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| UK coronavirus live: officials meeting today to consider case for new restrictions for London, says Hancock | UK coronavirus live: officials meeting today to consider case for new restrictions for London, says Hancock |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Health secretary says nation is at a tipping point and if people do not follow the rules further restrictions may be necessary | Health secretary says nation is at a tipping point and if people do not follow the rules further restrictions may be necessary |
| Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has warned that the UK is at a “tipping point” nationally, while new coronavirus restrictions on London could be introduced in the coming days. | |
| Hancock has said that people should report anyone failing to self-isolate to the police - apparently contradicting Boris Johnson, who said last week he had “never much been in favour of sneak culture myself”. Asked by the BBC’s Andrew Marr whether he would snitch on a neighbour to police himself, Hancock said: | |
| Sir Keir Starmer has said that the government should act “in the next few days” to tackle the rising number of coronavirus cases, instead of waiting for weeks. (See 10.20am.) | |
| Starmer has said that Labour should be less shy about expressing its patriotism. (See 12.26pm.) Shortly after he made the comment in an interview on Times Radio, his deputy Angela Rayner used her speech to Labour’s virtual conference to argue that the “fire and rehire” policies being adopted by some major firms were not just immoral but unBritish. (See 12.19pm.) She said: | |
| Rayner used her speech to condemn Boris Johnson as a “Bullingdon Club blagger” less equipped to serve as prime minister than any of his predecessors. (See 12.19pm.) | |
| I’m afraid this blog is wrapping up now because I’m required elsewhere in the virtual newsroom. But our coverage continues on our global coronavirus live blog. It’s here. | |
| The Conservative party has put out this response to what Sir Keir Starmer was saying in his morning interviews this morning. It is from Amanda Milling, the Conservative party co-chair. She said: | The Conservative party has put out this response to what Sir Keir Starmer was saying in his morning interviews this morning. It is from Amanda Milling, the Conservative party co-chair. She said: |
| During conference season the main parties always put out statements criticising what’s been said by their opponents. Journalists often ignore them because they tend not to tell us anything new. But this statement is moderately interesting because it shows just how hard CCHQ is finding it to develop a credible line of attack against Starmer. They accuse him of not backing a Brexit trade deal, even though he did. They accuse him of not backing the union with Scotland, even though he did. And they accuse him of being too similar to Jeremy Corbyn, when everyone knows he isn’t. | During conference season the main parties always put out statements criticising what’s been said by their opponents. Journalists often ignore them because they tend not to tell us anything new. But this statement is moderately interesting because it shows just how hard CCHQ is finding it to develop a credible line of attack against Starmer. They accuse him of not backing a Brexit trade deal, even though he did. They accuse him of not backing the union with Scotland, even though he did. And they accuse him of being too similar to Jeremy Corbyn, when everyone knows he isn’t. |
| The only critique that has some truth in it is that Starmer has not set an alternative Covid plan. But Starmer is quite deliberately not setting out an alternative Covid plan; he is just saying that the existing plan (ie, testing) should actually work. | The only critique that has some truth in it is that Starmer has not set an alternative Covid plan. But Starmer is quite deliberately not setting out an alternative Covid plan; he is just saying that the existing plan (ie, testing) should actually work. |
| Speaking at Labour’s virtual conference, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said the government’s handling of coronavirus had been “hapless”. He said: | Speaking at Labour’s virtual conference, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said the government’s handling of coronavirus had been “hapless”. He said: |
| Since it’s Labour conference, here are three books about the party that have landed on my desk - two recently, one around the start of lockdown - that I would recommend. | Since it’s Labour conference, here are three books about the party that have landed on my desk - two recently, one around the start of lockdown - that I would recommend. |
| Left Out, the Inside Story of Labour under Corbyn, by Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire - This has already had plenty of rave reviews, and it really is every bit as good a people say; superbly written, exceptionally detailed, scrupulously fair, but above all gripping. It’s hard to put down. | Left Out, the Inside Story of Labour under Corbyn, by Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire - This has already had plenty of rave reviews, and it really is every bit as good a people say; superbly written, exceptionally detailed, scrupulously fair, but above all gripping. It’s hard to put down. |
| Sample extract: | Sample extract: |
| Beyond the Red Wall by Deborah Mattinson - A former pollster to Gordon Brown, Mattinson is one of Britain’s leading focus group/public opinion experts and this book is her attempt to explain why Red Wall voters abandoned Labour in 2019. It’s clear and compelling. Every Labour MP should have to read a copy, because there is no route back to power without addressing the issues she illuminates. | Beyond the Red Wall by Deborah Mattinson - A former pollster to Gordon Brown, Mattinson is one of Britain’s leading focus group/public opinion experts and this book is her attempt to explain why Red Wall voters abandoned Labour in 2019. It’s clear and compelling. Every Labour MP should have to read a copy, because there is no route back to power without addressing the issues she illuminates. |
| Sample extract: | Sample extract: |
| Warring Fictions: Left Populism and its Defining Myths, by Chris Clarke - This came out earlier this year and, although it says very little about Corbyn, or his policies, it provides real insight into Corbynism by anatomising the mindset of left populism, a key element of the phenomenon. Wide-ranging, clever and original, it’s a vital read for anyone interested in not just left populism, but any sort of populism at all. | Warring Fictions: Left Populism and its Defining Myths, by Chris Clarke - This came out earlier this year and, although it says very little about Corbyn, or his policies, it provides real insight into Corbynism by anatomising the mindset of left populism, a key element of the phenomenon. Wide-ranging, clever and original, it’s a vital read for anyone interested in not just left populism, but any sort of populism at all. |
| Sample extract: | Sample extract: |
| This is what Sir Keir Starmer told Times Radio this morning about Labour and patriotism. (See 11.11am.) | This is what Sir Keir Starmer told Times Radio this morning about Labour and patriotism. (See 11.11am.) |
| Here is the full text of Angela Rayner’s speech to the virtual Labour conference. It did not contain any announcements, or anything particular surprising, but deputy leaders’ speeches at Labour conference are usually devoted to political knockabout, and this had plenty of punchy, well-scripted attack lines. Here are some highlights. | Here is the full text of Angela Rayner’s speech to the virtual Labour conference. It did not contain any announcements, or anything particular surprising, but deputy leaders’ speeches at Labour conference are usually devoted to political knockabout, and this had plenty of punchy, well-scripted attack lines. Here are some highlights. |
| Rayner condemned Boris Johnson as a “Bullingdon Club blagger” who was less equipped to serve as prime minister than any of his predecessors. She said: | Rayner condemned Boris Johnson as a “Bullingdon Club blagger” who was less equipped to serve as prime minister than any of his predecessors. She said: |
| She paid a lavish tribute to key workers. She said: | She paid a lavish tribute to key workers. She said: |
| She stressed her own working class background, how much she gained personally from Labour achievements like Sure Start and the national wage, and how much her life experiences different from those of Boris Johnson and some of his cabinet colleagues. She said: | She stressed her own working class background, how much she gained personally from Labour achievements like Sure Start and the national wage, and how much her life experiences different from those of Boris Johnson and some of his cabinet colleagues. She said: |
| She suggested that the “fire and rehire” policies being adopted by some major firms were not just immoral but unpatriotic. She explained: | She suggested that the “fire and rehire” policies being adopted by some major firms were not just immoral but unpatriotic. She explained: |
| This was probably the most Starmeresque line in the speech. Earlier today Sir Keir Starmer told Times Radio that he wanted the party to sound more patriotic. (See 11.11am.) Here Rayner was rather neatly doing just that, wrapping a conventional Labour workers’ rights argument in the union flag. | This was probably the most Starmeresque line in the speech. Earlier today Sir Keir Starmer told Times Radio that he wanted the party to sound more patriotic. (See 11.11am.) Here Rayner was rather neatly doing just that, wrapping a conventional Labour workers’ rights argument in the union flag. |
| Q: Does Labour need a majority of working class votes at the next election? | Q: Does Labour need a majority of working class votes at the next election? |
| Yes, says Starmer. It needs to earn those votes. | Yes, says Starmer. It needs to earn those votes. |
| (At the last election the Conservatives had a greater share of working class votes than Labour did.) | (At the last election the Conservatives had a greater share of working class votes than Labour did.) |
| And that’s it. The Times Radio interview is over. | And that’s it. The Times Radio interview is over. |
| Q: If someone voted leave, hates their country being called racist, wants immigration to be controlled and wants a life sentence to mean a life sentence, would they be welcome at a Labour meeting? | Q: If someone voted leave, hates their country being called racist, wants immigration to be controlled and wants a life sentence to mean a life sentence, would they be welcome at a Labour meeting? |
| Starmer says he wants all views to be respected. The party has 580,000 members. People won’t always agree. | Starmer says he wants all views to be respected. The party has 580,000 members. People won’t always agree. |
| He says he is committed to rooting out factionalism. | He says he is committed to rooting out factionalism. |
| Q: You say Labour is under new leadership. But your policy agenda is the same as the old one. | Q: You say Labour is under new leadership. But your policy agenda is the same as the old one. |
| Starmer says saying Labour is under new leadership goes beyond policy. Trust in Labour has been damaged, he says. He needs to restore trust in the party. Until you do that, you will not get a hearing on policy. | Starmer says saying Labour is under new leadership goes beyond policy. Trust in Labour has been damaged, he says. He needs to restore trust in the party. Until you do that, you will not get a hearing on policy. |
| He says when he goes out, he asks to meet people who no longer vote Labour. He does not just want rallies with supporters. | He says when he goes out, he asks to meet people who no longer vote Labour. He does not just want rallies with supporters. |
| Q: Do those pledges still hold? | Q: Do those pledges still hold? |
| Starmer says Covid means the challenges facing the UK are now even greater than they were. We cannot go through the anguish of the last six months and then return to business as usual, he says. | Starmer says Covid means the challenges facing the UK are now even greater than they were. We cannot go through the anguish of the last six months and then return to business as usual, he says. |
| Q: Your 10 pledges imply you still want free movement? | Q: Your 10 pledges imply you still want free movement? |
| Starmer says now the UK has left the EU, free movement no longer applies. But he says people do want the benefits it brought. | Starmer says now the UK has left the EU, free movement no longer applies. But he says people do want the benefits it brought. |
| Gloria De Piero, the former Labour MP turned Times Radio presenter, says Labour has been running adverts this week saying the PM should get Brexit done. But Starmer used to back a second referendum. Which is the real Keir Starmer? | Gloria De Piero, the former Labour MP turned Times Radio presenter, says Labour has been running adverts this week saying the PM should get Brexit done. But Starmer used to back a second referendum. Which is the real Keir Starmer? |
| Starmer says the UK has left the EU. The remain/leave debate is over. He says some of the options on offer in the last parliament were not ideal. | Starmer says the UK has left the EU. The remain/leave debate is over. He says some of the options on offer in the last parliament were not ideal. |
| Q: Isn’t the government right to hold firm on state aid and fishing? | Q: Isn’t the government right to hold firm on state aid and fishing? |
| Starmer says he thinks a deal can be struck on both issues. And he is sceptical of the government’s arguments on state aid because the UK does not spent as much on state aid as currently allowed under EU rules. | Starmer says he thinks a deal can be struck on both issues. And he is sceptical of the government’s arguments on state aid because the UK does not spent as much on state aid as currently allowed under EU rules. |
| Times Radio is now broadcasting its interview with Sir Keir Starmer. | Times Radio is now broadcasting its interview with Sir Keir Starmer. |
| He started by saying that he thought Labour needed to do more to show its patriotism. Asked if he would be happy to wave the union jack, he said he had done in the past and would be happy to do so again in the future. | He started by saying that he thought Labour needed to do more to show its patriotism. Asked if he would be happy to wave the union jack, he said he had done in the past and would be happy to do so again in the future. |
| UPDATE: See 12.26pm for the full quote. | UPDATE: See 12.26pm for the full quote. |
| Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, told Sky News this morning that he was not worried “at the moment” about the direction in which Sir Keir Starmer was taking Labour. Starmer should stick with the progressive, ambitious agenda developed under Jeremy Corbyn, McCuskey said. And he said that leftwingers in the party had been much more respectful to Starmer than rightwingers had been to Corbyn. | Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, told Sky News this morning that he was not worried “at the moment” about the direction in which Sir Keir Starmer was taking Labour. Starmer should stick with the progressive, ambitious agenda developed under Jeremy Corbyn, McCuskey said. And he said that leftwingers in the party had been much more respectful to Starmer than rightwingers had been to Corbyn. |
| Sky’s Sam Coates says there are members of the cabinet who agree with Prof Carl Heneghan’s argument that imposing further restrictions now would be a mistake. (See 10.45am.) | Sky’s Sam Coates says there are members of the cabinet who agree with Prof Carl Heneghan’s argument that imposing further restrictions now would be a mistake. (See 10.45am.) |
| Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, is about to deliver her speech to Labour’s online conference. You can watch it here. | Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, is about to deliver her speech to Labour’s online conference. You can watch it here. |
| I will post a summary once I’ve seen the full text. | I will post a summary once I’ve seen the full text. |
| Here is my colleague Heather Stewart’s story about Matt Hancock’s comments this morning. | Here is my colleague Heather Stewart’s story about Matt Hancock’s comments this morning. |