labourlist--2020-12-10--Deliver deal, Starmer urges as PM calls no deal “strong possibility”

Keir Starmer has said that the British public want to see the Prime Minister deliver on the “ oven-ready ” Brexit deal he promised during the last general election and focus on combatting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
In an interview this evening , the Labour leader stressed the importance of a deal shortly before Boris Johnson told Sky News that there is a “ strong possibility ” no free trade deal will be struck between the EU and the UK .
Commenting on the post-Brexit trade talks this evening and a deal between the UK its European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s very important that there is a deal in terms of our trade with Europe , our relationship with Europe .
“ And I think , you know , for most people a year on from the election they ’ re going to be scratching their head and saying look this is the Prime Minister who promised us a deal , he told us he ’ d actually got a deal – an oven-ready deal .
“ And I think most people will be saying get on and deliver on that promise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very worried about the pandemic , about Covid , they want us to focus on that .
“ They know that we ’ ve got the worst death toll in Europe , tragically , from Covid .
They know that economically we ’ re one of the hardest hit countries of major economies .
“ They will be saying to the Prime Minister , you promised you got a deal , get on and deliver it and let ’ s focus on the things that really matter to us most just at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU and the transition period is due to end on January 1st 2021 , after which point all goods entering and leaving the country to and from the EU will be subject to new rules and processes not yet agreed .
Post-Brexit trade talks between the UK and the EU have been ongoing , with the main differences remaining being over fishing , governance and the ‘ level playing field ’ .
If an agreement is not reached , the UK will leave with no deal .
Negotiations on the trade agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this morning that the EU had prepared contingency plans for a no-deal scenario on January 1st .
The contingency measures have been described as a series of “ mini deals ” in the event that an overarching agreement is not secured including , for example , provisions to roll over the status quo on fishing for another 12 months .
Brussels warned earlier today that British airlines would be banned from flying to European destinations in the event of a no-deal Brexit , unless the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing field ’ demands .
The Prime Minister told the public this evening that he would “ keep going ” and “ go the extra mile ” to try to strike a trade agreement with the EU but warned that British citizens and businesses should prepare for an Australian-style “ option ” .
He told those watching that the deal currently on the table “ isn ’ t right for the UK ” .
“ The UK has been incredibly flexible , ” Johnson added in an interview given from Downing Street .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress on all sorts of things.
” Johnson promised at the last general election to deliver an ‘ oven-ready ’ deal with the EU as part of his pledge to ‘ get Brexit done ’ .
The Prime Minister and the EU Commission President have now designated Sunday as the deadline for agreement .

Keir Starmer has said that the British public want to see the Prime Minister deliver on the “oven-ready” Brexit deal he promised during the last general election and focus on combatting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
In an interview this evening, the Labour leader stressed the importance of a deal shortly before Boris Johnson told Sky News that there is a “strong possibility” no free trade deal will be struck between the EU and the UK.
Commenting on the post-Brexit trade talks this evening and a deal between the UK its European neighbours, Starmer said: “It’s very important that there is a deal in terms of our trade with Europe, our relationship with Europe.
“And I think, you know, for most people a year on from the election they’re going to be scratching their head and saying look this is the Prime Minister who promised us a deal, he told us he’d actually got a deal – an oven-ready deal.
“And I think most people will be saying get on and deliver on that promise, because the truth is most people are very worried about the pandemic, about Covid, they want us to focus on that.
“They know that we’ve got the worst death toll in Europe, tragically, from Covid. They know that economically we’re one of the hardest hit countries of major economies.
“They will be saying to the Prime Minister, you promised you got a deal, get on and deliver it and let’s focus on the things that really matter to us most just at the moment.”
"Let's focus on the things that really matter to us most" Labour leader Keir Starmer says people will want the prime minister to "get on and deliver on that promise" of a Brexit trade dealhttps://t.co/C5GUVjnilF pic.twitter.com/RxYCfxEnSL — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) December 10, 2020
The UK has left the EU and the transition period is due to end on January 1st 2021, after which point all goods entering and leaving the country to and from the EU will be subject to new rules and processes not yet agreed.
Post-Brexit trade talks between the UK and the EU have been ongoing, with the main differences remaining being over fishing, governance and the ‘level playing field’. If an agreement is not reached, the UK will leave with no deal.
Negotiations on the trade agreement have continued in Brussels since Wednesday. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said this morning that the EU had prepared contingency plans for a no-deal scenario on January 1st.
The contingency measures have been described as a series of “mini deals” in the event that an overarching agreement is not secured including, for example, provisions to roll over the status quo on fishing for another 12 months.
Brussels warned earlier today that British airlines would be banned from flying to European destinations in the event of a no-deal Brexit, unless the Prime Minister agrees to EU ‘level playing field’ demands.
The Prime Minister told the public this evening that he would “keep going” and “go the extra mile” to try to strike a trade agreement with the EU but warned that British citizens and businesses should prepare for an Australian-style “option”.
He told those watching that the deal currently on the table “isn’t right for the UK”. “The UK has been incredibly flexible,” Johnson added in an interview given from Downing Street. “We tried very hard to make progress on all sorts of things.”
Johnson promised at the last general election to deliver an ‘oven-ready’ deal with the EU as part of his pledge to ‘get Brexit done’. The Prime Minister and the EU Commission president have now designated Sunday as the deadline for agreement.


labourlist--2020-12-10--MPs call for action as 92% of teachers say Covid has widened ‘word gap’

A group of MPs has called for better support for schools to embed speaking skills in their classrooms , after 92 % of teachers reported that the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a widening of the ‘ word gap ’ .
In a foreword to an interim report published by the Oracy APPG this morning , chair and shadow education minister Emma Hardy emphasised that the public health crisis has worsened the “ inequities facing children in our school system ” .
The report , titled Speak for Change , highlights recent concerns raised by schools regulator Ofsted that children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regressing in basic skills and learning ” , including language , communication and oral fluency .
Introducing the report , Labour frontbencher Emma Hardy wrote : “ Oracy has always mattered , but it matters now more than ever .
The Covid-19 pandemic has widened the already stubborn ‘ language gap ’ .
“ While the Oracy APPG inquiry began its work before the pandemic struck , the importance of the work has come into ever-sharper focus since then .
Oracy offers an important means by which we can address the injustices worsened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the APPG found that 92 % of teachers think school closures during Covid have contributed to a widening of the ‘ word gap ’ and that 94 % found it challenging to support pupils ’ vocabulary development while teaching remotely .
Hardy added : “ Yet this is not a new debate .
For years , there have been efforts across the UK to increase high-quality classroom talk , against a background of extensive and ever-growing evidence of oracy ’ s importance .
“ Unfortunately , as this inquiry is finding , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a gulf between teachers ’ intuition that oracy matters , and their capacity to support it in their lessons.
” The report pointed to recent trials of oral language interventions by the Education Endowment Foundation , which showed that when undertaken they have enabled students to make an average of five months additional progress over a year .
But the interim report published by the group this morning also found that over half of teachers surveyed responded to say the school they teach in does not have a consistent approach to oracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the parliamentary group today aims to provide a “ snapshot of the key themes arising from the evidence ” .
The full report and final recommendations will be formulated in spring next year .
The Oracy APPG is committed to helping children become confident communicators .
The group exists to coordinate research , promote best practice and encourage the overarching principles of oracy in education and society at large .

A group of MPs has called for better support for schools to embed speaking skills in their classrooms, after 92% of teachers reported that the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a widening of the ‘word gap’.
In a foreword to an interim report published by the Oracy APPG this morning, chair and shadow education minister Emma Hardy emphasised that the public health crisis has worsened the “inequities facing children in our school system”.
The report, titled Speak for Change, highlights recent concerns raised by schools regulator Ofsted that children hit hardest by the pandemic are “regressing in basic skills and learning”, including language, communication and oral fluency.
Introducing the report, Labour frontbencher Emma Hardy wrote: “Oracy has always mattered, but it matters now more than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic has widened the already stubborn ‘language gap’.
“While the Oracy APPG inquiry began its work before the pandemic struck, the importance of the work has come into ever-sharper focus since then. Oracy offers an important means by which we can address the injustices worsened by the pandemic.”
Research cited by the APPG found that 92% of teachers think school closures during Covid have contributed to a widening of the ‘word gap’ and that 94% found it challenging to support pupils’ vocabulary development while teaching remotely.
Hardy added: “Yet this is not a new debate. For years, there have been efforts across the UK to increase high-quality classroom talk, against a background of extensive and ever-growing evidence of oracy’s importance.
“Unfortunately, as this inquiry is finding, many barriers get in the way, resulting in a gulf between teachers’ intuition that oracy matters, and their capacity to support it in their lessons.”
The report pointed to recent trials of oral language interventions by the Education Endowment Foundation, which showed that when undertaken they have enabled students to make an average of five months additional progress over a year.
But the interim report published by the group this morning also found that over half of teachers surveyed responded to say the school they teach in does not have a consistent approach to oracy development among pupils.
The document released by the parliamentary group today aims to provide a “snapshot of the key themes arising from the evidence”. The full report and final recommendations will be formulated in spring next year.
The Oracy APPG is committed to helping children become confident communicators. The group exists to coordinate research, promote best practice and encourage the overarching principles of oracy in education and society at large.


labourlist--2020-12-10--Reeves demands clarity on PPE contracts handed to tax haven companies

Rachel Reeves has declared that “ taxpayers deserve to know their money is being handled with great care ” and called for urgent clarity on government contracts handed to companies linked to tax havens during the coronavirus pandemic .
Based on analysis published by Labour this morning , the shadow Cabinet Office minister highlighted ten contracts worth over £470m given to companies either listed in tax havens or with a parent company listed in a tax haven .
The research from the party today highlighted contracts for personal protective equipment , each worth between £4m and £253m , secured by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey , Mauritius , Luxembourg , Dubai and the Cayman Islands .
Commenting on the public procurement this morning , Reeves said : “ Taxpayers deserve to know their money is being handled with great care – and that any risks of its misuse through tax havens is carefully handled by this government .
“ Despite evidence from the National Audit Office that taxpayer money was used to pay well over the odds for PPE , and that this government ’ s procurement process seriously lacks important transparency , we are seeing no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster added : “ This government can not continue to brush worrying patterns like this off .
They must commit to cleaning up their contracts now and be far more open to restore public confidence.
” The party has highlighted in its research that one company , which secured a government contract to provide personal protective equipment worth £23.3m and is registered in Malta , was also named in the Panama Papers scandal in 2016 .
Another , Ayanda capital , is the company from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face masks earlier this year .
A total of £472,118,869 was handed out in the contracts secured by the ten companies identified by the party .
Labour has slammed the lack of transparency around government contracting processes and argued they have led to “ increasing evidence of cronyism and ‘ chumocracy ' ” with a “ catalogue of contracts handed to Tory friends and donors ” .
The comments from Reeves this morning follow reports earlier this year , from the Good Law Project , that special pathways outside of the usual procurement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic to help “ VIPs ” win lucrative contracts .
A National Audit Office report last month found that half of all Covid contracts , worth £10.5bn , have been handed out without a competitive tender process and that applicants with political contacts were ten times more likely to be successful .
The NAO concluded that it could not “ give assurance that government has adequately mitigated the increased risks arising from emergency procurement or applied appropriate commercial practices in all cases ” .
The call from Labour today follows comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , who hit back at the government after Health Secretary Matt Hancock dismissed concerns expressed about public procurement in the crisis .
The chair of the parliamentary committee and Labour MP warned the minister that ignoring the need for transparency in the pandemic is a “ dangerous step ” and has pointed out that the government was “ licensed to act fast ” but not “ fast and loose ” .
Labour last month also challenged the Tories over the amount of taxpayer money wasted buying unusable personal protective equipment in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had bought 184 million items not fit for purpose .
Labour leader Keir Starmer highlighted the admission in a recent Prime Minister ’ s Questions session and accused Boris Johnson of “ spraying public money at contracts ” and called on the Tory leader to “ stop wasting taxpayers ’ money ” .
The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment .

Rachel Reeves has declared that “taxpayers deserve to know their money is being handled with great care” and called for urgent clarity on government contracts handed to companies linked to tax havens during the coronavirus pandemic.
Based on analysis published by Labour this morning, the shadow Cabinet Office minister highlighted ten contracts worth over £470m given to companies either listed in tax havens or with a parent company listed in a tax haven.
The research from the party today highlighted contracts for personal protective equipment, each worth between £4m and £253m, secured by entities linked to Malta, Delaware, Jersey, Mauritius, Luxembourg, Dubai and the Cayman Islands.
Commenting on the public procurement this morning, Reeves said: “Taxpayers deserve to know their money is being handled with great care – and that any risks of its misuse through tax havens is carefully handled by this government.
“Despite evidence from the National Audit Office that taxpayer money was used to pay well over the odds for PPE, and that this government’s procurement process seriously lacks important transparency, we are seeing no real moves to increase clarity or trust.”
The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster added: “This government cannot continue to brush worrying patterns like this off. They must commit to cleaning up their contracts now and be far more open to restore public confidence.”
The party has highlighted in its research that one company, which secured a government contract to provide personal protective equipment worth £23.3m and is registered in Malta, was also named in the Panama Papers scandal in 2016.
Another, Ayanda capital, is the company from which the government procured £150m of unusable face masks earlier this year. A total of £472,118,869 was handed out in the contracts secured by the ten companies identified by the party.
Labour has slammed the lack of transparency around government contracting processes and argued they have led to “increasing evidence of cronyism and ‘chumocracy'” with a “catalogue of contracts handed to Tory friends and donors”.
The comments from Reeves this morning follow reports earlier this year, from the Good Law Project, that special pathways outside of the usual procurement process were set up at the height of the pandemic to help “VIPs” win lucrative contracts.
A National Audit Office report last month found that half of all Covid contracts, worth £10.5bn, have been handed out without a competitive tender process and that applicants with political contacts were ten times more likely to be successful.
The NAO concluded that it could not “give assurance that government has adequately mitigated the increased risks arising from emergency procurement or applied appropriate commercial practices in all cases”.
The call from Labour today follows comments from select committee chair Meg Hillier on Tuesday, who hit back at the government after Health Secretary Matt Hancock dismissed concerns expressed about public procurement in the crisis.
The chair of the parliamentary committee and Labour MP warned the minister that ignoring the need for transparency in the pandemic is a “dangerous step” and has pointed out that the government was “licensed to act fast” but not “fast and loose”.
Labour last month also challenged the Tories over the amount of taxpayer money wasted buying unusable personal protective equipment in the health crisis after the Cabinet Office admitted it had bought 184 million items not fit for purpose.
Labour leader Keir Starmer highlighted the admission in a recent Prime Minister’s Questions session and accused Boris Johnson of “spraying public money at contracts” and called on the Tory leader to “stop wasting taxpayers’ money”.
The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment.


labourlist--2020-12-10--Labour condemns Tory “dithering” over criminal legal aid review

David Lammy and Karl Turner have accused the government of “ dithering ” for the past two years over its review of criminal legal aid and demanded answers from the minister after warning that the review is “ lacking in meaningful progress ” .
In an intervention marking two years since the government announced that it would carry out the criminal legal aid review ( CLAR ) , the Shadow Justice Secretary and shadow legal aid minister have today written to Robert Buckland .
The first details of CLAR were published last year and last month the minister promised that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin before the end of 2020 .
But Lammy and Turner have described this as a “ tall order to deliver ” .
Commenting on social media this afternoon , Lammy highlighted that the “ badly-needed review ” still has no chair and no panel appointed and , he added , “ no end in sight ” .
He warned that the criminal justice system is “ on the brink ” .
In their letter to the Secretary of State for Justice , Lammy and Turner questioned him on the timetable for appointments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time is of the essence for the legal aid system and access to justice ” .
They wrote : “ What is the timetable and process for the appointment of the panel ?
What guarantees can be given that the panel will have experience of the criminal legal aid system and that they reflect the diversity of the country that system serves and the professions that work within it ?
“ Crucially , what discussions have there been with HM Treasury ?
Their support , as you will be well aware , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s recommendations are not toothless .
“ When is the independent element of the review expected to conclude , and will that also be the conclusion of the overall criminal legal aid review ?
What assessment has been made of when CLAR ’ s recommendations will be published ?
“ The standard crime contract is set to expire on 31 March 2022 ; if CLAR has not been implemented providers will be forced into the impossible position of accepting an unsustainable contract or dropping out altogether , further threatening the sustainability of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turner warned that 38 % of criminal barristers may not renew their practising certificates next year and that the number of solicitor firms holding a criminal legal aid contract fell from 1,271 in February 2019 to 1,130 last month .
They added : “ With such drastic drop-out rates , there is a very real risk that the questions the review intends to address will prove redundant.
” The pair also noted the “ stark contrast ” between the lack of progress made on CLAR and the Conservative government ’ s approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act , both of which have seen chairs appointed .
The government earlier this year launched its inquiry into judicial review , through which the legality of government policies can be challenged in the courts , with former Conservative justice minister Lord Faulks selected as chair .
Justice Secretary Buckland unveiled on Monday a review of the Human Rights Act promised in the Tory 2019 manifesto .
Lammy slammed the timing of the announcement , in the middle of the pandemic , as “ bonkers ” .

David Lammy and Karl Turner have accused the government of “dithering” for the past two years over its review of criminal legal aid and demanded answers from the minister after warning that the review is “lacking in meaningful progress”.
In an intervention marking two years since the government announced that it would carry out the criminal legal aid review (CLAR), the Shadow Justice Secretary and shadow legal aid minister have today written to Robert Buckland.
The first details of CLAR were published last year and last month the minister promised that the second stage of the review would begin before the end of 2020. But Lammy and Turner have described this as a “tall order to deliver”.
Commenting on social media this afternoon, Lammy highlighted that the “badly-needed review” still has no chair and no panel appointed and, he added, “no end in sight”. He warned that the criminal justice system is “on the brink”.
In their letter to the Secretary of State for Justice, Lammy and Turner questioned him on the timetable for appointments to the body and stressed that “time is of the essence for the legal aid system and access to justice”.
They wrote: “What is the timetable and process for the appointment of the panel? What guarantees can be given that the panel will have experience of the criminal legal aid system and that they reflect the diversity of the country that system serves and the professions that work within it?
“Crucially, what discussions have there been with HM Treasury? Their support, as you will be well aware, is crucial to ensure that the CLAR’s recommendations are not toothless.
“When is the independent element of the review expected to conclude, and will that also be the conclusion of the overall criminal legal aid review? What assessment has been made of when CLAR’s recommendations will be published?
“The standard crime contract is set to expire on 31 March 2022; if CLAR has not been implemented providers will be forced into the impossible position of accepting an unsustainable contract or dropping out altogether, further threatening the sustainability of the criminal legal aid system.”
Lammy and Turner warned that 38% of criminal barristers may not renew their practising certificates next year and that the number of solicitor firms holding a criminal legal aid contract fell from 1,271 in February 2019 to 1,130 last month.
They added: “With such drastic drop-out rates, there is a very real risk that the questions the review intends to address will prove redundant.”
The pair also noted the “stark contrast” between the lack of progress made on CLAR and the Conservative government’s approach to reviewing judicial review and the Human Rights Act, both of which have seen chairs appointed.
The government earlier this year launched its inquiry into judicial review, through which the legality of government policies can be challenged in the courts, with former Conservative justice minister Lord Faulks selected as chair.
Justice Secretary Buckland unveiled on Monday a review of the Human Rights Act promised in the Tory 2019 manifesto. Lammy slammed the timing of the announcement, in the middle of the pandemic, as “bonkers”.


labourlist--2020-12-10--Labour’s soft left needs to get its shit together

Ten years ago , when Ed Miliband was elected leader , Labour ’ s soft left found its moment in the limelight again .
A decade later , with Keir Starmer as leader and Ed Miliband its most popular senior figure among members , this remains a soft left party .
But ask anyone what our agenda looks like and you get blank stares and confusion , if not derision .
For the past decade , we tried to split the difference between warring factions : rejecting Blairite indifference to neoliberalism , civil liberties , welfare cuts and foreign policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SWP/Stop the War agenda .
It only led to paralysis .
And it led to Ed Miliband ’ s defeat .
For those of us in Labour ’ s centre , this is an intellectual and political failure .
We need to define our own agenda based on our principles .
Let ’ s start that conversation .
I ’ ll kick off with three key principles that should define the soft left .
Then , three areas we should focus on .
And finally , three difficult debates we must have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what I believe makes us different .
Pluralism .
Our political coalitions will have to be diverse .
This is a boon and a curse .
It means we have to accept a diversity of views and approaches in our coalition .
We don ’ t operate by driving out dissenting views .
Pragmatism .
To accept diversity of views will require compromise .
We don ’ t always get what we want and we don ’ t demand ideological purity .
We win voters over by engaging them , not dismissing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A leader must be good at setting out a clear agenda , effective at holding the Tories to account , and look believable in what they want to achieve .
Where do we stand on the big questions ?
Here are my proposals .
Full employment through a jobs guarantee .
Neoliberalism created an economy that prized capital over jobs ; where financial instruments are conjured up by private equity firms to asset-strip companies and destroy livelihoods .
We need a focus back on an economy where people have stability and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them if necessary .
On the economy , there should be only one mantra : jobs , jobs , jobs .
Electrify everything .
The climate crisis is the biggest threat facing our country and we have to rise up to this challenge .
The problem isn ’ t the cost of clean energy anymore , it is how little we rely on it .
Labour should end all subsidy of fossil fuels and aim for full electrification of heating , transport and energy sectors .
The technology exists or is within our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more jobs .
An ethical foreign policy .
We stand not for Labour remaking Britain into an isolationist or imperialist power , but for defending democracy and human rights against genocide and authoritarianism around the world .
That includes not just Russia and China but Saudi Arabia too .
Just as Iraq was a disaster , our shameful inaction over genocide in Syria illustrates the dangers of doing nothing .
We need to go back to the principles espoused by Robin Cook .
But we still have far to go to win an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nothing if not rooted in communities : geographical , racial , religious or just social .
But we have stopped talking the language of community , what it means and how it empowers people .
This goes all the way from patriotism and nationhood to talks at the local mosque .
We need to rediscover communities and deeper engagement .
Towns and villages .
As our activist and voting base becomes more concentrated in cities , we have lost our connection to Britain ’ s towns and villages – a point Lisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to rediscover and reconnect with those areas .
Culture wars .
The Labour leadership may have learnt to ignore the ‘ culture wars ’ , but our MPs and members certainly have not .
Labour doesn ’ t understand identity politics .
It ’ s not in its DNA .
It understands class politics but not identity .
Avoid the culture wars on Twitter like the plague .
My aim here wasn ’ t to lay out a manifesto for Labour but a blueprint for the modern soft left .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it ’ s worse to pretend that we don ’ t need to show some leadership .
We need to get our act together .
We should have the confidence bring out the best of our traditions so Labour can win and transform our country again .

Ten years ago, when Ed Miliband was elected leader, Labour’s soft left found its moment in the limelight again. A decade later, with Keir Starmer as leader and Ed Miliband its most popular senior figure among members, this remains a soft left party.
But ask anyone what our agenda looks like and you get blank stares and confusion, if not derision. For the past decade, we tried to split the difference between warring factions: rejecting Blairite indifference to neoliberalism, civil liberties, welfare cuts and foreign policy mistakes; but equally unwilling to accept the SWP/Stop the War agenda.
It only led to paralysis. And it led to Ed Miliband’s defeat. For those of us in Labour’s centre, this is an intellectual and political failure. We need to define our own agenda based on our principles. Let’s start that conversation.
I’ll kick off with three key principles that should define the soft left. Then, three areas we should focus on. And finally, three difficult debates we must have to win power again.
Three principles
Here’s what I believe makes us different.
Pluralism. Our political coalitions will have to be diverse. This is a boon and a curse. It means we have to accept a diversity of views and approaches in our coalition. We don’t operate by driving out dissenting views.
Pragmatism. To accept diversity of views will require compromise. We don’t always get what we want and we don’t demand ideological purity. We win voters over by engaging them, not dismissing them as sellouts or Tories.
Competence. A leader must be good at setting out a clear agenda, effective at holding the Tories to account, and look believable in what they want to achieve.
Three agendas
Where do we stand on the big questions? Here are my proposals.
Full employment through a jobs guarantee. Neoliberalism created an economy that prized capital over jobs; where financial instruments are conjured up by private equity firms to asset-strip companies and destroy livelihoods. We need a focus back on an economy where people have stability and the government prioritises job creation – and guarantee them if necessary. On the economy, there should be only one mantra: jobs, jobs, jobs.
Electrify everything. The climate crisis is the biggest threat facing our country and we have to rise up to this challenge. The problem isn’t the cost of clean energy anymore, it is how little we rely on it. Labour should end all subsidy of fossil fuels and aim for full electrification of heating, transport and energy sectors. The technology exists or is within our grasp. Investing in them would create more jobs.
An ethical foreign policy. We stand not for Labour remaking Britain into an isolationist or imperialist power, but for defending democracy and human rights against genocide and authoritarianism around the world. That includes not just Russia and China but Saudi Arabia too. Just as Iraq was a disaster, our shameful inaction over genocide in Syria illustrates the dangers of doing nothing. We need to go back to the principles espoused by Robin Cook.
Three debates to win
But we still have far to go to win an election.
Communities. A Labour Party is nothing if not rooted in communities: geographical, racial, religious or just social. But we have stopped talking the language of community, what it means and how it empowers people. This goes all the way from patriotism and nationhood to talks at the local mosque. We need to rediscover communities and deeper engagement.
Towns and villages. As our activist and voting base becomes more concentrated in cities, we have lost our connection to Britain’s towns and villages – a point Lisa Nandy repeatedly made during the leadership election. We need to rediscover and reconnect with those areas.
Culture wars. The Labour leadership may have learnt to ignore the ‘culture wars’, but our MPs and members certainly have not. Labour doesn’t understand identity politics. It’s not in its DNA. It understands class politics but not identity. Avoid the culture wars on Twitter like the plague.
The soft left agenda
My aim here wasn’t to lay out a manifesto for Labour but a blueprint for the modern soft left. If you disagree, say why. But it’s worse to pretend that we don’t need to show some leadership. We need to get our act together. We should have the confidence bring out the best of our traditions so Labour can win and transform our country again.


labourlist--2020-12-11--The sisterhood has adapted to stay connected. Long may this continue

Networking and increased participation are the unsung successes of the changes made during the coronavirus pandemic , particularly for women on the left .
Political networking has always been difficult for women because it requires so much in-person effort and more often than not has been London-centric , excluding people with caring responsibilities and anyone with an inability to travel , due to finances , medical issues or other circumstances .
There is no doubt our movement has been all the poorer for it : we have missed out on the voices , expertise and experiences of countless people – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on most of the caring responsibilities in our communities .
Somewhat ironically , the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have brought a change to this situation , as video conference technology has meant previous factors preventing attendance do not apply .
In parliament , new networks – such as the Labour Women ’ s Parliamentary Staff Network – have been created to give women support while working from home , which can be isolating and lonely .
It ’ s enabling more people to keep in touch across the country , including those from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , safe spaces for conversations about anything and everything and a chance to hear from speakers in academia , politics , the voluntary sector and the media .
It has also provided an opportunity for quality discussion , debate and thinking with more diverse groups of women than ever before .
This must be harnessed as we continue to make strides forward to increase participation and equality for women throughout the labour movement .
On almost any day of the week , there is an organisation putting on an event that requires a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to take part from their homes , often ( as women regularly do ) while multitasking ; washing up , writing , wrapping presents , feeding a baby or cooking – the list goes on .
It ’ s been liberating for many organisations to be able to run multiple events weekly with the cost of events previously leaving them running only a handful each year .
Organisers are thinking differently about what they can deliver and how , and they are collaborating more easily with other networks to reach more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for democracy .
The Fabian Women ’ s Network , for example , is currently organising events to celebrate and remember important women in our party ’ s history like Barbara Castle and Mo Mowlam , has started a book club and run events on building resilience for activists and on countless issues impacting women .
What is also evident throughout the women ’ s movement is that – as geographical barriers to communication have fallen away , and virtual communication methods have taken over – women are supporting , mentoring and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , campaigning and generally staying sane .
Women are stepping up everywhere to lift each other up , help each other out and even reaching across political party lines to support one another in navigating familiar and unfamiliar challenges .
For many of us , advice and support is now readily available from our WhatsApp groups and regular phone or Zoom calls , with some of our most productive and supportive conversations in the political sphere now coming from people we have never met in person , but instead are associations made in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things in common with is one of the great joys in life .
Political activism is incredibly rewarding but it can be hard , and finding people who have endured the same struggles is vital for wellbeing .
The sisterhood has adapted to stay connected in what has been an unforgettable year , and is very much alive and well .
We now need to make sure this new way of connecting and working together is sustained after the coronavirus restrictions have ended .
This is important not just for networks but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including council chambers and party meetings .
It would be a tragedy if , once normal travel resumes , all those women who are now more involved in the labour movement than ever before are once again excluded from meetings and events being in person only .
The way people are participating has changed and so must we as we look to the future post-coronavirus .
In her appearance on Desert Island Discs , Mo Mowlam said women were “ central to the process working ” in Northern Ireland .
Women have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our movement .
Long may this continue .

Networking and increased participation are the unsung successes of the changes made during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly for women on the left. Political networking has always been difficult for women because it requires so much in-person effort and more often than not has been London-centric, excluding people with caring responsibilities and anyone with an inability to travel, due to finances, medical issues or other circumstances.
There is no doubt our movement has been all the poorer for it: we have missed out on the voices, expertise and experiences of countless people – but particularly of women, who take on most of the caring responsibilities in our communities. Somewhat ironically, the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have brought a change to this situation, as video conference technology has meant previous factors preventing attendance do not apply.
In parliament, new networks – such as the Labour Women’s Parliamentary Staff Network – have been created to give women support while working from home, which can be isolating and lonely. It’s enabling more people to keep in touch across the country, including those from constituency offices, providing online training events, safe spaces for conversations about anything and everything and a chance to hear from speakers in academia, politics, the voluntary sector and the media. It has also provided an opportunity for quality discussion, debate and thinking with more diverse groups of women than ever before. This must be harnessed as we continue to make strides forward to increase participation and equality for women throughout the labour movement.
On almost any day of the week, there is an organisation putting on an event that requires a few clicks on a computer or phone for people to take part from their homes, often (as women regularly do) while multitasking; washing up, writing, wrapping presents, feeding a baby or cooking – the list goes on. It’s been liberating for many organisations to be able to run multiple events weekly with the cost of events previously leaving them running only a handful each year.
Organisers are thinking differently about what they can deliver and how, and they are collaborating more easily with other networks to reach more people. This is better for participation and for democracy. The Fabian Women’s Network, for example, is currently organising events to celebrate and remember important women in our party’s history like Barbara Castle and Mo Mowlam, has started a book club and run events on building resilience for activists and on countless issues impacting women.
What is also evident throughout the women’s movement is that – as geographical barriers to communication have fallen away, and virtual communication methods have taken over – women are supporting, mentoring and counselling each other on being productive activists, campaigning and generally staying sane. Women are stepping up everywhere to lift each other up, help each other out and even reaching across political party lines to support one another in navigating familiar and unfamiliar challenges.
For many of us, advice and support is now readily available from our WhatsApp groups and regular phone or Zoom calls, with some of our most productive and supportive conversations in the political sphere now coming from people we have never met in person, but instead are associations made in online forums. Finding people you have things in common with is one of the great joys in life. Political activism is incredibly rewarding but it can be hard, and finding people who have endured the same struggles is vital for wellbeing.
The sisterhood has adapted to stay connected in what has been an unforgettable year, and is very much alive and well. We now need to make sure this new way of connecting and working together is sustained after the coronavirus restrictions have ended. This is important not just for networks but in other places where decisions are made, including council chambers and party meetings. It would be a tragedy if, once normal travel resumes, all those women who are now more involved in the labour movement than ever before are once again excluded from meetings and events being in person only.
The way people are participating has changed and so must we as we look to the future post-coronavirus. In her appearance on Desert Island Discs, Mo Mowlam said women were “central to the process working” in Northern Ireland. Women have been and remain central to countless successes in our movement. Long may this continue.


labourlist--2020-12-11--Test and Trace failures leaving “gaping hole in our defences”, Labour warns

Labour ’ s Jonathan Ashworth has criticised the government for leaving “ a gaping hole in our defences ” during the coronavirus pandemic following a damning report on failures in England ’ s contact tracing system .
A new report by the National Audit Office found that ‘ NHS Test and Trace ’ had failed to deliver enough Covid-19 test results within 24 hours and did not plan for a sharp rise in testing demand when schools and universities reopened .
The financial watchdog added that some parts of the contact tracing service had been “ barely used ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of their paid hours during several months from the start of the pandemic .
Commenting on the report , Labour ’ s Shadow Health Secretary said : “ The £22bn Test and Trace now has a budget larger than policing and fire service combined , but it has failed to trace sufficient numbers of contacts and ensure those who are contacted are able to isolate .
“ Instead of handing multi-million pound contracts to big private outsourcing firms the government should have invested in local , experienced public health expertise .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trace continues to leave us with a gaping hole in our defences.
” According to the NAO report , some call handlers were busy for less than half of their working hours throughout September and for much of October , despite efforts to reduce excess capacity in the system and introduce more flexible hours .
NAO chief Gareth Davies concluded that the £22bn system needed to improve its performance “ with a focus on effective engagement with the public and integration with local efforts to improve tracing ” .
Davies said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing activity , building significant new infrastructure and capacity from scratch .
However , it has struggled to test and trace as many people as it has capacity to , or to reach the contacts of people testing positive quickly enough.
” The NAO intends to publish a further report in spring 2021 that will provide a fuller assessment of value for money for the service and look in detail at the development of the government ’ s contact tracing app .
The report , published on Friday , noted that “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local authorities were not directly involved in the contact tracing system from the outset “ given their existing experience of this activity ” .
NAO officials said they had not seen evidence to show that the government considered using local authorities for call handling before it decided to use the private sector to expand contract tracing capacity .
“ As with many other government procurements during the pandemic , 70 % of early contracts by value were assigned as direct awards without competition under emergency measures , ” the report stated .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , given the need to scale up operations at speed , it had to use the private sector to respond quickly , for example in expanding the diagnostic industry and to employ a large number of central contact tracers.
” In October , Labour called on the government to “ ditch Serco ” – one of two private firms hired to help run the tracing system – and put contact tracing in the hands of councils and local public health teams .
At the time , Labour ’ s Rachel Reeves said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been asking this government to put contact tracing into the hands of councils and local public health teams who know their own communities better than anyone .
“ In the face of all the evidence , the Tories are continuing with a system that rewards failure by handing enormous sums of money to big companies such as Serco and Sitel.
” She added : “ This approach has defied the experience around the world , left underfunded public services to clear up the mess days later and made our communities vulnerable to rising @ @ @ @

Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth has criticised the government for leaving “a gaping hole in our defences” during the coronavirus pandemic following a damning report on failures in England’s contact tracing system.
A new report by the National Audit Office found that ‘NHS Test and Trace’ had failed to deliver enough Covid-19 test results within 24 hours and did not plan for a sharp rise in testing demand when schools and universities reopened.
The financial watchdog added that some parts of the contact tracing service had been “barely used”, with some call handlers working just 1% of their paid hours during several months from the start of the pandemic.
Commenting on the report, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary said: “The £22bn Test and Trace now has a budget larger than policing and fire service combined, but it has failed to trace sufficient numbers of contacts and ensure those who are contacted are able to isolate.
“Instead of handing multi-million pound contracts to big private outsourcing firms the government should have invested in local, experienced public health expertise. The government’s failure on test and trace continues to leave us with a gaping hole in our defences.”
According to the NAO report, some call handlers were busy for less than half of their working hours throughout September and for much of October, despite efforts to reduce excess capacity in the system and introduce more flexible hours.
NAO chief Gareth Davies concluded that the £22bn system needed to improve its performance “with a focus on effective engagement with the public and integration with local efforts to improve tracing”.
Davies said: “The government has rapidly increased testing and tracing activity, building significant new infrastructure and capacity from scratch. However, it has struggled to test and trace as many people as it has capacity to, or to reach the contacts of people testing positive quickly enough.”
The NAO intends to publish a further report in spring 2021 that will provide a fuller assessment of value for money for the service and look in detail at the development of the government’s contact tracing app.
The report, published on Friday, noted that “a range of stakeholders” had questioned why local authorities were not directly involved in the contact tracing system from the outset “given their existing experience of this activity”.
NAO officials said they had not seen evidence to show that the government considered using local authorities for call handling before it decided to use the private sector to expand contract tracing capacity.
“As with many other government procurements during the pandemic, 70% of early contracts by value were assigned as direct awards without competition under emergency measures,” the report stated.
“[Test and Trace] told us that, given the need to scale up operations at speed, it had to use the private sector to respond quickly, for example in expanding the diagnostic industry and to employ a large number of central contact tracers.”
In October, Labour called on the government to “ditch Serco” – one of two private firms hired to help run the tracing system – and put contact tracing in the hands of councils and local public health teams.
At the time, Labour’s Rachel Reeves said: “For months, Labour has been asking this government to put contact tracing into the hands of councils and local public health teams who know their own communities better than anyone.
“In the face of all the evidence, the Tories are continuing with a system that rewards failure by handing enormous sums of money to big companies such as Serco and Sitel.”
She added: “This approach has defied the experience around the world, left underfunded public services to clear up the mess days later and made our communities vulnerable to rising infection rates.”


labourlist--2020-12-11--WATCH: In conversation with… Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester

Join us at 6pm on Monday , December 14th , for our latest “ In conversation with… ” online event @ @ @ @ @ and the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester , Andy Burnham .
If readers have suggestions @ @ @ @ @ s role and bid for re-election next year , which is the main focus of @ @ @ @ @ to us in advance .
You ’ ll also be able to offer suggestions during @ @ @ @ @ will refresh automatically to show the livestream below when the event starts at 6pm .
@ @ @ @ @ to watch it directly on YouTube by clicking here .

Join us at 6pm on Monday, December 14th, for our latest “In conversation with…” online event featuring LabourList editor Sienna Rodgers and the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.
If readers have suggestions for questions about Burnham’s role and bid for re-election next year, which is the main focus of the event, email them to us in advance. You’ll also be able to offer suggestions during the broadcast.
This page will refresh automatically to show the livestream below when the event starts at 6pm. You will also be able to watch it directly on YouTube by clicking here.


labourlist--2020-12-11--Lisa Nandy concludes the government has “lost the plot” over Brexit

Labour ’ s Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy concluded this morning that the government has “ lost the plot ” over Brexit , after the Prime Minister confirmed that there is a “ strong possibility ” of no deal with the EU .
The Prime Minister and the EU Commission president met earlier this week in Brussels and have designated Sunday as the latest deadline for an agreement , with the UK saying it will then decide whether to continue talks .
Asked about the latest deadline on BBC Radio 4 ’ s Today programme , Nandy said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t come to that .
We ’ ve hoped all the way through that it doesn ’ t come to that and that we get to a place by Sunday where we can agree some kind of arrangement .
“ It doesn ’ t look like any deal that the government now comes back with will be a particularly good deal for Britain , but at least it might give us the chance to build on .
We ’ re still very much hoping that the government will come forward with something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some certainty to business about what is going to happen in 20 days ’ time.
” The Shadow Foreign Secretary said : “ We ’ ve never been hung up on ideology or arbitrary deadlines , it ’ s the government that has been concerned about that .
What we really want to see is some clarity and some certainty .
“ There is a level of urgency to this : on the 1st of January , if nothing is agreed , business who have had no time to plan will have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
The Prime Minister calls it an Australia-style deal , but in actual fact for most businesses it just feels like chaos .
“ So we want to see pretty quickly the government coming forward with some solution and we ’ re still hopeful that will happen .
I think we ’ re , like a lot of the British public , watching the negotiations with an increasing sense that the government has just lost the plot .
“ As David Gauke , who was a former cabinet minister , said yesterday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that it ’ s intolerable to accept tariffs and quotas , so they want to leave on terms that immediately introduce tariffs and quotas .
It just seems absolutely absurd.
” On whether Labour supports the EU ’ s position on the level playing field , Nandy said : “ I think the EU needs to move and actually has moved .
We ’ ve said all along that the EU needs to accept that the UK ’ s position is that we are leaving the EU therefore we ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we work.
” Asked whether Johnson ’ s position is therefore reasonable , Nandy replied : “ No , because the sticking point that has emerged overnight in the negotiations is about whether we keep pace with the EU on workers ’ rights and environmental standards .
“ Don ’ t forget this is a government that a few months ago was out on their doorsteps clapping for carers and is now arguing that it is intolerable if the EU decides they want to up the pay , conditions , working standards of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be beholden to that.
” Asked whether Labour believes the UK should be beholden to that , she said : “ The question is whether we accept – for now – that we keep pace with those standards , and at some point in the future if those standards diverge , if the UK falls behind… then we accept tariffs and quotas.
” Rather than “ stand up for British interests ” , Nandy said the government is “ trying to do down workers ’ rights now rather than having that negotiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She concluded : “ It just seems absurd.
” On how Labour will vote on a deal , she said : “ What we want to see is a deal .
A deal is better than no deal .
It represents perhaps a floor , not a ceiling , of what we can achieve for this country .
But what we can ’ t have is a situation where the government is actively doing harm to our businesses.
” She added : “ We ’ d be very minded to support it if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain .
But you ’ ll excuse us for having looked at the last few years of the way that this government has behaved… and wanting to see the detail of that before we decide whether we ’ re going to sign on the dotted line.
” The Labour leadership is thought to be inclined towards voting in favour of a deal , but it is not yet known whether there will be a deal before December 31st or whether there will be a straight vote on it in the House of Commons @

Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy concluded this morning that the government has “lost the plot” over Brexit, after the Prime Minister confirmed that there is a “strong possibility” of no deal with the EU.
The Prime Minister and the EU Commission president met earlier this week in Brussels and have designated Sunday as the latest deadline for an agreement, with the UK saying it will then decide whether to continue talks.
Asked about the latest deadline on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Nandy said: “We hope very much that it doesn’t come to that. We’ve hoped all the way through that it doesn’t come to that and that we get to a place by Sunday where we can agree some kind of arrangement.
“It doesn’t look like any deal that the government now comes back with will be a particularly good deal for Britain, but at least it might give us the chance to build on. We’re still very much hoping that the government will come forward with something, as they promised, and give some certainty to business about what is going to happen in 20 days’ time.”
The Shadow Foreign Secretary said: “We’ve never been hung up on ideology or arbitrary deadlines, it’s the government that has been concerned about that. What we really want to see is some clarity and some certainty.
“There is a level of urgency to this: on the 1st of January, if nothing is agreed, business who have had no time to plan will have to suddenly deal with tariffs being imposed on them. The Prime Minister calls it an Australia-style deal, but in actual fact for most businesses it just feels like chaos.
“So we want to see pretty quickly the government coming forward with some solution and we’re still hopeful that will happen. I think we’re, like a lot of the British public, watching the negotiations with an increasing sense that the government has just lost the plot.
“As David Gauke, who was a former cabinet minister, said yesterday, the government’s position now is that it’s intolerable to accept tariffs and quotas, so they want to leave on terms that immediately introduce tariffs and quotas. It just seems absolutely absurd.”
On whether Labour supports the EU’s position on the level playing field, Nandy said: “I think the EU needs to move and actually has moved. We’ve said all along that the EU needs to accept that the UK’s position is that we are leaving the EU therefore we’re going to have more flexibility in the way we work.”
Asked whether Johnson’s position is therefore reasonable, Nandy replied: “No, because the sticking point that has emerged overnight in the negotiations is about whether we keep pace with the EU on workers’ rights and environmental standards.
“Don’t forget this is a government that a few months ago was out on their doorsteps clapping for carers and is now arguing that it is intolerable if the EU decides they want to up the pay, conditions, working standards of those precise people… then we shouldn’t be beholden to that.”
Asked whether Labour believes the UK should be beholden to that, she said: “The question is whether we accept – for now – that we keep pace with those standards, and at some point in the future if those standards diverge, if the UK falls behind… then we accept tariffs and quotas.”
Rather than “stand up for British interests”, Nandy said the government is “trying to do down workers’ rights now rather than having that negotiation and flexibility in the future”. She concluded: “It just seems absurd.”
On how Labour will vote on a deal, she said: “What we want to see is a deal. A deal is better than no deal. It represents perhaps a floor, not a ceiling, of what we can achieve for this country. But what we can’t have is a situation where the government is actively doing harm to our businesses.”
She added: “We’d be very minded to support it if it’s in the interests of Britain. But you’ll excuse us for having looked at the last few years of the way that this government has behaved… and wanting to see the detail of that before we decide whether we’re going to sign on the dotted line.”
The Labour leadership is thought to be inclined towards voting in favour of a deal, but it is not yet known whether there will be a deal before December 31st or whether there will be a straight vote on it in the House of Commons.


labourlist--2020-12-11--No deal increasingly likely. Starmer’s message: Bored of Brexit, focus on Covid

There is a “ strong possibility ” of no deal , the Prime Minister has told us , as he will not accept being “ locked in the EU ’ s orbit ” .
Boris Johnson likes to call the alternative to striking a deal an ‘ Australian-style ’ relationship , i.e .
World Trade Organisation terms .
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has warned that Britain should “ be careful what you wish for ” and reminded everyone on Question Time that Australia is seeking to negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU for good reason .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning that the government has “ lost the plot ” .
Keir Starmer is reiterating Labour ’ s message that Johnson needs to keep his 2019 promises , deliver a deal and focus on the coronavirus crisis .
But to the horror of the Irish Taoiseach and Labour MPs , no deal on the 31st looks increasingly likely .
A fresh National Audit Office report has confirmed and highlighted further government failures during Covid .
The last NAO investigation on the UK ’ s handling of the pandemic found a “ lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave rise to talk of Tory cronyism by Labour ’ s Rachel Reeves , who yesterday called attention to ten personal protective equipment contracts worth over £470m given to companies either listed in tax havens or with a parent company listed in a tax haven .
The new NAO probe has offered Labour yet more evidence for its arguments , with a reference to the “ choice of delivery model ” as a cause for missed targets .
This will be used to support the opposition ’ s call for more local authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , the report states , the amount of time spent actively working during paid hours was just 1 % for call handler staff .
On LabourList this morning , our barrister columnist Jake Richards has penned a piece looking closely at the newly announced ‘ independent review ’ of the Human Rights Act .
Sunny Hundal has argued that Labour ’ s soft left needs to get its shit together , and put forward some starting points for that mission .
We ’ ve got an exclusive story on the launch of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which will promote a cross-party progressive alliance .
And in Liverpool , the council reportedly has until 3pm today to make the case that it should keep control of planning and other areas of governance .
With Joe Anderson now having stepped aside as mayor , we touched on next steps and a potential fresh selection process in this piece .
We are approaching one year since the 2019 general election took place on December 12th .
How much progress has the Labour Party made since then ?
What work has been done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what is there still to do ?
To what extent will the 2021 contests forecast the result of the next general election ?
If you ’ re interested in the answers to those questions , and putting others on that subject to a panel , remember to sign up to our event with the UK in a Changing Europe .
Live at noon on Tuesday , we will discuss Labour a year after the election with Sir John Curtice , Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP , Lucy Powell MP and myself , with Anand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in conversation with Andy Burnham at the start of the week – do send in suggestions for questions before tuning in at 6pm on Monday .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

There is a “strong possibility” of no deal, the Prime Minister has told us, as he will not accept being “locked in the EU’s orbit”. Boris Johnson likes to call the alternative to striking a deal an ‘Australian-style’ relationship, i.e. World Trade Organisation terms. Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has warned that Britain should “be careful what you wish for” and reminded everyone on Question Time that Australia is seeking to negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU for good reason. Lisa Nandy has expressed the view this morning that the government has “lost the plot”. Keir Starmer is reiterating Labour’s message that Johnson needs to keep his 2019 promises, deliver a deal and focus on the coronavirus crisis. But to the horror of the Irish Taoiseach and Labour MPs, no deal on the 31st looks increasingly likely.
A fresh National Audit Office report has confirmed and highlighted further government failures during Covid. The last NAO investigation on the UK’s handling of the pandemic found a “lack of adequate documentation” in procurement, which gave rise to talk of Tory cronyism by Labour’s Rachel Reeves, who yesterday called attention to ten personal protective equipment contracts worth over £470m given to companies either listed in tax havens or with a parent company listed in a tax haven. The new NAO probe has offered Labour yet more evidence for its arguments, with a reference to the “choice of delivery model” as a cause for missed targets. This will be used to support the opposition’s call for more local authority involvement in test and trace. By June, the report states, the amount of time spent actively working during paid hours was just 1% for call handler staff.
On LabourList this morning, our barrister columnist Jake Richards has penned a piece looking closely at the newly announced ‘independent review’ of the Human Rights Act. Sunny Hundal has argued that Labour’s soft left needs to get its shit together, and put forward some starting points for that mission. We’ve got an exclusive story on the launch of the ‘Compass Labour Network’, which will promote a cross-party progressive alliance. And in Liverpool, the council reportedly has until 3pm today to make the case that it should keep control of planning and other areas of governance. With Joe Anderson now having stepped aside as mayor, we touched on next steps and a potential fresh selection process in this piece.
We are approaching one year since the 2019 general election took place on December 12th. How much progress has the Labour Party made since then? What work has been done so far to reconnect with voters, and what is there still to do? To what extent will the 2021 contests forecast the result of the next general election? If you’re interested in the answers to those questions, and putting others on that subject to a panel, remember to sign up to our event with the UK in a Changing Europe. Live at noon on Tuesday, we will discuss Labour a year after the election with Sir John Curtice, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Lucy Powell MP and myself, with Anand Menon chairing. I will also be in conversation with Andy Burnham at the start of the week – do send in suggestions for questions before tuning in at 6pm on Monday. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-12-11--‘Compass Labour Network’ launched to promote new cross-party alliance

The ‘ Compass Labour Network ’ is being launched to promote “ positive collaboration ” between Labour and other parties and form a “ centre and left alliance ” capable of defeating the Tories , LabourList can reveal .
The freshly established organisation will focus on building support within the Labour Party at every level in favour of cross-party working , with similar Compass groups being launched for the Lib Dems and Greens .
“ The aim will be to build trust , develop shared policy ideas and campaign together both for future progressive change and to thwart one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Compass has said .
Led by Labour activists and supported by the Compass office , the network intends to help find the “ best form of electoral cooperation ” that will lead to securing a Labour-led government at the next general election .
The group will be open to any Labour member or supporter , and is set to hold informal discussion meetings , run fringe events , publish articles and campaign on “ issues relevant to a progressive alliance ” .
It has the support of journalist Paul Mason , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author Jeremy Gilbert , Labour peer Ruth Lister , Global Justice Now ’ s Nick Dearden and 2019 parliamentary candidate Gerry Mitchell .
Labour MPs Clive Lewis and Jon Cruddas will join the Green Party ’ s Caroline Lucas , Liberal Dem Layla Moran and the SNP ’ s Tommy Sheppard for a rally on Monday around building a “ progressive majority ” .
In a statement on the network , Compass declared : “ We believe there is a progressive majority out there to created and mobilised – not just to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the transformation of our country .
“ But it demands our political parties are won over to collaboration .
We have four years .
We have to start now , on the anniversary of the 2019 election , and build from here.
” A new report by Compass , ‘ If Labour struggles to win alone , what is to be done ?
’ , stresses the scale of the challenge facing Labour at the next election .
Keir Starmer ’ s party would need to gain 124 seats to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one conclusion : Labour will struggle to win alone , ” the report concludes .
It argues that , as well as helping to win office , an alliance could give rise to a “ new politics ” .
The report reads : “ Trusted relationships and a common agenda will take time and patience to establish .
Unless that work begins now , we won ’ t be ready to dial up cooperation when it ’ s needed.
” Compass believes that winning “ takes an ecosystem ” , as shown by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour must firmly commit to backing proportional representation as a replacement for first-past-the-post .
“ Starmer has opened the door to PR – and it ’ s up to us to stick our foot in there , ” the report contends , referring to comments in the leadership race when he said millions voting in safe seats should be “ addressed ” .
Under the group ’ s plans , electoral reform would be one aspect of a “ common agenda ” in support of constitutional reform , universal basic services , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week and a green new deal .

The ‘Compass Labour Network’ is being launched to promote “positive collaboration” between Labour and other parties and form a “centre and left alliance” capable of defeating the Tories, LabourList can reveal.
The freshly established organisation will focus on building support within the Labour Party at every level in favour of cross-party working, with similar Compass groups being launched for the Lib Dems and Greens.
“The aim will be to build trust, develop shared policy ideas and campaign together both for future progressive change and to thwart one of the most regressive governments in living memory,” Compass has said.
Led by Labour activists and supported by the Compass office, the network intends to help find the “best form of electoral cooperation” that will lead to securing a Labour-led government at the next general election.
The group will be open to any Labour member or supporter, and is set to hold informal discussion meetings, run fringe events, publish articles and campaign on “issues relevant to a progressive alliance”.
It has the support of journalist Paul Mason, former Momentum national coordinator Laura Parker, author Jeremy Gilbert, Labour peer Ruth Lister, Global Justice Now’s Nick Dearden and 2019 parliamentary candidate Gerry Mitchell.
Labour MPs Clive Lewis and Jon Cruddas will join the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas, Liberal Dem Layla Moran and the SNP’s Tommy Sheppard for a rally on Monday around building a “progressive majority”.
In a statement on the network, Compass declared: “We believe there is a progressive majority out there to created and mobilised – not just to win an election but to be a big part of the transformation of our country.
“But it demands our political parties are won over to collaboration. We have four years. We have to start now, on the anniversary of the 2019 election, and build from here.”
A new report by Compass, ‘If Labour struggles to win alone, what is to be done?’, stresses the scale of the challenge facing Labour at the next election. Keir Starmer’s party would need to gain 124 seats to win.
“The electoral facts point to one conclusion: Labour will struggle to win alone,” the report concludes. It argues that, as well as helping to win office, an alliance could give rise to a “new politics”.
The report reads: “Trusted relationships and a common agenda will take time and patience to establish. Unless that work begins now, we won’t be ready to dial up cooperation when it’s needed.”
Compass believes that winning “takes an ecosystem”, as shown by the US presidential election, and that Labour must firmly commit to backing proportional representation as a replacement for first-past-the-post.
“Starmer has opened the door to PR – and it’s up to us to stick our foot in there,” the report contends, referring to comments in the leadership race when he said millions voting in safe seats should be “addressed”.
Under the group’s plans, electoral reform would be one aspect of a “common agenda” in support of constitutional reform, universal basic services, a form of basic income, a four-day week and a green new deal.


labourlist--2020-12-11--Why the new ‘independent review’ of the Human Rights Act is worrying

The Conservative government launched an ‘ independent review of the Human Rights Act ’ this week .
After years of huffing and puffing about human rights , with promises to scrap the Human Rights Act , withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights ( ECHR ) and introduce a vague ‘ British Bill of Rights ’ , the Conservatives have made their move .
And the result is pretty pathetic .
Firstly , let us assess what the review is not .
The Justice Secretary , Robert Buckland , has stated : “ After 20 years of operation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Human Rights Act is still working effectively.
” The review , however , is not a neutral assessment of the effect of the legislation after two decades .
As has been pointed out by barrister Adam Wagner , each of the specific issues the review will consider is framed by negative connotations of the act – asking whether the courts have been “ unduly drawn into areas of policy ” , whether there is a “ case for change ” and whether there is “ room for improvement ” .
The review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its sparse terms , look at the benefits of the introduction of the Act that has helped , for example , those with disabilities challenge mistreatment or the victims of the Windrush scandal .
It is also disingenuous to suggest that this is the natural time for a government review – this is the fourth time that the government has reviewed the Human Rights Act over a 13-year period .
Secondly , the dramatic reform of scrapping the Human Rights Act – so long the cry of ambitious Tory politicians who did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not on the agenda .
This reveals the limits of ‘ culture wars ’ in our politics ; calling for populist change by vaguely blaming judges for political problems will ultimately not get one very far .
Withdrawing from the ECHR is a political minefield that would leave the UK and Belarus as the only European states failing to be a signatory to this most basic promise to respect human rights .
It is also a position that misunderstands the rights-based common law that has developed principles in so many different legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossible , to roll back .
Thirdly , the timing of such a review is questionable .
The Ministry of Justice is facing a crisis in the courts with a backlog of cases clogging up the criminal courts and delays to family cases causing real harm to the subject children .
That is not to say constitutional reforms should always be put on the back burner , but is this the time to prioritise tampering and restricting our human rights law ?
Indeed , as Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy has argued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid and the lockdown only emphasise the importance having strong human rights checks .
Fourthly , the review is wholly undermined by the secretive approach that the government has taken to constitutional change .
As set out in the formal announcement , the human rights review is designed to intertwine with the ‘ independent review of administrative law ‘ ( otherwise known as the Faulks ’ panel on judicial review ) .
This panel has refused to publish the submissions that it has received from campaign groups , lawyers and other organisations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could assure the same approach would not be adopted with regard to the human rights review , Robert Buckland blustered without answering the question .
It is a basic principle of a fair process that government consultations are undertaken in an open manner .
There is absolutely no good reason not to publish the submissions received by the review .
Accordingly , eyebrows are understandably raised at the notion that this review is ‘ independent ’ .
With regard to the politics , David Lammy was right this week to emphasise the de-political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a powerful advocate for human rights in the aftermath of the second world war , whilst not always practising what he had preached .
In a powerful speech after the war , he argued : “ In the centre of our movement stands the idea of a charter of human rights , guarded by freedom and sustained by law.
” It was also a Conservative MP , David Maxwell-Fyfe , who helped draft the first convention on human rights .
Whilst the modern Tories have apparently decided not to attempt to ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet , many leading Conservatives of the past would feel betrayed by Boris Johnson ’ s rabble attempting to thwart the protection of human rights and limit the room for judicial review .
The limited nature of the proposed reforms reveal two things about this government .
Ultimately , its populist zeal will often be thwarted by the political and legal reality .
But its determination to appease its populism is likely to still lead to negative restrictions on our rights .
Accordingly , Labour is right to stand resolutely in defence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the shallow ideologues in government advocating reform .

The Conservative government launched an ‘independent review of the Human Rights Act’ this week. After years of huffing and puffing about human rights, with promises to scrap the Human Rights Act, withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and introduce a vague ‘British Bill of Rights’, the Conservatives have made their move. And the result is pretty pathetic.
Firstly, let us assess what the review is not. The Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland, has stated: “After 20 years of operation, the time is right to consider whether the Human Rights Act is still working effectively.” The review, however, is not a neutral assessment of the effect of the legislation after two decades. As has been pointed out by barrister Adam Wagner, each of the specific issues the review will consider is framed by negative connotations of the act – asking whether the courts have been “unduly drawn into areas of policy”, whether there is a “case for change” and whether there is “room for improvement”.
The review will not, it would appear from its sparse terms, look at the benefits of the introduction of the Act that has helped, for example, those with disabilities challenge mistreatment or the victims of the Windrush scandal. It is also disingenuous to suggest that this is the natural time for a government review – this is the fourth time that the government has reviewed the Human Rights Act over a 13-year period.
Secondly, the dramatic reform of scrapping the Human Rights Act – so long the cry of ambitious Tory politicians who did not understand the basics of the proposition – is not on the agenda. This reveals the limits of ‘culture wars’ in our politics; calling for populist change by vaguely blaming judges for political problems will ultimately not get one very far. Withdrawing from the ECHR is a political minefield that would leave the UK and Belarus as the only European states failing to be a signatory to this most basic promise to respect human rights. It is also a position that misunderstands the rights-based common law that has developed principles in so many different legal contexts making it difficult, if not impossible, to roll back.
Thirdly, the timing of such a review is questionable. The Ministry of Justice is facing a crisis in the courts with a backlog of cases clogging up the criminal courts and delays to family cases causing real harm to the subject children. That is not to say constitutional reforms should always be put on the back burner, but is this the time to prioritise tampering and restricting our human rights law? Indeed, as Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy has argued, the restrictions of our liberties enforced by Covid and the lockdown only emphasise the importance having strong human rights checks.
Fourthly, the review is wholly undermined by the secretive approach that the government has taken to constitutional change. As set out in the formal announcement, the human rights review is designed to intertwine with the ‘independent review of administrative law‘ (otherwise known as the Faulks’ panel on judicial review). This panel has refused to publish the submissions that it has received from campaign groups, lawyers and other organisations.
When asked by David Lammy whether he could assure the same approach would not be adopted with regard to the human rights review, Robert Buckland blustered without answering the question. It is a basic principle of a fair process that government consultations are undertaken in an open manner. There is absolutely no good reason not to publish the submissions received by the review. Accordingly, eyebrows are understandably raised at the notion that this review is ‘independent’.
With regard to the politics, David Lammy was right this week to emphasise the de-political nature of human rights. Winston Churchill was a powerful advocate for human rights in the aftermath of the second world war, whilst not always practising what he had preached. In a powerful speech after the war, he argued: “In the centre of our movement stands the idea of a charter of human rights, guarded by freedom and sustained by law.”
It was also a Conservative MP, David Maxwell-Fyfe, who helped draft the first convention on human rights. Whilst the modern Tories have apparently decided not to attempt to ‘scrap’ the Human Rights Act just yet, many leading Conservatives of the past would feel betrayed by Boris Johnson’s rabble attempting to thwart the protection of human rights and limit the room for judicial review.
The limited nature of the proposed reforms reveal two things about this government. Ultimately, its populist zeal will often be thwarted by the political and legal reality. But its determination to appease its populism is likely to still lead to negative restrictions on our rights. Accordingly, Labour is right to stand resolutely in defence of the Human Rights Act and not compromise to the shallow ideologues in government advocating reform.


labourlist--2020-12-11--Kate Green backs reform of honours system and says titles are “hurtful”

Labour ’ s Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green , who received an Order of the British Empire in 2005 , has described the language used for such titles as “ offensive and hurtful ” and said the honours system needs reform .
Green was awarded an OBE for “ services to welfare work ” .
She had been director of the National Council for One Parent Families from 2000 to 2004 , then chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group .
Asked by the BBC ’ s Today presenter Nick Robinson on his Political Thinking podcast whether the ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should continue to be named as such , Green replied : “ No , we really don ’ t .
“ It ’ s really the wrong language , it ’ s divisive , it ’ s offensive and hurtful to people .
One of the things I ’ ve been looking at a lot in recent weeks is the Black curriculum campaign and decolonising our history and the whole curriculum .
“ You can ’ t excuse or justify that branding , but actually it ’ s deeper than that .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democratise and open up that honours system but it ’ s still pretty hierarchical of who gets what .
There ’ s a lot more reform that ’ s needed.
” The Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston said she decided to take the honour because her father was “ thrilled ” , and she added that the system should not lose the “ huge pleasure that it gives to so many people ” .
The Shadow Education Secretary also confirmed that she would still like to abolish private schools , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top priority ” for a future Labour government , according to the BBC .
She told Robinson : “ I ’ m far more interested in the 93 % of kids who are not in the private school system than the 7 % who are .
I think the underlying concern is really serious for our public policy actually .
“ How can it be right that resources , access to networks and contacts , facilities , educational opportunity is so disproportionately weighted to such a small group of pupils ?
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but how can it be right that our charitable law actually provides extra advantages to a group who are already more advantaged ?
“ How can it be that today that we find our country run by a group of people disproportionately who have had an educational and life experience so unlike the majority of people in this country ?
” Before joining the shadow cabinet under Keir Starmer ’ s leadership , Green was the first MP to support the ‘ Labour Against Private Schools ’ or ‘ Abolish Eton ’ campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour Party conference last year saw delegates endorse plans to remove the charitable status of private schools and redistribute their endowments , investments and properties to the state sector .
“ We will close the tax loopholes enjoyed by elite private schools… and we will ask the Social Justice Commission to advise on integrating private schools and creating a comprehensive education system , ” Labour ’ s 2019 manifesto said .
Asked about Jeremy Corbyn , who has been readmitted to Labour but not to the parliamentary party , Green said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come back into the parliamentary party , he really does.
” Echoing the view of Starmer and the demands set out by whip Nick Brown , she added : “ We need to know that he understands what this anger and pain is about and he can ’ t expect that can waived or set aside.
” The full latest episode of the BBC Radio 4 podcast , Political Thinking with Nick Robinson , will be released online later today and be aired on Radio 4 on Saturday at 5.30pm .

Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green, who received an Order of the British Empire in 2005, has described the language used for such titles as “offensive and hurtful” and said the honours system needs reform.
Green was awarded an OBE for “services to welfare work”. She had been director of the National Council for One Parent Families from 2000 to 2004, then chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group.
Asked by the BBC’s Today presenter Nick Robinson on his Political Thinking podcast whether the ‘Order of the British Empire’ honour should continue to be named as such, Green replied: “No, we really don’t.
“It’s really the wrong language, it’s divisive, it’s offensive and hurtful to people. One of the things I’ve been looking at a lot in recent weeks is the Black curriculum campaign and decolonising our history and the whole curriculum.
“You can’t excuse or justify that branding, but actually it’s deeper than that. I know many efforts have been made to democratise and open up that honours system but it’s still pretty hierarchical of who gets what. There’s a lot more reform that’s needed.”
The Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston said she decided to take the honour because her father was “thrilled”, and she added that the system should not lose the “huge pleasure that it gives to so many people”.
The Shadow Education Secretary also confirmed that she would still like to abolish private schools, but said this ambition would not be a “top priority” for a future Labour government, according to the BBC.
She told Robinson: “I’m far more interested in the 93% of kids who are not in the private school system than the 7% who are. I think the underlying concern is really serious for our public policy actually.
“How can it be right that resources, access to networks and contacts, facilities, educational opportunity is so disproportionately weighted to such a small group of pupils?
“I understand the legal challenges to this, but how can it be right that our charitable law actually provides extra advantages to a group who are already more advantaged?
“How can it be that today that we find our country run by a group of people disproportionately who have had an educational and life experience so unlike the majority of people in this country?”
Before joining the shadow cabinet under Keir Starmer’s leadership, Green was the first MP to support the ‘Labour Against Private Schools’ or ‘Abolish Eton’ campaign ahead of the 2019 party conference.
Labour Party conference last year saw delegates endorse plans to remove the charitable status of private schools and redistribute their endowments, investments and properties to the state sector.
“We will close the tax loopholes enjoyed by elite private schools… and we will ask the Social Justice Commission to advise on integrating private schools and creating a comprehensive education system,” Labour’s 2019 manifesto said.
Asked about Jeremy Corbyn, who has been readmitted to Labour but not to the parliamentary party, Green said: “I think he needs to apologise to come back into the parliamentary party, he really does.”
Echoing the view of Starmer and the demands set out by whip Nick Brown, she added: “We need to know that he understands what this anger and pain is about and he can’t expect that can waived or set aside.”
The full latest episode of the BBC Radio 4 podcast, Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, will be released online later today and be aired on Radio 4 on Saturday at 5.30pm.


labourlist--2020-12-11--London Covid infection rate at “tipping point”, Sadiq Khan warns

Labour mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that London is at a “ tipping point ” in the second coronavirus wave – and could face the toughest Tier 3 restrictions within days due to rising infection rates .
The mayor of London unveiled a package of enhanced measures today , including increased community testing and additional ‘ Covid marshals ’ to engage with residents , as part of efforts to curb a recent rise in Covid-19 cases .
It was reported last night that London is expected to enter Tier 3 on December 19th , with one MP who was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling Sky News that it felt like the decision had been “ pretty much made ” .
Khan said : “ Nobody wants the capital to face Tier 3 restrictions – it would be catastrophic for our pubs , bars , restaurants and culture venues – but with cases rising we are now at a tipping point , which is why we all have a responsibility to do everything we can to get on top of the virus by following the rules.
” The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Covid-19 increased in London between November 29th and December 5th , after a drop towards the end of November .
The ONS found that all other regions of England had seen their positivity rates decrease over the period except London and the East of England , where there were early signs of an increase in Covid cases .
Under Tier 3 rules , hospitality venues in London , such as bars , pubs and restaurants , would be forced to close except for takeaway , delivery and click and collect services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut .
Khan ’ s additional measures unveiled today will be focused on the worst-affected areas in the capital , with support from ten extra mobile testing units and 40 permanent and 35 mobile test centres using lateral flow tests .
The plan will also see up to 30 additional police officers provided to the boroughs of Westminster , Camden and Hammersmith and Fulham for this weekend and additional signage on high streets to remind residents of rules .
Khan has also called for more support for those told to self-isolate via a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments and increasing payments for Londoners to reflect the higher cost of living in the capital .
Chair of London Councils Georgia Gould said hospitality businesses had done a “ magnificent job ” during the pandemic but officials were calling on them to make an extra effort this weekend to stop the rise in cases .
The council leader said : “ If we don ’ t all act together to stop the spread of the virus , we risk undoing the sacrifices and work of the last few months and putting lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions could come in as early as next week , if cases continue to rise at current rates .
We are urging people to be extra careful this weekend and during the festive period .
We need to work together to save lives and keep London ’ s businesses going .
“ I ask anyone who is struggling with following restrictions – for example if they can ’ t afford to miss work to self-isolate – to contact their local council for help available.
” The government announced today that staff , students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in parts of north-east London , south Essex and Kent were being urged to get tested for Covid even if they do not have symptoms .
The London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham , Hackney and the City , Havering , Newham , Redbridge , Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest will receive additional testing from today in an attempt to drive down infection rates in the capital .

Labour mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that London is at a “tipping point” in the second coronavirus wave – and could face the toughest Tier 3 restrictions within days due to rising infection rates.
The mayor of London unveiled a package of enhanced measures today, including increased community testing and additional ‘Covid marshals’ to engage with residents, as part of efforts to curb a recent rise in Covid-19 cases.
It was reported last night that London is expected to enter Tier 3 on December 19th, with one MP who was on a call with health minister Helen Whately telling Sky News that it felt like the decision had been “pretty much made”.
Khan said: “Nobody wants the capital to face Tier 3 restrictions – it would be catastrophic for our pubs, bars, restaurants and culture venues – but with cases rising we are now at a tipping point, which is why we all have a responsibility to do everything we can to get on top of the virus by following the rules.”
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 increased in London between November 29th and December 5th, after a drop towards the end of November.
The ONS found that all other regions of England had seen their positivity rates decrease over the period except London and the East of England, where there were early signs of an increase in Covid cases.
Under Tier 3 rules, hospitality venues in London, such as bars, pubs and restaurants, would be forced to close except for takeaway, delivery and click and collect services, while indoor entertainment venues would also be shut.
Khan’s additional measures unveiled today will be focused on the worst-affected areas in the capital, with support from ten extra mobile testing units and 40 permanent and 35 mobile test centres using lateral flow tests.
The plan will also see up to 30 additional police officers provided to the boroughs of Westminster, Camden and Hammersmith and Fulham for this weekend and additional signage on high streets to remind residents of rules.
Khan has also called for more support for those told to self-isolate via a broadening of the eligibility criteria for self-isolation payments and increasing payments for Londoners to reflect the higher cost of living in the capital.
Chair of London Councils Georgia Gould said hospitality businesses had done a “magnificent job” during the pandemic but officials were calling on them to make an extra effort this weekend to stop the rise in cases.
The council leader said: “If we don’t all act together to stop the spread of the virus, we risk undoing the sacrifices and work of the last few months and putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
“New restrictions could come in as early as next week, if cases continue to rise at current rates. We are urging people to be extra careful this weekend and during the festive period. We need to work together to save lives and keep London’s businesses going.
“I ask anyone who is struggling with following restrictions – for example if they can’t afford to miss work to self-isolate – to contact their local council for help available.”
The government announced today that staff, students and families in secondary schools and colleges in parts of north-east London, south Essex and Kent were being urged to get tested for Covid even if they do not have symptoms.
The London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Hackney and the City, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest will receive additional testing from today in an attempt to drive down infection rates in the capital.