This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/jun/17/coronavirus-uk-live-government-urged-to-explain-future-of-shielded-status
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus UK live: Hancock says announcement on shielding to come very soon | Coronavirus UK live: Hancock says announcement on shielding to come very soon |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Government to write to 2.2m people shielding in England ‘very shortly’ after charities call on Johnson for clarity amid confusion over end to measure | Government to write to 2.2m people shielding in England ‘very shortly’ after charities call on Johnson for clarity amid confusion over end to measure |
| At the Commons education committee Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP, also strongly accused the teaching unions of resisting school reopening. He said people felt the teaching unions “had actively obstructed the reopening of schools”. And he said you could not blame people for thinking that. As an example, he cited what Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, said in early May that suggested that schools should not open until September. Roach said: | |
| And yet this morning the teaching unions were presenting themselves as constructive, he said. | |
| Roach said he stood by the quote cited by Hunt. He said he wanted the government at that point to end speculation. The speculation was damaging, he said. He said he was not opposing reopening in principle. | |
| Hunt said, in the light of the Roach quote, the claim that his union wanted schools to go back was “difficult to swallow” for people. | |
| Dominic Hook, Unite national officer, said: “The question that must be asked today is ‘Why now HSBC?’ | |
| It comes as the banking giant said it will resume plans to cut around 35,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years. | |
| “At present, vast numbers of HSBC staff are making massive sacrifices working from home or taking risks travelling into offices and bank branches to help customers,” Hook said. He added: “Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis colleagues across HSBC have worked tirelessly as key workers to ensure that consumers continue to access financial services to meet their banking needs. “Now is the time for HSBC to stand by its workforce and recognise these mighty efforts, and see that the bank’s strength lies within its workforce.” | |
| At the Commons education Jonathan Gullis, a Conservative MP and former teacher, is asking the questions now and he starts with a fierce attack on the teaching unions. He says he used to respect Patrick Roach from the NASUWT. But he says the union’s five conditions for opening schools sound like five tests. And he accuses the NEU of campaigning to keep schools closed. That was “utterly disgraceful”, he says. | |
| He quotes from an email sent by the NEU to members saying they should not engage with headteachers on the wider opening of schools. He goes on: | |
| Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, says his union has not been campaign to keep schools closed. | |
| Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, says the ASCL did not campaign against schools opening. | |
| Gullis says there may not have a formal campaign. But this was the impact of the stance its members were taking, he claims. | |
| Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, confirms that at one stage her members were told not to engage with headteachers on school re-opening. But at that point there was no government guidance. When that guidance was produced, the NEU did tell members to engage, she says. | |
| At the Commons education committee Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said it is “close to a national scandal” how little access some pupils have to online learning. | |
| She accepts that the government has set up a scheme to provide laptops to some disadvantaged year 10 pupils. But she says this is only helping a “tiny” proportion of those pupils who need help with this. | |
| At the Commons education committee Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, says the vast majority of her members have been setting online learning for their pupils. | |
| But she says some pupils do not have access to the internet. Sometimes the technology does not work, she says. And she says it is hard for teachers to know if the work has actually been done. | |
| She says schools need a better offer from the government on digital learning. And she says more pupils need to be provided with laptops. | |
| Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has said that he is taking a 10% pay cut as a contribution to addressing the funding crisis facing City Hall. But he said London needed more help from central government. He said: | Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has said that he is taking a 10% pay cut as a contribution to addressing the funding crisis facing City Hall. But he said London needed more help from central government. He said: |
| Khan is paid £152,734, and he will lose almost £15,300. He has also frozen pay for senior figures at City Hall. Our colleague Rajeev Syal has more details here. | Khan is paid £152,734, and he will lose almost £15,300. He has also frozen pay for senior figures at City Hall. Our colleague Rajeev Syal has more details here. |
| In the education committee Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, says her union wants schools to go back as soon as possible. But she says there is a need for a recovery plan. | In the education committee Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, says her union wants schools to go back as soon as possible. But she says there is a need for a recovery plan. |
| One problem is that England has very high pupil/teacher ratios, she says. | One problem is that England has very high pupil/teacher ratios, she says. |
| She suggests that other public buildings could be used. And she says the government should explore plans for blended learning, she says. | She suggests that other public buildings could be used. And she says the government should explore plans for blended learning, she says. |
| If the government retains its social distancing rules, schools will not be able to open as normal in September, she says. | If the government retains its social distancing rules, schools will not be able to open as normal in September, she says. |
| Tim Bowles, Metro Mayor, West of England Combined Authority, talked about how local lockdown might look. He said that more communication with government would be needed. | Tim Bowles, Metro Mayor, West of England Combined Authority, talked about how local lockdown might look. He said that more communication with government would be needed. |
| Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP who chairs the education committee, asks why children will get access to Primark in the next few months, but not access to schools. | Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP who chairs the education committee, asks why children will get access to Primark in the next few months, but not access to schools. |
| Bousted said schools are following the government guidance. If Halfon objects, he should take it up with the government, she suggests. | Bousted said schools are following the government guidance. If Halfon objects, he should take it up with the government, she suggests. |
| In the Commons the education committee has just started taking evidence from the teaching unions about school reopening. The witnesses are: Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union; Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT; Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders; and Jon Richards, national secretary for education at Unison. | In the Commons the education committee has just started taking evidence from the teaching unions about school reopening. The witnesses are: Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union; Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT; Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders; and Jon Richards, national secretary for education at Unison. |
| The session started with questions about the risk of returning. | The session started with questions about the risk of returning. |
| Interview with the husband of Mary Agyapong today in the BBC, where he says that the hospital should have done more to protect her. Nurse Agyapong died while pregnant and her child was delivered through c-section. The trust say she received the “best possible care”. | Interview with the husband of Mary Agyapong today in the BBC, where he says that the hospital should have done more to protect her. Nurse Agyapong died while pregnant and her child was delivered through c-section. The trust say she received the “best possible care”. |
| Mayor of Manchester said that capacity is going to be a problem on transport and so companies may need to restructure the working day and re-think when people are expected to come in. | Mayor of Manchester said that capacity is going to be a problem on transport and so companies may need to restructure the working day and re-think when people are expected to come in. |
| Andy Burnham said that they could put funding “to put more buses on the road”, noting that the coach industry would be brought in to help. | Andy Burnham said that they could put funding “to put more buses on the road”, noting that the coach industry would be brought in to help. |
| However, he said it would be hard to get change without looking at demand. “That is about restructuring the working day and giving people extra flexibility and being clear with businesses that we need people to sign up to come in at different times of the day or we will get chaos at tram stops.” | However, he said it would be hard to get change without looking at demand. “That is about restructuring the working day and giving people extra flexibility and being clear with businesses that we need people to sign up to come in at different times of the day or we will get chaos at tram stops.” |
| The transport committee is underway with Andy Burnham and Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram. | The transport committee is underway with Andy Burnham and Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram. |
| “Given social distancing and so on we are still unable to meet demand even on some of our routes. We have a good relationship with our bus operators... but on key routes they are still finding we are at capacity already due to social distancing,” Rotherham said | “Given social distancing and so on we are still unable to meet demand even on some of our routes. We have a good relationship with our bus operators... but on key routes they are still finding we are at capacity already due to social distancing,” Rotherham said |
| He said that if social distancing was relaxed to 1m on buses they would still only be able to “get one more passenger on buses”. | He said that if social distancing was relaxed to 1m on buses they would still only be able to “get one more passenger on buses”. |
| He said that they must see bus services support grants being properly devolved to transport authorities in their areas. | He said that they must see bus services support grants being properly devolved to transport authorities in their areas. |
| “We know what our main routes are and what routes need supporting and we can be flexible as opposed to directly paying operators to continue delivering in the old manner. We have to start using this as an opportunity to change how we work.” | “We know what our main routes are and what routes need supporting and we can be flexible as opposed to directly paying operators to continue delivering in the old manner. We have to start using this as an opportunity to change how we work.” |
| Banking giant HSBC has said it will resume plans to cut around 35,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years after putting the redundancy programme on hold amid the coronavirus crisis. In an internal memo to its 235,000 staff, chief executive Noel Quinn said the cuts first announced in February are “even more necessary today”. He said the group would will also freeze the “vast majority” of external recruitment. Quinn said: “We could not pause the job losses indefinitely - it was always a question of ‘not if, but when’.” | Banking giant HSBC has said it will resume plans to cut around 35,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years after putting the redundancy programme on hold amid the coronavirus crisis. In an internal memo to its 235,000 staff, chief executive Noel Quinn said the cuts first announced in February are “even more necessary today”. He said the group would will also freeze the “vast majority” of external recruitment. Quinn said: “We could not pause the job losses indefinitely - it was always a question of ‘not if, but when’.” |
| Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, joining the blog for the day. | Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, joining the blog for the day. |
| Here is the agenda showing what’s coming up. | Here is the agenda showing what’s coming up. |
| 9.30am: Metro mayors Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester), Steve Rotheram (Liverpool city region) and Tim Bowles (West of England) give evidence to the Commons transport committee on coronavirus and transport. | |
| 9.45am: Teaching unions leaders Patrick Roach (NASUWT), Julie McCulloch (ASCL), Jon Richards (Unison) and Mary Bousted (NEU) give evidence to the Commons education committee on school opening. | 9.45am: Teaching unions leaders Patrick Roach (NASUWT), Julie McCulloch (ASCL), Jon Richards (Unison) and Mary Bousted (NEU) give evidence to the Commons education committee on school opening. |
| 12pm: Boris Johnson faces Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs. | 12pm: Boris Johnson faces Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs. |
| 12.30pm: Matt Hancock, the health secretary, is due to answer a Commons urgent question on coronavirus. | 12.30pm: Matt Hancock, the health secretary, is due to answer a Commons urgent question on coronavirus. |
| 12.30pm: The Scottish and Welsh governments are due to hold their daily press conferences. | 12.30pm: The Scottish and Welsh governments are due to hold their daily press conferences. |
| 1.15pm: Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, makes a Commons statement on the prospect of the UK joining the TPP Asian free trade deal. | 1.15pm: Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, makes a Commons statement on the prospect of the UK joining the TPP Asian free trade deal. |
| 2.30pm: Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA, is among the witnesses giving evidence to the Commons women and equalities committee on the impact of coronavirus on BAME people. | 2.30pm: Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA, is among the witnesses giving evidence to the Commons women and equalities committee on the impact of coronavirus on BAME people. |
| 5pm: UK government press conference. | 5pm: UK government press conference. |
| The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has said he may have had “Harry Potter on the mind” when he mistakenly praised “Daniel Rashford” for his work on free school meals. The Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford led a campaign to extend the children’s food voucher scheme into the summer holidays, which forced a change in policy with a £120m fund to feed 1.3 million children in England over the six-week break. Denying that the government made an embarrassing U-turn on the subject, Hancock told Sky News on Wednesday morning: “”Righty-ho, I will tell you what happened, the prime minister talked to Daniel Rashford, he considered it and made his decision - I think it’s terrific.” The minister later told the radio station LBC that his child’s fondness for the JK Rowling novels may have been to blame and “maybe I had Harry Potter on the mind”. Harry Potter was played by Daniel Radcliffe in the movie adaptions of the popular books. Hancock added: “My seven-year-old listens to Harry Potter and reads Harry Potter avidly, including at 5.30 this morning when I got up to do this morning’s media round.” He suggested it had been “too early in the morning” and laughed as he told BBC Breakfast: “I completely misspoke.” England star Rashford, 22, appeared to joke about the incident, responding on Twitter by saying “I’ve been called much worse over the last couple of days” with a laughing face emoji. |