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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/jun/16/uk-coronavirus-live-lockdown-has-been-disaster-for-society-says-william-hague
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| UK coronavirus live: Coffey seeks to defuse free school meals row with Rashford saying both share 'same aim' | UK coronavirus live: Coffey seeks to defuse free school meals row with Rashford saying both share 'same aim' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Labour backs call from England striker Marcus Rashford for the government to extend free school meals over the summer holidays | Labour backs call from England striker Marcus Rashford for the government to extend free school meals over the summer holidays |
| This is from Mark Drakeford, the Welsh first minister, on free school meals over the summer. He is pointing out that Wales is implementing the policy proposed by Marcus Rashford. | |
| Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative chair of the Commons health committee, has just told Sky News that he thinks the government will have to do something to address the needs of families who cannot afford to feed their children properly during the summer holidays. | |
| In evidence to the Commons health committee this morning Prof Derek Alderson, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said it was “completely unrealistic” to think that the NHS would be able to catch up with the backlog of surgery left unperformed during the coronavirus crisis within a matter of weeks. It could take “a few years” to catch up, he said. He explained: | |
| This claim ought to worry ministers because a government paper from early April, Initial estimates of excess deaths from Covid-19 (pdf), that was released at the end of last week along with a large batch of Sage coronavirus papers, showed that at that point officials officials feared that there could be 185,000 deaths over the long term as a result of operations cancelled during the crisis - assuming those operations were not rescheduled. That number would dwarf what was then estimated to be the number of people expected to die directly from coronavirus, 50,000. The report explained: | |
| This is from Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, on Thérèse Coffey’s “water cannot be disconnected though” response to Marcus Rashford (see 9.09am and 11.05am). | This is from Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, on Thérèse Coffey’s “water cannot be disconnected though” response to Marcus Rashford (see 9.09am and 11.05am). |
| In an interview with LBC this morning Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said that the government was likely to announce its plans for “travel corridors” - agreements with other countries for mutual exemptions from quarantine laws - at the end of this month. Asked when that announcement might come, he said: | In an interview with LBC this morning Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said that the government was likely to announce its plans for “travel corridors” - agreements with other countries for mutual exemptions from quarantine laws - at the end of this month. Asked when that announcement might come, he said: |
| June 29 is the date for the government’s first review of its controversial quarantine policy, which came into force last week. | June 29 is the date for the government’s first review of its controversial quarantine policy, which came into force last week. |
| The FT’s Sebastian Payne has more on the “global Britain” statement coming from Boris Johnson later. (See 11.25am.) Johnson, a former foreign secretary, will announce a formal merger of the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development, Payne reports. | The FT’s Sebastian Payne has more on the “global Britain” statement coming from Boris Johnson later. (See 11.25am.) Johnson, a former foreign secretary, will announce a formal merger of the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development, Payne reports. |
| The Times’ Esther Webber has posted the line being sent to Tory MPs defending the government’s decision not to back Marcus Rashford’s call for the free school meal scheme to be extended in England to cover the summer holidays. | The Times’ Esther Webber has posted the line being sent to Tory MPs defending the government’s decision not to back Marcus Rashford’s call for the free school meal scheme to be extended in England to cover the summer holidays. |
| The Department for Education made more or less the same arguments in this blog on its website yesterday defending the government’s position. | The Department for Education made more or less the same arguments in this blog on its website yesterday defending the government’s position. |
| These are from the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg on the Commons statement on “global Britain” that we are getting from Boris Johnson later. Unusually No 10 has been refusing to give details of what it’s about. | These are from the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg on the Commons statement on “global Britain” that we are getting from Boris Johnson later. Unusually No 10 has been refusing to give details of what it’s about. |
| And this is from the Financial Times’ Sebastian Payne. | And this is from the Financial Times’ Sebastian Payne. |
| Transport for London will next week increase the congestion charge and enforce it through weekends and evenings in a bid to stop the surge in vehicle traffic in the capital. | Transport for London will next week increase the congestion charge and enforce it through weekends and evenings in a bid to stop the surge in vehicle traffic in the capital. |
| The charge to drive a car into central London will rise to £15 a day and apply from 7am-10pm, seven days a week, from 22 June, as transport authorities try to avert gridlock. | The charge to drive a car into central London will rise to £15 a day and apply from 7am-10pm, seven days a week, from 22 June, as transport authorities try to avert gridlock. |
| Passenger numbers on the tube and bus have only risen slightly this week, as people continue to avoid public transport, but as the Covid-19 restrictions ease motor traffic has already reached pre-lockdownlevels, TfL say. | Passenger numbers on the tube and bus have only risen slightly this week, as people continue to avoid public transport, but as the Covid-19 restrictions ease motor traffic has already reached pre-lockdownlevels, TfL say. |
| The charge, along with the ultra-low emission charge, was suspended at the start of lockdown in March when London’s streets were empty. Now though TfL say a hike is necessary, or traffic is forecast to grow to double normal levels, causing widespread congestion and pollution, and disruption to the bus network. | The charge, along with the ultra-low emission charge, was suspended at the start of lockdown in March when London’s streets were empty. Now though TfL say a hike is necessary, or traffic is forecast to grow to double normal levels, causing widespread congestion and pollution, and disruption to the bus network. |
| London has been trying to encourage walking and cycling, widening pavements and giving new sections of road lanes over to non-motorised traffic. | London has been trying to encourage walking and cycling, widening pavements and giving new sections of road lanes over to non-motorised traffic. |
| TfL said the increase in the charge from £11.50 a day was a temporary move, agreed as part of the £1.6bn funding agreement with central government to help offset lost revenue, mainly from the tube. NHS workers will be exempt. | TfL said the increase in the charge from £11.50 a day was a temporary move, agreed as part of the £1.6bn funding agreement with central government to help offset lost revenue, mainly from the tube. NHS workers will be exempt. |
| The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: | The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: |
| Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, has responded on Twitter to the England footballer Marcus Rashford, who complained earlier that her only engagement with his campaign for the free school meal scheme to be extended in England over the summer holidays was a post apparently fact-checking one of his claims. | Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, has responded on Twitter to the England footballer Marcus Rashford, who complained earlier that her only engagement with his campaign for the free school meal scheme to be extended in England over the summer holidays was a post apparently fact-checking one of his claims. |
| As we reported earlier, Coffey said earlier that Rashford was wrong to say poor families risked having their water cut off. (See 9.09am.) | As we reported earlier, Coffey said earlier that Rashford was wrong to say poor families risked having their water cut off. (See 9.09am.) |
| Rashford responded with this post on Twitter. | Rashford responded with this post on Twitter. |
| And Coffey later claimed that Rashford and the government were “working to the same aim”. | And Coffey later claimed that Rashford and the government were “working to the same aim”. |
| In an interview with BBC News earlier the Conservative MP David Simmonds defended the government’s decision not to fund the free school meal programme over the summer, saying that there were better ways of targeting the money available at those families most in need. | In an interview with BBC News earlier the Conservative MP David Simmonds defended the government’s decision not to fund the free school meal programme over the summer, saying that there were better ways of targeting the money available at those families most in need. |
| Asked about Coffey’s original response to Rashford tweets (“water cannot be disconnected though”), Simmonds at first sidestepped the question. But he added that, from his 20 years’ experience as a councillor, some people did get their water cut off, even though the rules said that was not meant to happen. | Asked about Coffey’s original response to Rashford tweets (“water cannot be disconnected though”), Simmonds at first sidestepped the question. But he added that, from his 20 years’ experience as a councillor, some people did get their water cut off, even though the rules said that was not meant to happen. |
| This is from Nick Timothy, Theresa May’s former joint chief of staff in Downing Street. He thinks the government will end up backing down over free school meals. | This is from Nick Timothy, Theresa May’s former joint chief of staff in Downing Street. He thinks the government will end up backing down over free school meals. |
| Lawyers have said that growing evidence of a link between air pollution and the impact of coronavirus means the government has a legal obligation to urgently review its air quality strategy – the Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, reports. | Lawyers have said that growing evidence of a link between air pollution and the impact of coronavirus means the government has a legal obligation to urgently review its air quality strategy – the Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, reports. |
| In a letter to ministers, the lawyers argue that refusing to order a review would breach UK law, the precautionary principle and the European convention on human rights. | In a letter to ministers, the lawyers argue that refusing to order a review would breach UK law, the precautionary principle and the European convention on human rights. |
| Dirty air is estimated to cause 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK, and evidence is mounting that it is linked to increased Covid-19 infection rates and death rates. The lawyers, acting for Mums for Lungs and the Good Law Project, say this potential risk to life means ministers must act even if the evidence is not yet conclusive. | Dirty air is estimated to cause 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK, and evidence is mounting that it is linked to increased Covid-19 infection rates and death rates. The lawyers, acting for Mums for Lungs and the Good Law Project, say this potential risk to life means ministers must act even if the evidence is not yet conclusive. |
| The full story is here. | The full story is here. |
| Nick Stripe, head of the health analysis and life events division at the ONS, has posted a useful Twitter thread on the ONS statistics. It starts here. | Nick Stripe, head of the health analysis and life events division at the ONS, has posted a useful Twitter thread on the ONS statistics. It starts here. |
| And here are some of his key points. | And here are some of his key points. |
| Excess deaths in the UK are now running at about 64,500, the ONS says. Excess deaths means all deaths above the seasonal average. They include deaths directly attributed to coronavirus, but also deaths otherwise related to the pandemic. Scientists and politicians have repeatedly said that the excess death rate is the best measure of the impact of the virus on the UK. | Excess deaths in the UK are now running at about 64,500, the ONS says. Excess deaths means all deaths above the seasonal average. They include deaths directly attributed to coronavirus, but also deaths otherwise related to the pandemic. Scientists and politicians have repeatedly said that the excess death rate is the best measure of the impact of the virus on the UK. |
| There have been 26,600 excess deaths in care homes in England and Wales since the pandemic began, the ONS says. | There have been 26,600 excess deaths in care homes in England and Wales since the pandemic began, the ONS says. |
| There have been 15,400 excess deaths in private homes in England and Wales since the pandemic began, the ONS says. | There have been 15,400 excess deaths in private homes in England and Wales since the pandemic began, the ONS says. |
| The Office for National Statistics has published its latest weekly death figures for England and Wales. These cover up to the week ending Friday 5 June (or week 23, as the ONS calls it.) | The Office for National Statistics has published its latest weekly death figures for England and Wales. These cover up to the week ending Friday 5 June (or week 23, as the ONS calls it.) |
| ONS coronavirus death figures are more thorough than the daily ones released by the Department of Health and Social Care. The DHSC figures only cover people who tested positive for coronavirus and died, whereas the ONS figures cover any death where coronavirus was mentioned as a factor on the death certificate. | ONS coronavirus death figures are more thorough than the daily ones released by the Department of Health and Social Care. The DHSC figures only cover people who tested positive for coronavirus and died, whereas the ONS figures cover any death where coronavirus was mentioned as a factor on the death certificate. |
| Here are the main points. | Here are the main points. |
| Excess deaths - the number of deaths above the five-year average for this time of year - were still running at 7.3% in the first week of June. That amounted to 732 excess deaths. But, as this chart shows, the excess death rate is falling to what it was at the end of March. (Excess deaths are represented by the gap between the thick blue line, all deaths, and the dotted grey line, the five-year average for all deaths.) | Excess deaths - the number of deaths above the five-year average for this time of year - were still running at 7.3% in the first week of June. That amounted to 732 excess deaths. But, as this chart shows, the excess death rate is falling to what it was at the end of March. (Excess deaths are represented by the gap between the thick blue line, all deaths, and the dotted grey line, the five-year average for all deaths.) |
| There were 335 excess deaths in care homes in week 23 (ie, 335 more than you would expect given the five-year average). But in hospitals in that week the number of deaths was 538 below the five-year average. | There were 335 excess deaths in care homes in week 23 (ie, 335 more than you would expect given the five-year average). But in hospitals in that week the number of deaths was 538 below the five-year average. |
| Deaths in London in the first week of June were below average. Other regions continued to record excess deaths (ie, more deaths than you would expect based on the average). | Deaths in London in the first week of June were below average. Other regions continued to record excess deaths (ie, more deaths than you would expect based on the average). |
| Coronavirus accounted for 14.8% of all deaths in England and Wales in the first week of June. There were 1,588 coronavirus deaths - the lowest number for nine weeks. | Coronavirus accounted for 14.8% of all deaths in England and Wales in the first week of June. There were 1,588 coronavirus deaths - the lowest number for nine weeks. |
| Another Conservative MP has come out in support of Rashford’s call for the free school meals scheme to be extended into the summer. | Another Conservative MP has come out in support of Rashford’s call for the free school meals scheme to be extended into the summer. |
| Some more evidence of disquiet among Tory MPs over the government’s refusal to extend the free school meals programme over the summer: | Some more evidence of disquiet among Tory MPs over the government’s refusal to extend the free school meals programme over the summer: |
| The education select committee chairman and Conservative MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon, has told BBC Breakfast that Britain could be facing “an ice age for vulnerable children”. | The education select committee chairman and Conservative MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon, has told BBC Breakfast that Britain could be facing “an ice age for vulnerable children”. |
| He said extending the free school meals programme “would be the right thing to do” but acknowledged there were mixed views among Conservative politicians. | He said extending the free school meals programme “would be the right thing to do” but acknowledged there were mixed views among Conservative politicians. |