labourlist--2020-03-19--£500m hardship fund not enough, says LGA Labour group leader Nick Forbes

Nick Forbes , leader of Local Government Association Labour , has told LabourList that councils will “ almost certainly ” spend more than the £500m allocated to them by government via a coronavirus hardship fund .
Speaking to LabourList today , the Newcastle City Council leader also said there had been “ no advice or guidance on the use of that fund , nor how it will be distributed around the country ” since the initiative was declared by Rishi Sunak last week .
Forbes explained that councils are being asked to spend money first and wait to be refunded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns that the government would “ look after Conservative councils before they look after any other ” .
He described this as part of a “ pattern of behaviour ” that had seen central government make announcements “ without thinking through the consequences ” for local government and the “ on-the-ground ” implications .
As well as commenting on the hardship fund , the Labour group leader outlined concerns about school closures , social care and the lack of protection for tenants in the private rented sector .
Describing the financial assistance councils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no mechanism to pay councils for this other than the Bellwin scheme.
” The Bellwin scheme is a process to provide local authorities with financial assistance , to cover the costs they incur in having to respond to any emergencies or disasters in their area .
This process for claiming back funds requires the council in question to make any claim within a month of the event or incident , and allows central government to challenge the request .
Forbes went on to say that he wants to see a dedicated fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but without time limits in place restricting when local authorities need to make submissions for monetary assistance .
He added : “ What we ’ re pressing for is for maximum flexibility to be able to use that fund .
Because in some areas it may be that people will need help with their council tax ; in others it may be that people need housing payments ; in others it may be that people need one-off grants .
“ What we ’ ve not got yet is the clarity on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
And this government has form in ensuring that they look after Conservative councils before they look after any other council.
” Asked whether councils are likely to end up spending more funding than currently allocated , he replied : “ Almost certainly will do .
£500m doesn ’ t go very far when we ’ re talking about potentially a fifth of the workforce losing their jobs.
” The LGA Labour leader argued that providing sufficient support is vital to ensuring that the burden of this crisis does not “ fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the regressive inequalities that causes ” .
On social care , Forbes said that he has had many conversations with the Secretary of State during which he has been told that “ money is no object ” and that councils will be reimbursed for taking the action required .
Local authorities have been instructed to set up an extra helpline so that the organisations have a point of contact in their local authority who can provide assistance to people who are self-isolating .
However , Forbes is sceptical .
He told LabourList @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the block a few times , I ’ ve seen governments promise money tomorrow but tomorrow never comes.
” Forbes described the confusion caused by the Prime Minister ’ s announcement on Wednesday that schools would close on Monday , and noted that councils are struggling to deal with the logistical implications of the briefings .
“ The PM said that school gates would close only to have the Education Secretary today – less than 24 hours later – saying that children of key workers are allowed to attend school , ” Forbes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was typical of the “ lack of thought ” given to announcements , and called it a “ practical example of the chaos and confusion that is coming out of central government ” .
The group leader said that it is “ entirely possible ” that children wrongly turn up at school next week .
He pointed out that there is still no definition of ‘ key worker ’ currently provided , and said that it is likely to be vague when finally revealed .
He also highlighted that it has not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the children of key workers , and explained that local councils can not tell parents where they should be sending their children after Friday .
Forbes went on to cite confusion around what happens with free school meals .
The government has indicated that some may keep distributing free school meals , while also suggesting a national voucher system .
He said there has been “ no thought or consideration into how kids that qualify for free school meals will still get them ” .
There are around 1.5 million children eligible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – a figure that is likely to go up in weeks ahead .
Forbes also explained that due to the fragmented school system and the lack of council control over the educational institutions in their areas , it is being left to schools themselves to manage the problem .
He pointed out that the announcement would mean school kitchens staying open , which would be in conflict with the statement and advice on closing schools , sending home staff and shutting down school buildings .
On the announcement of mortgage holidays , Forbes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t include buy-to-let mortgages in the mortgage holiday , which could have provided relief for a substantial number of people in the private rented sector.
” Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed on Tuesday that the government would introduce a mortgage holiday scheme for three months , as part of a £330bn package to support the economy through the coronavirus crisis .
Forbes suggested that the failure to protect private renters within this measure was a result of the Chancellor and Prime Minister “ seeing it through the lens of friends of the Conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the population ” .
The Labour group leader described other additional costs that local authorities were taking on , which were “ overlooked ” by central government when making coronavirus announcements .
These included the costs of ensuring that thousands of council staff can work from home – buying extra subscriptions for Office 365 , for example .
He also mentioned using council workers to support local charities like food banks .
There are a number of ways that councils can support residents , including making discretionary payments to support people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reductions in council tax .
But successive cuts to the authorities ’ budgets over the past ten years has seen a significant amount of money taken out of local government – some councils have had their funding from central government cut by as much as 80 % .

Nick Forbes, leader of Local Government Association Labour, has told LabourList that councils will “almost certainly” spend more than the £500m allocated to them by government via a coronavirus hardship fund.
Speaking to LabourList today, the Newcastle City Council leader also said there had been “no advice or guidance on the use of that fund, nor how it will be distributed around the country” since the initiative was declared by Rishi Sunak last week.
Forbes explained that councils are being asked to spend money first and wait to be refunded at a later date, and expressed concerns that the government would “look after Conservative councils before they look after any other”.
He described this as part of a “pattern of behaviour” that had seen central government make announcements “without thinking through the consequences” for local government and the “on-the-ground” implications.
As well as commenting on the hardship fund, the Labour group leader outlined concerns about school closures, social care and the lack of protection for tenants in the private rented sector.
Hardship fund
Describing the financial assistance councils need, Forbes said: “There is no mechanism to pay councils for this other than the Bellwin scheme.”
The Bellwin scheme is a process to provide local authorities with financial assistance, to cover the costs they incur in having to respond to any emergencies or disasters in their area.
This process for claiming back funds requires the council in question to make any claim within a month of the event or incident, and allows central government to challenge the request.
Forbes went on to say that he wants to see a dedicated fund set up, like the Bellwin scheme, but without time limits in place restricting when local authorities need to make submissions for monetary assistance.
He added: “What we’re pressing for is for maximum flexibility to be able to use that fund. Because in some areas it may be that people will need help with their council tax; in others it may be that people need housing payments; in others it may be that people need one-off grants.
“What we’ve not got yet is the clarity on how that money will be distributed to local government. And this government has form in ensuring that they look after Conservative councils before they look after any other council.”
Asked whether councils are likely to end up spending more funding than currently allocated, he replied: “Almost certainly will do. £500m doesn’t go very far when we’re talking about potentially a fifth of the workforce losing their jobs.”
The LGA Labour leader argued that providing sufficient support is vital to ensuring that the burden of this crisis does not “fall on local council tax payments with all of the regressive inequalities that causes”.
Social care
On social care, Forbes said that he has had many conversations with the Secretary of State during which he has been told that “money is no object” and that councils will be reimbursed for taking the action required.
Local authorities have been instructed to set up an extra helpline so that the organisations have a point of contact in their local authority who can provide assistance to people who are self-isolating.
However, Forbes is sceptical. He told LabourList: “I’ve been around the block a few times, I’ve seen governments promise money tomorrow but tomorrow never comes.”
School closures
Forbes described the confusion caused by the Prime Minister’s announcement on Wednesday that schools would close on Monday, and noted that councils are struggling to deal with the logistical implications of the briefings.
“The PM said that school gates would close only to have the Education Secretary today – less than 24 hours later – saying that children of key workers are allowed to attend school,” Forbes told LabourList.
He added that it was typical of the “lack of thought” given to announcements, and called it a “practical example of the chaos and confusion that is coming out of central government”.
The group leader said that it is “entirely possible” that children wrongly turn up at school next week. He pointed out that there is still no definition of ‘key worker’ currently provided, and said that it is likely to be vague when finally revealed.
He also highlighted that it has not yet been determined which schools will stay open for the children of key workers, and explained that local councils cannot tell parents where they should be sending their children after Friday.
Forbes went on to cite confusion around what happens with free school meals. The government has indicated that some may keep distributing free school meals, while also suggesting a national voucher system.
He said there has been “no thought or consideration into how kids that qualify for free school meals will still get them”. There are around 1.5 million children eligible for free school meals at the moment – a figure that is likely to go up in weeks ahead.
Forbes also explained that due to the fragmented school system and the lack of council control over the educational institutions in their areas, it is being left to schools themselves to manage the problem.
He pointed out that the announcement would mean school kitchens staying open, which would be in conflict with the statement and advice on closing schools, sending home staff and shutting down school buildings.
Private renters
Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed on Tuesday that the government would introduce a mortgage holiday scheme for three months, as part of a £330bn package to support the economy through the coronavirus crisis.
Forbes suggested that the failure to protect private renters within this measure was a result of the Chancellor and Prime Minister “seeing it through the lens of friends of the Conservative Party, rather than the bulk of people in the population”.
The Labour group leader described other additional costs that local authorities were taking on, which were “overlooked” by central government when making coronavirus announcements.
These included the costs of ensuring that thousands of council staff can work from home – buying extra subscriptions for Office 365, for example. He also mentioned using council workers to support local charities like food banks.
There are a number of ways that councils can support residents, including making discretionary payments to support people with accommodation costs or by awarding people reductions in council tax.
But successive cuts to the authorities’ budgets over the past ten years has seen a significant amount of money taken out of local government – some councils have had their funding from central government cut by as much as 80%.


labourlist--2020-03-19--Scottish Labour launches petition for rent breaks and evictions ban

Scottish Labour has launched a petition urging the SNP government to commit to underwriting rent breaks for public and private sector accommodation .
The Scottish party has also expressed support for the introduction of a ban on evictions resulting from coronavirus-related rent and mortgage arrears .
Commenting on the petition , Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said : “ Owner-occupiers have been given the assurance of a mortgage holiday , meaning they will not lose their homes if they fall behind with payments .
Renters deserve the same assurance “ Scottish Labour has consistently called for action on high rents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mary Barbour law that my colleague Pauline McNeill is introducing .
“ We need action now for a rent break and a ban on evictions resulting from this crisis , but we are also clear that there can be no going back to business as usual when this crisis is over .
Tenants should never again face the fear that they could lose their home as a result of a public health emergency .
“ I would encourage people across Scotland , of all party affiliations and none , to sign our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no-one loses their home as a result of this pandemic.
” Although the SNP has announced that the Scottish government will extend the arrears period required for tribunals to rule in favour of evictions , Scottish Labour has said this move “ does not go far enough ” .
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged the Prime Minister to suspend rents “ for those adversely affected ” by the pandemic , and to extend the ban on evictions to six months .
In a letter to Boris Johnson on Wednesday , Corbyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been published today – should be renewed every six months by a fresh vote in parliament .
The outgoing leader also argued that a comprehensive income protection scheme should be introduced , as well as European-level statutory sick pay for all workers from day one and increased Universal Credit .

Scottish Labour has launched a petition urging the SNP government to commit to underwriting rent breaks for public and private sector accommodation.
The Scottish party has also expressed support for the introduction of a ban on evictions resulting from coronavirus-related rent and mortgage arrears.
Commenting on the petition, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: “Owner-occupiers have been given the assurance of a mortgage holiday, meaning they will not lose their homes if they fall behind with payments. Renters deserve the same assurance
“Scottish Labour has consistently called for action on high rents and greater rights for tenants, through the Mary Barbour law that my colleague Pauline McNeill is introducing.
“We need action now for a rent break and a ban on evictions resulting from this crisis, but we are also clear that there can be no going back to business as usual when this crisis is over. Tenants should never again face the fear that they could lose their home as a result of a public health emergency.
“I would encourage people across Scotland, of all party affiliations and none, to sign our petition and join our campaign to ensure no-one loses their home as a result of this pandemic.”
Although the SNP has announced that the Scottish government will extend the arrears period required for tribunals to rule in favour of evictions, Scottish Labour has said this move “does not go far enough”.
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged the Prime Minister to suspend rents “for those adversely affected” by the pandemic, and to extend the ban on evictions to six months.
In a letter to Boris Johnson on Wednesday, Corbyn also said the emergency coronavirus legislation – which has been published today – should be renewed every six months by a fresh vote in parliament.
The outgoing leader also argued that a comprehensive income protection scheme should be introduced, as well as European-level statutory sick pay for all workers from day one and increased Universal Credit.


labourlist--2020-03-19--The crisis in policing goes mainstream with ‘Cops Like Us’

Many of us sat down on Tuesday night to watch the first episode of Cops Like Us , a three-part documentary on BBC2 following a group of Staffordshire officers going about their duties , responding to incidents and talking about the job .
There is no shortage of ‘ fly on the wall ’ documentaries and TV shows following police officers as they chase the bad guys and deal with the day-to-day fight against crime .
But this was more than just another bunch of cops on camera .
What was so different ?
For me , the programme covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminologist based in Staffordshire for the last 18 years , as former chair of the community safety partnership that covers some of the areas featured in the programme , and as a local councillor for the last nine years , much of the picture was all too familiar .
A picture of too few officers having to do far too much .
Staffordshire Police are representative of far too many forces across the country .
It shows all of the building blocks of contemporary policing after ten years of austerity : significant reductions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last decade ( 27 % down in Staffordshire ) ; cuts in essential police staff ; an ageing force where a large number of officers are approaching retirement age in the next few years ; the rush to cope with cuts by closing police stations ; withdrawing a visible police presence from local communities .
Staffordshire has felt more than its fair share of Tory cuts in policing , but that is not unique .
Staffordshire is emblematic of the crisis in policing that has emerged over the last decade – a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the visibility of policing in our communities , a crisis in roles as the police are increasingly pressured to deal with the fallout from the wholesale devastation of our public services , being required to do more and more with less and less .
Stoke-on-Trent also featured heavily in the programme : a collection of communities decimated by the loss of industry and years of under-investment in basic essential services , people with a long history of hard work , pride and solidarity , increasingly angry , disillusioned and disengaged .
In that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far too many communities across the Midlands and the North of England , struggling to cope in a game where the dice have been loaded against them for far too long .
But what was really different this time was the candour with which serving police officers talked about all of these challenges and why things were getting so bad .
Among the officers on screen , there were many familiar faces – officers I have dealt with before , officers I have spoken to about how we can work together to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are experts at maintaining a neutral professional demeanour .
Once they get to know you , they will talk off the record about what they think is really going on , but those views rarely if ever break through that professional demeanour .
That changed on Tuesday night .
Officer after officer sat down in front of a camera and told it like it is , showed their frustrations at what has been going on .
They talked about the underfunding of schools , youth services , mental health support , drug and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ austerity .
They made clear their concerns about the decline in police numbers , the closure of police stations , the expectation that they step in to cover for other essential but increasingly hollowed out public services .
This came to a head with the interview with Gareth Morgan , level-headed and highly experienced Chief Constable for Staffordshire .
He had to pause his interview as he became visibly upset at discussing the situation he was dealing with .
This isn ’ t normal territory for down-to-earth coppers .
Something is changing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling out the impacts of austerity ; like us , they are speaking out about police numbers ; like us they are clear things have to change .
This really was ‘ cops like us ’ .

Many of us sat down on Tuesday night to watch the first episode of Cops Like Us, a three-part documentary on BBC2 following a group of Staffordshire officers going about their duties, responding to incidents and talking about the job. There is no shortage of ‘fly on the wall’ documentaries and TV shows following police officers as they chase the bad guys and deal with the day-to-day fight against crime. But this was more than just another bunch of cops on camera. What was so different?
For me, the programme covered familiar territory – literally. As a criminologist based in Staffordshire for the last 18 years, as former chair of the community safety partnership that covers some of the areas featured in the programme, and as a local councillor for the last nine years, much of the picture was all too familiar. A picture of too few officers having to do far too much.
Staffordshire Police are representative of far too many forces across the country. It shows all of the building blocks of contemporary policing after ten years of austerity: significant reductions in the number of police officers in the last decade (27% down in Staffordshire); cuts in essential police staff; an ageing force where a large number of officers are approaching retirement age in the next few years; the rush to cope with cuts by closing police stations; withdrawing a visible police presence from local communities.
Staffordshire has felt more than its fair share of Tory cuts in policing, but that is not unique. Staffordshire is emblematic of the crisis in policing that has emerged over the last decade – a crisis in numbers, a crisis in the visibility of policing in our communities, a crisis in roles as the police are increasingly pressured to deal with the fallout from the wholesale devastation of our public services, being required to do more and more with less and less.
Stoke-on-Trent also featured heavily in the programme: a collection of communities decimated by the loss of industry and years of under-investment in basic essential services, people with a long history of hard work, pride and solidarity, increasingly angry, disillusioned and disengaged. In that respect, Stoke is also emblematic of far too many communities across the Midlands and the North of England, struggling to cope in a game where the dice have been loaded against them for far too long.
But what was really different this time was the candour with which serving police officers talked about all of these challenges and why things were getting so bad. Among the officers on screen, there were many familiar faces – officers I have dealt with before, officers I have spoken to about how we can work together to try and stem the flood. Police officers are experts at maintaining a neutral professional demeanour. Once they get to know you, they will talk off the record about what they think is really going on, but those views rarely if ever break through that professional demeanour.
That changed on Tuesday night. Officer after officer sat down in front of a camera and told it like it is, showed their frustrations at what has been going on. They talked about the underfunding of schools, youth services, mental health support, drug and alcohol treatment, the dead hand of austerity. They made clear their concerns about the decline in police numbers, the closure of police stations, the expectation that they step in to cover for other essential but increasingly hollowed out public services.
This came to a head with the interview with Gareth Morgan, level-headed and highly experienced Chief Constable for Staffordshire. He had to pause his interview as he became visibly upset at discussing the situation he was dealing with. This isn’t normal territory for down-to-earth coppers. Something is changing. Like us, they are now publicly calling out the impacts of austerity; like us, they are speaking out about police numbers; like us they are clear things have to change. This really was ‘cops like us’.


labourlist--2020-03-19--“We may be leaving the EU, but we are proud of our place in Europe” – Fleur Anderson’s maiden speech

Below is the full text of the maiden speech delivered by the new Labour MP for Putney , Fleur Anderson , in parliament on January 9th .
Thank you for the honour of calling me to give my maiden speech , especially on this European Union ( Withdrawal Agreement ) Bill that has dominated our political life for years and will dominate and define our country for a generation or more .
There could not be anything more important to speak about .
I start by thanking God , and I start as I mean to go on by thanking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southfields for putting their faith in me and for electing me to represent them .
I also thank my family for all their support .
I pay tribute to my predecessor Justine Greening , who is held in very high respect for being a hard-working local MP .
Many people told me during the campaign and before that she made their issues her own .
She championed local causes and , nationally , she championed the cause of social mobility .
She represented our views on Brexit , even when it cost her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few more independent-minded female MPs , and I wish her and the Social Mobility Foundation all the very best .
Putney , Southfields and Roehampton are fantastic places to live and work .
We have the best of urban London life , the river and brilliant green spaces .
For any new MP looking for their London home , I can not imagine anywhere better .
Please come to Putney .
We have a strong community .
We have faith groups , residents associations , great pubs to meet up in and community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — I hope the House will forgive me for indulging a few local organisations — the Putney Society ; Regenerate and Regenerate RISE ; the Independent Food Aid Network ; local food banks ; Growhampton — doesn ’ t that sound fantastic ?
— Green the Grid ; Abundance , which makes cider ; the tidy towpath group ; the Roehampton cultural centre ; the over-60s lunch club in Roehampton ; and over 20 rowing clubs and the most famous boat race in the whole world .
I have been running a local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know how important and how threatened community spaces are , and I will continue to champion them .
Clement Attlee is one of Putney ’ s most famous former residents .
He was born in Putney in 1883 , when it was in Surrey , and he went on to be Labour Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951 .
He also went into politics because of his experience running a London community centre , so we have much in common .
His Labour government founded the welfare state — both the NHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
To this day , it is one of the jewels in our crown , which I will make it a priority to defend .
But the current welfare state is failing families in my constituency .
One in three children is in poverty and 30 % of families in Roehampton live in overcrowded homes , most of them hard-working families .
More than 3,000 children in Wandsworth borough are homeless , living in temporary accommodation .
The Alton Estate and Putney Vale include areas that are among the most deprived 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income and housing .
It is not all about the boat race .
Two of the most important marks of the Government ’ s success or failure in the next five years must be whether they reduce child poverty and end the need for food banks .
Before I turn to the subject of the debate — I know that we are talking about Brexit ; I will get there — I want briefly to highlight some important issues for Putney and the country .
The first is the environment .
This must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked with aid agencies around the world , and in Bangladesh I have sat down with communities of women whose jobs , livelihoods and ways of life have been devastated by rising sea water as a result of climate change .
It is already happening .
I have also met parents , like me , who know that our London children have permanently damaged lungs because of our air pollution .
In both situations , it is always the poorest who are most affected .
We need urgent action on climate change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Housing is a major issue .
Overcrowding , uncertainty for private renters , leaseholders ’ rights , lack of social housing and homelessness must be a priority for the next five years .
Youth services and youth centres are closing across our country .
More than 700 have closed in the last nine years .
Together with school cuts , that takes away opportunities for our young people .
Roehampton youth centre was closed just last summer .
Adult social care is beyond crisis .
It came up time and again in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It needs urgent action .
Joining up the NHS and community care services is essential .
We do not need just a cross-party wish list , but urgent action .
I know that that was in the queen ’ s speech , and we will have to see what the result will be .
The NHS , crime , transport , daily commuter misery , saving our high street , international development and saving the Department for International Development , not merging it with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future debates .
And so to Brexit .
It was the main issue of the election in Putney : 74 % of Wandsworth residents voted to Remain — an even higher figure than in Scotland .
More than one in ten constituents in Putney are from other EU countries and are a very welcome part of our community .
I believe that Brexit is an act of monumental self-harm .
In Putney , I have spoken to people who have burst into tears on the doorstep , not just from seeing me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their rights and status as EU citizens , no matter how many years they have been here .
I have met NHS workers who are struggling to cope at work because so many other staff have left and returned to other EU countries , and people whose businesses have been damaged and even closed — and we have not even had Brexit yet .
We know the risks .
We know that Brexit will not be done for many years , so my mandate to protest against the harm that it will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made big promises over the days of the debate , which I do not believe , given their track record in the past nine years , but I hope they prove me wrong .
For a start , there are promises that there will be no regression on environmental standards .
We must have a UK version of dynamic alignment on environmental policies .
I know that the government do not want dynamic alignment because it means that we are in hock to the EU , but there must be a UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with zombie policies and stay backward while the EU moves forward .
We must always vie to keep outdoing the EU on climate action .
We must phase out diesel and petrol cars , bring in eco-friendly homes and achieve 100 % clean energy .
I hope that all those policies will be in the upcoming Environment Bill .
The measure must have teeth to match the European Court of Justice .
There have also been promises that workers ’ rights will be retained so that we will not have a race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with countries around the world on trade negotiations at the World Trade Organisation and I have seen , time and again , how free trade fails communities and is especially bad for women .
We need to know the impact , including the gender impact , of future trade deals .
There have been promises not to have a no-deal Brexit , but we could still face that at the end of the year .
We are just pushing it down the line .
There have been promises of rights to stay for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and checks for pre-settled and settled status and issues that are not yet resolved .
There have been promises that the rights of vulnerable refugees — children , whose rights have been removed from the European Union ( Withdrawal Agreement ) Bill — will be enshrined in the Immigration Bill .
Why take reuniting children with their families out of the Bill ?
I am as flabbergasted and perplexed as everyone else on the opposition benches .
Families belong together .
The policy had cross-party agreement .
It is not many children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ young refugee children live and I have seen the traffickers circling and preying on them .
Those children are amazing .
My children often can not find their way from the table to the dishwasher to put their plates away , but those children have found their way across Europe to other countries , desperate to return to their families here , who are just as desperate to see them .
Yet we have closed the door on them .
I do not understand why and I hope that it is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to become .
There have also been promises that the NHS is not for sale to the US .
Well , we ’ ll see .
The Bill is a huge power grab , with the government running scared of scrutiny and transparency , yesterday rejecting all the amendments that would have meant that we as elected members rightly saw the aims , objectives and progress of negotiations .
We are leaving , but our role now is to define what leaving means : what our values are and what nationalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that racism and discrimination will be given permission by the Bill .
I have seen it happen .
It happened straight after the referendum and it has happened since .
It is therefore important to say here , in this place , that we may be leaving the EU , but we are proud of our place in Europe and the world .
We must be a society that is ambitious for everyone , welcomes diversity and is open to all .
We must both take pride in our country and define that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That will make us all stronger .
I thank the people of Putney again for electing me .
It is such an honour .
I promise that I will work hard every minute of every day to serve and represent you .

Below is the full text of the maiden speech delivered by the new Labour MP for Putney, Fleur Anderson, in parliament on January 9th.
Thank you for the honour of calling me to give my maiden speech, especially on this European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill that has dominated our political life for years and will dominate and define our country for a generation or more. There could not be anything more important to speak about. I start by thanking God, and I start as I mean to go on by thanking the residents of Putney, Roehampton and Southfields for putting their faith in me and for electing me to represent them. I also thank my family for all their support.
I pay tribute to my predecessor Justine Greening, who is held in very high respect for being a hard-working local MP. Many people told me during the campaign and before that she made their issues her own. She championed local causes and, nationally, she championed the cause of social mobility. She represented our views on Brexit, even when it cost her politically. We can always have a few more independent-minded female MPs, and I wish her and the Social Mobility Foundation all the very best.
Putney, Southfields and Roehampton are fantastic places to live and work. We have the best of urban London life, the river and brilliant green spaces. For any new MP looking for their London home, I cannot imagine anywhere better. Please come to Putney. We have a strong community. We have faith groups, residents associations, great pubs to meet up in and community organisations that bring people together, including — I hope the House will forgive me for indulging a few local organisations — the Putney Society; Regenerate and Regenerate RISE; the Independent Food Aid Network; local food banks; Growhampton — doesn’t that sound fantastic? — Green the Grid; Abundance, which makes cider; the tidy towpath group; the Roehampton cultural centre; the over-60s lunch club in Roehampton; and over 20 rowing clubs and the most famous boat race in the whole world.
I have been running a local community centre for three years, so I know how important and how threatened community spaces are, and I will continue to champion them. Clement Attlee is one of Putney’s most famous former residents. He was born in Putney in 1883, when it was in Surrey, and he went on to be Labour Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951. He also went into politics because of his experience running a London community centre, so we have much in common. His Labour government founded the welfare state — both the NHS and the benefit system—which defines us a country. To this day, it is one of the jewels in our crown, which I will make it a priority to defend.
But the current welfare state is failing families in my constituency. One in three children is in poverty and 30% of families in Roehampton live in overcrowded homes, most of them hard-working families. More than 3,000 children in Wandsworth borough are homeless, living in temporary accommodation. The Alton Estate and Putney Vale include areas that are among the most deprived 10% in the country in terms of income and housing. It is not all about the boat race. Two of the most important marks of the Government’s success or failure in the next five years must be whether they reduce child poverty and end the need for food banks.
Before I turn to the subject of the debate — I know that we are talking about Brexit; I will get there — I want briefly to highlight some important issues for Putney and the country. The first is the environment. This must be the climate parliament. I have worked with aid agencies around the world, and in Bangladesh I have sat down with communities of women whose jobs, livelihoods and ways of life have been devastated by rising sea water as a result of climate change. It is already happening. I have also met parents, like me, who know that our London children have permanently damaged lungs because of our air pollution. In both situations, it is always the poorest who are most affected. We need urgent action on climate change. We cannot wait five years.
Housing is a major issue. Overcrowding, uncertainty for private renters, leaseholders’ rights, lack of social housing and homelessness must be a priority for the next five years. Youth services and youth centres are closing across our country. More than 700 have closed in the last nine years. Together with school cuts, that takes away opportunities for our young people. Roehampton youth centre was closed just last summer.
Adult social care is beyond crisis. It came up time and again in all my seven hustings during the election campaign. It needs urgent action. Joining up the NHS and community care services is essential. We do not need just a cross-party wish list, but urgent action. I know that that was in the queen’s speech, and we will have to see what the result will be.
The NHS, crime, transport, daily commuter misery, saving our high street, international development and saving the Department for International Development, not merging it with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, are all issues that I will return to in future debates.
And so to Brexit. It was the main issue of the election in Putney: 74% of Wandsworth residents voted to Remain — an even higher figure than in Scotland. More than one in ten constituents in Putney are from other EU countries and are a very welcome part of our community. I believe that Brexit is an act of monumental self-harm. In Putney, I have spoken to people who have burst into tears on the doorstep, not just from seeing me, but because of their heightened anxiety about their rights and status as EU citizens, no matter how many years they have been here. I have met NHS workers who are struggling to cope at work because so many other staff have left and returned to other EU countries, and people whose businesses have been damaged and even closed — and we have not even had Brexit yet. We know the risks. We know that Brexit will not be done for many years, so my mandate to protest against the harm that it will do is certainly not over.
The government have made big promises over the days of the debate, which I do not believe, given their track record in the past nine years, but I hope they prove me wrong. For a start, there are promises that there will be no regression on environmental standards. We must have a UK version of dynamic alignment on environmental policies. I know that the government do not want dynamic alignment because it means that we are in hock to the EU, but there must be a UK version, whereby we do not end up with zombie policies and stay backward while the EU moves forward. We must always vie to keep outdoing the EU on climate action. We must phase out diesel and petrol cars, bring in eco-friendly homes and achieve 100% clean energy. I hope that all those policies will be in the upcoming Environment Bill. The measure must have teeth to match the European Court of Justice.
There have also been promises that workers’ rights will be retained so that we will not have a race to the bottom. I have worked with countries around the world on trade negotiations at the World Trade Organisation and I have seen, time and again, how free trade fails communities and is especially bad for women. We need to know the impact, including the gender impact, of future trade deals. There have been promises not to have a no-deal Brexit, but we could still face that at the end of the year. We are just pushing it down the line. There have been promises of rights to stay for EU nationals, with yet more paperwork and checks for pre-settled and settled status and issues that are not yet resolved.
There have been promises that the rights of vulnerable refugees — children, whose rights have been removed from the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill — will be enshrined in the Immigration Bill. Why take reuniting children with their families out of the Bill? I am as flabbergasted and perplexed as everyone else on the opposition benches. Families belong together. The policy had cross-party agreement. It is not many children. I have seen the conditions in which young refugee children live and I have seen the traffickers circling and preying on them. Those children are amazing. My children often cannot find their way from the table to the dishwasher to put their plates away, but those children have found their way across Europe to other countries, desperate to return to their families here, who are just as desperate to see them. Yet we have closed the door on them. I do not understand why and I hope that it is not a sign of the kind of country we are going to become.
There have also been promises that the NHS is not for sale to the US. Well, we’ll see. The Bill is a huge power grab, with the government running scared of scrutiny and transparency, yesterday rejecting all the amendments that would have meant that we as elected members rightly saw the aims, objectives and progress of negotiations.
We are leaving, but our role now is to define what leaving means: what our values are and what nationalism means. There is a high risk that racism and discrimination will be given permission by the Bill. I have seen it happen. It happened straight after the referendum and it has happened since. It is therefore important to say here, in this place, that we may be leaving the EU, but we are proud of our place in Europe and the world. We must be a society that is ambitious for everyone, welcomes diversity and is open to all. We must both take pride in our country and define that pride as being more internationalist than ever. That will make us all stronger. I thank the people of Putney again for electing me. It is such an honour. I promise that I will work hard every minute of every day to serve and represent you.


labourlist--2020-03-19--WATCH: Abbott warns against Windrush report being “buried” by Covid-19 crisis

Diane Abbott has said that the government should not allow the Windrush report and its recommendations to be “ buried ” as a result of being published “ at a time of national crisis ” amid the coronavirus outbreak in the UK .
The Shadow Home Secretary made the intervention during a parliamentary debate today , following the completion and presentation of the investigation into the scandal to the Home Office on Wednesday .
Speaking in the House of Commons , Abbott said : “ We shouldn ’ t allow the fact that the review has been published at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the review and its recommendations are buried.
” She outlined that the review states that the Home Office must acknowledge the wrong done , open itself up to external scrutiny and change its culture to reflect that its policies are about people and should be “ rooted in humanity ” .
Abbott went on to say : “ The review into the lessons of Windrush and some genuine contrition from the government are long overdue .
The verdict that there are elements of institutional racism at the Home Office is damning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and branch overhaul and change of culture .
“ But there must also be an end to the government ’ s ‘ hostile environment ’ policy , or there will never be an end to new cases in this scandal.
” The Windrush scandal saw the UK government wrongly designate thousands of citizens as illegally resident in the country .
Many were deported or detained in immigration centres as a result .
A “ lessons learned ” review was commissioned by Savid Javid as the then Home Secretary after the scandal came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the constabulary Wendy Williams has been working on the report since then , for a period of about 20 months .
Publication had been expected at the end of last year but was delayed .
The 275-page document reports that the government showed an “ institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness towards the issue of race ” and identifies “ operational and organisational failures ” .
It states that the “ root cause ” of the scandal can be traced back to successive pieces of legislation that were passed throughout the 1960s , 70s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race clearly played a part in what occurred ” and suggested that some of the failing determined in the review could be indicators of “ indirect discrimination ” .
She spoke to former Home Secretaries Amber Rudd , Theresa May , Alan Johnson and Jacqui Smith throughout the process , and today ’ s document includes a total of 30 recommendations for the government department .

Diane Abbott has said that the government should not allow the Windrush report and its recommendations to be “buried” as a result of being published “at a time of national crisis” amid the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.
The Shadow Home Secretary made the intervention during a parliamentary debate today, following the completion and presentation of the investigation into the scandal to the Home Office on Wednesday.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Abbott said: “We shouldn’t allow the fact that the review has been published at a time of national crisis, to mean that the review and its recommendations are buried.”
She outlined that the review states that the Home Office must acknowledge the wrong done, open itself up to external scrutiny and change its culture to reflect that its policies are about people and should be “rooted in humanity”.
Abbott went on to say: “The review into the lessons of Windrush and some genuine contrition from the government are long overdue. The verdict that there are elements of institutional racism at the Home Office is damning, and means there must be a root and branch overhaul and change of culture.
“But there must also be an end to the government’s ‘hostile environment’ policy, or there will never be an end to new cases in this scandal.”
“We shouldn’t allow the fact that the review has been published at a time of national crisis, to mean that the review and its recommendations are buried,” says shadow home secretary Diane Abbott “The Windrush generation deserve better than that”https://t.co/Iix9SIHRLw pic.twitter.com/NT6SkJJRlO — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) March 19, 2020
The Windrush scandal saw the UK government wrongly designate thousands of citizens as illegally resident in the country. Many were deported or detained in immigration centres as a result.
A “lessons learned” review was commissioned by Savid Javid as the then Home Secretary after the scandal came to the attention of the public.
Inspector of the constabulary Wendy Williams has been working on the report since then, for a period of about 20 months. Publication had been expected at the end of last year but was delayed.
The 275-page document reports that the government showed an “institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness towards the issue of race” and identifies “operational and organisational failures”.
It states that the “root cause” of the scandal can be traced back to successive pieces of legislation that were passed throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
Williams said that “race clearly played a part in what occurred” and suggested that some of the failing determined in the review could be indicators of “indirect discrimination”.
She spoke to former Home Secretaries Amber Rudd, Theresa May, Alan Johnson and Jacqui Smith throughout the process, and today’s document includes a total of 30 recommendations for the government department.


labourlist--2020-03-19--6 things Labour councils can do in the fight against Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of local communities and public services .
If the market is left to its own devices , chaos ensues .
State intervention is evidently needed , much to the surprise of the Tories .
Where Labour is in power locally , the party can show how to save lives and livelihoods where the government has failed to act .
Here are six suggestions to get us started .
1 ) Lead by example as an employer .
Collectively , councils employ over two million workers .
If we were a single employer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long way .
Local authorities must be the gold standard for workers ’ rights during the crisis .
Whether employed directly or outsourced , council workers must see no loss of earnings if affected by sickness , isolation or disruption to service .
Adequate safety precautions should be in place for all .
Council tax and rent make up a significant portion of many households ’ monthly outgoings .
As people lose their jobs or incomes fall , these bills may become painful .
The government has already committed to suspending evictions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities could let those who need it freeze their council tax and council rent payments .
This would be expensive but , even after a decade of Tory austerity , councils can shoulder the burden better than our lowest-paid residents .
From next week , most schools will only teach a fraction of their usual number .
All but the most vulnerable , and the children of key workers – such as NHS workers and delivery drivers – will stay at home .
Councils can turn these schools into community hubs .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the four million children who rely on free school meals .
The healthy meals could be offered to others who need them , too , incorporating them into the ‘ meals on wheels ’ services of councils .
We need to support isolated older people to become better connected online , and a training service could make use of school premises and equipment .
Parts of schools could even be cordoned off and used as testing centres .
The crisis has brought out the best in people .
‘ Mutual aid ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up across the country .
Here , local people can support one another during self-isolation and quarantine .
But impromptu volunteer-groups may lack resources .
Councils must not stifle the vibrancy of these groups , but we can offer support by producing a directory of different groups with a simple but safe registration process , issuing safeguarding guidance , or even just providing groups with free access to printing .
Hotels and offices lie empty , while people sleep on the street .
The extent of homelessness was a disgrace before the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are enormous .
Councils can already repurpose buildings in our own control , but we should also demand from government greater powers to temporarily requisition unused buildings in private ownership .
In fact , councils should demand a whole range of new powers , and funding to support them .
Who will enforce the moratorium on evictions in private rented housing ?
The Tories have realised – far too late – that it is reckless to leave everything to the market .
State intervention is a necessity .
In many areas , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public health , local government should be making these interventions .
It may become necessary for the state to coordinate and direct distribution of food to some sections of the population – councils should be empowered to do this .

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of local communities and public services. If the market is left to its own devices, chaos ensues. State intervention is evidently needed, much to the surprise of the Tories. Where Labour is in power locally, the party can show how to save lives and livelihoods where the government has failed to act. Here are six suggestions to get us started.
1) Lead by example as an employer.
Collectively, councils employ over two million workers. If we were a single employer, we would be the biggest by a long way. Local authorities must be the gold standard for workers’ rights during the crisis. Whether employed directly or outsourced, council workers must see no loss of earnings if affected by sickness, isolation or disruption to service. Adequate safety precautions should be in place for all.
2) Halt council payments that residents cannot afford.
Council tax and rent make up a significant portion of many households’ monthly outgoings. As people lose their jobs or incomes fall, these bills may become painful. The government has already committed to suspending evictions, but can councils go further? Local authorities could let those who need it freeze their council tax and council rent payments. This would be expensive but, even after a decade of Tory austerity, councils can shoulder the burden better than our lowest-paid residents.
3) Turn schools into community hubs.
From next week, most schools will only teach a fraction of their usual number. All but the most vulnerable, and the children of key workers – such as NHS workers and delivery drivers – will stay at home. Councils can turn these schools into community hubs. The school kitchens can continue to provide food for the four million children who rely on free school meals.
The healthy meals could be offered to others who need them, too, incorporating them into the ‘meals on wheels’ services of councils. We need to support isolated older people to become better connected online, and a training service could make use of school premises and equipment. Parts of schools could even be cordoned off and used as testing centres.
4) Coordinate and support mutual aid groups.
The crisis has brought out the best in people. ‘Mutual aid’ groups on Facebook and WhatsApp have sprung up across the country. Here, local people can support one another during self-isolation and quarantine. But impromptu volunteer-groups may lack resources. Councils must not stifle the vibrancy of these groups, but we can offer support by producing a directory of different groups with a simple but safe registration process, issuing safeguarding guidance, or even just providing groups with free access to printing.
5) Repurpose buildings for emergency housing.
Hotels and offices lie empty, while people sleep on the street. The extent of homelessness was a disgrace before the pandemic, but now the public health risks are enormous. Councils can already repurpose buildings in our own control, but we should also demand from government greater powers to temporarily requisition unused buildings in private ownership.
6) Demand more funding and greater powers.
In fact, councils should demand a whole range of new powers, and funding to support them. Who will enforce the moratorium on evictions in private rented housing? The Tories have realised – far too late – that it is reckless to leave everything to the market. State intervention is a necessity.
In many areas, like housing, social care or some parts of public health, local government should be making these interventions. It may become necessary for the state to coordinate and direct distribution of food to some sections of the population – councils should be empowered to do this.


labourlist--2020-03-19--LISTEN: Gordon Brown on coronavirus impact and action needed

Gordon Brown talked to BBC Radio 4 ’ s Today programme this morning about how the UK government should improve its approach to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I think this is the week where the government has to act to deal with employment protections… We ’ ve got to have some sharing of responsibility about employment , ” the former Prime Minister said .
He warned of a “ second wave of redundancies ” after the first wave that is currently taking place , but rejected the US approach of sending cheques directly to citizens as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ coordinated fiscal stimulus ” similar to the one undertaken in 2008 , arguing that interest rate cuts and credit “ can only take us so far ” , as well as coordination on medical equipment .
He pointed out that “ the young are more economically insecure but more medically protected ” , while “ the older people are more medically vulnerable and perhaps more economically secure ” .
On a global response , Brown said that there had been “ too much of this populist nationalism ” , in the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , China first ” , adding : “ We ’ re finding that we ’ re connected and depend on each other , whether we like it or not.
” The former Labour PM also suggested that the Brexit trade deal should be delayed because the world needs more open trade rather than further barriers to trade amid the pandemic .

Gordon Brown talked to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning about how the UK government should improve its approach to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think this is the week where the government has to act to deal with employment protections… We’ve got to have some sharing of responsibility about employment,” the former Prime Minister said.
He warned of a “second wave of redundancies” after the first wave that is currently taking place, but rejected the US approach of sending cheques directly to citizens as “scattergun”.
Brown called for a “coordinated fiscal stimulus” similar to the one undertaken in 2008, arguing that interest rate cuts and credit “can only take us so far”, as well as coordination on medical equipment.
He pointed out that “the young are more economically insecure but more medically protected”, while “the older people are more medically vulnerable and perhaps more economically secure”.
On a global response, Brown said that there had been “too much of this populist nationalism”, in the form of “America first, India first, China first”, adding: “We’re finding that we’re connected and depend on each other, whether we like it or not.”
The former Labour PM also suggested that the Brexit trade deal should be delayed because the world needs more open trade rather than further barriers to trade amid the pandemic.


labourlist--2020-03-19--Keir Starmer calls for national income guarantee scheme amid coronavirus crisis

Labour leadership frontrunner Keir Starmer has called for the implementation of a national income guarantee scheme designed to combat the economic impact of Covid-19 .
The Holborn MP , who is currently running to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader , is urging the government to introduce a “ bold , comprehensive package to protect the incomes of British workers ” .
Although the Chancellor has unveiled financial support for businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic , mostly in the form of government-backed loans , there has been little for employees directly who are losing jobs or seeing their pay cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Starmer : • The government-backed loans would be “ tied into an agreement with individual businesses about job protection ” , placing conditions on the support offered ; • The government would introduce a “ wage subsidy initiative ” that would see businesses affected by coronavirus-related job losses directly subsidised ; • Statutory sick pay would be trebled to match the real living wage , and changed to cover “ everyone who needs it , including the self-employed ” ; • Ministers would “ strengthen and expand the social security system at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the policy suggestions , Starmer said : “ Millions of people are already feeling the impact of the economic shock caused by the coronavirus .
We have all heard tragic stories of people expecting to be laid off work or see their incomes fall .
“ Days into this crisis ministers are still several steps behind where they need to be in order to reassure people facing a loss of income .
Other countries across the world , such as Denmark , have shown what actions government can take to protect people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am setting out today would provide essential reassurance to people that their wages would be guaranteed during this crisis .
Businesses would be incentivised to protect jobs , incomes would be protected and the social security system would be strengthened .
“ These proposals are bold , but necessary .
We are potentially days away from further social-distancing measures that will change British life .
It is imperative that the government acts to support workers to buy food , pay the bills and cover the cost of living .
“ I urge ministers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work with businesses and trade unions to ensure families are given the help they need.
” Rebecca Long-Bailey , also running to become Labour leader , has called for income protection , suspension of rent payments , a moratorium on utility bills , and a universal basic income .
The result of Labour ’ s leadership and deputy leadership elections will be announced on April 4th .
Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have long been considered the frontrunners in their respective contests .

Labour leadership frontrunner Keir Starmer has called for the implementation of a national income guarantee scheme designed to combat the economic impact of Covid-19.
The Holborn MP, who is currently running to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, is urging the government to introduce a “bold, comprehensive package to protect the incomes of British workers”.
Although the Chancellor has unveiled financial support for businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, mostly in the form of government-backed loans, there has been little for employees directly who are losing jobs or seeing their pay cut.
Under the proposals being put forward by Starmer:
The government-backed loans would be “tied into an agreement with individual businesses about job protection”, placing conditions on the support offered;
The government would introduce a “wage subsidy initiative” that would see businesses affected by coronavirus-related job losses directly subsidised;
Statutory sick pay would be trebled to match the real living wage, and changed to cover “everyone who needs it, including the self-employed”;
Ministers would “strengthen and expand the social security system at the earliest opportunity”.
Commenting on the policy suggestions, Starmer said: “Millions of people are already feeling the impact of the economic shock caused by the coronavirus. We have all heard tragic stories of people expecting to be laid off work or see their incomes fall.
“Days into this crisis ministers are still several steps behind where they need to be in order to reassure people facing a loss of income. Other countries across the world, such as Denmark, have shown what actions government can take to protect people’s incomes.
“The proposals I am setting out today would provide essential reassurance to people that their wages would be guaranteed during this crisis. Businesses would be incentivised to protect jobs, incomes would be protected and the social security system would be strengthened.
“These proposals are bold, but necessary. We are potentially days away from further social-distancing measures that will change British life. It is imperative that the government acts to support workers to buy food, pay the bills and cover the cost of living.
“I urge ministers to give these proposals serious consideration and to work with businesses and trade unions to ensure families are given the help they need.”
Rebecca Long-Bailey, also running to become Labour leader, has called for income protection, suspension of rent payments, a moratorium on utility bills, and a universal basic income.
The result of Labour’s leadership and deputy leadership elections will be announced on April 4th. Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have long been considered the frontrunners in their respective contests.


labourlist--2020-03-19--School closures, childcare costs and tenants hung out to dry

Developments are unfolding ever more quickly .
It has now been decided that schools and nurseries will close from Monday , with exams not taking place in May or June .
The government has vowed that those affected will receive qualifications , but there are concerns that this could be done on the basis of predicted grades , which have been found to work against the poorest students and see black students get the least accurate predictions .
There are plans to set up a national voucher system for free school meal recipients who will no longer be going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that details are scant and point out that the number entitled to FSMs will explode .
Another key issue with school closures is , of course , how the lives of parents will have to change .
They can not rely on childcare from grandparents who are more vulnerable to the virus , which means parents may have to lose pay or their job to stay home .
The TUC is calling for every parent who needs it to receive “ immediate leave to care for their children at full pay ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their kids ?
It is a stark reminder that the economy usually runs on the unpaid labour of women who care for children and then encounter the ‘ motherhood penalty ’ with pay gap and more if they return to work .
This is yet another area in which socialists and feminists have made demands that are now being picked up more widely due to coronavirus .
The most outrageously inadequate coronavirus measure unveiled yesterday was perhaps the “ radical package ” designed to “ protect renters and landlords ” – in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be introduced to suspend new evictions during the crisis , while landlords including buy-to-let ones will benefit from a three-month mortgage holiday .
Sounds like a good first step .
But what happens when time is up , at which point many tenants will be in a terrible financial situation ?
The government says “ landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan , taking into account tenants ’ individual circumstances ” and it promises to “ issue guidance which asks landlords to show compassion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amid this crisis and all of the shocking news appearing daily , Labour ’ s leadership elections are ongoing .
Could they be cut short ?
The idea was indeed discussed at a meeting of national executive committee officers on Tuesday , LabourList can reveal .
But it didn ’ t have many takers in the room .
The online ballots are being counted automatically , while postal ballots are counted as they come in , and contingencies are in place so there is no need to shorten the contests , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor accelerating the process does mean Labour is in a strange place until April 4th , when results are announced .
In the meantime , we are paying close attention to the current leadership as well as the candidates .
Lisa Nandy has been consistently vocal on the crisis , as the only one to appear on the Sunday shows last weekend .
She called for a Brexit transition period extension early on , and is now urging an immediate increase in child benefit .
Keir Starmer broke his relative silence on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan ” , and is currently asking for clarity on childcare costs and free school meals .
Rebecca Long-Bailey has issued the boldest coronavirus requests : income protection , suspension of rent payments , a moratorium on utility bills , and a universal basic income .
Whether setting up new systems can be practical in the short-term is up for discussion , but this much is certain : the government must take genuinely radical action to prevent acute poverty .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every @ @ @

Developments are unfolding ever more quickly. It has now been decided that schools and nurseries will close from Monday, with exams not taking place in May or June. The government has vowed that those affected will receive qualifications, but there are concerns that this could be done on the basis of predicted grades, which have been found to work against the poorest students and see black students get the least accurate predictions. There are plans to set up a national voucher system for free school meal recipients who will no longer be going to school, yet Labour MPs are concerned that details are scant and point out that the number entitled to FSMs will explode.
Another key issue with school closures is, of course, how the lives of parents will have to change. They cannot rely on childcare from grandparents who are more vulnerable to the virus, which means parents may have to lose pay or their job to stay home. The TUC is calling for every parent who needs it to receive “immediate leave to care for their children at full pay”. Could parents be compensated for looking after their kids? It is a stark reminder that the economy usually runs on the unpaid labour of women who care for children and then encounter the ‘motherhood penalty’ with pay gap and more if they return to work. This is yet another area in which socialists and feminists have made demands that are now being picked up more widely due to coronavirus.
The most outrageously inadequate coronavirus measure unveiled yesterday was perhaps the “radical package” designed to “protect renters and landlords” – in the words of the government. Emergency legislation will be introduced to suspend new evictions during the crisis, while landlords including buy-to-let ones will benefit from a three-month mortgage holiday. Sounds like a good first step. But what happens when time is up, at which point many tenants will be in a terrible financial situation? The government says “landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account tenants’ individual circumstances” and it promises to “issue guidance which asks landlords to show compassion”. This is utterly laughable.
Amid this crisis and all of the shocking news appearing daily, Labour’s leadership elections are ongoing. Could they be cut short? The idea was indeed discussed at a meeting of national executive committee officers on Tuesday, LabourList can reveal. But it didn’t have many takers in the room. The online ballots are being counted automatically, while postal ballots are counted as they come in, and contingencies are in place so there is no need to shorten the contests, according to a Labour NEC source. Neither delaying nor accelerating the process does mean Labour is in a strange place until April 4th, when results are announced.
In the meantime, we are paying close attention to the current leadership as well as the candidates. Lisa Nandy has been consistently vocal on the crisis, as the only one to appear on the Sunday shows last weekend. She called for a Brexit transition period extension early on, and is now urging an immediate increase in child benefit. Keir Starmer broke his relative silence on Tuesday to call for a “cross-government action plan”, and is currently asking for clarity on childcare costs and free school meals. Rebecca Long-Bailey has issued the boldest coronavirus requests: income protection, suspension of rent payments, a moratorium on utility bills, and a universal basic income. Whether setting up new systems can be practical in the short-term is up for discussion, but this much is certain: the government must take genuinely radical action to prevent acute poverty. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-03-20--PM offers bluster and confusion as McDonnell sets out coronavirus plan

We can “ turn the tide in 12 weeks ” , the Prime Minister told the nation at the latest press conference yesterday – probably the worst one yet .
When asked what “ turn the tide ” actually meant ( back to normal ?
reaching the peak ? )
, Boris Johnson couldn ’ t answer .
After some characteristic bluster , he admitted : “ We don ’ t know where we are .
We don ’ t know how long this thing will go on for.
” These daily communications to the press and public were supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress being made by government , but they are not being used to that effect .
Rather than take decisive action – by telling shops to restrict items ; ordering pubs and restaurants to close , not vaguely encouraging people not to offer their custom ; etc – they would rather carry on finger-wagging and have ministers keep blaming the selfishness of individuals .
Why ?
Because if they shut down the economy to the extent that other affected European countries have done , they would also have to implement the kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Chancellor is reportedly considering a wage subsidy scheme but the details have not yet been determined .
Although this is clearly an unprecedented situation , and some mayhem is understandable , there has not been clear recognition of the fact that workers are already being laid off and self-employed people are already seeing their incomes fall dramatically .
John McDonnell published Labour ’ s economic plan for individuals affected by coronavirus last night .
It calls on the government to : underwrite wages ; increase sick pay , apply it more broadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; suspend benefit sanctions ; and more .
You can read the full details here .
Many of these proposals should be uncontroversial in normal times , and these are not normal times .
You only have to look at what is happening in Italy to see what the UK will be facing very soon .
On LabourList today , we have contributions from not one but two shadow cabinet members .
Diane Abbott says the government is hoping to bury the “ transformative recommendations ” made by the Windrush review – published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so .
Jonathan Ashworth is , of course , focused on coronavirus .
He points out that we are heading into this crisis with NHS beds at 94 % capacity , a quarter of the number of ICU beds per person than there are in Germany , and a quarter of carers on zero-hour contracts .
The Shadow Health Secretary warns : “ We would not send our troops to war without the necessary armoury and protection , yet this is increasingly what is demanded of a significant number of health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

We can “turn the tide in 12 weeks”, the Prime Minister told the nation at the latest press conference yesterday – probably the worst one yet. When asked what “turn the tide” actually meant (back to normal? reaching the peak?), Boris Johnson couldn’t answer. After some characteristic bluster, he admitted: “We don’t know where we are. We don’t know how long this thing will go on for.”
These daily communications to the press and public were supposed to clarify the medical advice and the progress being made by government, but they are not being used to that effect. Rather than take decisive action – by telling shops to restrict items; ordering pubs and restaurants to close, not vaguely encouraging people not to offer their custom; etc – they would rather carry on finger-wagging and have ministers keep blaming the selfishness of individuals.
Why? Because if they shut down the economy to the extent that other affected European countries have done, they would also have to implement the kind of radical policies those governments have actioned. The Chancellor is reportedly considering a wage subsidy scheme but the details have not yet been determined. Although this is clearly an unprecedented situation, and some mayhem is understandable, there has not been clear recognition of the fact that workers are already being laid off and self-employed people are already seeing their incomes fall dramatically.
John McDonnell published Labour’s economic plan for individuals affected by coronavirus last night. It calls on the government to: underwrite wages; increase sick pay, apply it more broadly and provide an equivalent for the self-employed; suspend benefit sanctions; and more. You can read the full details here. Many of these proposals should be uncontroversial in normal times, and these are not normal times. You only have to look at what is happening in Italy to see what the UK will be facing very soon.
On LabourList today, we have contributions from not one but two shadow cabinet members. Diane Abbott says the government is hoping to bury the “transformative recommendations” made by the Windrush review – published yesterday – and cannot be allowed to do so. Jonathan Ashworth is, of course, focused on coronavirus. He points out that we are heading into this crisis with NHS beds at 94% capacity, a quarter of the number of ICU beds per person than there are in Germany, and a quarter of carers on zero-hour contracts. The Shadow Health Secretary warns: “We would not send our troops to war without the necessary armoury and protection, yet this is increasingly what is demanded of a significant number of health workers every day.” Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-03-20--WATCH: Matt Hancock admits he could not live on £94-a-week statutory sick pay

Matt Hancock has admitted that he would not be able to live on statutory sick pay , currently set at just over £94 per week , though the government has not committed to increasing it .
Appearing on BBC Question Time on Thursday evening , which was held without a studio audience , TUC general secretary Frances O ’ Grady quizzed the Health Secretary on SSP .
Hancock answered “ no ” .
He added that he didn ’ t expect people to live on the sick pay benefit , before suggesting that the government needs to support businesses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ ve got to support everybody .
And support both businesses to help support their staff .
We want businesses to support their staff because the best thing is if people stay in employment.
” The level of statutory sick pay is currently set at £94.25 per week , and it is paid by employers for a period of up to 28 weeks , after which people need to claim out of work benefits .
Following the outbreak of coronavirus , the government announced that people would be able to claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to wait until the fourth day under the previous system .
But there are an estimated two million people in the UK who are ineligible for sick pay because there is a lower earnings limit in place that excludes some of the lowest paid .

Matt Hancock has admitted that he would not be able to live on statutory sick pay, currently set at just over £94 per week, though the government has not committed to increasing it.
Appearing on BBC Question Time on Thursday evening, which was held without a studio audience, TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady quizzed the Health Secretary on SSP.
Hancock answered “no”. He added that he didn’t expect people to live on the sick pay benefit, before suggesting that the government needs to support businesses to support their workers.
Hancock said: “We’ve got to support everybody. And support both businesses to help support their staff. We want businesses to support their staff because the best thing is if people stay in employment.”
“How do we make sure that we don’t just bail out the boardroom, we’ve got to bail out workers” TUC General Secretary @FrancesOGrady says the government needs to support small business owners and employees during the coronavirus pandemic. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/AOrutEd9A0 — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) March 19, 2020
The level of statutory sick pay is currently set at £94.25 per week, and it is paid by employers for a period of up to 28 weeks, after which people need to claim out of work benefits.
Following the outbreak of coronavirus, the government announced that people would be able to claim sick pay from day one rather than having to wait until the fourth day under the previous system.
But there are an estimated two million people in the UK who are ineligible for sick pay because there is a lower earnings limit in place that excludes some of the lowest paid.


labourlist--2020-03-20--Coronavirus exploits ambivalence. We need clarity, urgency and action from government

Coronavirus poses a threat like no other in my lifetime .
This virus spreads rapidly , exploits ambivalence , thrives on inequality and demands an overwhelming resolve from government like never seen before in recent times .
The last thing needed is the miscommunication and confusion of recent government briefings .
From speculation about London ‘ lockdowns ’ to telling people to stay out of pubs but not backing it up with action only serve to increase anxiety and concern .
The lesson from Italy is that briefings about ‘ lockdowns ’ provoked a panic , as people fled from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contain the spread of the virus .
I ’ ve long called on the government to move into the ‘ explain phase ’ .
The government has so mishandled its public health communications that pubs are packed and supermarket shelves empty .
Ministers should now offer the guidance families are crying out for and deserve .
It ’ s time for a mass advertising campaign on every media outlet , including social media .
It ’ s time government leaflets with clear public health advice were delivered through every letter box .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Labour has been robust and constructive in holding the government to account .
We recognise that this crisis requires extraordinary government action , and we will continue to contribute to the collective effort to protect public health , avoid fuelling panic , and support the vital work of officials and health and scientific advisers .
But where we see the government is falling short , it is our job as the opposition to challenge in order to ensure people are protected .
As Shadow Health Secretary , I have been spending every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare workers and scientists , canvassing the broadest range of opinion to establish where our collective response needs to improve .
The science of how this virus spreads and works within the human body does not respond to politics .
But the actions that the government takes in response to the science are political choices .
What and who are they prioritising , business or workers ?
Are they being open with their modelling and evidence base ?
We must not be afraid to hold them to account for their decisions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as in social care and public health , can not be thanked enough for the work they are doing to care for people in the most difficult circumstances .
They are the heroes who will get us through this pandemic .
The government must immediately speed up the testing of all those dedicated health and care workers who are putting themselves on the line for the rest of us .
We can not let them down by delaying testing any longer .
NHS and care staff need to know their own Covid-19 status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must make sure that doctors , nurses and carers do not unwittingly spread the virus to their patients .
Many of us will have heard the words of the head of the World Health Organisation , Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus : “ Test .
Test .
Test.
” So once testing of NHS staff and carers is in place , it must be rolled out more widely .
Mass testing alongside contact tracing for anybody showing symptoms of the virus has proven highly successful in nations such as South Korea .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of testing is simple lack of capacity .
But this is an emergency .
The government must be prepared to use laboratories from UK-based pharmaceutical companies and universities to speed things up .
If Harley Street doctors have access to facilities for testing , they must be requisitioned for the public good .
This is an approach that should also be taken with private hospitals , to secure the extra bed capacity that will be needed .
We would not send our troops to war without the necessary armoury and protection , yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant number of health workers every day .
It can not and must not continue like this .
NHS staff tell me they need adequate amounts of goggles or visors , full protective surgical gowns and clothing , long gloves , thermometers , fully-fitting masks and hand sanitiser .
Any distribution problems need overcoming as a national priority reflecting the scale of this emergency .
Assurances that things are under control and supplies are adequate are at odds with the reality being reported on the ground .
It is utterly wrong and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under-protected during a pandemic .
Not only are they at heightened risk of being infected themselves and ill , but – as they have pointed out – they fear that they could spread it to patients .
This must be rectified , no matter what the cost , and as quickly as is humanly possible .
I want to see the plan to achieve this .
We need precise figures for how many extra intensive care unit ( ICU ) beds the NHS has opened in recent weeks and regular updates on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future .
Similarly , we are yet to find out how many extra ventilators the government is acquiring through different means , and how many trained NHS staff we have who can operate them .
But investing in the NHS itself will only help part of the public health crisis we are faced with .
The greatest disincentive to social distancing and self-isolation will not be boredom and fatigue , but people ’ s finances and affordability .
The UK is now the only major economy in Europe not supporting workers ’ incomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government must meet Labour ’ s demands to raise statutory sick pay to European levels and extend it to those not currently covered , end the five-week wait for Universal Credit , and introduce a comprehensive income protection scheme so that people know they will have money coming in .
Our first priority at a time of crisis is to arrest the spread of this virus .
We will overcome it , and when we do , serious lessons will have to be learned .
We should not be going into this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointless and counterproductive cuts that have severely weakened the vital public services upon which we are now so reliant .
We should not be going into this with NHS beds at 94 % capacity .
We should not be going into this with a quarter of the number of ICU beds per person that Germany has .
We should not be going into this with a social care system in crisis , in which a quarter of carers are on zero-hour contracts , compelled if they have symptoms to work and risk spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fall into hardship .
More broadly , this crisis has exposed the vulnerability of a society in which insecure work is rife , deregulation is king , and public services are run on the cheap .
When we come out the other side – as we will – we have to build a society that puts people first .

Coronavirus poses a threat like no other in my lifetime. This virus spreads rapidly, exploits ambivalence, thrives on inequality and demands an overwhelming resolve from government like never seen before in recent times.
The last thing needed is the miscommunication and confusion of recent government briefings. From speculation about London ‘lockdowns’ to telling people to stay out of pubs but not backing it up with action only serve to increase anxiety and concern. The lesson from Italy is that briefings about ‘lockdowns’ provoked a panic, as people fled from North to the South, undermining efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
I’ve long called on the government to move into the ‘explain phase’. The government has so mishandled its public health communications that pubs are packed and supermarket shelves empty. Ministers should now offer the guidance families are crying out for and deserve. It’s time for a mass advertising campaign on every media outlet, including social media. It’s time government leaflets with clear public health advice were delivered through every letter box.
Since January, when the outbreak began, Labour has been robust and constructive in holding the government to account. We recognise that this crisis requires extraordinary government action, and we will continue to contribute to the collective effort to protect public health, avoid fuelling panic, and support the vital work of officials and health and scientific advisers.
But where we see the government is falling short, it is our job as the opposition to challenge in order to ensure people are protected. As Shadow Health Secretary, I have been spending every waking minute talking to medical professionals, healthcare workers and scientists, canvassing the broadest range of opinion to establish where our collective response needs to improve.
The science of how this virus spreads and works within the human body does not respond to politics. But the actions that the government takes in response to the science are political choices. What and who are they prioritising, business or workers? Are they being open with their modelling and evidence base? We must not be afraid to hold them to account for their decisions.
The staff in our NHS, as well as in social care and public health, cannot be thanked enough for the work they are doing to care for people in the most difficult circumstances. They are the heroes who will get us through this pandemic.
The government must immediately speed up the testing of all those dedicated health and care workers who are putting themselves on the line for the rest of us. We cannot let them down by delaying testing any longer. NHS and care staff need to know their own Covid-19 status. And just as importantly, we must make sure that doctors, nurses and carers do not unwittingly spread the virus to their patients.
Many of us will have heard the words of the head of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “Test. Test. Test.” So once testing of NHS staff and carers is in place, it must be rolled out more widely. Mass testing alongside contact tracing for anybody showing symptoms of the virus has proven highly successful in nations such as South Korea.
The government says the reason for the slow roll-out of testing is simple lack of capacity. But this is an emergency. The government must be prepared to use laboratories from UK-based pharmaceutical companies and universities to speed things up. If Harley Street doctors have access to facilities for testing, they must be requisitioned for the public good. This is an approach that should also be taken with private hospitals, to secure the extra bed capacity that will be needed.
We would not send our troops to war without the necessary armoury and protection, yet this is increasingly what is demanded of a significant number of health workers every day. It cannot and must not continue like this.
NHS staff tell me they need adequate amounts of goggles or visors, full protective surgical gowns and clothing, long gloves, thermometers, fully-fitting masks and hand sanitiser. Any distribution problems need overcoming as a national priority reflecting the scale of this emergency. Assurances that things are under control and supplies are adequate are at odds with the reality being reported on the ground.
It is utterly wrong and totally short-sighted for NHS staff to be under-protected during a pandemic. Not only are they at heightened risk of being infected themselves and ill, but – as they have pointed out – they fear that they could spread it to patients. This must be rectified, no matter what the cost, and as quickly as is humanly possible. I want to see the plan to achieve this.
We need precise figures for how many extra intensive care unit (ICU) beds the NHS has opened in recent weeks and regular updates on how many the NHS is opening in the future. Similarly, we are yet to find out how many extra ventilators the government is acquiring through different means, and how many trained NHS staff we have who can operate them.
But investing in the NHS itself will only help part of the public health crisis we are faced with. The greatest disincentive to social distancing and self-isolation will not be boredom and fatigue, but people’s finances and affordability. The UK is now the only major economy in Europe not supporting workers’ incomes or giving people direct cash payments.
The government must meet Labour’s demands to raise statutory sick pay to European levels and extend it to those not currently covered, end the five-week wait for Universal Credit, and introduce a comprehensive income protection scheme so that people know they will have money coming in.
Our first priority at a time of crisis is to arrest the spread of this virus. We will overcome it, and when we do, serious lessons will have to be learned. We should not be going into this on the back of ten years of pointless and counterproductive cuts that have severely weakened the vital public services upon which we are now so reliant.
We should not be going into this with NHS beds at 94% capacity. We should not be going into this with a quarter of the number of ICU beds per person that Germany has. We should not be going into this with a social care system in crisis, in which a quarter of carers are on zero-hour contracts, compelled if they have symptoms to work and risk spreading the virus to the most vulnerable, or fall into hardship.
More broadly, this crisis has exposed the vulnerability of a society in which insecure work is rife, deregulation is king, and public services are run on the cheap. When we come out the other side – as we will – we have to build a society that puts people first.