labourlist--2020-09-29--The impact of Covid on dementia sufferers lays bare the need for social care reform

As we approach the winter and start to see a concerning rise in the number of coronavirus cases in some local areas , there has never been a more important time for the government to look at how some of the most vulnerable in our society have been impacted by the pandemic and how best they can be supported going forward .
As chair of the all-party parliamentary group ( APPG ) on dementia , I have been particularly concerned about the effect of the pandemic on people living with dementia and their families .
Before the summer , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from people affected by dementia how the pandemic has affected their lives .
We heard how sudden changes to people ’ s routines had caused great distress to those with dementia , or even worsened their condition .
We also heard how the stopping of care home visits was causing real pain to families .
As chair of the group , I ’ m proud to work closely with Alzheimer ’ s Society .
The charity is publishing a report today on how people affected by dementia have experienced coronavirus .
It finds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic in the UK .
It also provides overwhelming evidence that the virus and the effects of the pandemic have had a devastating impact on many of the 850,000 people in the UK with dementia , whether they live in the community or in a care home .
The government ’ s response to the virus for care home residents has been inadequate and piecemeal at best .
With the majority of the care home residents having some form of dementia , the lack of personal protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left the population extremely vulnerable and has no doubt led to the hugely disproportionate impact the virus has had on people with dementia .
There is no identified clinical vulnerability to the virus for people with dementia , yet as things stand more than a quarter of all Covid-19 deaths – over 14,000 – have been among people with dementia .
Dementia can be a cruel disease that affects people in many different ways .
For many with dementia , their family and friends play a significant role in their care , whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Removing their access to care homes has meant the removal of vital care .
As an MP , it has been truly heartbreaking to hear from constituents in Oldham who have been prevented from visiting loved ones with dementia .
It ’ s imperative that the government gives family and friends access to PPE and testing so that they , and care home staff , have confidence that they can safely visit their relatives in care homes .
The government must also provide essential care and support for people with dementia living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic doesn ’ t just relate to the virus itself , but the impact of the associated restrictions .
We already know that people with dementia are more likely to live with depression , which will only have been exacerbated by the loneliness and isolation caused by lockdown measures .
Almost half of people with dementia say the lockdown has had a negative impact on their mental health .
It ’ s not just the people with dementia themselves who have been affected by the pandemic – the crisis has also hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We know that there is an army of unpaid carers , who are now struggling to care round the clock for their loved ones , exhausted and ‘ burnt out ’ with nowhere else to turn .
Alzheimer ’ s Society has estimated that family and friends have provided an extra 92 million hours of unpaid care throughout the pandemic .
I have been working with organisations like Alzheimer ’ s Society for some time now , calling for the much-needed reform to our social care system .
Coronavirus has laid bare the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see .
The need for change is clear and urgent : the government must bring forward plans for social care reform in early 2021 .

As we approach the winter and start to see a concerning rise in the number of coronavirus cases in some local areas, there has never been a more important time for the government to look at how some of the most vulnerable in our society have been impacted by the pandemic and how best they can be supported going forward.
As chair of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on dementia, I have been particularly concerned about the effect of the pandemic on people living with dementia and their families. Before the summer, our APPG held a roundtable and heard first-hand from people affected by dementia how the pandemic has affected their lives. We heard how sudden changes to people’s routines had caused great distress to those with dementia, or even worsened their condition. We also heard how the stopping of care home visits was causing real pain to families.
As chair of the group, I’m proud to work closely with Alzheimer’s Society. The charity is publishing a report today on how people affected by dementia have experienced coronavirus. It finds that those with dementia have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic in the UK. It also provides overwhelming evidence that the virus and the effects of the pandemic have had a devastating impact on many of the 850,000 people in the UK with dementia, whether they live in the community or in a care home.
The government’s response to the virus for care home residents has been inadequate and piecemeal at best. With the majority of the care home residents having some form of dementia, the lack of personal protective equipment, testing and other protections have left the population extremely vulnerable and has no doubt led to the hugely disproportionate impact the virus has had on people with dementia. There is no identified clinical vulnerability to the virus for people with dementia, yet as things stand more than a quarter of all Covid-19 deaths – over 14,000 – have been among people with dementia.
Dementia can be a cruel disease that affects people in many different ways. For many with dementia, their family and friends play a significant role in their care, whether through interpreting needs or providing personal care. Removing their access to care homes has meant the removal of vital care. As an MP, it has been truly heartbreaking to hear from constituents in Oldham who have been prevented from visiting loved ones with dementia. It’s imperative that the government gives family and friends access to PPE and testing so that they, and care home staff, have confidence that they can safely visit their relatives in care homes. The government must also provide essential care and support for people with dementia living in the community.
The impact of the pandemic doesn’t just relate to the virus itself, but the impact of the associated restrictions. We already know that people with dementia are more likely to live with depression, which will only have been exacerbated by the loneliness and isolation caused by lockdown measures. Almost half of people with dementia say the lockdown has had a negative impact on their mental health.
It’s not just the people with dementia themselves who have been affected by the pandemic – the crisis has also hit family carers and professional carers hard. We know that there is an army of unpaid carers, who are now struggling to care round the clock for their loved ones, exhausted and ‘burnt out’ with nowhere else to turn. Alzheimer’s Society has estimated that family and friends have provided an extra 92 million hours of unpaid care throughout the pandemic.
I have been working with organisations like Alzheimer’s Society for some time now, calling for the much-needed reform to our social care system. Coronavirus has laid bare the dire state of social care for all to see. The need for change is clear and urgent: the government must bring forward plans for social care reform in early 2021.


labourlist--2020-09-29--We need to recover jobs, retrain workers and rebuild business

The Chancellor had a choice last week : protect people ’ s jobs and livelihoods through the difficult months ahead , or accept the risk of unemployment reaching levels not seen since the 1980s .
In a tragedy for working people across the country , he chose the second option .
Cobbled together at the eleventh hour , the ‘ job support scheme ’ , the centrepiece of the Chancellor ’ s economic plan , is too little too late .
Labour has been calling for targeted support for months .
Hundreds of thousands of workers have already lost their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear about the scheme , the greater the dread for the millions of workers still on furlough .
The way it has been set up means many employers will find it pays to bring back some of their workers and let the rest go , rather than keeping as many on as possible through the winter .
Elsewhere in his plan , the Chancellor made a misguided yet deliberate choice not to support those sectors – such as aerospace , the arts and hospitality – that are critical to the UK ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national and local restrictions .
And at the very moment we face the second wave of this deadly pandemic , the Chancellor had nothing to say about the shambles of test and trace , nor did he offer support for those needing to self-isolate .
The Chancellor has simply failed to face up to the scale of the crisis .
Too many people are left out of his scheme , it doesn ’ t protect low earners and doesn ’ t do enough to ensure companies behave responsibly .
But there is another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chancellor Anneliese Dodds set out the Labour alternative : three steps that together would take Britain towards a better , more secure future – recover jobs , retrain workers , rebuild business .
First , we need to recover jobs .
Rather than a devastating spike in unemployment , we need a genuine job recovery scheme .
One that gives employers a better chance to support their workers by rewarding them for bringing more back part-time and working fewer weekly hours .
Our scheme would also support employers to train their workforce , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courses to prepare for the future .
Second , we need to support those who have lost their jobs through a nationwide retraining strategy , putting education and training at the heart of our response .
We should be equipping people for the secure , skilled jobs of the future , not consigning them to the worst jobs crisis in decades .
The new training initiatives announced by the government today are little more than a mix of reheated old policies and funding that won ’ t be available until April .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of work for a year or more , so it risks being too late for many .
It is staggering that the Chancellor had nothing to say to the millions facing unemployment and real hardship over the winter .
In the long-term , Labour would scrap Universal Credit , replacing it with a proper social safety net .
But to deal with the immediate impact of this crisis , Labour is calling for five urgent changes , including ending the benefit cap and an end to the five-week wait .
Finally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help rebuild businesses .
Many businesses are close to the edge .
This matters , not least because struggling businesses are unlikely to be able to take on more employees .
More than that , it ’ s clear that our economy needs to change .
Not just because of the coronavirus crisis , but to end a decade of economic insecurity , inequality and low pay .
The Chancellor provided some limited new support to business on Thursday , but missed an opportunity to put in place a transformative programme that meets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need an ambitious Green New Deal to rapidly decarbonise our economy and support the creation of good quality jobs for the future , including in green industries , social care and across the public sector .
And rather than giving no-strings-attached support to underperforming companies like Serco , or funding firms run by the Tories ’ dodgy mates , Labour would give our NHS and public services the resources they need and see businesses rewarded for doing the right thing : paying their taxes , investing for the future , creating jobs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The pandemic has exposed how the workers we should value the most are often the least well paid .
Empowered trade unions should be our partners in industrial strategy , helping to build a fairer economy that works for all .
Boris Johnson ’ s Tories continue to struggle with the reality of the pandemic and economic crisis facing the country .
They are in denial about the economic fallout from their failure to get a grip on the health crisis , and they are in denial about the impact of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
My own constituency of Liverpool Walton now faces the highest levels of youth unemployment in the country according to latest figures .
The jobs crisis is a tragedy for a generation who need help now and hope for the future .
It couldn ’ t be clearer : we can ’ t go back to a low paid , precarious , exploitative jobs market .
We can ’ t go back to a social security system that punishes people for not being in work instead of supporting them .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy that fails to meet our basic needs and puts our future at risk .
People need security , but this government is not going to give it to them .
Labour ’ s job recovery scheme would .
But people also need to see the light at the end of the tunnel .
Labour ’ s three steps to recover jobs , retrain workers and rebuild businesses would form the foundations of an ambitious green recovery from the coronavirus crisis , creating a fairer , more secure and more sustainable future for @ @ @

The Chancellor had a choice last week: protect people’s jobs and livelihoods through the difficult months ahead, or accept the risk of unemployment reaching levels not seen since the 1980s. In a tragedy for working people across the country, he chose the second option. Cobbled together at the eleventh hour, the ‘job support scheme’, the centrepiece of the Chancellor’s economic plan, is too little too late.
Labour has been calling for targeted support for months. Hundreds of thousands of workers have already lost their jobs. And the more details we hear about the scheme, the greater the dread for the millions of workers still on furlough. The way it has been set up means many employers will find it pays to bring back some of their workers and let the rest go, rather than keeping as many on as possible through the winter.
Elsewhere in his plan, the Chancellor made a misguided yet deliberate choice not to support those sectors – such as aerospace, the arts and hospitality – that are critical to the UK’s economic future but currently affected severely by national and local restrictions. And at the very moment we face the second wave of this deadly pandemic, the Chancellor had nothing to say about the shambles of test and trace, nor did he offer support for those needing to self-isolate.
The Chancellor has simply failed to face up to the scale of the crisis. Too many people are left out of his scheme, it doesn’t protect low earners and doesn’t do enough to ensure companies behave responsibly. But there is another way. At Labour Connected, Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds set out the Labour alternative: three steps that together would take Britain towards a better, more secure future – recover jobs, retrain workers, rebuild business.
First, we need to recover jobs. Rather than a devastating spike in unemployment, we need a genuine job recovery scheme. One that gives employers a better chance to support their workers by rewarding them for bringing more back part-time and working fewer weekly hours. Our scheme would also support employers to train their workforce, so that staff can undertake good quality courses to prepare for the future.
Second, we need to support those who have lost their jobs through a nationwide retraining strategy, putting education and training at the heart of our response. We should be equipping people for the secure, skilled jobs of the future, not consigning them to the worst jobs crisis in decades. The new training initiatives announced by the government today are little more than a mix of reheated old policies and funding that won’t be available until April. By then, some people will have been out of work for a year or more, so it risks being too late for many.
It is staggering that the Chancellor had nothing to say to the millions facing unemployment and real hardship over the winter. In the long-term, Labour would scrap Universal Credit, replacing it with a proper social safety net. But to deal with the immediate impact of this crisis, Labour is calling for five urgent changes, including ending the benefit cap and an end to the five-week wait.
Finally, we urgently need measures in place to help rebuild businesses. Many businesses are close to the edge. This matters, not least because struggling businesses are unlikely to be able to take on more employees. More than that, it’s clear that our economy needs to change. Not just because of the coronavirus crisis, but to end a decade of economic insecurity, inequality and low pay.
The Chancellor provided some limited new support to business on Thursday, but missed an opportunity to put in place a transformative programme that meets the scale of the challenge. We need an ambitious Green New Deal to rapidly decarbonise our economy and support the creation of good quality jobs for the future, including in green industries, social care and across the public sector.
And rather than giving no-strings-attached support to underperforming companies like Serco, or funding firms run by the Tories’ dodgy mates, Labour would give our NHS and public services the resources they need and see businesses rewarded for doing the right thing: paying their taxes, investing for the future, creating jobs and supporting our just transition to net zero.
The pandemic has exposed how the workers we should value the most are often the least well paid. Empowered trade unions should be our partners in industrial strategy, helping to build a fairer economy that works for all.
Boris Johnson’s Tories continue to struggle with the reality of the pandemic and economic crisis facing the country. They are in denial about the economic fallout from their failure to get a grip on the health crisis, and they are in denial about the impact of the coming jobs crisis on communities across the country.
My own constituency of Liverpool Walton now faces the highest levels of youth unemployment in the country according to latest figures. The jobs crisis is a tragedy for a generation who need help now and hope for the future.
It couldn’t be clearer: we can’t go back to a low paid, precarious, exploitative jobs market. We can’t go back to a social security system that punishes people for not being in work instead of supporting them. And we can’t go back to an economy that fails to meet our basic needs and puts our future at risk.
People need security, but this government is not going to give it to them. Labour’s job recovery scheme would. But people also need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Labour’s three steps to recover jobs, retrain workers and rebuild businesses would form the foundations of an ambitious green recovery from the coronavirus crisis, creating a fairer, more secure and more sustainable future for the country.


labourlist--2020-09-29--79% of business leaders open to four-day working week, new poll shows

A new poll conducted by Survation indicates that 79 % of business leaders are open to the idea of introducing a four-day working week to their companies in light of the coronavirus pandemic .
The research , commissioned by the 4 Day Week Campaign and think tank Autonomy , asked a cross-section of 500 executives , directors and business owners for their views on the policy proposal .
47 % of respondents said they would be “ very open ” to the idea , which has been trialled by many companies during the pandemic , and a further 32 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it .
Only 9 % said they were “ not at all open ” to it .
Reacting to the new findings , Joe Ryle , a campaigner with the 4 Day Week Campaign , said : “ This is exactly the right moment to introduce a four-day week with no reduction in pay across the country .
“ The four-day week is no longer seen as a scary idea to business because they are realising that it would boost productivity and give workers a much better work-life balance .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trade unions and the government , to make it happen.
” TUC analysis from last year found that workers in the UK are putting in the longest hours in the European Union , at an average of 42 hours each week , despite our productivity lagging behind other European countries .
The 4 Day Week Campaign is calling for a four-day , 32-hour working week with no reduction in pay for workers except for the highest of earners who can afford to take the option .
A poll earlier this year found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – including even a majority of Tory voters – thought the government should consider the policy as a way to help cope with coronavirus .
Commenting on the results of the new study , Autonomy ’ s director of research Will Stronge said : “ The four-day week is popular with businesses , trade unions and even Conservative voters .
“ Some businesses have already begun getting on with it themselves post-Covid-19 but this added support from business leaders should put the rocket boosters on .
The UK has a unique opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s about time we get on with it.
” Research by Autonomy released in August looked at the economic impact of a four-day week in the public sector and found that the move would create up to half a million new jobs , helping to limit the anticipated rise in unemployment .
Left-wing Labour shadow cabinet member Andy McDonald backed trials of a four-day week at an online event earlier this month , citing benefits to workers ’ wellbeing , the climate and the economy as a whole .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a four-day week… regarding the importance of non-work time for our mental and physical health , our sense of wellbeing generally and how this would increase productivity , should in my view be increasingly trialled with the introduction of more pilot schemes.
” “ And if piloted on a larger scale , it would also enable us to measure other potential reductions in air pollution and overall carbon footprint – obviously vitally important as we seek to address the existential challenges of climate change.
” The Shadow Employment Rights Secretary suggested that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as arts and hospitality , could benefit hugely from the increased engagement brought about by consumers with more free time .

A new poll conducted by Survation indicates that 79% of business leaders are open to the idea of introducing a four-day working week to their companies in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The research, commissioned by the 4 Day Week Campaign and think tank Autonomy, asked a cross-section of 500 executives, directors and business owners for their views on the policy proposal.
47% of respondents said they would be “very open” to the idea, which has been trialled by many companies during the pandemic, and a further 32% said they would “quite open” to it. Only 9% said they were “not at all open” to it.
Reacting to the new findings, Joe Ryle, a campaigner with the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: “This is exactly the right moment to introduce a four-day week with no reduction in pay across the country.
“The four-day week is no longer seen as a scary idea to business because they are realising that it would boost productivity and give workers a much better work-life balance. It’s time for business, working with the trade unions and the government, to make it happen.”
TUC analysis from last year found that workers in the UK are putting in the longest hours in the European Union, at an average of 42 hours each week, despite our productivity lagging behind other European countries.
The 4 Day Week Campaign is calling for a four-day, 32-hour working week with no reduction in pay for workers except for the highest of earners who can afford to take the option.
A poll earlier this year found that nearly two thirds of the public – including even a majority of Tory voters – thought the government should consider the policy as a way to help cope with coronavirus.
Commenting on the results of the new study, Autonomy’s director of research Will Stronge said: “The four-day week is popular with businesses, trade unions and even Conservative voters.
“Some businesses have already begun getting on with it themselves post-Covid-19 but this added support from business leaders should put the rocket boosters on. The UK has a unique opportunity to be a pioneer for the four-day week and it’s about time we get on with it.”
Research by Autonomy released in August looked at the economic impact of a four-day week in the public sector and found that the move would create up to half a million new jobs, helping to limit the anticipated rise in unemployment.
Left-wing Labour shadow cabinet member Andy McDonald backed trials of a four-day week at an online event earlier this month, citing benefits to workers’ wellbeing, the climate and the economy as a whole.
He said: “The potential benefits of a four-day week… regarding the importance of non-work time for our mental and physical health, our sense of wellbeing generally and how this would increase productivity, should in my view be increasingly trialled with the introduction of more pilot schemes.”
“And if piloted on a larger scale, it would also enable us to measure other potential reductions in air pollution and overall carbon footprint – obviously vitally important as we seek to address the existential challenges of climate change.”
The Shadow Employment Rights Secretary suggested that “beleaguered” sectors of the economy, such as arts and hospitality, could benefit hugely from the increased engagement brought about by consumers with more free time.


labourlist--2020-09-29--Williamson to break silence on university chaos as PM unveils ‘new’ education policy

Where ’ s Williamson ?
Thousands of students – including freshers who will be at university and living away from home for the first time – are locked into their halls , some with security stationed outside their accommodation and running out of provisions .
But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson , perhaps bruised by the A-Level results chaos of the summer , has been nowhere in sight .
Labour ’ s Kate Green has called for an end to his “ Invisible Man act ” , and indeed her Tory counterpart will appear in the Commons at around 12.30pm to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It doesn ’ t sound as if ministers have an answer so far for those students demanding refunds .
While the National Union of Students and the University College Union have said the government should help cash-strapped universities with such requests , students are simply being referred to the normal complaints processes at the moment .
If politicians hadn ’ t marketised higher education , which leads to students understandably seeing their experience as a commodified service and their limited contact hours as representing poor value for money , the current situation would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will announce a new education policy today : a ‘ lifetime skills guarantee ’ , i.e .
free college courses for people without A-Levels or equivalent qualifications .
This addresses one of the key criticisms of Rishi Sunak ’ s latest coronavirus package last week , which made little mention of training and retraining despite how crucial that will be to the recovery ( and the transition to a more Covid-suited economy , which appears to be what the government is now aiming for ) .
Labour has called for a national retraining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson ’ s initiative “ a mix of reheated old policies ” and points out that the funding will not be available until April .
“ By then , many workers could have been out of work for nearly a year , ” the Shadow Education Secretary said .
“ These measures will not reverse the devastating impact of a decade of cuts , and will not give workers the skills and support they need in the months ahead.
” It seems the scheme is less about mitigating the effect of coronavirus-related unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the long-term – but again the devastating impact and urgency of the very real job losses coming next month seems lost on the government .
On LabourList , we ’ ve got plenty of news , analysis and comment to offer already this week : the nominations in Labour ’ s national executive committee race , the nominations in UNISON ’ s general secretary election , an interview with Welsh Labour government minister Jeremy Miles on the internal market bill , and a less serious chat with the founder of Labour Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will be joining UK in a Changing Europe to host an event with Rachel Reeves , Stephen Bush and Anand Menon on Labour ’ s Brexit policy .
You can sign up here .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

Where’s Williamson? Thousands of students – including freshers who will be at university and living away from home for the first time – are locked into their halls, some with security stationed outside their accommodation and running out of provisions. But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, perhaps bruised by the A-Level results chaos of the summer, has been nowhere in sight. Labour’s Kate Green has called for an end to his “Invisible Man act”, and indeed her Tory counterpart will appear in the Commons at around 12.30pm to deliver a statement on university returns.
It doesn’t sound as if ministers have an answer so far for those students demanding refunds. While the National Union of Students and the University College Union have said the government should help cash-strapped universities with such requests, students are simply being referred to the normal complaints processes at the moment. If politicians hadn’t marketised higher education, which leads to students understandably seeing their experience as a commodified service and their limited contact hours as representing poor value for money, the current situation would be less messy.
The Prime Minister will announce a new education policy today: a ‘lifetime skills guarantee’, i.e. free college courses for people without A-Levels or equivalent qualifications. This addresses one of the key criticisms of Rishi Sunak’s latest coronavirus package last week, which made little mention of training and retraining despite how crucial that will be to the recovery (and the transition to a more Covid-suited economy, which appears to be what the government is now aiming for). Labour has called for a national retraining strategy, but Kate Green brands Boris Johnson’s initiative “a mix of reheated old policies” and points out that the funding will not be available until April.
“By then, many workers could have been out of work for nearly a year,” the Shadow Education Secretary said. “These measures will not reverse the devastating impact of a decade of cuts, and will not give workers the skills and support they need in the months ahead.” It seems the scheme is less about mitigating the effect of coronavirus-related unemployment, and more about filling skills gaps in the long-term – but again the devastating impact and urgency of the very real job losses coming next month seems lost on the government.
On LabourList, we’ve got plenty of news, analysis and comment to offer already this week: the nominations in Labour’s national executive committee race, the nominations in UNISON’s general secretary election, an interview with Welsh Labour government minister Jeremy Miles on the internal market bill, and a less serious chat with the founder of Labour Party Graphic Designers. And in one week, we will be joining UK in a Changing Europe to host an event with Rachel Reeves, Stephen Bush and Anand Menon on Labour’s Brexit policy. You can sign up here. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-09-28--Labour: Williamson must “end his ‘Invisible Man’ act” on university chaos

Kate Green has called on the Education Secretary to “ end his ‘ Invisible Man ’ act ” and “ get to grips with the situation ” facing students who have recently returned to universities in the pandemic .
Commenting ahead of a parliamentary statement by Gavin Williamson tomorrow , the Shadow Education Secretary said the chaos unfolding at universities had been met by “ days of silence ” from her Tory counterpart .
Green demanded that Williamson “ put young people and parents ’ minds at rest ” in his Commons contribution , following widespread reports of disruption as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and severe restrictions .
Highlighting the “ anxiety mounting among parents ” , as well as the challenge for students confined to their accommodation , Labour has set out a number of key questions for the Education Secretary to answer : • “ What steps he took over the summer to ensure that students would be able to return to university safely ?
• “ Whether after days of chaos and contradictory statements from Conservative politicians , he can finally guarantee that every student will be able to safely return home to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to testing ?
• “ What urgent steps are now being taken to ensure that every student can receive the best standard of education , whether on campus or at home ?
• “ If he can guarantee that every student who is required to self-isolate will be able to access their education remotely ?
• “ What his message is for parents and those students who have not yet moved to campus ?
• “ What steps are being put in place to support the mental health of students , particularly those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What help will be provided to students unions to allow them to continue to provide pastoral support to students on and off campus ?
” The Shadow Education Secretary said : “ After days of silence , this statement is a chance for the Education Secretary to end his ‘ Invisible Man ’ act and begin to get to grips with the situation .
None of this was unforeseeable .
“ Labour and others have warned that campuses would need access to testing .
But – just as with the exams fiasco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has created chaos through his incompetence and failure to act .
“ Gavin Williamson must set out what he is doing to resolve these problems and put young people and parents ’ minds at rest.
” Despite the disruption seen over the past few days as restrictions have been imposed on students , Williamson has so far not made any public appearance , issued any statement or posted on social media since September 10th .
Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy used an interview on Sunday to call on the government to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after cabinet ministers offered mixed messages on the issue .
Conservative Party co-chair Amanda Milling claimed on the weekend that there were no plans to keep students at university over Christmas , three days after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the opposite .
The Shadow Education Secretary urged Williamson in a letter sent over the weekend to delay the start of some university terms this year until mass testing is available to all students on campuses .
Labour MP Siobhan McDonagh accused universities on Monday of treating their students like “ cash cows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should consider refunds for students who now face campus lockdowns .
This latest intervention by Green comes after reports emerged that 1,700 students at Manchester Metropolitan University were banned from leaving their flats , even to get a coronavirus test at a walk-in centre less than a mile away .

Kate Green has called on the Education Secretary to “end his ‘Invisible Man’ act” and “get to grips with the situation” facing students who have recently returned to universities in the pandemic.
Commenting ahead of a parliamentary statement by Gavin Williamson tomorrow, the Shadow Education Secretary said the chaos unfolding at universities had been met by “days of silence” from her Tory counterpart.
Green demanded that Williamson “put young people and parents’ minds at rest” in his Commons contribution, following widespread reports of disruption as thousands of students have seen campus lockdowns and severe restrictions.
Highlighting the “anxiety mounting among parents”, as well as the challenge for students confined to their accommodation, Labour has set out a number of key questions for the Education Secretary to answer:
“What steps he took over the summer to ensure that students would be able to return to university safely?
“Whether after days of chaos and contradictory statements from Conservative politicians, he can finally guarantee that every student will be able to safely return home to be with their families at Christmas after access to testing?
“What urgent steps are now being taken to ensure that every student can receive the best standard of education, whether on campus or at home?
“If he can guarantee that every student who is required to self-isolate will be able to access their education remotely?
“What his message is for parents and those students who have not yet moved to campus?
“What steps are being put in place to support the mental health of students, particularly those who are required to self-isolate?
“What help will be provided to students unions to allow them to continue to provide pastoral support to students on and off campus?”
The Shadow Education Secretary said: “After days of silence, this statement is a chance for the Education Secretary to end his ‘Invisible Man’ act and begin to get to grips with the situation. None of this was unforeseeable.
“Labour and others have warned that campuses would need access to testing. But – just as with the exams fiasco over the summer – the Education Secretary has created chaos through his incompetence and failure to act.
“Gavin Williamson must set out what he is doing to resolve these problems and put young people and parents’ minds at rest.”
Despite the disruption seen over the past few days as restrictions have been imposed on students, Williamson has so far not made any public appearance, issued any statement or posted on social media since September 10th.
Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy used an interview on Sunday to call on the government to make sure that students could return home at Christmas after cabinet ministers offered mixed messages on the issue.
Conservative Party co-chair Amanda Milling claimed on the weekend that there were no plans to keep students at university over Christmas, three days after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the opposite.
The Shadow Education Secretary urged Williamson in a letter sent over the weekend to delay the start of some university terms this year until mass testing is available to all students on campuses.
Labour MP Siobhan McDonagh accused universities on Monday of treating their students like “cash cows”, and suggested that the UK should consider refunds for students who now face campus lockdowns.
This latest intervention by Green comes after reports emerged that 1,700 students at Manchester Metropolitan University were banned from leaving their flats, even to get a coronavirus test at a walk-in centre less than a mile away.


labourlist--2020-09-29--Labour backs campaign to stop “unbelievable” cuts to Universal Credit

Labour has backed a campaign by over 50 organisations calling for Covid Universal Credit increases to be kept in place to stop 700,000 people falling into poverty and said it is “ unbelievable ” that the government would consider cutting the benefit .
Responding to a letter sent from groups including Barnardo ’ s , Oxfam and Shelter calling for the Universal Credit Covid uplift to be continued , Labour argued that the government needs to “ strengthen the safety net ” for suffering families .
The government raised the standard allowance for 12 months earlier in the year as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis , increasing the rate for a single claimant over the age of 25 from £317.82 to £409.89 per month .
The signatories of the letter described the boost as a “ lifeline ” for many people in the pandemic , and warned that the “ good work risks being undermined ” if the £20-per-week increase is cut as currently scheduled in April 2021 .
Commenting after the Chancellor failed to mention the benefit in his economic update to the Commons last week , Jonathan Reynolds said : “ It ’ s unbelievable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Credit in the middle of a jobs crisis .
“ The government should have listened to Labour ’ s calls to up-rate legacy benefits to match the increase in Universal Credit , providing an immediate increase in Jobseeker ’ s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance upon which so many are now reliant in this jobs crisis.
” The Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary added : “ The government must do all it can to strengthen the safety net to prevent families and individuals from sliding further into hardship from which it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter , coordinated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation , has been sent following Rishi Sunak ’ s winter economic update last week , in which he acknowledged that many people will see job losses in the coming months .
The group of charities , food bank providers , disability groups , trade unions and others warned against pushing hundreds of thousands of people without jobs into poverty , as well as worsening conditions for those already in poverty .
They also emphasised the importance of extending support to include those on legacy benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right ” to abandon the 1.5 million largely sick and disabled people who are on these soon-to-be phased out programmes .
Joseph Rowntree Foundation director Helen Barnard said : “ Today ’ s letter shows the overwhelming support that exists for this lifeline which is playing a critical role in helping many families keep their heads above water in extremely turbulent times .
“ Building on existing cross-party support in parliament , we are coming together to urge ministers not to cut social security at precisely the moment our country needs it most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritise those hardest hit , pulling families worst affected by the pandemic back from the brink .
“ We are united in calling on the Chancellor to keep doing the right thing by making the uplift to Universal Credit permanent and extending it to those claiming legacy benefits.
” Recent research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimated that the end of the £20-a-week increase in April next year would cut annual incomes by £1,040 for 16 million households and push 700,000 people into poverty .
The Shadow Work And Pensions Secretary committed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Universal Credit scheme if Labour wins the next election , saying it was necessary if the party wants to fulfill its plan to end child poverty .
Below is the full text of the letter sent to Chancellor Rishi Sunak .
Following your statement last week , we are writing to you , to collectively urge you to make the temporary £20/week increase to the standard allowance of Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit permanent from April , as well as extend the same uplift to Employment and Support Allowance , Income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We welcomed the swift action you took at the start of the pandemic to implement this much-needed investment .
Falling incomes and rising costs throughout the pandemic have put families under immense financial pressure , but the £20 uplift has been a lifeline that has enabled many of them to keep their heads above water and has stopped us seeing a marked surge in poverty levels .
However , if the uplift ends in April 2021 , this good work risks being undermined .
Modelling by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation indicates that around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing an overnight income loss equivalent to £1,040 a year , with those on the lowest incomes and families with children being hardest hit .
At a stroke , 700,000 more people will be pulled into poverty , including 300,000 children , and 500,000 more of those already in poverty will be plunged into deep poverty ( more than 50 % below the poverty line ) .
We are therefore urging you to make the uplift permanent and stop families being cut adrift whilst they need help to stay afloat .
Your statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will see job losses over the months to come , and even those whose jobs are protected through the job support scheme will see income cuts .
Along with measures to protect jobs , we hoped to see reassurance and commitment to those who have already , or will be faced with , job and income loss .
Even the most optimistic forecasts expect unemployment to surge and remain high for some time to come .
We warmly welcome the government ’ s commitment to invest in jobs , skills and infrastructure ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country .
However , these investments will take time and it is crucial that our social security system offers the certainty and security people need to help them stay afloat so that they are equipped to grasp every new opportunity and are protected from the damaging long term consequences of financial hardship .
Further , it is simply not right that those on legacy benefits , who are mostly sick or disabled people and carers , and so have been most at risk during this pandemic , have not been thrown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow the advice of the social security advisory committee and support 1.5 million more people by applying an equivalent uplift to those on legacy benefits who have so far been excluded from increases .
Our modelling shows that the total cost of making the lifeline permanent ( in addition to normal annual CPI uprating ) and extending to legacy benefits would be around £9bn a year .
A significant investment but crucial for our nation ’ s recovery .
We urge the government to keep doing the right thing , keep families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sincerely , Action for Children The Association of Charitable Organisations Barnardo ’ s Become Bevan Foundation Centrepoint Christians Against Poverty Church Action on Poverty Citizens Advice Child Poverty Action Group Disability Benefits Consortium ( a network of over 100 disability organisations ) End Child Poverty Coalition The Equality Trust The Fawcett Society Feeding Britain Gingerbread Greater Manchester Poverty Action Homeless Link Independent Food Aid Network Joseph Rowntree Foundation Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales Macmillan Cancer Support The Mighty Creatives Mind Motor Neurone Disease Association The MS Society National AIDS Trust National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Housing Federation Neighbourly New Horizons North East Child Poverty Commission Nourish Scotland Oxfam GB The Poverty Alliance Rethink Mental Illness The Rt Revd Christopher Foster , Bishop of Portsmouth The Rt Revd Paul Butler , Bishop of Durham The Runnymede Trust The Salvation Army Save the Children Scope Shelter StepChange Transforming Lives for Good The Trussell Trust Trust for London Turn2Us UK Women ’ s Budget Group Voluntary Organisations Disability Group Wales Council for Voluntary Action / Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru Women ’ s Regional Consortium Northern Ireland Z2K

Labour has backed a campaign by over 50 organisations calling for Covid Universal Credit increases to be kept in place to stop 700,000 people falling into poverty and said it is “unbelievable” that the government would consider cutting the benefit.
Responding to a letter sent from groups including Barnardo’s, Oxfam and Shelter calling for the Universal Credit Covid uplift to be continued, Labour argued that the government needs to “strengthen the safety net” for suffering families.
The government raised the standard allowance for 12 months earlier in the year as part of the response to the coronavirus crisis, increasing the rate for a single claimant over the age of 25 from £317.82 to £409.89 per month.
The signatories of the letter described the boost as a “lifeline” for many people in the pandemic, and warned that the “good work risks being undermined” if the £20-per-week increase is cut as currently scheduled in April 2021.
Commenting after the Chancellor failed to mention the benefit in his economic update to the Commons last week, Jonathan Reynolds said: “It’s unbelievable that the government is considering cutting Universal Credit in the middle of a jobs crisis.
“The government should have listened to Labour’s calls to up-rate legacy benefits to match the increase in Universal Credit, providing an immediate increase in Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance upon which so many are now reliant in this jobs crisis.”
The Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary added: “The government must do all it can to strengthen the safety net to prevent families and individuals from sliding further into hardship from which it will be extremely difficult to recover.”
The joint letter, coordinated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, has been sent following Rishi Sunak’s winter economic update last week, in which he acknowledged that many people will see job losses in the coming months.
The group of charities, food bank providers, disability groups, trade unions and others warned against pushing hundreds of thousands of people without jobs into poverty, as well as worsening conditions for those already in poverty.
They also emphasised the importance of extending support to include those on legacy benefits, saying it was “simply not right” to abandon the 1.5 million largely sick and disabled people who are on these soon-to-be phased out programmes.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation director Helen Barnard said: “Today’s letter shows the overwhelming support that exists for this lifeline which is playing a critical role in helping many families keep their heads above water in extremely turbulent times.
“Building on existing cross-party support in parliament, we are coming together to urge ministers not to cut social security at precisely the moment our country needs it most. It’s only right to prioritise those hardest hit, pulling families worst affected by the pandemic back from the brink.
“We are united in calling on the Chancellor to keep doing the right thing by making the uplift to Universal Credit permanent and extending it to those claiming legacy benefits.”
Recent research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimated that the end of the £20-a-week increase in April next year would cut annual incomes by £1,040 for 16 million households and push 700,000 people into poverty.
The Shadow Work And Pensions Secretary committed in June to develop a complete replacement for the Universal Credit scheme if Labour wins the next election, saying it was necessary if the party wants to fulfill its plan to end child poverty.
Below is the full text of the letter sent to Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Dear Chancellor,
Following your statement last week, we are writing to you, to collectively urge you to make the temporary £20/week increase to the standard allowance of Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit permanent from April, as well as extend the same uplift to Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance.
We welcomed the swift action you took at the start of the pandemic to implement this much-needed investment. Falling incomes and rising costs throughout the pandemic have put families under immense financial pressure, but the £20 uplift has been a lifeline that has enabled many of them to keep their heads above water and has stopped us seeing a marked surge in poverty levels.
However, if the uplift ends in April 2021, this good work risks being undermined. Modelling by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation indicates that around 16 million people will be in households facing an overnight income loss equivalent to £1,040 a year, with those on the lowest incomes and families with children being hardest hit. At a stroke, 700,000 more people will be pulled into poverty, including 300,000 children, and 500,000 more of those already in poverty will be plunged into deep poverty (more than 50% below the poverty line). We are therefore urging you to make the uplift permanent and stop families being cut adrift whilst they need help to stay afloat.
Your statement last week made clear that many families will see job losses over the months to come, and even those whose jobs are protected through the job support scheme will see income cuts. Along with measures to protect jobs, we hoped to see reassurance and commitment to those who have already, or will be faced with, job and income loss. Even the most optimistic forecasts expect unemployment to surge and remain high for some time to come. We warmly welcome the government’s commitment to invest in jobs, skills and infrastructure; these will be vital to boosting opportunity across the country. However, these investments will take time and it is crucial that our social security system offers the certainty and security people need to help them stay afloat so that they are equipped to grasp every new opportunity and are protected from the damaging long term consequences of financial hardship.
Further, it is simply not right that those on legacy benefits, who are mostly sick or disabled people and carers, and so have been most at risk during this pandemic, have not been thrown an equivalent lifeline. We urge you to follow the advice of the social security advisory committee and support 1.5 million more people by applying an equivalent uplift to those on legacy benefits who have so far been excluded from increases.
Our modelling shows that the total cost of making the lifeline permanent (in addition to normal annual CPI uprating) and extending to legacy benefits would be around £9bn a year. A significant investment but crucial for our nation’s recovery. We urge the government to keep doing the right thing, keep families afloat and keep the lifeline.
Yours sincerely,
Action for Children
The Association of Charitable Organisations
Barnardo’s
Become
Bevan Foundation
Centrepoint
Christians Against Poverty
Church Action on Poverty
Citizens Advice
Child Poverty Action Group
Disability Benefits Consortium (a network of over 100 disability organisations)
End Child Poverty Coalition
The Equality Trust
The Fawcett Society
Feeding Britain
Gingerbread
Greater Manchester Poverty Action
Homeless Link
Independent Food Aid Network
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales
Macmillan Cancer Support
The Mighty Creatives
Mind
Motor Neurone Disease Association
The MS Society
National AIDS Trust
National Children’s Bureau
National Education Union
National Housing Federation
Neighbourly
New Horizons
North East Child Poverty Commission
Nourish Scotland
Oxfam GB
The Poverty Alliance
Rethink Mental Illness
The Rt Revd Christopher Foster, Bishop of Portsmouth
The Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham
The Runnymede Trust
The Salvation Army
Save the Children
Scope
Shelter
StepChange
Transforming Lives for Good
The Trussell Trust
Trust for London
Turn2Us
UK Women’s Budget Group
Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
Wales Council for Voluntary Action / Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru
Women’s Regional Consortium Northern Ireland
Z2K


labourlist--2020-09-29--Planning reforms will “create new generation of slum housing”, says Labour

Labour has called on Tory MPs to vote down government reforms to the planning system as the changes would help “ create a new generation of slum housing ” and “ kill off our high streets ” .
The proposals set to be debated in parliament today include removing the need for planning permission when adding two new storeys to blocks of flats and houses , or when demolishing high street buildings to build residential units .
Branded a “ developers ’ charter ” by the opposition , the changes would form the first part of broader reforms to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreements and the community infrastructure levy ( CIL ) scrapped .
Shadow minister for housing and planning Mike Amesbury said : “ This is the first stage of an atrocious new developers ’ charter , which will wrench power away from local people and into the hands of the developers that bankroll the Tories .
“ Passing this legislation will kill off our high streets , hobble leaseholders and create a new generation of slum housing – and there will be nothing local people can do to stop it .
“ If Tory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will permanently silence local voices and show their communities that it ’ s not just Robert Jenrick who is in the pockets of developers.
” The Housing Secretary was recently embroiled in a scandal in June after he fast-tracked a planning application from billionaire property developer and Tory donor Richard Desmond , against the wishes of the local council and residents .
His actions meant that Desmond , the former owner of the Daily Express and The Daily Telegraph , avoided paying increases in CIL payments set to come into force 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Desmond £45m .
The changes to be debated today are an expansion of ‘ permitted development rights ’ .
These rights mean that it ’ s possible for a developer to undertake certain works without having to apply for planning consent .
They derive from a general permission granted by parliament rather than a specific one from the local authority , and as such allow developers to bypass the local planning process .
By removing the need for a developer to file planning permission , residents are effectively stripped of the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to impose any conditions such as affordable housing contributions .
The proposals have seen widespread criticism , including from backbench Tory MPs .
Former Conservative minister and Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers said the proposals would allow a “ free-for-all ” that “ would do serious damage ” .
Leaseholder groups have also criticised the plans put forward by Housing Secretary Jenrick to incentivise two-storey additions , saying it would make it more expensive for leaseholders to buy their freehold .
The proposals to be debated in the Commons were initially forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – and therefore not subject to a vote – but Labour has since managed to secure a vote on the changes .

Labour has called on Tory MPs to vote down government reforms to the planning system as the changes would help “create a new generation of slum housing” and “kill off our high streets”.
The proposals set to be debated in parliament today include removing the need for planning permission when adding two new storeys to blocks of flats and houses, or when demolishing high street buildings to build residential units.
Branded a “developers’ charter” by the opposition, the changes would form the first part of broader reforms to the planning system that would see Section 106 agreements and the community infrastructure levy (CIL) scrapped.
Shadow minister for housing and planning Mike Amesbury said: “This is the first stage of an atrocious new developers’ charter, which will wrench power away from local people and into the hands of the developers that bankroll the Tories.
“Passing this legislation will kill off our high streets, hobble leaseholders and create a new generation of slum housing – and there will be nothing local people can do to stop it.
“If Tory MPs vote through this legislation, they will permanently silence local voices and show their communities that it’s not just Robert Jenrick who is in the pockets of developers.”
The Housing Secretary was recently embroiled in a scandal in June after he fast-tracked a planning application from billionaire property developer and Tory donor Richard Desmond, against the wishes of the local council and residents.
His actions meant that Desmond, the former owner of the Daily Express and The Daily Telegraph, avoided paying increases in CIL payments set to come into force 24 hours later. Jenrick’s intervention saved Desmond £45m.
The changes to be debated today are an expansion of ‘permitted development rights’. These rights mean that it’s possible for a developer to undertake certain works without having to apply for planning consent.
They derive from a general permission granted by parliament rather than a specific one from the local authority, and as such allow developers to bypass the local planning process.
By removing the need for a developer to file planning permission, residents are effectively stripped of the ability to object to developments, and councils are unable to impose any conditions such as affordable housing contributions.
The proposals have seen widespread criticism, including from backbench Tory MPs. Former Conservative minister and Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers said the proposals would allow a “free-for-all” that “would do serious damage”.
Leaseholder groups have also criticised the plans put forward by Housing Secretary Jenrick to incentivise two-storey additions, saying it would make it more expensive for leaseholders to buy their freehold.
The proposals to be debated in the Commons were initially forced through as statutory instruments by the government – and therefore not subject to a vote – but Labour has since managed to secure a vote on the changes.


labourlist--2020-09-29--Labour letter to Sunak: Seven ways your winter plan fails Britain’s workers

The Labour Party ’ s Anneliese Dodds has highlighted seven ways in which the winter economic plan put forward by Rishi Sunak in a parliamentary statement last week “ fails Britain ’ s workers ” in a letter to the Chancellor .
Confirming that the furlough scheme will come to an end next month for all sectors , no matter how hard-hit by coronavirus , the Chancellor used an update in the House of Commons to unveil a new ‘ job support scheme ’ .
The new scheme will see eligible employees – working at least one third of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid by employers and their hours not worked paid jointly by the government and their employer .
Labour welcomed the “ U-turn ” but pointed out flaws in the programme , which is set to start in November and run for six months .
Designed to protect “ viable jobs ” only , it does not offer specific help to sectors such as hospitality .
The Resolution Foundation also pointed out that under the new scheme , it would cost an employer 33 % more to employ two people for half their hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an annual wage of £17,000 .
In a letter sent to Sunak today , the Shadow Chancellor has listed the following as seven reasons for which Labour believes the latest package of coronavirus support measures will not benefit workers facing a jobs crisis : • “ Why does the job support scheme make it more expensive for employers to keep workers on part-time than keeping some on full-time and making others redundant ?
• “ Why does the winter economy plan not incentivise or support training ?
• “ Why there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing measures and unable to take staff back ?
• “ What will be the impact on self-employed workers who will see a reduction in support from 70 % to 20 % of their average profits ?
• “ Will the Chancellor plug gaps that have left millions of workers without any form of support since March ?
• “ Why is there no mention of increasing UK ambitions on green investment to the level of countries like Germany and France ?
• “ When will the government present a full Budget to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s economic crisis ?
” Commenting on her letter , Dodds said : “ Last week the Chancellor should have protected jobs with a proper work sharing scheme that incentivised employers to keep more staff on .
Instead , he ’ s telling British business to start laying people off because no more help is coming .
“ This wasn ’ t by accident – it was by design .
The Chancellor ’ s sink or swim mentality is a throwback to the worst days of Thatcher , and just like in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay the highest price .
Britain now faces an unemployment crisis – and it ’ s got Rishi Sunak ’ s name all over it ” .
Labour has proposed that the ruling Conservatives replace furlough with a scheme that would allow businesses in key sectors to bring back staff on reduced hours with the government covering wages for hours not worked .
The opposition party would also want more conditionality attached to the programme , with rewards for employers who offer their staff high-quality training , treat their workers well and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Writing for LabourList , shadow Treasury team member Dan Carden stressed the need for an “ ambitious green recovery ” and said : “ People need security , but this government is not going to give it to them .
Labour ’ s job recovery scheme would.
” Below is the full text of Dodds ’ letter to Sunak .
It was encouraging to hear on Thursday that you might be willing to work with me , as well as with businesses and trade unions , on the long-term issues our economy faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we do all we can to recover jobs , retrain workers and rebuild businesses .
I would be very grateful if we could meet to discuss the questions I raised during the debate on your economic statement to the House .
In particular , it would be helpful to discuss the following .
• Whether the Job Support Scheme ( JSS ) will genuinely recover jobs – as would be the case with the principles of the Job Recovery Scheme that Labour has proposed .
In order to be an effective short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model ) , the JSS needs to make it more attractive to employers to keep workers on part-time , than to keep some on full time and make others redundant .
But the design of the JSS , especially the additional requirements on employers , looks set to potentially lead to employers keeping fewer staff on full time and letting others go .
In addition , the interaction with the Job Retention Bonus scheme appears to create an additional January cliff-edge .
We need to be certain that the JSS is designed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losses where possible , rather than risking spikes of unemployment at the end of October and again in January .
• Why your government decided not to include incentives for employers around staff training within the scheme ; and what your government intends to do , beyond changes to employer incentives around apprenticeships , to boost training ?
As you mentioned during your remarks , our economy is changing- and I am sure you would accept that far more needs to be done to ready people for the jobs of the future ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strategy , backed by bringing forward the £3bn allocated for a National Skills Fund , so that we can do all we can to help those who do lose their jobs to boost their skills and get back into the workplace .
• What support will be provided for those sectors strongly impacted by social distancing measures and thus lacking the cashflow to take staff back even at just 33 % of their usual hours , including many crucial to the UK ’ s economic future such as in the arts and creative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to additional localised restrictions ?
• What assessment your department has made of the impact of the steep reduction involved in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme ( SEISS ) Grant Extension on those self-employed people who are still not able to return to business as normal and will see state support significantly fall during this next phase ?
• Whether the JSS and SEISS Grant Extension will avoid the gaps in coverage that have bedevilled existing schemes ?
During Treasury Questions on September 15th you implied that those who were not eligible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but this is not the case .
The £50,000 cap you were referring to is only one reason among many that people have not been eligible for SEISS , and several groups who have been excluded are in significant financial difficulty and have so far not received any government support .
• Whether the government ’ s response to the National Infrastructure Commission , which you promised would come this Autumn , will increase the UK ’ s ambitions on green investment to the level of countries like Germany and France , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes to promoting the green technologies ( and jobs ) of the future ?
Labour would like to see a Business Rebuilding Programme that – alongside the changes in terms to loan schemes and tax repayments which you announced on Thursday and which we have welcomed – engages with these issues .
• When we might expect a more comprehensive fiscal statement from the government , given the rumours that there will now be no Budget before the end of the year .
We have had two brief “ statements ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to engage with the true scale of the economic crisis we are facing nor to give a sense of the government ’ s long-term planning .
Labour are determined to act as a constructive opposition at this time of national crisis .
Therefore I would appreciate the chance to work with you on these critical issues .

The Labour Party’s Anneliese Dodds has highlighted seven ways in which the winter economic plan put forward by Rishi Sunak in a parliamentary statement last week “fails Britain’s workers” in a letter to the Chancellor.
Confirming that the furlough scheme will come to an end next month for all sectors, no matter how hard-hit by coronavirus, the Chancellor used an update in the House of Commons to unveil a new ‘job support scheme’.
The new scheme will see eligible employees – working at least one third of their normal hours – have their worked hours paid by employers and their hours not worked paid jointly by the government and their employer.
Labour welcomed the “U-turn” but pointed out flaws in the programme, which is set to start in November and run for six months. Designed to protect “viable jobs” only, it does not offer specific help to sectors such as hospitality.
The Resolution Foundation also pointed out that under the new scheme, it would cost an employer 33% more to employ two people for half their hours than one person full time, assuming an annual wage of £17,000.
In a letter sent to Sunak today, the Shadow Chancellor has listed the following as seven reasons for which Labour believes the latest package of coronavirus support measures will not benefit workers facing a jobs crisis:
“Why does the job support scheme make it more expensive for employers to keep workers on part-time than keeping some on full-time and making others redundant? “Why does the winter economy plan not incentivise or support training? “Why there is no support for sectors most affected by social distancing measures and unable to take staff back? “What will be the impact on self-employed workers who will see a reduction in support from 70% to 20% of their average profits? “Will the Chancellor plug gaps that have left millions of workers without any form of support since March? “Why is there no mention of increasing UK ambitions on green investment to the level of countries like Germany and France? “When will the government present a full Budget to address the true scale of Britain’s economic crisis?”
Commenting on her letter, Dodds said: “Last week the Chancellor should have protected jobs with a proper work sharing scheme that incentivised employers to keep more staff on. Instead, he’s telling British business to start laying people off because no more help is coming.
“This wasn’t by accident – it was by design. The Chancellor’s sink or swim mentality is a throwback to the worst days of Thatcher, and just like in the 1980s people on the lowest incomes will pay the highest price. Britain now faces an unemployment crisis – and it’s got Rishi Sunak’s name all over it”.
Labour has proposed that the ruling Conservatives replace furlough with a scheme that would allow businesses in key sectors to bring back staff on reduced hours with the government covering wages for hours not worked.
The opposition party would also want more conditionality attached to the programme, with rewards for employers who offer their staff high-quality training, treat their workers well and do not engage in tax avoidance schemes.
Writing for LabourList, shadow Treasury team member Dan Carden stressed the need for an “ambitious green recovery” and said: “People need security, but this government is not going to give it to them. Labour’s job recovery scheme would.”
Below is the full text of Dodds’ letter to Sunak.
Dear Chancellor,
It was encouraging to hear on Thursday that you might be willing to work with me, as well as with businesses and trade unions, on the long-term issues our economy faces. It is more important than ever that we do all we can to recover jobs, retrain workers and rebuild businesses.
I would be very grateful if we could meet to discuss the questions I raised during the debate on your economic statement to the House.
In particular, it would be helpful to discuss the following.
Whether the Job Support Scheme (JSS) will genuinely recover jobs – as would be the case with the principles of the Job Recovery Scheme that Labour has proposed. In order to be an effective short hours scheme (as with the German model), the JSS needs to make it more attractive to employers to keep workers on part-time, than to keep some on full time and make others redundant. But the design of the JSS, especially the additional requirements on employers, looks set to potentially lead to employers keeping fewer staff on full time and letting others go. In addition, the interaction with the Job Retention Bonus scheme appears to create an additional January cliff-edge. We need to be certain that the JSS is designed in such a way that it limits job losses where possible, rather than risking spikes of unemployment at the end of October and again in January. Why your government decided not to include incentives for employers around staff training within the scheme; and what your government intends to do, beyond changes to employer incentives around apprenticeships, to boost training? As you mentioned during your remarks, our economy is changing- and I am sure you would accept that far more needs to be done to ready people for the jobs of the future? Labour has called for a National Retraining Strategy, backed by bringing forward the £3bn allocated for a National Skills Fund, so that we can do all we can to help those who do lose their jobs to boost their skills and get back into the workplace. What support will be provided for those sectors strongly impacted by social distancing measures and thus lacking the cashflow to take staff back even at just 33% of their usual hours, including many crucial to the UK’s economic future such as in the arts and creative industries, and those in areas subject to additional localised restrictions? What assessment your department has made of the impact of the steep reduction involved in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) Grant Extension on those self-employed people who are still not able to return to business as normal and will see state support significantly fall during this next phase? Whether the JSS and SEISS Grant Extension will avoid the gaps in coverage that have bedevilled existing schemes? During Treasury Questions on September 15th you implied that those who were not eligible for SEISS had a median income of £200,000 but this is not the case. The £50,000 cap you were referring to is only one reason among many that people have not been eligible for SEISS, and several groups who have been excluded are in significant financial difficulty and have so far not received any government support. Whether the government’s response to the National Infrastructure Commission, which you promised would come this Autumn, will increase the UK’s ambitions on green investment to the level of countries like Germany and France, which appear to be performing much more strongly when it comes to promoting the green technologies (and jobs) of the future? Labour would like to see a Business Rebuilding Programme that – alongside the changes in terms to loan schemes and tax repayments which you announced on Thursday and which we have welcomed – engages with these issues. When we might expect a more comprehensive fiscal statement from the government, given the rumours that there will now be no Budget before the end of the year. We have had two brief “statements” in the last three months but nothing to engage with the true scale of the economic crisis we are facing nor to give a sense of the government’s long-term planning.
Labour are determined to act as a constructive opposition at this time of national crisis. Therefore I would appreciate the chance to work with you on these critical issues.
Yours sincerely,
Anneliese Dodds MP


labourlist--2020-09-29--The last full meeting before Labour’s new ruling body is elected – Alice Perry’s NEC report

Labour ’ s national executive committee met today , September 29th .
This was the last full meeting before the new NEC is elected .
40 % of NEC posts are up for election and some long-serving members are standing down .
This meeting usually takes place before Labour Party conference , but the Covid-19 pandemic led to conference being cancelled and the NEC election timetable was extended .
Keir Starmer gave the leader ’ s report .
He updated the NEC on recent activities .
Keir has had meetings in the Midlands and Scotland , working to regain trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talked about his TUC speech on the importance of job retention .
Keir highlighted that Labour believes it should be illegal for businesses to fire people and rehire them with worse terms and conditions .
He condemned the Tory government ’ s total chaos and incompetence in their handling of the pandemic .
Parliamentary business is currently focused on tackling Covid and local restrictions .
Keir has been in regular contact with local government representatives who have been managing this across the country .
Serious concerns continue to be raised about the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keir talked about Labour Connected , thanking staff for all their work .
27,000 registered to take part , with 84,000 listening to Angela Rayner ’ s speech and 120,000 tuning in for Keir ’ s speech .
Questions and discussions included : the political situation in Belarus and support for pro-democracy protesters , Brexit , the internal market bill and its implications for devolution , Labour ’ s fundraising strategy , support for local government , support for local businesses , mental health during the pandemic , green jobs and the green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keir ’ s ten pledges in the leadership election , election campaigning , collective responsibility , support for veterans and the armed forces , support for higher education and students , Covid-19 testing , track and trace , the role of the NEC and governance , Labour ’ s complaints process and Labour ’ s improved performance in the opinion polls .
Keir welcomed the questions and discussion .
He talked about the importance of transparency , working collectively and constructively challenging each other with a shared sense of purpose .
Keir talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leak from confidential meetings .
He reminded the NEC how he stood with Jeremy Corbyn against leaking from shadow cabinet meetings .
Angela Rayner gave the deputy leader ’ s report .
She told the NEC that she and Keir have been working hard to together to meet the challenges of 2020 and the crisis we face .
She talked about Labour ’ s positive vision for Britain and the importance of “ jobs jobs jobs ” and the Green New Deal .
She talked about fundraising and the value of gifts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns .
She gave another confidential update on the Forde Inquiry and ongoing disciplinary proceedings .
Angela talked about her first PMQs and thanked everyone for their support .
She was disappointed but unsurprised that Boris Johnson didn ’ t know the average hourly wage of care workers .
Angela talked about the importance of a real living wage and decent sick pay for key workers , particularly during the pandemic .
Angela talked about candidate recruitment and the importance of ensuring our representatives reflect the diversity of the communities they represent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers and people from non-traditional backgrounds .
Angela has been hosting training sessions over the summer for people who want to be councillors .
I ’ ve been really happy to help with this important work .
You can watch the videos of these webinars on the Labour Party website .
I asked a question about campaigning for the crucial elections in 2021 , which gives the public an opportunity to send a message to this disgraceful , shambolic Tory government .
Members and councillors across the country are keen to support Covid-secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year in England , Scotland and Wales .
David Evans gave an update about a range of topics .
He talked about plans for election plans , including improving digital campaigning , post and phone canvassing .
Selections for candidates are underway across the country for next year ’ s elections .
I asked if we could have a regular standing item on elections at full NEC meetings .
NEC members fed back on Labour Connected .
The NEC was presented with an update on the finance strategy .
NEC fed back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 560,000 members .
Party membership peaked at its highest ever level in February 2020 .
Around 90,000 people joined the Labour Party this year .
Engaging and retaining members is a priority .
NEC members thanked staff for all their hard work in enabling NEC nomination meetings The NEC discussed plans to allow CLP meetings to resume with their full business online .
Members will be able to hold AGMs online .
It is unlikely that members will be able to meet in person in 2020 and beyond so NEC members are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conduct their usual business .
The NEC reconfirmed its support for all-women shortlists .
I proposed a motion , seconded by socialist societies rep James Asser .
The motion noted : The NEC equality committee has frequently noted the need for more work to be done to increase diversity in local government .
As part of this important work Labour should : • None Expand the “ Be a Councillor ” training aimed at increasing diversity in local government .
• None Recognise the achievements of groups that reach gender balance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be achieved .
• None Provide the NEC with regular equality monitoring data on the number of candidates standing for election , and who are elected , who are women , BAME , LGBT+ and/or disabled , including other relevant information such as age .
• None Provide the NEC with an annual list of the remaining all male wards , with details of the local plans to recruit women to stand to be councillors .
• None Through the NEC , undertake a wider review of diversity in local government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversity of political representation and remove structural barriers that prevent more people standing .
The motion was passed unanimously .
This is an issue that unites the NEC , and it is something we are passionate about .
A big thank you to the 71 Labour groups who nominated me to the NEC .
You can read more about why I am standing for the NEC , and what I have achieved during my time on the NEC on my blog .

Labour’s national executive committee met today, September 29th. This was the last full meeting before the new NEC is elected. 40% of NEC posts are up for election and some long-serving members are standing down. This meeting usually takes place before Labour Party conference, but the Covid-19 pandemic led to conference being cancelled and the NEC election timetable was extended.
Leader’s report
Keir Starmer gave the leader’s report. He updated the NEC on recent activities. Keir has had meetings in the Midlands and Scotland, working to regain trust with former Labour voting communities. He talked about his TUC speech on the importance of job retention. Keir highlighted that Labour believes it should be illegal for businesses to fire people and rehire them with worse terms and conditions. He condemned the Tory government’s total chaos and incompetence in their handling of the pandemic.
Parliamentary business is currently focused on tackling Covid and local restrictions. Keir has been in regular contact with local government representatives who have been managing this across the country. Serious concerns continue to be raised about the government’s handling of the crisis.
Keir talked about Labour Connected, thanking staff for all their work. 27,000 registered to take part, with 84,000 listening to Angela Rayner’s speech and 120,000 tuning in for Keir’s speech.
Questions and discussions included: the political situation in Belarus and support for pro-democracy protesters, Brexit, the internal market bill and its implications for devolution, Labour’s fundraising strategy, support for local government, support for local businesses, mental health during the pandemic, green jobs and the green new deal, the Covid-19 recovery, Keir’s ten pledges in the leadership election, election campaigning, collective responsibility, support for veterans and the armed forces, support for higher education and students, Covid-19 testing, track and trace, the role of the NEC and governance, Labour’s complaints process and Labour’s improved performance in the opinion polls.
Keir welcomed the questions and discussion. He talked about the importance of transparency, working collectively and constructively challenging each other with a shared sense of purpose. Keir talked about how disrespectful it is for people to leak from confidential meetings. He reminded the NEC how he stood with Jeremy Corbyn against leaking from shadow cabinet meetings.
Deputy leader’s report
Angela Rayner gave the deputy leader’s report. She told the NEC that she and Keir have been working hard to together to meet the challenges of 2020 and the crisis we face. She talked about Labour’s positive vision for Britain and the importance of “jobs jobs jobs” and the Green New Deal. She talked about fundraising and the value of gifts of all sizes to support our election campaigns. She gave another confidential update on the Forde Inquiry and ongoing disciplinary proceedings.
Angela talked about her first PMQs and thanked everyone for their support. She was disappointed but unsurprised that Boris Johnson didn’t know the average hourly wage of care workers. Angela talked about the importance of a real living wage and decent sick pay for key workers, particularly during the pandemic.
Angela talked about candidate recruitment and the importance of ensuring our representatives reflect the diversity of the communities they represent. Angela has been working to recruit key workers and people from non-traditional backgrounds. Angela has been hosting training sessions over the summer for people who want to be councillors. I’ve been really happy to help with this important work. You can watch the videos of these webinars on the Labour Party website.
I asked a question about campaigning for the crucial elections in 2021, which gives the public an opportunity to send a message to this disgraceful, shambolic Tory government. Members and councillors across the country are keen to support Covid-secure campaigning to support everyone how has elections next year in England, Scotland and Wales.
General secretary’s report
David Evans gave an update about a range of topics. He talked about plans for election plans, including improving digital campaigning, post and phone canvassing. Selections for candidates are underway across the country for next year’s elections. I asked if we could have a regular standing item on elections at full NEC meetings.
NEC members fed back on Labour Connected. The NEC was presented with an update on the finance strategy. NEC fed back on various internal reviews.
Membership
Labour has around 560,000 members. Party membership peaked at its highest ever level in February 2020. Around 90,000 people joined the Labour Party this year. Engaging and retaining members is a priority.
Online democracy
NEC members thanked staff for all their hard work in enabling NEC nomination meetings. The NEC discussed plans to allow CLP meetings to resume with their full business online. Members will be able to hold AGMs online. It is unlikely that members will be able to meet in person in 2020 and beyond so NEC members are keen to allow members to meet virtually to conduct their usual business.
Improving diversity in local and national government
The NEC reconfirmed its support for all-women shortlists. I proposed a motion, seconded by socialist societies rep James Asser. The motion noted:
The NEC equality committee has frequently noted the need for more work to be done to increase diversity in local government. As part of this important work Labour should:
Expand the “Be a Councillor” training aimed at increasing diversity in local government.
Recognise the achievements of groups that reach gender balance, and shares best practice about how this can be achieved.
Provide the NEC with regular equality monitoring data on the number of candidates standing for election, and who are elected, who are women, BAME, LGBT+ and/or disabled, including other relevant information such as age.
Provide the NEC with an annual list of the remaining all male wards, with details of the local plans to recruit women to stand to be councillors.
Through the NEC, undertake a wider review of diversity in local government and what more Labour can do to increase diversity of political representation and remove structural barriers that prevent more people standing.
The motion was passed unanimously. This is an issue that unites the NEC, and it is something we are passionate about.
And finally…
A big thank you to the 71 Labour groups who nominated me to the NEC. You can read more about why I am standing for the NEC, and what I have achieved during my time on the NEC on my blog.