labourlist--2020-03-17--Labour must be careful not to fall behind on Covid-19

When outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn met the Prime Minister on Monday evening , he stressed that his party would “ hold the government to account to ensure no-one is left behind ” due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
He again put forward the list of demands that he had sent Boris Johnson over the weekend : extend sick pay to all workers ; increase sick pay ; introduce rent and mortgage payment deferment options ; ban coronavirus evictions ; remove the requirement to present for Universal Credit and reduce the waiting time ; support councils working with food banks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enabling the low-paid and self-employed who are not currently entitled to statutory sick pay to receive that crucial money , and raising the level of SSP so that people can actually live on it , would make a huge difference in particular .
And while younger people are not likely to die from being infected , we can nonetheless suffer horrendous symptoms and be hospitalised in critical condition .
Those with underlying medical conditions even more so .
The risk of not being to make rent payments during this time – and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak is advancing quickest – must be addressed .
But let ’ s compare the demands being made by Labour to what is actually happening in other countries hit by Covid-19 .
Ireland has introduced a new coronavirus unemployment payment of €203 a week .
Emmanuel Macron has promised French businesses that not a single one will be exposed to the risk of collapse .
The Norwegian government has offered full pay for 20 days to those temporarily laid off , while the self-employed and freelancers will receive income protection .
Sacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their income , with the government paying half and the employer the other half .
Spain has nationalised private hospitals .
And as highlighted by Rebecca Long-Bailey in her latest campaign email , the UK is way behind other European countries on levels of sick pay , so we have a worse starting point .
Now let ’ s compare Labour ’ s demands with the editorial by ConservativeHome published today .
Yes , that ’ s right – the Tory equivalent of LabourList .
Paul Goodman , the former Conservative MP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ tear up the rulebook ” as “ we need Big State government on a scale unknown in modern times ” .
He said this state intervention should include part-funding employers and workers ( like Denmark ) , and suspending mortgages , rent and household bills ( like Italy ) .
He even linked to a tweet by Tribune editor Ronan Burtenshaw to make his point .
And yet Labour is talking about deferment of rent , not suspension , and has not gone far enough with proposals to protect workers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging Rishi Sunak to “ make [ John ] McDonnell look like a founding member of the Adam Smith Institute ” this afternoon , it seems unlikely that the Chancellor will announce new proposals that match up to the policies being implemented across the rest of Europe .
Not yet , anyway .
But there is significant pressure being applied on the government .
Although a Labour leadership election is underway , both the current team and the incoming one can not let that get in the way of making immediate demands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far only posted the odd tweet about coronavirus and made no specific demands .
It is understood he takes the view that things shouldn ’ t be said ‘ for the sake of it ’ , and there are many in Labour who reckon the party must tread carefully or be accused of ‘ playing politics ’ .
But to describe the solutions to this crisis as political is not to demean it , and being overly cautious is not an option in this crisis – even in opposition .
Urgent action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just directly with improved NHS capacity and wider testing but also through bold economic measures .
Don ’ t let us be outflanked by high-profile Tories – the country needs leadership from a Labour Party with the interests of the working class as its top priority .

When outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn met the Prime Minister on Monday evening, he stressed that his party would “hold the government to account to ensure no-one is left behind” due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He again put forward the list of demands that he had sent Boris Johnson over the weekend: extend sick pay to all workers; increase sick pay; introduce rent and mortgage payment deferment options; ban coronavirus evictions; remove the requirement to present for Universal Credit and reduce the waiting time; support councils working with food banks.
These are vitally important demands. Enabling the low-paid and self-employed who are not currently entitled to statutory sick pay to receive that crucial money, and raising the level of SSP so that people can actually live on it, would make a huge difference in particular. And while younger people are not likely to die from being infected, we can nonetheless suffer horrendous symptoms and be hospitalised in critical condition. Those with underlying medical conditions even more so. The risk of not being to make rent payments during this time – and they are very high in London, where the outbreak is advancing quickest – must be addressed.
But let’s compare the demands being made by Labour to what is actually happening in other countries hit by Covid-19. Ireland has introduced a new coronavirus unemployment payment of €203 a week. Emmanuel Macron has promised French businesses that not a single one will be exposed to the risk of collapse. The Norwegian government has offered full pay for 20 days to those temporarily laid off, while the self-employed and freelancers will receive income protection. Sacked workers in Sweden are guaranteed 90% of their income, with the government paying half and the employer the other half. Spain has nationalised private hospitals. And as highlighted by Rebecca Long-Bailey in her latest campaign email, the UK is way behind other European countries on levels of sick pay, so we have a worse starting point.
Now let’s compare Labour’s demands with the editorial by ConservativeHome published today. Yes, that’s right – the Tory equivalent of LabourList. Paul Goodman, the former Conservative MP and current editor, advised his party to “tear up the rulebook” as “we need Big State government on a scale unknown in modern times”. He said this state intervention should include part-funding employers and workers (like Denmark), and suspending mortgages, rent and household bills (like Italy). He even linked to a tweet by Tribune editor Ronan Burtenshaw to make his point. And yet Labour is talking about deferment of rent, not suspension, and has not gone far enough with proposals to protect workers.
Despite even commentators such as Dan Hodges urging Rishi Sunak to “make [John] McDonnell look like a founding member of the Adam Smith Institute” this afternoon, it seems unlikely that the Chancellor will announce new proposals that match up to the policies being implemented across the rest of Europe. Not yet, anyway. But there is significant pressure being applied on the government. Although a Labour leadership election is underway, both the current team and the incoming one cannot let that get in the way of making immediate demands.
Despite being frontrunner, Keir Starmer has so far only posted the odd tweet about coronavirus and made no specific demands. It is understood he takes the view that things shouldn’t be said ‘for the sake of it’, and there are many in Labour who reckon the party must tread carefully or be accused of ‘playing politics’. But to describe the solutions to this crisis as political is not to demean it, and being overly cautious is not an option in this crisis – even in opposition. Urgent action is required now to save lives, not just directly with improved NHS capacity and wider testing but also through bold economic measures. Don’t let us be outflanked by high-profile Tories – the country needs leadership from a Labour Party with the interests of the working class as its top priority.


labourlist--2020-03-17--Is universal basic income the answer to coronavirus in the UK?

In response to the coronavirus epidemic , Labour figures are calling on the government to provide urgent financial assistance to people and universal basic income ( UBI ) has been one of the options touted .
The general idea of a universal basic income is , as the name suggests , to give all citizens a regular payment regardless of their income or employment status , with recent proposals ranging from £50 to £100 per month .
Shadow Secretary of State for Digital , Culture , Media and Sport Tracy Brabin has urged a temporary introduction for freelancers and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how Covid-19 is affecting them .
Meanwhile Lord Andrew Adonis tweeted to say that this might be the time for a “ national basic income , made up by the state where people can ’ t earn it , as an emergency step ” .
But Torsten Bell , head of the Resolution Foundation , has expressed concerns about implementing UBI as a result of the spread of the virus , arguing that it would be “ misguided given the pace of what is happening ” .
He laid out his reservations on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cited Universal Credit as an example of how establishing a whole new system would take longer than the urgency the coronavirus situation requires .
Bell suggested that the priority should be “ quicker/more generous ” payments addressing the cost of getting sick and losing hours .
He targeted the benefit freeze specifically , and urged the extension of sick pay to the low paid .
With up to a fifth of the working population estimated to become sick with the virus , the virus is exposing many of the flaws in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave people financially vulnerable when ill .
The government has made statutory sick pay payable from day one , instead of having to wait until the fourth day as per the previous system .
But many aren ’ t protected by this benefit , including two million self-employed and low-paid workers .
Boris Johnson has urged this group to apply for Universal Credit , but the benefit has a notoriously long waiting period of up to five weeks and is clearly not suited to the urgent support needed by many .
While there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government to introduce UBI in the short term , as expressed by Bell , The Guardian has reported that the epidemic is set to extend into 2021 .
It is clear that measures introduced to deal with the economic impact of Covid-19 will not only apply in the short term , which means any policy developed should be sustainable and appropriate for the long term as well as for immediate requirements .
The question of whether Labour should back UBI generally has been hotly debated within the party , with arguments both for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last year , Labour included the piloting of UBI in a few certain places in its manifesto for the 2019 general election , with bids submitted from Liverpool and Sheffield among other areas .
In the run-up to the election , Labour MPs supporting the policy included Ed Miliband , Thelma Walker , John McDonnell and Jonathan Reynolds .
McDonnell revealed his personal support in an interview shortly before the ‘ Clause V ’ meeting – in which the party determines what goes in the manifesto – and said that he would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy .
UBI is a pretty old idea , and the core elements of the concept stretch back centuries .
The idea of minimum income emerged in the early 1500s , while the concept of an unconditional payment to citizens came later in the 18th century .
But it has received a lot of acclaim in recent years , buoyed by increasing concerns about the rising proportion of jobs that are becoming automated and rising unemployment as a result .
It ’ s found support among both the left and the libertarian right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world , including in Finland , Canada , Scotland , Iran and the US .
Supporters cite studies of the Finland and Canada , saying that the trials show that recipients of UBI had improved mental and physical health , as well as reporting no reduction in the overall amount of time people spent working .
A low-level basic income has been in place for over two decades in Alaska in the US , in the form of a dividend of around $ 2,000 per year generated from the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out more than $ 24,000 to each resident in that time .

In response to the coronavirus epidemic, Labour figures are calling on the government to provide urgent financial assistance to people and universal basic income (UBI) has been one of the options touted.
The general idea of a universal basic income is, as the name suggests, to give all citizens a regular payment regardless of their income or employment status, with recent proposals ranging from £50 to £100 per month.
Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Tracy Brabin has urged a temporary introduction for freelancers and the self-employed after a call for evidence on how Covid-19 is affecting them.
Meanwhile Lord Andrew Adonis tweeted to say that this might be the time for a “national basic income, made up by the state where people can’t earn it, as an emergency step”.
But Torsten Bell, head of the Resolution Foundation, has expressed concerns about implementing UBI as a result of the spread of the virus, arguing that it would be “misguided given the pace of what is happening”.
He laid out his reservations on the efficacy of introducing it now, and cited Universal Credit as an example of how establishing a whole new system would take longer than the urgency the coronavirus situation requires.
Bell suggested that the priority should be “quicker/more generous” payments addressing the cost of getting sick and losing hours. He targeted the benefit freeze specifically, and urged the extension of sick pay to the low paid.
With up to a fifth of the working population estimated to become sick with the virus, the virus is exposing many of the flaws in our sick pay and wider welfare system that leave people financially vulnerable when ill.
The government has made statutory sick pay payable from day one, instead of having to wait until the fourth day as per the previous system. But many aren’t protected by this benefit, including two million self-employed and low-paid workers.
Boris Johnson has urged this group to apply for Universal Credit, but the benefit has a notoriously long waiting period of up to five weeks and is clearly not suited to the urgent support needed by many.
While there are concerns about the ability of any government to introduce UBI in the short term, as expressed by Bell, The Guardian has reported that the epidemic is set to extend into 2021.
It is clear that measures introduced to deal with the economic impact of Covid-19 will not only apply in the short term, which means any policy developed should be sustainable and appropriate for the long term as well as for immediate requirements.
The question of whether Labour should back UBI generally has been hotly debated within the party, with arguments both for and against offered by LabourList contributors.
Last year, Labour included the piloting of UBI in a few certain places in its manifesto for the 2019 general election, with bids submitted from Liverpool and Sheffield among other areas.
In the run-up to the election, Labour MPs supporting the policy included Ed Miliband, Thelma Walker, John McDonnell and Jonathan Reynolds.
McDonnell revealed his personal support in an interview shortly before the ‘Clause V’ meeting – in which the party determines what goes in the manifesto – and said that he would be pushing for the party to include the policy.
UBI is a pretty old idea, and the core elements of the concept stretch back centuries. The idea of minimum income emerged in the early 1500s, while the concept of an unconditional payment to citizens came later in the 18th century.
But it has received a lot of acclaim in recent years, buoyed by increasing concerns about the rising proportion of jobs that are becoming automated and rising unemployment as a result.
It’s found support among both the left and the libertarian right. And pilots have appeared in countries around the world, including in Finland, Canada, Scotland, Iran and the US.
Supporters cite studies of the Finland and Canada, saying that the trials show that recipients of UBI had improved mental and physical health, as well as reporting no reduction in the overall amount of time people spent working.
A low-level basic income has been in place for over two decades in Alaska in the US, in the form of a dividend of around $2,000 per year generated from the state’s oil profits. It has paid out more than $24,000 to each resident in that time.


labourlist--2020-03-17--“The past we inherit, the future we build” – Mary Kelly Foy’s maiden speech

Below is the full text of Mary Kelly Foy ’ s maiden speech delivered in parliament on March 4th .
To begin with , I want to pay tribute to my predecessor , Roberta Blackman-Woods .
Roberta served the constituency for 14 years and was a tireless advocate for the people of Durham .
Most recently , she was shadow minister for housing and planning .
Roberta was passionate about that work and highly respected for it .
I want to say , on a personal level , that she has been a great help to me recently , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next phase of her life .
It is an enormous privilege to be the MP for the wonderful city of Durham .
I want to thank the Constituency Labour Party members for their hard work and support in ensuring that I was elected , and the constituents who have placed their trust in me .
I must also thank my family who have supported me throughout my life .
Durham has an incredible heritage .
It is impossible not to be inspired when you see the cathedral on the horizon , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the city .
It is fitting that the cathedral is now surrounded on all sides by the world-renowned Durham University , which is providing essential jobs and technology , linking Durham to all parts of the world , and giving our city a real vibrancy .
Durham has another history that needs to be celebrated : its mining heritage .
It is a tradition that prides itself on resilience , forged by the trade union movement .
All of that is encapsulated in the Durham miners ’ gala , when banners from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proudly paraded through the streets , accompanied by brass bands .
I hope that the right hon .
member for Surrey Heath has now learned that it is held in our constituency , which is very much still Labour .
To prepare for this speech , I read those of my predecessor , Roberta , and her predecessor , Gerry Steinberg , and it was fascinating .
Gerry ’ s speech was made in 1987 .
He talked about the devastating levels of unemployment after the closure of the coal mines , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackle the resulting insecurity in people ’ s lives and work .
This was a time of de-industrialisation , a widening north-south divide , trade unions being crushed , a run-down NHS and the poll tax on the horizon .
In contrast , my immediate predecessor , Roberta , gave her speech in 2005 , eight years into a Labour government .
She referred to unemployment being halved , the minimum wage , GCSE results improving , and a new state-of-the-art further education college being built , as well as a hospital and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different country .
Then I reflected on my life during those periods ; these were the experiences that made me the socialist that I am .
In 1987 , I had just finished a youth training scheme .
I was in insecure work , and shortly afterwards I was made redundant .
My dad , too , was thrown on the scrap heap after Swan Hunter ’ s shipyards closed .
In 1989 , my first daughter came into the world , born ten weeks premature and needing a ventilator before she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this basic piece of equipment was not available at the hospital , nor was it available in any of the surrounding hospitals .
This was a direct result of deliberately running down the NHS .
Eventually , a ventilator was located 30 miles away and Maria was born three hours later by emergency c-section .
She suffered brain damage and lived her whole life with severe cerebral palsy .
The policies of governments greatly affect the lives of ordinary people .
The actions of the Conservatives and their former coalition partners have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life expectancy .
This is extraordinary and has not happened since 1900 .
Labour has been accused of wanting to take us back to the 1970s ; well , the Conservatives have taken us back to the 19th century .
Last week , the Marmot report on health inequalities showed the impact of austerity—something that I have seen first-hand .
In my constituency , a child born on the Sherburn Road estate can expect to live 15 years fewer than a child born in the most affluent parts of the city , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more shockingly , a recent report in the British Medical Journal showed that between the most deprived local authorities — including County Durham — and the rest , inequalities in infant deaths , which decreased sharply under the Labour government , have now started to increase under Conservative austerity .
Just what kind of society is being created ?
There are families in the former pit villages of Ushaw Moor , Coxhoe , Brandon and others in my constituency who are trapped in poverty .
Children and grandchildren of the miners who built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to use food banks and undergo a cruel benefits regime .
Is it any wonder that the police have reported that the main issue affecting these communities is male suicide ?
Improving health in Britain is not just about refurbishing hospitals ; it is about having a good education , a secure and loving home and a regular source of income .
Until we address these social issues , we will not see any substantial changes in public health .
As Professor Marmot says : “ What good does it do to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conditions that made them sick ?
” Labour has a strategy — oven-ready , you might say — to tackle these injustices and build a fairer , more equal society .
It was laid out in our manifesto .
Unfortunately , we are not able to deliver it yet , but that will not stop us holding this government to account or campaigning for a better society .
My pledge to those who feel the harsh impact of Tory austerity — those who will feel health inequalities hardest — is that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not come to this place just to lay out the problems : I and my party will be part of the solution .
The city of Durham is steeped in history , but it is the future we fight for .
The motto of the Durham miners may be 150 years old , but it was adopted by people who also suffered defeats and setbacks but carried on their struggle and , over time , won improvements in their industry and in the lives of entire communities .
The motto is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I hold close to my heart as I start my parliamentary journey : “ The past we inherit , the future we build ” .

Below is the full text of Mary Kelly Foy’s maiden speech delivered in parliament on March 4th.
To begin with, I want to pay tribute to my predecessor, Roberta Blackman-Woods. Roberta served the constituency for 14 years and was a tireless advocate for the people of Durham. Most recently, she was shadow minister for housing and planning. Roberta was passionate about that work and highly respected for it. I want to say, on a personal level, that she has been a great help to me recently, and I wish her all the best in the next phase of her life.
It is an enormous privilege to be the MP for the wonderful city of Durham. I want to thank the Constituency Labour Party members for their hard work and support in ensuring that I was elected, and the constituents who have placed their trust in me. I must also thank my family who have supported me throughout my life.
Durham has an incredible heritage. It is impossible not to be inspired when you see the cathedral on the horizon, and it is so central to the life of the city. It is fitting that the cathedral is now surrounded on all sides by the world-renowned Durham University, which is providing essential jobs and technology, linking Durham to all parts of the world, and giving our city a real vibrancy.
Durham has another history that needs to be celebrated: its mining heritage. It is a tradition that prides itself on resilience, forged by the trade union movement. All of that is encapsulated in the Durham miners’ gala, when banners from the villages that surround the city are proudly paraded through the streets, accompanied by brass bands. I hope that the right hon. member for Surrey Heath has now learned that it is held in our constituency, which is very much still Labour.
To prepare for this speech, I read those of my predecessor, Roberta, and her predecessor, Gerry Steinberg, and it was fascinating. Gerry’s speech was made in 1987. He talked about the devastating levels of unemployment after the closure of the coal mines, and the refusal of the Thatcher administration to tackle the resulting insecurity in people’s lives and work.
This was a time of de-industrialisation, a widening north-south divide, trade unions being crushed, a run-down NHS and the poll tax on the horizon. In contrast, my immediate predecessor, Roberta, gave her speech in 2005, eight years into a Labour government. She referred to unemployment being halved, the minimum wage, GCSE results improving, and a new state-of-the-art further education college being built, as well as a hospital and secondary schools. It could have been a different country.
Then I reflected on my life during those periods; these were the experiences that made me the socialist that I am. In 1987, I had just finished a youth training scheme. I was in insecure work, and shortly afterwards I was made redundant. My dad, too, was thrown on the scrap heap after Swan Hunter’s shipyards closed.
In 1989, my first daughter came into the world, born ten weeks premature and needing a ventilator before she could breathe on her own. Unfortunately, this basic piece of equipment was not available at the hospital, nor was it available in any of the surrounding hospitals. This was a direct result of deliberately running down the NHS. Eventually, a ventilator was located 30 miles away and Maria was born three hours later by emergency c-section. She suffered brain damage and lived her whole life with severe cerebral palsy.
The policies of governments greatly affect the lives of ordinary people. The actions of the Conservatives and their former coalition partners have seen the stalling of the increases in life expectancy. This is extraordinary and has not happened since 1900. Labour has been accused of wanting to take us back to the 1970s; well, the Conservatives have taken us back to the 19th century.
Last week, the Marmot report on health inequalities showed the impact of austerity—something that I have seen first-hand. In my constituency, a child born on the Sherburn Road estate can expect to live 15 years fewer than a child born in the most affluent parts of the city, just a couple of miles away.
Even more shockingly, a recent report in the British Medical Journal showed that between the most deprived local authorities — including County Durham — and the rest, inequalities in infant deaths, which decreased sharply under the Labour government, have now started to increase under Conservative austerity. Just what kind of society is being created?
There are families in the former pit villages of Ushaw Moor, Coxhoe, Brandon and others in my constituency who are trapped in poverty. Children and grandchildren of the miners who built the wealth of this country are now having to use food banks and undergo a cruel benefits regime. Is it any wonder that the police have reported that the main issue affecting these communities is male suicide?
Improving health in Britain is not just about refurbishing hospitals; it is about having a good education, a secure and loving home and a regular source of income. Until we address these social issues, we will not see any substantial changes in public health. As Professor Marmot says: “What good does it do to treat people and send them back to the conditions that made them sick?”
Labour has a strategy — oven-ready, you might say — to tackle these injustices and build a fairer, more equal society. It was laid out in our manifesto. Unfortunately, we are not able to deliver it yet, but that will not stop us holding this government to account or campaigning for a better society. My pledge to those who feel the harsh impact of Tory austerity — those who will feel health inequalities hardest — is that I will fight for them, because I have not come to this place just to lay out the problems: I and my party will be part of the solution.
The city of Durham is steeped in history, but it is the future we fight for. The motto of the Durham miners may be 150 years old, but it was adopted by people who also suffered defeats and setbacks but carried on their struggle and, over time, won improvements in their industry and in the lives of entire communities. The motto is still very apt, and it is one that I hold close to my heart as I start my parliamentary journey: “The past we inherit, the future we build”.


labourlist--2020-03-17--5 things polling tells us about how Labour voters are reacting to Covid-19

YouGov recently conducted a survey looking how UK residents are responding to the coronavirus pandemic .
Here are five things we learnt about Labour voters from the polling .
They lack confidence in the government… Among Labour supporting respondents , 60 % said they were not confident in the government ’ s ability to handle the outbreak of the virus , a full 20 percentage points above the overall response from those surveyed .
62 % of them indicated that they thought the government had not responded fast enough to the crisis and should have done more .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey respondents more generally .
50 % of Labour voters said that they thought the government was not being honest with the public , compared with 27 % who did .
In contrast , only 29 % of Lib Dems and 19 % of Tories appeared not to trust the government .
And an overwhelming 70 % of Labour-supportive participants reported that they had found Boris Johnson ’ s handling of the situation had “ not been reassuring ” , and 62 % thought he wasn ’ t “ up to the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the NHS is also lower… The Labour supporters also reported less confidence than other groups about the ability of the NHS to handle the epidemic .
Only 60 % of them reported confidence in the health service , compared to 67 % of all respondents and 78 % of Conservatives .
They were also less enthused by the idea of bringing back retired nurses and doctors than the general population .
50 % responded to say it was a good idea , compared to 59 % of all surveyed and a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is their main source of coronavirus information… Most Labour voters are getting their information about Covid-19 from the BBC website .
50 % are using the online platform to get to learn about the latest on the virus , while the next most used medium is “ TV or radio ” – favoured by 47 % of respondents .
Significantly more of those who voted Labour reported having used social media to get information than the overall group of participants .
38 % of Labour supporting respondents ticked social media , compared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monopoly is out , telly is in… TV was the most popular choice as to how people would pass the time while staying home , though surely many of those people were referring to Netflix .
In all , 32 % of people said that they would watch TV .
But it would be great for us nerds to have known the breakdown between platforms .
The figure is slightly lower for Labour voters specifically .
30 % of them said they were up for some extra screen time , which is slightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the Tories .
In contrast , board games came last on the list for Labour voters , with only 2 % of them saying that they fancied a game .
Monopoly lost out , then – to TV , to DIY , to gardening and to just about anything else a person could possibly get up to while staying home .
Ever the optimists , Labour voters were most likely to say that they would “ take up a hobby ” with their additional time at home .
6 % of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of Lib Dems and Tories .
But 2019 Labour voters were less likely than Tory supporters – 2 % versus 4 % – to say they would pass the time by having sex .
They will work , work , work , work , work – from home… More Labour voters responded that they would continue working from home than the general population – at 21 % compared to 17 % .
This reflects the fact that , when asked whether they thought that they would be able to work from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared to only 29 % of all respondents .
It ’ s still not a lot , however , and highlights a crucial dilemma facing those who simply can not work from home .
As of May last year , only 1.54 million people worked from home for their main job , out of a total of 32.54 million people in work in the UK .
21 % of all Labour voters surveyed said they felt they would be unable to “ cope financially ” if forced to self isolate , compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 % of Tories and 11 % of Lib Dems .

YouGov recently conducted a survey looking how UK residents are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Here are five things we learnt about Labour voters from the polling.
They lack confidence in the government…
Among Labour supporting respondents, 60% said they were not confident in the government’s ability to handle the outbreak of the virus, a full 20 percentage points above the overall response from those surveyed.
62% of them indicated that they thought the government had not responded fast enough to the crisis and should have done more. This is markedly higher than the 47% of survey respondents more generally.
50% of Labour voters said that they thought the government was not being honest with the public, compared with 27% who did. In contrast, only 29% of Lib Dems and 19% of Tories appeared not to trust the government.
And an overwhelming 70% of Labour-supportive participants reported that they had found Boris Johnson’s handling of the situation had “not been reassuring”, and 62% thought he wasn’t “up to the job” of managing the pandemic.
Confidence in the NHS is also lower…
The Labour supporters also reported less confidence than other groups about the ability of the NHS to handle the epidemic. Only 60% of them reported confidence in the health service, compared to 67% of all respondents and 78% of Conservatives.
They were also less enthused by the idea of bringing back retired nurses and doctors than the general population. 50% responded to say it was a good idea, compared to 59% of all surveyed and a huge 71% of Tories.
BBC online is their main source of coronavirus information…
Most Labour voters are getting their information about Covid-19 from the BBC website. 50% are using the online platform to get to learn about the latest on the virus, while the next most used medium is “TV or radio” – favoured by 47% of respondents.
Significantly more of those who voted Labour reported having used social media to get information than the overall group of participants. 38% of Labour supporting respondents ticked social media, compared to just 29% of all surveyed.
Monopoly is out, telly is in…
TV was the most popular choice as to how people would pass the time while staying home, though surely many of those people were referring to Netflix. In all, 32% of people said that they would watch TV. But it would be great for us nerds to have known the breakdown between platforms.
The figure is slightly lower for Labour voters specifically. 30% of them said they were up for some extra screen time, which is slightly more than the Lib Dems and less than the Tories.
In contrast, board games came last on the list for Labour voters, with only 2% of them saying that they fancied a game. Monopoly lost out, then – to TV, to DIY, to gardening and to just about anything else a person could possibly get up to while staying home.
Ever the optimists, Labour voters were most likely to say that they would “take up a hobby” with their additional time at home. 6% of them said so, compared with just 3% of Lib Dems and Tories. But 2019 Labour voters were less likely than Tory supporters – 2% versus 4% – to say they would pass the time by having sex.
They will work, work, work, work, work – from home…
More Labour voters responded that they would continue working from home than the general population – at 21% compared to 17%. This reflects the fact that, when asked whether they thought that they would be able to work from home, 36% responded that the could, compared to only 29% of all respondents.
It’s still not a lot, however, and highlights a crucial dilemma facing those who simply cannot work from home. As of May last year, only 1.54 million people worked from home for their main job, out of a total of 32.54 million people in work in the UK.
21% of all Labour voters surveyed said they felt they would be unable to “cope financially” if forced to self isolate, compared to 19% of all respondents, 15% of Tories and 11% of Lib Dems.


labourlist--2020-03-18--Do not ‘go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over’

Recognising that the situation has quickly moved beyond the measures announced in the Budget only last week , Rishi Sunak has unveiled another coronavirus rescue package .
The assistance is for businesses , which will have access to grants , tax cuts and government-backed loans totalling over £330bn .
This is an extraordinary figure and a substantial level of support that will help prevent bankruptcies , though of course the last thing businesses with no certainty want to do right now is take out loans .
The business rates holiday for all firms in the retail , leisure and hospitality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what about the self-isolating workers , those being sacked , the self-employed , the renters ?
The contents of the coronavirus bill have been released .
There is plenty of scary stuff designed to increase capacity , from removing time limits in mental health legislation and relaxing standards in adult social care to allowing burials and cremations to take place with fewer checks .
There is little designed to directly help people with the financial impact of Covid-19 .
The only measure is bringing forward statutory sick pay entitlement to day one , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to be an increase in SSP and an extension to the self-employed and low-paid funded by government where necessary .
In Sunak ’ s latest rescue package , mortgage holidays were offered .
Nothing for renters , however .
There are over 20 million of us , and most have no savings .
Labour has been calling for rent deferrals , but Jeremy Corbyn last night tweeted that rents should be suspended as well as evictions of coronavirus-affected tenants banned .
The government has said that policies to protect renters will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Switch on talk radio , and there are already plenty of callers saying they have been sacked or their contract has been reduced to zero-hours .
People need this security urgently .
Significant omissions such as these will surely be the focus of Corbyn at PMQs this afternoon .
It is quite incredible that these sessions are still going ahead as normal .
While the government has advised against gatherings , MPs are squeezed together on the green benches to discuss ‘ social distancing ’ , practically sitting on top of each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going in the same way .
Talk about mixed messages .
The ability to scrutinise government is obviously hugely important at this time , but there must be measures to safeguard everyone working in parliament and stop putting out confusing signals .
And I hope that lobby journalists will soon be able to submit questions to the daily press conferences remotely .
As one of the government ’ s top coronavirus experts Neil Ferguson , in Downing Street on Tuesday and now in self-isolation , tweeted : “ There is a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s father on TV talk about how he ’ ll go to the pub regardless of government advice does not help either .
It was only two weeks ago that the Prime Minister himself boasted of shaking hands with everyone in a hospital .
Labour must play a crucial role in making sure that the government looks at countries further ahead in dealing with the pandemic and does not keep lagging behind .

Recognising that the situation has quickly moved beyond the measures announced in the Budget only last week, Rishi Sunak has unveiled another coronavirus rescue package. The assistance is for businesses, which will have access to grants, tax cuts and government-backed loans totalling over £330bn. This is an extraordinary figure and a substantial level of support that will help prevent bankruptcies, though of course the last thing businesses with no certainty want to do right now is take out loans. The business rates holiday for all firms in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors will be most welcome. But what about the self-isolating workers, those being sacked, the self-employed, the renters?
The contents of the coronavirus bill have been released. There is plenty of scary stuff designed to increase capacity, from removing time limits in mental health legislation and relaxing standards in adult social care to allowing burials and cremations to take place with fewer checks. There is little designed to directly help people with the financial impact of Covid-19. The only measure is bringing forward statutory sick pay entitlement to day one, yet on that point alone there really needs to be an increase in SSP and an extension to the self-employed and low-paid funded by government where necessary.
In Sunak’s latest rescue package, mortgage holidays were offered. Nothing for renters, however. There are over 20 million of us, and most have no savings. Labour has been calling for rent deferrals, but Jeremy Corbyn last night tweeted that rents should be suspended as well as evictions of coronavirus-affected tenants banned. The government has said that policies to protect renters will be revealed “in the coming days”. Switch on talk radio, and there are already plenty of callers saying they have been sacked or their contract has been reduced to zero-hours. People need this security urgently.
Significant omissions such as these will surely be the focus of Corbyn at PMQs this afternoon. It is quite incredible that these sessions are still going ahead as normal. While the government has advised against gatherings, MPs are squeezed together on the green benches to discuss ‘social distancing’, practically sitting on top of each other. Even the Lords are still going in the same way. Talk about mixed messages.
The ability to scrutinise government is obviously hugely important at this time, but there must be measures to safeguard everyone working in parliament and stop putting out confusing signals. And I hope that lobby journalists will soon be able to submit questions to the daily press conferences remotely. As one of the government’s top coronavirus experts Neil Ferguson, in Downing Street on Tuesday and now in self-isolation, tweeted: “There is a lot of Covid-19 in Westminster.”
Having Boris Johnson’s father on TV talk about how he’ll go to the pub regardless of government advice does not help either. It was only two weeks ago that the Prime Minister himself boasted of shaking hands with everyone in a hospital. Labour must play a crucial role in making sure that the government looks at countries further ahead in dealing with the pandemic and does not keep lagging behind.
Update, 11.45pm: Only a limited number of MPs – including the Prime Minister, Jeremy Corbyn, and those on the order paper – will be allowed into the chamber for PMQs today.


labourlist--2020-03-17--CWU postal workers vote to become Covid-19 emergency service

Communication Workers ’ Union ( CWU ) members in the Royal Mail have put forward a proposal to form an “ additional emergency service ” as they secured a “ massive ” vote in favour of strike action .
In a ballot initially instigated two weeks ago , 94.5 % of the 63.4 % of workers that participated voted in support of carrying out strike action .
The union says that it recognises that there has been a growing health crisis in the spread of Covid-19 since it started the process , and said it had changed the “ language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put forward a motion that could allow their workers to deliver medical aid , check on the vulnerable and support people working from home .
CWU said : “ In any national emergency in our history and in our day-to-day existence the universal postal service has played a vital role , these unprecedented events remind us all of that postal workers always come through and will stand ready to serve the nation again .
“ But Royal Mail Group must play their part by agreeing our proposal and ensuring the very best standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We will be writing to the Prime Minister to gain the governments support for this approach .
In the meantime , we will meet with the company tomorrow to move this proposal forward.
” The CWU strike ballot opened on March 2nd and was concluded today .
110,000 CWU members work within the postal organisation .
The union is striking in order to stop what is said are plans to turn Royal Mail into “ just another glorified parcels carrier ” .
This was the second time the organisation has balloted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ High Court action by Royal Mail to get the last one declared void .

Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) members in the Royal Mail have put forward a proposal to form an “additional emergency service” as they secured a “massive” vote in favour of strike action.
In a ballot initially instigated two weeks ago, 94.5% of the 63.4% of workers that participated voted in support of carrying out strike action.
The union says that it recognises that there has been a growing health crisis in the spread of Covid-19 since it started the process, and said it had changed the “language of priorities”.
The organisation therefore put forward a motion that could allow their workers to deliver medical aid, check on the vulnerable and support people working from home.
CWU said: “In any national emergency in our history and in our day-to-day existence the universal postal service has played a vital role, these unprecedented events remind us all of that postal workers always come through and will stand ready to serve the nation again.
“But Royal Mail Group must play their part by agreeing our proposal and ensuring the very best standards of safety and support to its employees.
“We will be writing to the Prime Minister to gain the governments support for this approach. In the meantime, we will meet with the company tomorrow to move this proposal forward.”
The CWU strike ballot opened on March 2nd and was concluded today. 110,000 CWU members work within the postal organisation.
The union is striking in order to stop what is said are plans to turn Royal Mail into “just another glorified parcels carrier”.
This was the second time the organisation has balloted its membership in six months, following High Court action by Royal Mail to get the last one declared void.


labourlist--2020-03-18--The confusion over coronavirus support for small businesses cannot continue

On Tuesday , I attended the business , energy and industrial strategy select committee on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses .
As a pub landlady , the misinformation and rumour has been upsetting to me , my staff and my customers .
A pub is not just a business – it is a community .
I wanted to hear unequivocally which support measures are being suggested , to cut through the rumour .
I was in broad agreement with the moves suggested by witnesses invited from the FSB , the CBI and the TUC , but disappointed that direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis – like me – was being filtered through people who are not about to see their livelihoods crash .
On Monday night , the Prime Minister dodged any responsibility of making the hard choices .
He called businesses like mine unsafe places to visit , yet he did not tell us to close , nor did he offer us any support during these difficult times .
It was the worst of all positions to take .
It put the responsibility to act on business owners , who are struggling and who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support staff .
The worst thing that could happen in this crisis is for large numbers of usually hourly paid staff to be made redundant .
We need urgent action to ensure that staff can stay in place .
Universal Credit is a system that does not provide adequate support at the best of times .
At the moment , many offices are closing down .
We could bail out the banks – now is the time to stand by our businesses and their staff .
This would avoid a massive economic hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without funding during forced closures .
We must also plan for recovery .
This situation is temporary , and I would like to be able to welcome back the excellent staff I have grown to consider friends once I am allowed to open again .
Business advice is patchy .
Advice for the self-employed is even more sparse .
Many advice services require some form of membership .
Many self-employed people and small business owners are not represented by a trade union .
For the last few weeks , we have relied on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not continue .
Labour called for a business support agency at the last election .
This crisis shows why that is a necessity .
In the meantime , organisations such as the FSB and the British Institute of Innkeeping must get clear information and advice from the government to pass on that advice to business owners , whether they are members or not .
The rules on sick pay and pay for casual staff and the self-employed is changing on a daily basis .
Small business owners will be running their own payroll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep up with developments .
We need a human being on the end of the phone to tell us how to access the support .
We don ’ t have time for bureaucracy , and we can ’ t trawl through government websites ourselves .
There is much that we need to get quick answers on .
There have been rumours that if the government were to force me to close , I could claim insurance .
However , a statement from the Association of British Insurers read out to the select committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unusual for businesses to be covered even in the event of forced closure .
The rumour that insurance will save us still persists .
We must make sure that advice is based on fact .
The Chancellor must take responsibility and ensure that every piece of advice is fact-checked .
We have heard warm words on support and loans available through banks .
This support is not being felt on the ground .
At branch level , there is confusion and off-putting bureaucracy .
Many small businesses and self-employed people are nervous about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the impact will be of this crisis .
We need income protection to ensure that we can continue to pay the rent , and it must be offered in a way that fits the culture of the self-employed and small business .
Other countries such as France , Germany , Norway , Sweden and Denmark have announced measures to cover the majority of salaries , which prevents mass unemployment .
The UK must keep up and announce similar measures .
This needs to happen urgently .
It is normal for a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a weekly basis .
Decisions about their future must be made this week .
The Chancellor ’ s statement on Tuesday was long on promises , short on practicalities – a bigger pot of money for the headlines , but still no idea how to claim it .
How can small businesses in the retail , hospitality and leisure sectors access the additional cash grant of up to £25,000 per business he promised , and when ?
Where will the loans he promised be available , and how will the government guarantee them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve had an assurance that my brewery landlord won ’ t collect the rent now , but it seems that it will have to be paid even though I have no customers .
I ’ ve contacted my trade organisation , the British Institute of Innkeeping , but they seem to have less information than I do .
I still have no idea whether the wages of my staff will be covered as they are being covered in other countries .
There are still no clear assurances for my staff , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get evicted .
As I write this , I ’ m paying a member of staff to watch an empty business .
Our hospitality industry is not just an employer .
A pub is a community that offers friendship and support .
On Sunday night , I had a pint with a man who was sat by himself in my pub .
It was the first time that he had been out since losing his wife .
I noticed him , I made him laugh .
With the over-70s forced into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the support that businesses like mine provide .
We are heading into a crisis for mental health support .
I will do all I can through my business to keep in touch with the community , I have already delivered food to people who have self-isolated .
We can ’ t expect businesses to repurpose overnight .
There are regulatory and licencing implications .
If we are to offer crisis support , then we too must receive support and guidance on best practice .
We need more a lot more from the @ @ @ @ @

On Tuesday, I attended the business, energy and industrial strategy select committee on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. As a pub landlady, the misinformation and rumour has been upsetting to me, my staff and my customers. A pub is not just a business – it is a community. I wanted to hear unequivocally which support measures are being suggested, to cut through the rumour. I was in broad agreement with the moves suggested by witnesses invited from the FSB, the CBI and the TUC, but disappointed that direct evidence from people at the forefront of the crisis – like me – was being filtered through people who are not about to see their livelihoods crash.
On Monday night, the Prime Minister dodged any responsibility of making the hard choices. He called businesses like mine unsafe places to visit, yet he did not tell us to close, nor did he offer us any support during these difficult times. It was the worst of all positions to take. It put the responsibility to act on business owners, who are struggling and who are looking to still be able to support staff.
The worst thing that could happen in this crisis is for large numbers of usually hourly paid staff to be made redundant. We need urgent action to ensure that staff can stay in place. Universal Credit is a system that does not provide adequate support at the best of times. At the moment, many offices are closing down. We could bail out the banks – now is the time to stand by our businesses and their staff. This would avoid a massive economic hit, people being made homeless and going without funding during forced closures. We must also plan for recovery. This situation is temporary, and I would like to be able to welcome back the excellent staff I have grown to consider friends once I am allowed to open again.
Business advice is patchy. Advice for the self-employed is even more sparse. Many advice services require some form of membership. Many self-employed people and small business owners are not represented by a trade union. For the last few weeks, we have relied on rumours and unconfirmed sources. This cannot continue. Labour called for a business support agency at the last election. This crisis shows why that is a necessity.
In the meantime, organisations such as the FSB and the British Institute of Innkeeping must get clear information and advice from the government to pass on that advice to business owners, whether they are members or not. The rules on sick pay and pay for casual staff and the self-employed is changing on a daily basis. Small business owners will be running their own payroll. We cannot be expected to keep up with developments. We need a human being on the end of the phone to tell us how to access the support. We don’t have time for bureaucracy, and we can’t trawl through government websites ourselves.
There is much that we need to get quick answers on. There have been rumours that if the government were to force me to close, I could claim insurance. However, a statement from the Association of British Insurers read out to the select committee made it clear that it would be unusual for businesses to be covered even in the event of forced closure. The rumour that insurance will save us still persists. We must make sure that advice is based on fact. The Chancellor must take responsibility and ensure that every piece of advice is fact-checked.
We have heard warm words on support and loans available through banks. This support is not being felt on the ground. At branch level, there is confusion and off-putting bureaucracy. Many small businesses and self-employed people are nervous about loan schemes. We do not know what the impact will be of this crisis. We need income protection to ensure that we can continue to pay the rent, and it must be offered in a way that fits the culture of the self-employed and small business.
Other countries such as France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark have announced measures to cover the majority of salaries, which prevents mass unemployment. The UK must keep up and announce similar measures. This needs to happen urgently. It is normal for a lot of hospitality staff to be paid on a weekly basis. Decisions about their future must be made this week.
The Chancellor’s statement on Tuesday was long on promises, short on practicalities – a bigger pot of money for the headlines, but still no idea how to claim it. How can small businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors access the additional cash grant of up to £25,000 per business he promised, and when? Where will the loans he promised be available, and how will the government guarantee them? Answers came there none.
I’ve had an assurance that my brewery landlord won’t collect the rent now, but it seems that it will have to be paid even though I have no customers. I’ve contacted my trade organisation, the British Institute of Innkeeping, but they seem to have less information than I do. I still have no idea whether the wages of my staff will be covered as they are being covered in other countries. There are still no clear assurances for my staff, who are all renting, that they won’t get evicted. As I write this, I’m paying a member of staff to watch an empty business.
Our hospitality industry is not just an employer. A pub is a community that offers friendship and support. On Sunday night, I had a pint with a man who was sat by himself in my pub. It was the first time that he had been out since losing his wife. I noticed him, I made him laugh. With the over-70s forced into isolation, people like him will not have the support that businesses like mine provide.
We are heading into a crisis for mental health support. I will do all I can through my business to keep in touch with the community, I have already delivered food to people who have self-isolated. We can’t expect businesses to repurpose overnight. There are regulatory and licencing implications. If we are to offer crisis support, then we too must receive support and guidance on best practice. We need more a lot more from the government, and fast.


labourlist--2020-03-18--The coronavirus crisis is exposing Britain’s class divisions

Into this wild Abyss the wary Fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while – John Milton , Paradise Lost Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK , our labour market was broken .
One in six workers were in low-paid insecure work , most people in poverty were on the daily grind rather than the dole , and it was only last month – which now feels like a lifetime ago – that real wages returned to their pre-2008 levels .
Work wasn ’ t working , and this Covid-19 crisis will only augment Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of wage growth over the last 12 years has led to historically low saving rates , putting us in a dangerous situation where the impending lockdown will break the finances of many households .
According to the Office of National Statistics , as much as a third of workers under 40 can not make ends meet for longer than three months if their main income source disappears .
This is made worse by the fact that even having the choice to work from home seems to be a privilege for the highest earners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work : going into isolation for hundreds of thousands of people will actually mean an unbearable social intensity , given that overcrowding in social homes in England is at a 24-year high .
In a time of crisis , it is useful to remember the Keynesian insight that one person ’ s expenditure is another person ’ s income .
Wages are a matter of survival for workers but a cost to be minimised for businesses .
Mortgage repayments pitch homeowners against banks and bond holders .
Rents are a big chunk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an income for landlords .
To avoid a breakdown of the system , the government will have to keep these economic flows moving by injecting cash into households , businesses and/or the financial system .
While all sectors will benefit from a cash injection , no matter where it lands , the most important political and economic questions concern who will be protected by the state first and who will suffer the brunt of the crisis .
Ultimately , this is a question of class power .
The bulk of the government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least £330bn in loans for businesses and mortgage breaks for Britain ’ s homeowners and 2.6 million buy-to-let landlords .
So far , there are no measures to guarantee wages , no protections for gig economy workers and the self-employed , while statutory sick pay remains at one of the lowest rates in Europe .
The message is clear : landlords and businesses first ; workers second .
What seems particularly concerning is just how blasé Boris Johnson is to let working people suffer what they must .
On Monday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue of pay was asked .
The Prime Minister simply replied that the government was increasing the minimum wage rate by around 50p .
This is not an adequate response to the crisis of a century .
In fact , it isn ’ t even a response to the crisis , given that the policy was announced last year .
How does this all compare to the rest of the world ?
There are three ways to understand how governments have responded to this crisis .
First is the labour approach , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come together to guarantee wages for households .
In Denmark , New Zealand , Austria , Sweden , Ireland , Spain , Italy and Germany , agreements have been reached that the state will pay the bulk of wages in exchange for businesses limiting layoffs .
Capital benefits , but labour is protected first .
The second is the UBI approach .
Rather than guaranteeing incomes , a number of countries have either flirted with or started implementing the idea of giving direct cash transfers to all households in order to stimulate demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all citizens over 18 , while President Trump has proposed sending every household $ 1,000 a month .
Australia has implemented a more targeted cash transfer of $ 750 to its six million low-income earners .
The third is focused on reducing bills .
Alongside some of the measures above , countries taking this approach have gone one step further in reducing the obligations that households have to make , whether it ’ s mortgages ( Italy ) , rent and utility bills ( for small businesses in France ) or suspending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities such as Seattle and San Francisco ) .
Despite this crisis hitting those at the bottom of Britain ’ s class system the hardest , the government has diverged from most countries by putting businesses and landlords first .
With millions of working people staring into the abyss , those at the top of Britain ’ s class ladder seem willing – like an economic repeat of herd immunity – to stand on the brink and look a while .
Ben Tippet ’ s book ‘ Split : Class Divides Uncovered ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @

Into this wild Abyss the wary Fiend
Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while
– John Milton, Paradise Lost
Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, our labour market was broken. One in six workers were in low-paid insecure work, most people in poverty were on the daily grind rather than the dole, and it was only last month – which now feels like a lifetime ago – that real wages returned to their pre-2008 levels. Work wasn’t working, and this Covid-19 crisis will only augment Britain’s class divisions.
The lack of wage growth over the last 12 years has led to historically low saving rates, putting us in a dangerous situation where the impending lockdown will break the finances of many households. According to the Office of National Statistics, as much as a third of workers under 40 cannot make ends meet for longer than three months if their main income source disappears.
This is made worse by the fact that even having the choice to work from home seems to be a privilege for the highest earners. And it is not just about work: going into isolation for hundreds of thousands of people will actually mean an unbearable social intensity, given that overcrowding in social homes in England is at a 24-year high.
In a time of crisis, it is useful to remember the Keynesian insight that one person’s expenditure is another person’s income. Wages are a matter of survival for workers but a cost to be minimised for businesses. Mortgage repayments pitch homeowners against banks and bond holders. Rents are a big chunk of the bills for renters, but provide an income for landlords.
To avoid a breakdown of the system, the government will have to keep these economic flows moving by injecting cash into households, businesses and/or the financial system. While all sectors will benefit from a cash injection, no matter where it lands, the most important political and economic questions concern who will be protected by the state first and who will suffer the brunt of the crisis. Ultimately, this is a question of class power.
The bulk of the government’s macroeconomic response has been to promise at least £330bn in loans for businesses and mortgage breaks for Britain’s homeowners and 2.6 million buy-to-let landlords. So far, there are no measures to guarantee wages, no protections for gig economy workers and the self-employed, while statutory sick pay remains at one of the lowest rates in Europe. The message is clear: landlords and businesses first; workers second.
What seems particularly concerning is just how blasé Boris Johnson is to let working people suffer what they must. On Monday’s press briefing, only one question on the issue of pay was asked. The Prime Minister simply replied that the government was increasing the minimum wage rate by around 50p. This is not an adequate response to the crisis of a century. In fact, it isn’t even a response to the crisis, given that the policy was announced last year.
How does this all compare to the rest of the world? There are three ways to understand how governments have responded to this crisis. First is the labour approach, where government, business and unions have come together to guarantee wages for households. In Denmark, New Zealand, Austria, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Germany, agreements have been reached that the state will pay the bulk of wages in exchange for businesses limiting layoffs. Capital benefits, but labour is protected first.
The second is the UBI approach. Rather than guaranteeing incomes, a number of countries have either flirted with or started implementing the idea of giving direct cash transfers to all households in order to stimulate demand. Hong Kong has paid $1,280 to all citizens over 18, while President Trump has proposed sending every household $1,000 a month. Australia has implemented a more targeted cash transfer of $750 to its six million low-income earners.
The third is focused on reducing bills. Alongside some of the measures above, countries taking this approach have gone one step further in reducing the obligations that households have to make, whether it’s mortgages (Italy), rent and utility bills (for small businesses in France) or suspending evictions (New York, and US cities such as Seattle and San Francisco).
Despite this crisis hitting those at the bottom of Britain’s class system the hardest, the government has diverged from most countries by putting businesses and landlords first. With millions of working people staring into the abyss, those at the top of Britain’s class ladder seem willing – like an economic repeat of herd immunity – to stand on the brink and look a while.
Ben Tippet’s book ‘Split: Class Divides Uncovered‘ will be released on Friday.


labourlist--2020-03-18--“Enfield North really is a tale of two cities” – Feryal Clark’s maiden speech

Below is the full text of the maiden speech delivered by the new Labour MP for Enfield North , Feryal Clark , in parliament on January 16th .
I am grateful for the opportunity to make my maiden speech in this important debate , and deeply honoured and humbled to stand in this great chamber .
As a child refugee who arrived in Britain with her family 30 years ago , I could never have dreamed that I would have the privilege and responsibility to serve my adopted country as an MP .
I would like again to express my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for putting their trust in me .
I am steadfastly committed to being their voice and their champion .
I pay tribute to my predecessor Joan Ryan , who served Enfield North diligently from 1997 , with only a brief gap .
Joan was a dedicated public servant , committed to representing local issues , and a brave and outspoken advocate for causes close to her heart .
We share a passion for local government , having both served as councillors and then as deputy leaders .
We both have concerns over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a determination to reduce the harmful impact on constituents in Enfield North .
I am sure that the whole House will join me in wishing Joan well in her future endeavours .
I am the first MP of Turkish Kurdish heritage to be elected to parliament .
I am also the first MP of the Alevi religion ; although there are between 300,000 and half a million believers in the UK , they are underrepresented in public office .
I also thought I might be arriving as the shortest MP but I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am a whole half inch taller than my hon .
Friend the member for Hampstead and Kilburn .
I hope that we can be an inspiration to vertically challenged women everywhere .
My constituency is varied in every sense of the word .
It is diverse in culture and privilege , and has contrasting landscapes .
Enfield is a bustling market town with rural spots of natural beauty , and a place where people from across the world have found their home .
We are proudly home to Forty Hall vineyard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which I can wholeheartedly recommend to my colleagues who are so inclined .
We host Enfield town football club , which is fan-owned and an example to local football clubs across the UK .
I am personally delighted to boast about having the Tottenham Hotspur academy in my constituency ; it truly trains the cream of the football crop , as I am sure the whole House will agree .
I am extremely proud of the diverse population of Enfield North .
Our diversity is our strength .
I am committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other in support and solidarity .
Some 6.8 % of my constituents hail from other parts of the EU , and they can be assured that I will stand up for them during every step of the Brexit process , fighting for their rights to be protected and for promises made to them to be kept .
There seems to be a tradition in the House of emphasising the contrasts in our constituencies , but Enfield North really is a tale of two cities .
On the west side , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courses and the prosperous town centre .
On the east of the borough , however , it is a different story .
The A10 is the dividing line of wealth in my constituency .
We all know that poverty has a knock-on effect on health , and when you cross the A10 , you sadly find that the life expectancy there is significantly reduced .
The rates of child poverty in the east of the borough are among the highest in the country , as are the levels of homelessness .
The east @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Enfield Council ’ s budget has been cut by more than £100m since 2010 , leaving vital services wanting .
My constituency also faces significant challenges from crime .
Cuts to youth service budgets and the loss of 240 police officers over the past ten years have culminated in far too many tragedies of young lives being lost or ruined , to the extent that groups of parents are now taking it upon themselves to patrol the streets in the hope of keeping their children safe .
How has it come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its pledge to restore 20,000 police officers , and I will campaign for my borough to get its fair share .
By far the biggest issue for my constituents is the topic of this debate .
Already my constituency has seen a steep decline in healthcare over the past ten years , and the forecast is no brighter for the next .
Some 10 % of GP practices have been recorded as closing since 2013 .
GPs are desperately overworked , with the number of patients having risen by 23,000 since 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of GPs to treat them .
Parts of my constituency , such as Enfield Chase ward , do not have a single GP surgery .
In 2010 , Chase Farm Hospital was downgraded , leading to the loss of its A & E facility , maternity unit and other specialist departments .
My constituents now have to go elsewhere for medical emergencies , leading to pressure on neighbouring hospitals in Barnet and on North Middlesex Hospital .
Spending per head on healthcare in Enfield has reduced by 16 % since 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our health service into context .
The last bastion of support locally is the urgent care centre in Chase Farm Hospital , but its survival is not certain .
I hope the minister can assure me that the urgent care centre in Chase Farm Hospital will not have its hours reduced , and that my constituents will not experience any further decline in healthcare .
I hope that I have managed to shed a small amount of light on my constituency in all of its glory and challenge .
I am ambitious for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great things to come , but we need the support of our government to see our young people flourish , our businesses thrive and our healthcare system repaired .
I pledge to my constituents to be their persistent champion , and what I lack in height , I will make up for in voice .

Below is the full text of the maiden speech delivered by the new Labour MP for Enfield North, Feryal Clark, in parliament on January 16th.
I am grateful for the opportunity to make my maiden speech in this important debate, and deeply honoured and humbled to stand in this great chamber. As a child refugee who arrived in Britain with her family 30 years ago, I could never have dreamed that I would have the privilege and responsibility to serve my adopted country as an MP. I would like again to express my thanks to the people of Enfield North for putting their trust in me. I am steadfastly committed to being their voice and their champion.
I pay tribute to my predecessor Joan Ryan, who served Enfield North diligently from 1997, with only a brief gap. Joan was a dedicated public servant, committed to representing local issues, and a brave and outspoken advocate for causes close to her heart. We share a passion for local government, having both served as councillors and then as deputy leaders. We both have concerns over the cuts to our health service, and a determination to reduce the harmful impact on constituents in Enfield North. I am sure that the whole House will join me in wishing Joan well in her future endeavours.
I am the first MP of Turkish Kurdish heritage to be elected to parliament. I am also the first MP of the Alevi religion; although there are between 300,000 and half a million believers in the UK, they are underrepresented in public office. I also thought I might be arriving as the shortest MP but I am assured that, at five feet, I am a whole half inch taller than my hon. Friend the member for Hampstead and Kilburn. I hope that we can be an inspiration to vertically challenged women everywhere.
My constituency is varied in every sense of the word. It is diverse in culture and privilege, and has contrasting landscapes. Enfield is a bustling market town with rural spots of natural beauty, and a place where people from across the world have found their home. We are proudly home to Forty Hall vineyard, which produces delicious, organic English wine, which I can wholeheartedly recommend to my colleagues who are so inclined. We host Enfield town football club, which is fan-owned and an example to local football clubs across the UK. I am personally delighted to boast about having the Tottenham Hotspur academy in my constituency; it truly trains the cream of the football crop, as I am sure the whole House will agree.
I am extremely proud of the diverse population of Enfield North. Our diversity is our strength. I am committed to representing all the communities who live alongside each other in support and solidarity. Some 6.8% of my constituents hail from other parts of the EU, and they can be assured that I will stand up for them during every step of the Brexit process, fighting for their rights to be protected and for promises made to them to be kept.
There seems to be a tradition in the House of emphasising the contrasts in our constituencies, but Enfield North really is a tale of two cities. On the west side, we have the beautiful greenbelt land, numerous golf courses and the prosperous town centre. On the east of the borough, however, it is a different story. The A10 is the dividing line of wealth in my constituency. We all know that poverty has a knock-on effect on health, and when you cross the A10, you sadly find that the life expectancy there is significantly reduced. The rates of child poverty in the east of the borough are among the highest in the country, as are the levels of homelessness. The east is crying out for more investment, but Enfield Council’s budget has been cut by more than £100m since 2010, leaving vital services wanting.
My constituency also faces significant challenges from crime. Cuts to youth service budgets and the loss of 240 police officers over the past ten years have culminated in far too many tragedies of young lives being lost or ruined, to the extent that groups of parents are now taking it upon themselves to patrol the streets in the hope of keeping their children safe. How has it come to that? The government has made much of its pledge to restore 20,000 police officers, and I will campaign for my borough to get its fair share.
By far the biggest issue for my constituents is the topic of this debate. Already my constituency has seen a steep decline in healthcare over the past ten years, and the forecast is no brighter for the next. Some 10% of GP practices have been recorded as closing since 2013. GPs are desperately overworked, with the number of patients having risen by 23,000 since 2015, but with no rise in the number of GPs to treat them. Parts of my constituency, such as Enfield Chase ward, do not have a single GP surgery.
In 2010, Chase Farm Hospital was downgraded, leading to the loss of its A&E facility, maternity unit and other specialist departments. My constituents now have to go elsewhere for medical emergencies, leading to pressure on neighbouring hospitals in Barnet and on North Middlesex Hospital. Spending per head on healthcare in Enfield has reduced by 16% since 2015, which puts the symptoms of dereliction in our health service into context.
The last bastion of support locally is the urgent care centre in Chase Farm Hospital, but its survival is not certain. I hope the minister can assure me that the urgent care centre in Chase Farm Hospital will not have its hours reduced, and that my constituents will not experience any further decline in healthcare.
I hope that I have managed to shed a small amount of light on my constituency in all of its glory and challenge. I am ambitious for Enfield, and I believe it has great things to come, but we need the support of our government to see our young people flourish, our businesses thrive and our healthcare system repaired. I pledge to my constituents to be their persistent champion, and what I lack in height, I will make up for in voice.


labourlist--2020-03-18--WATCH: PM confirms introduction of protections for renters from eviction

The Prime Minister confirmed that there would be legislation to protect renters from eviction due to coronavirus when Jeremy Corbyn raised the subject at PMQs today .
The Labour leader said : “ Yesterday , the Chancellor unfortunately offered nothing to the 20 million people living in rented homes , including the three million households with children .
“ They ’ re worried , they ’ re worried sick that they can ’ t pay their rent if they get ill , lose pay or feel they need to self-isolate .
“ It is in the interest of public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – that people don ’ t feel forced to go to work in order to avoid eviction when they know themselves they may be spreading this terrible disease .
“ Will the Prime Minister now confirm that the government ’ s emergency legislation will protect private renters from eviction ?
” Boris Johnson replied : “ I can indeed confirm that we will be bringing forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction.
” The Prime Minister added : “ But it is also important as we legislate that we do not simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll also be taking steps to protect other actors in the economy .
”

The Prime Minister confirmed that there would be legislation to protect renters from eviction due to coronavirus when Jeremy Corbyn raised the subject at PMQs today.
The Labour leader said: “Yesterday, the Chancellor unfortunately offered nothing to the 20 million people living in rented homes, including the three million households with children.
“They’re worried, they’re worried sick that they can’t pay their rent if they get ill, lose pay or feel they need to self-isolate.
“It is in the interest of public health – the health of all of us – that people don’t feel forced to go to work in order to avoid eviction when they know themselves they may be spreading this terrible disease.
“Will the Prime Minister now confirm that the government’s emergency legislation will protect private renters from eviction?”
Boris Johnson replied: “I can indeed confirm that we will be bringing forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction.”
The Prime Minister added: “But it is also important as we legislate that we do not simply pass on the problems, so we’ll also be taking steps to protect other actors in the economy.”


labourlist--2020-03-18--PMQs: Johnson told to fill gaping holes in latest coronavirus package

This Prime Minister ’ s Questions was one of the strangest we ’ ve had .
In light of the spreading coronavirus , the only MPs allowed to attend were the ones scheduled to ask a question .
This made for an eerily quiet affair .
The focus today was , or course , on Covid-19 and the emergency legislation to be brought forward .
Will the government increase the level of sick pay ?
And will that sick pay be made available to everyone , including those who don ’ t earn £118 per week ?
This was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corbyn .
“ You can not live on £90-odd a week , ” he declared , urging Boris Johnson to commit to raising the level of sick pay to that of other European countries .
The PM revealed only that he would be bringing forward measures to protect “ workers of all kinds ” .
And what about renters ?
“ The Chancellor offered nothing to the 20 million people that live in rented homes.
” Corbyn reminded Johnson that this figure includes three million households with children .
The response ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will “ bring forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction ” .
But what will this protection look like ?
A deferral of rents is not enough .
The tenants who can ’ t pay their rent because they currently have no work will not suddenly be flush enough to cover additional payments after a period of weeks or months of unemployment .
A third of them already have no savings .
Other countries have gone further and introduced rent suspensions .
So too must the UK government .
The Labour leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why are we only testing 10,000 staff for Covid-19 per day ?
Far fewer than actually work in the NHS and in social care .
That will be going up to 25,000 a day , Johnson reassured MPs .
Deputy leadership candidate Rosena Allin-Khan drew on her role working in the NHS alongside the staff battling this epidemic to ask a question .
Where was the forward planning for protective equipment for staff ; where is the testing for medics ; why are we waiting so long for mass testing ?
The PM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is proceeding with the “ best scientific advice ” and patronisingly advised the qualified health professional : “ That is how you save lives.
” This from a PM who has been briefing the press with often confusing and contradictory statements .
And what wasn ’ t discussed ?
The gaping hole is local government .
A missed opportunity from the Labour leader here as councils are right now scrambling to bring in emergency provisions across all of their services – housing , public health , social care , welfare and more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are already losing their jobs .
Residents are already having trouble paying their rent .
And after ten years of successive cuts to their budgets , councils ’ funding will be further knocked when many people can inevitably no longer pay their council tax .
A £500m hardship fund has been announced , but there ’ s no sign of it yet and it will represent a drop in the ocean when split between the hundreds of local authorities in the country .
We are only at the beginning of this crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

This Prime Minister’s Questions was one of the strangest we’ve had. In light of the spreading coronavirus, the only MPs allowed to attend were the ones scheduled to ask a question. This made for an eerily quiet affair. The focus today was, or course, on Covid-19 and the emergency legislation to be brought forward. Will the government increase the level of sick pay? And will that sick pay be made available to everyone, including those who don’t earn £118 per week? This was the line of questioning from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. “You cannot live on £90-odd a week,” he declared, urging Boris Johnson to commit to raising the level of sick pay to that of other European countries. The PM revealed only that he would be bringing forward measures to protect “workers of all kinds”.
And what about renters? “The Chancellor offered nothing to the 20 million people that live in rented homes.” Corbyn reminded Johnson that this figure includes three million households with children. The response? The PM told the House that the government will “bring forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction”. But what will this protection look like? A deferral of rents is not enough. The tenants who can’t pay their rent because they currently have no work will not suddenly be flush enough to cover additional payments after a period of weeks or months of unemployment. A third of them already have no savings. Other countries have gone further and introduced rent suspensions. So too must the UK government.
The Labour leader moved onto concerns about NHS workers. Why are we only testing 10,000 staff for Covid-19 per day? Far fewer than actually work in the NHS and in social care. That will be going up to 25,000 a day, Johnson reassured MPs. Deputy leadership candidate Rosena Allin-Khan drew on her role working in the NHS alongside the staff battling this epidemic to ask a question. Where was the forward planning for protective equipment for staff; where is the testing for medics; why are we waiting so long for mass testing? The PM responded only to say that the UK is proceeding with the “best scientific advice” and patronisingly advised the qualified health professional: “That is how you save lives.” This from a PM who has been briefing the press with often confusing and contradictory statements.
And what wasn’t discussed? The gaping hole is local government. A missed opportunity from the Labour leader here as councils are right now scrambling to bring in emergency provisions across all of their services – housing, public health, social care, welfare and more. And the pressure will only increase. People are already losing their jobs. Residents are already having trouble paying their rent. And after ten years of successive cuts to their budgets, councils’ funding will be further knocked when many people can inevitably no longer pay their council tax. A £500m hardship fund has been announced, but there’s no sign of it yet and it will represent a drop in the ocean when split between the hundreds of local authorities in the country. We are only at the beginning of this crisis, and central government must step up.


labourlist--2020-03-18--WATCH: Dr Rosena Allin-Khan asks PM “where is the testing for medics?”

Labour deputy leadership candidate Dr Rosena Allin-Khan , who is also an NHS doctor and still does regular A & E shifts , asked about protective equipment and testing for NHS staff at PMQs today .
The Labour MP said : “ My NHS colleagues on the frontline are already stressed with the pressure that they face .
Last night , I visited my father in a care home and I am acutely aware that I may have fed him for the very last time .
“ We are in unprecedented times .
I would like to know , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our NHS and care staff ?
Where is the testing for medics ?
Why are we waiting so long for mass testing ?
And why are social distancing measures merely just suggestions ?
” The Prime Minister said he agreed with Allin-Khan and expressed thanks for her NHS work .
He added : “ We have stockpiles of PPE… We are proceeding in accordance with the best scientific advice.
” But UK medics have warned that they are at risk of dying from Covid-19 as the protective gear requirements for health workers treating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An NHS doctor told The Guardian they were “ seriously considering ” whether they could keep working .

Labour deputy leadership candidate Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, who is also an NHS doctor and still does regular A&E shifts, asked about protective equipment and testing for NHS staff at PMQs today.
The Labour MP said: “My NHS colleagues on the frontline are already stressed with the pressure that they face. Last night, I visited my father in a care home and I am acutely aware that I may have fed him for the very last time.
“We are in unprecedented times. I would like to know, where was the forward planning for PPE for our NHS and care staff? Where is the testing for medics? Why are we waiting so long for mass testing? And why are social distancing measures merely just suggestions?”
The Prime Minister said he agreed with Allin-Khan and expressed thanks for her NHS work. He added: “We have stockpiles of PPE… We are proceeding in accordance with the best scientific advice.”
But UK medics have warned that they are at risk of dying from Covid-19 as the protective gear requirements for health workers treating infected patients were downgraded last week. An NHS doctor told The Guardian they were “seriously considering” whether they could keep working.


labourlist--2020-03-19--McDonnell releases Labour coronavirus plan to keep people in work

John McDonnell has released the Labour Party plan to keep people in work amid the coronavirus crisis that is affecting as well as people ’ s health .
It includes a recommendation that the government should underwrite the wages of those at risk of losing their jobs and those temporarily out of work , with these offers guaranteeing that workers are kept on .
Labour is asking the government to underwrite 90 % of wages of those in a low earner band , 85 % of those in a middle earner band , and 80 % of those in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribute the rest .
On sick pay , McDonnell has suggested that it is increased , that the lower earnings limit is scrapped , that it applies to those in insecure work , and that the government provides an equivalent for the self-employed .
Labour also wants all benefit sanctions suspended , for it to be made clear that Universal Credit claimants do not have to attend Jobcentre interviews , and for the levels of other benefits to be increased to £100 .
The Shadow Chancellor commented : “ These are our further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope will lead to a more comprehensive and effective economic response to the coronavirus crisis .
“ The government has been widely criticised , including by Conservative MPs , for being too slow in developing a plan to keep people in work .
“ We have set out a package of reforms , which includes the government underwriting the bulk of wages of people at risk of losing their job or temporarily out of work .
“ This is a plan that will help secure people ’ s wages , welfare , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Read ‘ Wages , Welfare and Wellbeing : Labour ’ s Economic Plan for Individuals Affected by Coronavirus ’ here .

John McDonnell has released the Labour Party plan to keep people in work amid the coronavirus crisis that is dramatically affecting the economy as well as public health.
It recommends that the government should underwrite the wages of those at risk of losing their jobs and those temporarily out of work, with this offer to employers being made on the condition that workers are kept on.
Labour is asking the government to underwrite 90% of wages of those in a low earner band, 85% of those in a middle earner band, and 80% of those in a high earner band. The employer would contribute the rest.
On sick pay, McDonnell has suggested that it is increased, that the lower earnings limit is scrapped, that it applies to those in insecure work, and that the government provides an equivalent for the self-employed.
Labour also wants all benefit sanctions suspended, for it to be made clear that Universal Credit claimants do not have to attend Jobcentre interviews, and for the levels of other benefits to be increased to £100.
The Shadow Chancellor commented: “These are our further proposals to the government, which we hope will lead to a more comprehensive and effective economic response to the coronavirus crisis.
“The government has been widely criticised, including by Conservative MPs, for being too slow in developing a plan to keep people in work.
“We have set out a package of reforms, which includes the government underwriting the bulk of wages of people at risk of losing their job or temporarily out of work.
“This is a plan that will help secure people’s wages, welfare, and wellbeing in a time of real uncertainty.”