnson says he will consider this point, and take it up with the communities secretary.
Sir Edward Leigh, a Conservative, says the country faces the biggest recession for centuries. Will the PM put in place effective accounting to ensure public money is not being wasted?Sir Edward Leigh, a Conservative, says the country faces the biggest recession for centuries. Will the PM put in place effective accounting to ensure public money is not being wasted?
Johnson says he will. But he says the biggest risk at the moment would be the virus returning.Johnson says he will. But he says the biggest risk at the moment would be the virus returning.
Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem MP, says the government has produced figures on items of PPE supplied, but not items of PPE needed. Will the government release these figures?Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem MP, says the government has produced figures on items of PPE supplied, but not items of PPE needed. Will the government release these figures?
Johnson says he will consider this point. There have been no national stock-outs, he says.Johnson says he will consider this point. There have been no national stock-outs, he says.
Johnson says the more relaxed rules on exercise do not mean that people should be travelling to second homes, or to the countryside for holidays.Johnson says the more relaxed rules on exercise do not mean that people should be travelling to second homes, or to the countryside for holidays.
Labour’s Kate Green asks Johnson to confirm that there is no intention to change the rules on benefit conditionality. She says no one should be penalised for not taking up a dangerous job.
Johnson agrees. He says no one should be penalised for doing the right thing.
Johnson says, if Covid is detected in the water supply of a town (presumably he means in the sewage), new restrictions could be imposed locally.
The SNP’s Chris Law asks if the PM will support above-inflation pay settlements for civil servants because of what they have done.
Johnson says he will not comment on pay, but he says he wants to thank the civil service for their work “from the bottom of my heart”.
Labour’s Karen Buck asks if Johnson thinks everyone travelling on public transport in the capital should wear a face covering.
Johnson says the government is not making it compulsory. But the government does view this as “advisory”.
Andy Carter, a Conservative, asks what will be done to help parents with childcare.
Johnson says the government wants to bring some primary school pupils back in June. And it wants all primary school pupils to have at least a month in school before the end of July, he says.
This what the coronavirus recovery plan says about schools.
The SNP’s Drew Hendry asks Johnson to confirm that the value of the furlough scheme will be reduced by a quarter.
Johnson says Hendry should not believe everything in the press. The chancellor will make a statement on this tomorrow, he says.
Alexander Stafford, a Conservative, asks if this plan is flexible enough to adjust to different circumstances.
Johnson says the government will of course be flexible. If there are local flare-ups, “we will not hesitate to put on the brakes”.
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, says the PM’s announcement will make inequalities worse, because workers will not be safe in the workforce.
Johnson does not accept that. He says now is the time to take some small steps forward.
Johnson says there is a “huge opportunity” for the UK to have a cleaner, greener transport system after the crisis is over.
Johnson says the government is committed to keeping employees safe. He says the Health and Safety Executive will be enforcing the new guidelines. And there will be spot inspections, he says.