labourlist--2020-03-09--“Coronavirus has exposed the social emergency we face” – McDonnell’s pre-Budget speech

John McDonnell has declared that “ someone needs to get a grip ” in a pre-Budget speech describing how the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK has “ exposed the social emergency that we face in our public services after ten years of austerity ” .
In a speech delivered on Monday morning , the outgoing Shadow Chancellor highlighted the inadequacies of NHS funding , the flaws in the UK ’ s social security system , the problems in prisons and the slow recovery of the economy .
On extra resources needed by the NHS to deal with coronavirus cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that the announcement of the public health allocations has been held back by Dominic Cummings for a publicity splash on budget day.
” The ally of Jeremy Corbyn also made a point of recognising the work of Anneliese Dodds , MP for Oxford East and shadow Treasury minister , and said he was “ hoping she gets a significant role in the new administration ” .
McDonnell has confirmed that he will step down and not serve in the shadow cabinet of Labour ’ s next leader , whose identity will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his legacy at the event , he said : “ This isn ’ t an obituary , I ’ m not going anywhere.
” Below is the full text of John McDonnell ’ s pre-Budget speech delivered this morning .
Thank you for coming along .
This is the last pre-budget speech that I will do as Shadow Chancellor before I return to the backbenches – hopefully to play the role of an elder statesman .
It does give me maybe a bit more of a wider and longer perspective , released from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to day politics .
So this morning I wish to set the scene for the budget on Wednesday .
This should be one of the most significant budgets in our peacetime history .
Why ?
Well because we are facing three of the most serious emergencies that coming together our country has ever faced .
Immediately , we face the crisis of coronavirus as it impacts upon our country , with potentially immensely dangerous and , already for some , with tragic consequences .
After ten years of harsh and unnecessary austerity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with extremes of poverty and inequality and crises in every one of our core public services .
And , of course , we are confronted by the overall existential threat of climate change and the growing , deeply troubling realisation that we are rapidly running out of time to avert a climate crisis .
Let me be clear on the question of coronavirus ; this is not the time for any party politics or partisan behaviour .
I want to thank and pay tribute to the work , the professionalism and the dedication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer and the chief scientific adviser .
I also want to express my thanks and , as always , my admiration to our NHS staff , who once again , as always , are rising to the challenge of providing us with the care and treatment we need , despite being under existing , huge pressures .
As an opposition , we will support the government in implementing plans needed to keep our people safe and out of harm ’ s way .
Anything we say or do will be to support constructively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to tackle this health emergency .
In that spirit , let me say that there are lessons to be learnt already .
The first is speed of action .
Of course , the Prime Minister should have called COBRA sooner .
Days and hours matter when you are dealing with a crisis of this significance and urgency .
The Chancellor also should have made clear immediately , ten days ago , in a major public statement and to parliament that the government stood ready to do everything necessary to support our economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain market confidence .
In these circumstances , you need to be fast in demonstrating that there is a clear plan of action nationally and internationally .
Attempting to let out assuring noises in dribs and drabs is not enough and has proved to be not enough .
The government ’ s delaying of any statement of an economic plan to the budget date doesn ’ t seem to appreciate the urgency of action needed to promote confidence and reassurance amongst investors , businesses , consumers , workers and their families .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any announcements , last Monday I published my advice to the government on the basics of a five point action point plan for the Chancellor .
The action plan simply brings together the basic steps any government would take in dealing with the potential economic impacts of an emergency of this scale .
Naturally , it starts with a call for the coordination by the Treasury with the Bank of England , the OBR and the business bodies and TUC of an overall and regular ongoing assessment of the potential impacts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to monitor constantly the consequences for production , consumption , and GDP and the resilience of the financial system .
We have heard some assessments by individual bodies , such as the Bank of England , but no assuring , authoritative , coordinated assessment dialogue amongst our national institutions .
Just as the chief medical officer has been able to reassure people with his openness in reporting , so the Chancellor should also be on the economic progress of this situation .
The treasury should also take responsibility for coordinating departmental impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare a funding plan for increased resourcing for agencies and departments , using a variety of scenarios reflecting different possible levels of the severity of the outbreak .
What concerned me and still does , is the tardiness by the Chancellor in seeking to reassure the public and markets more comprehensively that the government stands ready to intervene in the economy .
It is best to be straight with people now and acknowledge the limited effectiveness of monetary policy and make it absolutely clear that the government will back fiscal measures to overcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liquidity challenges and to provide the detail of those measures .
Of course , attention needs to be given to the impact on vulnerable groups likely to be particularly affected by any outbreak , including families of individuals who have contracted the virus , and households where self-isolation and sick leave are required .
The vague statements from the Chancellor so far , lack the detail to give confidence to many very financially vulnerable people , often in precarious work , that the will be supported and protected .
Immediately we need the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including paid sick leave guarantees for all workers of whatever status from day one and sick pay for self-isolation .
The gig economy , zero-hours contracts , and earning thresholds means around two million workers are ineligible for statutory sick pay .
It ’ s unacceptable that some of the lowest-paid workers who need to self-isolate will be forced to make a choice between their health and financial hardship .
The government ’ s emergency legislation and actions must guarantee that the right to sick pay from day one will include those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statutory sick pay , and that no one on social security will be sanctioned if they miss appointments .
The Prime Minister appears to be particularly out of touch on this issue .
He stated last week that anyone who does not qualify for statutory sick pay can claim universal credit .
Apart from the five-week wait for payment , you can ’ t make a claim for universal credit online because you have to meet a work coach and that means you have to go to a job centre at the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get an advance in universal credit , which is a loan , you have to go to the job centre to have your ID-verified .
So people will not be able to get money at the start of their claim .
The key issue is that no one should have to choose between health and hardship .
This is a matter of public health concern for everybody .
The Prime Minister clearly does not understand how the system works .
So someone in government urgently needs to take an active lead on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the measures that are necessary as this emergency develops .
International coordination was critical during the financial crisis of 2007/8 .
Although it has been reported that there has been some communication between finance ministers , it ’ s certainly not clear that it is of the scale or depth of coordination of 2007/8 .
As a result , whatever statements have been made have not had the effect of steadying markets or reassuring people more generally that there is an internationally agreed strategy to address this emergency .
Whatever criticisms people may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy in the banking crisis , nobody can question the international leadership he showed and the focus and determination he brought to dealing with those events globally .
I regret that we have not seen that leadership , commitment , indeed political , diplomatic and indeed managerial ability from either the Prime Minister or the Chancellor .
I just say gently , someone needs to get a grip .
As in the past , the UK could and should play a critical role in mobilising the international bodies we have , in particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to deal not just with the current wave of this pandemic but the possible subsequent waves .
The coronavirus infection has exposed the social emergency that we face in our public services after ten years of austerity .
Ten years of cuts and failure to invest in our public services has meant that we are extremely ill-prepared for dealing with this type of large scale health risk to our community .
Our dedicated and professional NHS workers will always do their utmost to rise to whatever health challenge is thrown at them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of Conservative-led governments refusing to provide the resources needed to deal with a growing and ageing population .
The NHS is already under intense pressure after years underfunding and understaffing .
17,000 beds have been cut .
Bed occupancy levels were at 94 % last week .
Critical care bed occupancy was 80 % .
These are the beds we rely upon in episodes like the coronavirus .
The NHS is also short of 100,000 staff – including over 40,000 nurses and thousands of doctors .
Of course , an emergency cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the budget to help to deal with coronavirus .
The Chancellor has said that the NHS will get what it needs .
The expression a blank cheque has been used .
But we also have to recognise that the NHS needs putting on a long term stable footing with secure financial backing from the government in this budget .
Just as we have over the coronavirus outbreak , we must listen to the clinicians and experts when it comes to what is needed for the long term .
Worryingly , directors of public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health allocation for the next financial year starting next month which means they could be cutting nurse workloads , at a time when those very nurses may be needed to deal with Covid-19 cases .
My only hope is that the announcement of the public health allocations has been held back by Dominic Cummings for a publicity splash on budget day .
Whatever is announced on public health spending , it needs to recognise that public health budgets have been cut by £1bn in recent years and if we are to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the growing health needs of our population , we need an investment of that quantum at least .
We know that staff in the NHS will do the absolute best job they possibly can in the difficult circumstances they are facing , during its busiest period .
Our NHS has previously navigated similar outbreaks of flu , monkey pox and ebola and everyone in the NHS has our full support .
If there is to be any good that comes out of the tragedy of the coronavirus outbreak my hope is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wakeup call needed to secure the long term resources our NHS needs .
Just as the coronavirus outbreak has exposed the vulnerability of the NHS due to a decade of Conservative austerity , the impact of Conservative austerity on our social care services is potentially even starker and more dangerous .
Social care in our country is already in crisis .
87 people die each day before they receive the care they need .
There are over 122,000 staff vacancies in social care .
The majority of people who do receive social care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
These are the people most at risk from the coronavirus infection .
Since 2010 a £4.3bn funding gap in social care budgets has been brought about by Conservative austerity .
As a result , providers and local authorities are already stretched to near breaking point .
Any further pressure – as a result of widespread infection and/or major outbreaks in care homes – has the potential of fracturing our fragile social care system .
A large section of our care workforce is now also under threat from the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union ’ s research calculates that the government ’ s immigration policy will cost the care sector 500,000 staff .
Without foreign care workers , our care system would collapse .
The message is clear to the Home Secretary – do not put our social care system at risk .
Pragmatism must override ideology .
Social care in this country also still often falls on the shoulders of family members .
Usually , it still falls to the older women in families .
It is many of these women whose pension age was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were effectively robbed of many years of their pension and who this government , despite all of Boris Johnson ’ s pre-election promises , has refused to compensate .
When I met the WASPI women last week , it ’ s no wonder that they were angry still .
It is clear that we need more in this week ’ s budget than another round of prevaricating consultation on social care .
We need concrete plans backed up with both immediately available and long term solid finances .
We hear that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the potential of social disorder associated with the coronavirus outbreak .
No matter how distant , this prospect should force the government to take an objective look at our justice system .
It is also in crisis .
The justice select committee calculated a £1.2bn funding gap .
In prisons , the Institute for government has reported a “ sharp rise in deaths , violence , self-harm , poor behaviour and drug use – as well as a drop-off in efforts to rehabilitate prisoners ” , all of which could “ be linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisons , and a fall in the number of prison officers ” .
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and self-harm have more than doubled from since 2010 .
Police numbers have been cut by 23,000 .
The mismanagement of our economy over the last decade has made us especially vulnerable to shocks to the system like the coronavirus outbreak .
The UK economy has experienced the slowest recovery from a downturn in over a century .
Productivity growth has averaged a dismal 0.3 % , putting firms in a precarious position when supply chains are disrupted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we now have almost four million people in insecure work with nearly a million on zero-hours contracts , meaning millions of workers do not have guaranteed sick pay or other protections .
According to the New Economics Foundation , ten years of austerity cuts to our public services have drained £100bn from our economy .
It has caused a social emergency combining both crises in our public services with high levels of poverty and insecurity .
Universal credit continues to be rolled out with 2 million families losing more than £1000 a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year from the two-child limit .
4 million of our children now live in poverty .
Over two thirds of them in a household where someone is at work .
The recent Marmot report showed that life expectancy has failed to increase for the first time in a hundred years and for the poorest 10 % of women life expectancy has declined .
To tackle this social emergency , we need a fair taxation system that reverses many of the Tories ’ tax cuts to the rich and corporations and tackles the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evasion .
Instead , all that is hinted at so far is a lift in the National Insurance threshold , the bulk of which will go to the better off , various relatively minor tax relief reforms and the introduction of free ports , which have a notorious reputation as tax havens and displacing existing investment and jobs .
The government is set to continue to ignore the hardship caused by universal credit , the two-child limit , bedroom tax and PIP .
The budget has been much hyped for the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure investment outside of London and the South East .
£100bn over five years has been proposed .
To put that in context , had the Tories invested what was needed on infrastructure over the last ten years – at least 3 % of GDP – £192bn more would have been spent .
What investment the government has made has disproportionately favoured the capital .
IPPR North has calculated that transport investment has increased by 2.5 more per person in London than in the North in the last decade .
The government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go anywhere near filling the hole in investment the Conservatives created or what is needed .
And even more disappointingly we learnt last Thursday that the publication of the government ’ s much-vaunted national infrastructure strategy has been delayed again .
Four years ago , I launched Labour ’ s campaign to tackle regional inequality and then called for a rewrite of the treasury green book , consideration of a Barnett type funding arrangement for the regions , the move of large sections of the Bank of England , treasury and a National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen a lot of kites being flown by the Chancellor this weekend attempting to plagiarise these ideas , but nobody is holding their breath in anticipation of them happening on the scale needed .
Far from levelling up , the IFS has made it clear that austerity is baked into the government ’ s plans .
Their assessment is that £54bn of current spending is needed just to get back to departmental spending per head of 2009/2010 levels .
The government holds out no hope of ending or let alone reversing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s promises of change , they face the risk of five years of disappointment .
Of course , addressing coronavirus and the social emergency in our country are the immediate issues but hanging over all our heads is the ever-present existential threat of climate change .
Despite warm words from the government on prioritising the environment in this budget , there is little evidence that the seriousness and the imminence of the climate emergency has penetrated government thinking .
The IPPR ’ s environmental justice commission has published its report arguing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £33bn a year on measures to tackle climate change if it is to achieve its target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 .
Various capital projects have been listed by the government on decarbonisation of housing , public buildings , carbon capture , electric vehicles and flood defence but the sums are very slight and judged inadequate to address the system-wide shifts needed .
Nothing that the Conservatives have said suggests that they have a sense of the urgency and ambition required to tackle the threat of climate change .
If the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COP 26 we need to be seen to be leading in the implementation of a green new deal backed with sufficient funds to decarbonise our economy .
That also means addressing the role of the finance sector in financing fossils fuels and contributing to climate change .
In conclusion , I can not overstate the significance of this budget .
Of course , the immediate and pressing challenge of this week ’ s budget is to ensure that the necessary resources are delivered to our NHS and to social care services to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain it and defeat it .
Resources are needed to ensure members of our community are protected from both the medical harm but also the financial hardship that threatens them from this outbreak .
However , the natural focus on the coronavirus should not be a reason or an excuse for not addressing the equally serious and dangerous threats from the social emergency created by a decade of decline and the climate change crisis we also face .
The scale of government intervention on both these emergencies mooted so far fails to recognise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the rundown of our public services and from the running out of time to halt the climate crisis .
I hope that the government has woken up to the state of our public services and the poverty and insecurity in which so many of our people live .
I can only hope that fires in Australia , the burning of the Amazon forest and the flooding hitting even our own country has so chastened the government to act this week .
If not , we are told there is likely to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We will need then all of us to join with others to mobilise a social movement on a scale that forces action .
It will be for a new Shadow Chancellor to support us in that campaign .
And I am sure that he or she will .
Thank you .

John McDonnell has declared that “someone needs to get a grip” in a pre-Budget speech describing how the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK has “exposed the social emergency that we face in our public services after ten years of austerity”.
In a speech delivered on Monday morning, the outgoing Shadow Chancellor highlighted the inadequacies of NHS funding, the flaws in the UK’s social security system, the problems in prisons and the slow recovery of the economy.
On extra resources needed by the NHS to deal with coronavirus cases, McDonnell said: “My only hope is that the announcement of the public health allocations has been held back by Dominic Cummings for a publicity splash on budget day.”
The ally of Jeremy Corbyn also made a point of recognising the work of Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East and shadow Treasury minister, and said he was “hoping she gets a significant role in the new administration”.
McDonnell has confirmed that he will step down and not serve in the shadow cabinet of Labour’s next leader, whose identity will be revealed on April 4th. Asked about his legacy at the event, he said: “This isn’t an obituary, I’m not going anywhere.”
Below is the full text of John McDonnell’s pre-Budget speech delivered this morning.
Thank you for coming along. This is the last pre-budget speech that I will do as Shadow Chancellor before I return to the backbenches – hopefully to play the role of an elder statesman. It does give me maybe a bit more of a wider and longer perspective, released from some of the usual knockabout of day to day politics.
So this morning I wish to set the scene for the budget on Wednesday. This should be one of the most significant budgets in our peacetime history. Why? Well because we are facing three of the most serious emergencies that coming together our country has ever faced.
Immediately, we face the crisis of coronavirus as it impacts upon our country, with potentially immensely dangerous and, already for some, with tragic consequences. After ten years of harsh and unnecessary austerity, we also face a social emergency, with extremes of poverty and inequality and crises in every one of our core public services.
And, of course, we are confronted by the overall existential threat of climate change and the growing, deeply troubling realisation that we are rapidly running out of time to avert a climate crisis.
Let me be clear on the question of coronavirus; this is not the time for any party politics or partisan behaviour. I want to thank and pay tribute to the work, the professionalism and the dedication of the country’s chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser.
I also want to express my thanks and, as always, my admiration to our NHS staff, who once again, as always, are rising to the challenge of providing us with the care and treatment we need, despite being under existing, huge pressures.
As an opposition, we will support the government in implementing plans needed to keep our people safe and out of harm’s way. Anything we say or do will be to support constructively the policies and programmes we believe are needed to tackle this health emergency.
In that spirit, let me say that there are lessons to be learnt already. The first is speed of action. Of course, the Prime Minister should have called COBRA sooner. Days and hours matter when you are dealing with a crisis of this significance and urgency.
The Chancellor also should have made clear immediately, ten days ago, in a major public statement and to parliament that the government stood ready to do everything necessary to support our economy and to participate in global action to maintain market confidence.
In these circumstances, you need to be fast in demonstrating that there is a clear plan of action nationally and internationally. Attempting to let out assuring noises in dribs and drabs is not enough and has proved to be not enough.
The government’s delaying of any statement of an economic plan to the budget date doesn’t seem to appreciate the urgency of action needed to promote confidence and reassurance amongst investors, businesses, consumers, workers and their families.
That’s why, in the absence of any announcements, last Monday I published my advice to the government on the basics of a five point action point plan for the Chancellor. The action plan simply brings together the basic steps any government would take in dealing with the potential economic impacts of an emergency of this scale.
Naturally, it starts with a call for the coordination by the Treasury with the Bank of England, the OBR and the business bodies and TUC of an overall and regular ongoing assessment of the potential impacts of the spread of the virus.
We need to monitor constantly the consequences for production, consumption, and GDP and the resilience of the financial system. We have heard some assessments by individual bodies, such as the Bank of England, but no assuring, authoritative, coordinated assessment dialogue amongst our national institutions.
Just as the chief medical officer has been able to reassure people with his openness in reporting, so the Chancellor should also be on the economic progress of this situation.
The treasury should also take responsibility for coordinating departmental impact assessments and resource planning in order to prepare a funding plan for increased resourcing for agencies and departments, using a variety of scenarios reflecting different possible levels of the severity of the outbreak.
What concerned me and still does, is the tardiness by the Chancellor in seeking to reassure the public and markets more comprehensively that the government stands ready to intervene in the economy.
It is best to be straight with people now and acknowledge the limited effectiveness of monetary policy and make it absolutely clear that the government will back fiscal measures to overcome short-term demand and supply issues, including liquidity challenges and to provide the detail of those measures.
Of course, attention needs to be given to the impact on vulnerable groups likely to be particularly affected by any outbreak, including families of individuals who have contracted the virus, and households where self-isolation and sick leave are required.
The vague statements from the Chancellor so far, lack the detail to give confidence to many very financially vulnerable people, often in precarious work, that the will be supported and protected.
Immediately we need the details of the protections planned for workers, including paid sick leave guarantees for all workers of whatever status from day one and sick pay for self-isolation. The gig economy, zero-hours contracts, and earning thresholds means around two million workers are ineligible for statutory sick pay.
It’s unacceptable that some of the lowest-paid workers who need to self-isolate will be forced to make a choice between their health and financial hardship.
The government’s emergency legislation and actions must guarantee that the right to sick pay from day one will include those people who are not currently eligible for statutory sick pay, and that no one on social security will be sanctioned if they miss appointments.
The Prime Minister appears to be particularly out of touch on this issue. He stated last week that anyone who does not qualify for statutory sick pay can claim universal credit. Apart from the five-week wait for payment, you can’t make a claim for universal credit online because you have to meet a work coach and that means you have to go to a job centre at the start of the claim.
Also, to get an advance in universal credit, which is a loan, you have to go to the job centre to have your ID-verified. So people will not be able to get money at the start of their claim. The key issue is that no one should have to choose between health and hardship.
This is a matter of public health concern for everybody. The Prime Minister clearly does not understand how the system works. So someone in government urgently needs to take an active lead on this and consult with the trade unions on the measures that are necessary as this emergency develops.
International coordination was critical during the financial crisis of 2007/8. Although it has been reported that there has been some communication between finance ministers, it’s certainly not clear that it is of the scale or depth of coordination of 2007/8.
As a result, whatever statements have been made have not had the effect of steadying markets or reassuring people more generally that there is an internationally agreed strategy to address this emergency. Whatever criticisms people may have of Gordon Brown’s policy strategy in the banking crisis, nobody can question the international leadership he showed and the focus and determination he brought to dealing with those events globally.
I regret that we have not seen that leadership, commitment, indeed political, diplomatic and indeed managerial ability from either the Prime Minister or the Chancellor. I just say gently, someone needs to get a grip.
As in the past, the UK could and should play a critical role in mobilising the international bodies we have, in particular the UN, to agree a global response to deal not just with the current wave of this pandemic but the possible subsequent waves.
The coronavirus infection has exposed the social emergency that we face in our public services after ten years of austerity. Ten years of cuts and failure to invest in our public services has meant that we are extremely ill-prepared for dealing with this type of large scale health risk to our community.
Our dedicated and professional NHS workers will always do their utmost to rise to whatever health challenge is thrown at them. But they are hampered by ten years of Conservative-led governments refusing to provide the resources needed to deal with a growing and ageing population.
The NHS is already under intense pressure after years underfunding and understaffing. 17,000 beds have been cut. Bed occupancy levels were at 94% last week. Critical care bed occupancy was 80%. These are the beds we rely upon in episodes like the coronavirus.
The NHS is also short of 100,000 staff – including over 40,000 nurses and thousands of doctors. Of course, an emergency cash injection for the NHS is needed in the budget to help to deal with coronavirus.
The Chancellor has said that the NHS will get what it needs. The expression a blank cheque has been used. But we also have to recognise that the NHS needs putting on a long term stable footing with secure financial backing from the government in this budget.
Just as we have over the coronavirus outbreak, we must listen to the clinicians and experts when it comes to what is needed for the long term. Worryingly, directors of public health still don’t know their public health allocation for the next financial year starting next month which means they could be cutting nurse workloads, at a time when those very nurses may be needed to deal with Covid-19 cases.
My only hope is that the announcement of the public health allocations has been held back by Dominic Cummings for a publicity splash on budget day. Whatever is announced on public health spending, it needs to recognise that public health budgets have been cut by £1bn in recent years and if we are to have sustained control of the coronavirus and cope with the growing health needs of our population, we need an investment of that quantum at least.
We know that staff in the NHS will do the absolute best job they possibly can in the difficult circumstances they are facing, during its busiest period. Our NHS has previously navigated similar outbreaks of flu, monkey pox and ebola and everyone in the NHS has our full support.
If there is to be any good that comes out of the tragedy of the coronavirus outbreak my hope is that it is that it serves as the wakeup call needed to secure the long term resources our NHS needs.
Just as the coronavirus outbreak has exposed the vulnerability of the NHS due to a decade of Conservative austerity, the impact of Conservative austerity on our social care services is potentially even starker and more dangerous.
Social care in our country is already in crisis. 87 people die each day before they receive the care they need. There are over 122,000 staff vacancies in social care. The majority of people who do receive social care support are older, disabled or vulnerable people.
These are the people most at risk from the coronavirus infection. Since 2010 a £4.3bn funding gap in social care budgets has been brought about by Conservative austerity. As a result, providers and local authorities are already stretched to near breaking point.
Any further pressure – as a result of widespread infection and/or major outbreaks in care homes – has the potential of fracturing our fragile social care system.
A large section of our care workforce is now also under threat from the government’s recently announced immigration policy. The GMB union’s research calculates that the government’s immigration policy will cost the care sector 500,000 staff. Without foreign care workers, our care system would collapse.
The message is clear to the Home Secretary – do not put our social care system at risk. Pragmatism must override ideology. Social care in this country also still often falls on the shoulders of family members. Usually, it still falls to the older women in families.
It is many of these women whose pension age was increased without proper consultation or notification, who were effectively robbed of many years of their pension and who this government, despite all of Boris Johnson’s pre-election promises, has refused to compensate.
When I met the WASPI women last week, it’s no wonder that they were angry still. It is clear that we need more in this week’s budget than another round of prevaricating consultation on social care. We need concrete plans backed up with both immediately available and long term solid finances.
We hear that there has been some discussion in government about the potential of social disorder associated with the coronavirus outbreak. No matter how distant, this prospect should force the government to take an objective look at our justice system. It is also in crisis.
The justice select committee calculated a £1.2bn funding gap. In prisons, the Institute for government has reported a “sharp rise in deaths, violence, self-harm, poor behaviour and drug use – as well as a drop-off in efforts to rehabilitate prisoners”, all of which could “be linked to the cuts in government spending on prisons, and a fall in the number of prison officers”.
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and self-harm have more than doubled from since 2010. Police numbers have been cut by 23,000. The mismanagement of our economy over the last decade has made us especially vulnerable to shocks to the system like the coronavirus outbreak.
The UK economy has experienced the slowest recovery from a downturn in over a century. Productivity growth has averaged a dismal 0.3%, putting firms in a precarious position when supply chains are disrupted. Business investment is flatlining.
And we now have almost four million people in insecure work with nearly a million on zero-hours contracts, meaning millions of workers do not have guaranteed sick pay or other protections. According to the New Economics Foundation, ten years of austerity cuts to our public services have drained £100bn from our economy.
It has caused a social emergency combining both crises in our public services with high levels of poverty and insecurity. Universal credit continues to be rolled out with 2 million families losing more than £1000 a year. 750,000 households losing an average £3,600 a year from the two-child limit.
4 million of our children now live in poverty. Over two thirds of them in a household where someone is at work. The recent Marmot report showed that life expectancy has failed to increase for the first time in a hundred years and for the poorest 10% of women life expectancy has declined.
To tackle this social emergency, we need a fair taxation system that reverses many of the Tories’ tax cuts to the rich and corporations and tackles the current industrial scale of tax avoidance and evasion.
Instead, all that is hinted at so far is a lift in the National Insurance threshold, the bulk of which will go to the better off, various relatively minor tax relief reforms and the introduction of free ports, which have a notorious reputation as tax havens and displacing existing investment and jobs.
The government is set to continue to ignore the hardship caused by universal credit, the two-child limit, bedroom tax and PIP. The budget has been much hyped for the start of the so-called levelling up, especially in infrastructure investment outside of London and the South East.
£100bn over five years has been proposed. To put that in context, had the Tories invested what was needed on infrastructure over the last ten years – at least 3% of GDP – £192bn more would have been spent. What investment the government has made has disproportionately favoured the capital. IPPR North has calculated that transport investment has increased by 2.5 more per person in London than in the North in the last decade.
The government’s much-vaunted additional infrastructure spending fails to go anywhere near filling the hole in investment the Conservatives created or what is needed. And even more disappointingly we learnt last Thursday that the publication of the government’s much-vaunted national infrastructure strategy has been delayed again.
Four years ago, I launched Labour’s campaign to tackle regional inequality and then called for a rewrite of the treasury green book, consideration of a Barnett type funding arrangement for the regions, the move of large sections of the Bank of England, treasury and a National Investment Bank outside of London.
We have seen a lot of kites being flown by the Chancellor this weekend attempting to plagiarise these ideas, but nobody is holding their breath in anticipation of them happening on the scale needed. Far from levelling up, the IFS has made it clear that austerity is baked into the government’s plans.
Their assessment is that £54bn of current spending is needed just to get back to departmental spending per head of 2009/2010 levels. The government holds out no hope of ending or let alone reversing its austerity. For those that believed Johnson’s promises of change, they face the risk of five years of disappointment.
Of course, addressing coronavirus and the social emergency in our country are the immediate issues but hanging over all our heads is the ever-present existential threat of climate change. Despite warm words from the government on prioritising the environment in this budget, there is little evidence that the seriousness and the imminence of the climate emergency has penetrated government thinking.
The IPPR’s environmental justice commission has published its report arguing that the government needs to spend an additional £33bn a year on measures to tackle climate change if it is to achieve its target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Various capital projects have been listed by the government on decarbonisation of housing, public buildings, carbon capture, electric vehicles and flood defence but the sums are very slight and judged inadequate to address the system-wide shifts needed.
Nothing that the Conservatives have said suggests that they have a sense of the urgency and ambition required to tackle the threat of climate change. If the UK is to have any credibility as hosts of COP 26 we need to be seen to be leading in the implementation of a green new deal backed with sufficient funds to decarbonise our economy. That also means addressing the role of the finance sector in financing fossils fuels and contributing to climate change.
In conclusion, I cannot overstate the significance of this budget. Of course, the immediate and pressing challenge of this week’s budget is to ensure that the necessary resources are delivered to our NHS and to social care services to meet this health risk head-on, to contain it and defeat it.
Resources are needed to ensure members of our community are protected from both the medical harm but also the financial hardship that threatens them from this outbreak. However, the natural focus on the coronavirus should not be a reason or an excuse for not addressing the equally serious and dangerous threats from the social emergency created by a decade of decline and the climate change crisis we also face.
The scale of government intervention on both these emergencies mooted so far fails to recognise the significance of the threats we face from the rundown of our public services and from the running out of time to halt the climate crisis.
I hope that the government has woken up to the state of our public services and the poverty and insecurity in which so many of our people live. I can only hope that fires in Australia, the burning of the Amazon forest and the flooding hitting even our own country has so chastened the government to act this week.
If not, we are told there is likely to be a further fiscal event later this year. We will need then all of us to join with others to mobilise a social movement on a scale that forces action. It will be for a new Shadow Chancellor to support us in that campaign. And I am sure that he or she will. Thank you.


labourlist--2020-03-10--Leadership contender Lisa Nandy calls for extension of Brexit transition period

Italy as a whole , rather than just the northern regions , has gone into lockdown .
The spread of coronavirus means no travel and no socialising for 60 million people in Italy , which has the highest number of cases after China .
In the UK , we ’ re still in the ‘ containment ’ phase but expect to be transitioning into the ‘ delay ’ stage soon .
While requesting an update on the government response , Labour ’ s Jonathan Ashworth pointed out yesterday that the NHS is short of 100,000 staff , and critical care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week .
That funding boost in the Budget tomorrow will have to be significant .
There are plenty of other concerns that the government has not yet fully addressed .
During the Commons discussion , Clive Efford raised the issue of people on zero-hour contracts , particularly in the hospitality industry , being laid off and left in financial difficulty .
Rachel Reeves asked how the government was pressuring businesses such as Uber and Deliveroo to ensure that workers they use are able to self-isolate .
The TUC is calling for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and government agencies , as Diana Johnson highlighted .
Again , there will be plenty to scrutinise in the Budget with these requirements in mind .
Lisa Nandy is again on the front foot out of the Labour leadership candidates in terms of demanding specific action as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak .
In a Guardian article , she has called on Boris Johnson to extend the transition period with the EU .
It is not just that political leaders in EU countries are testing positive for coronavirus , and they already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they implement emergency measures that affect every department and policy area .
Nandy makes the point that business and communities will already be having to cope with enough uncertainty without the looming prospect of no deal , and that “ British companies who trade with the EU do not know what terms they ’ ll be trading on in 10 months ’ time ” .
Rishi Sunak confirmed on Sunday that the Budget would include support for business with “ cash flow ” problems due to coronavirus .
But asked whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period , the new Chancellor replied : “ No , I think very clearly the Prime Minister has been clear that we don ’ t want to extend the transition period .
I think people are fed up of having more delays.
” Let us remember , however , that it was Labour ’ s Keir Starmer who first called for any kind of transition period with single market membership .
And it was an idea that was first resisted but eventually adopted as an ‘ implementation phase ’ by Theresa May .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw the same need to play catch-up here .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

Italy as a whole, rather than just the northern regions, has gone into lockdown. The spread of coronavirus means no travel and no socialising for 60 million people in Italy, which has the highest number of cases after China. In the UK, we’re still in the ‘containment’ phase but expect to be transitioning into the ‘delay’ stage soon. While requesting an update on the government response, Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth pointed out yesterday that the NHS is short of 100,000 staff, and critical care beds were at 81% capacity during the week. That funding boost in the Budget tomorrow will have to be significant.
There are plenty of other concerns that the government has not yet fully addressed. During the Commons discussion, Clive Efford raised the issue of people on zero-hour contracts, particularly in the hospitality industry, being laid off and left in financial difficulty. Rachel Reeves asked how the government was pressuring businesses such as Uber and Deliveroo to ensure that workers they use are able to self-isolate. The TUC is calling for a joint taskforce between trade unions, employers and government agencies, as Diana Johnson highlighted. Again, there will be plenty to scrutinise in the Budget with these requirements in mind.
Lisa Nandy is again on the front foot out of the Labour leadership candidates in terms of demanding specific action as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. In a Guardian article, she has called on Boris Johnson to extend the transition period with the EU. It is not just that political leaders in EU countries are testing positive for coronavirus, and they already have enough to be getting on with as they implement emergency measures that affect every department and policy area. Nandy makes the point that business and communities will already be having to cope with enough uncertainty without the looming prospect of no deal, and that “British companies who trade with the EU do not know what terms they’ll be trading on in 10 months’ time”.
Rishi Sunak confirmed on Sunday that the Budget would include support for business with “cash flow” problems due to coronavirus. But asked whether the government would consider extending the Brexit transition period, the new Chancellor replied: “No, I think very clearly the Prime Minister has been clear that we don’t want to extend the transition period. I think people are fed up of having more delays.” Let us remember, however, that it was Labour’s Keir Starmer who first called for any kind of transition period with single market membership. And it was an idea that was first resisted but eventually adopted as an ‘implementation phase’ by Theresa May. It would not be surprising if we saw the same need to play catch-up here. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-03-10--Universal Credit “dangerous flaw” forces parents with childcare costs into debt, says Labour

Tulip Siddiq has called on the government to use the Budget to fix a “ dangerous flaw ” in the universal credit system that she says is pushing working parents into thousands of pounds worth of debt .
The shadow minister for early years made the intervention this morning , shortly ahead of the Budget that the Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to deliver to parliament on Wednesday .
Siddiq said that parents on the benefit are having to pay large amounts of money for childcare before they are able to claim back financial support , and is asking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the assistance is provided .
The call from the Camden MP follows the news that Nichola Salvato , a single mum forced into debt by universal credit , has been granted judicial review on the grounds that the benefit discriminates against women .
Commenting on the issue , Siddiq said : “ It is shocking that parents on low incomes are being forced to stump up huge sums for childcare , waiting at least a month for the support they are entitled to .
We know from many heart-breaking cases that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Childcare costs have soared under the Tories , so it is more important than ever that parents can access the childcare they need without falling in to debt .
The government must urgently fix this dangerous flaw in universal credit .
“ By fixing this problem in the Budget on Wednesday , ministers could help millions of working families and avoid the humiliation of defending this appalling policy in the high court.
” Salvato is taking the department for work and pensions ( DWP ) to court after the flaw in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce her working hours and resulted in her accruing a debt of £2,000 .
She worked full time and has a daughter who needs childcare before and after school .
The benefit required her to pay the costs of that childcare upfront and then claim it back from the DWP later .
Parents on universal credit can claim up to 85 % of monthly childcare costs up to £646 , but they have to pay childcare providers upfront and only receive the money back in arrears .
Many parents resort to using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prospect of reducing their hours to cope , and there are currently 2.2 million children growing up in poverty in the UK – an increase of 25 % since 2010 .
Various campaigners have been urging ministers to intervene and change the way in which the benefit works , and the ‘ Mums on a Mission ’ group recently handed a petition of more than 102,000 signatures to the government .

Tulip Siddiq has called on the government to use the Budget to fix a “dangerous flaw” in the universal credit system that she says is pushing working parents into thousands of pounds worth of debt.
The shadow minister for early years made the intervention this morning, shortly ahead of the Budget that the Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to deliver to parliament on Wednesday.
Siddiq said that parents on the benefit are having to pay large amounts of money for childcare before they are able to claim back financial support, and is asking the government to announce a change in how the assistance is provided.
The call from the Camden MP follows the news that Nichola Salvato, a single mum forced into debt by universal credit, has been granted judicial review on the grounds that the benefit discriminates against women.
Commenting on the issue, Siddiq said: “It is shocking that parents on low incomes are being forced to stump up huge sums for childcare, waiting at least a month for the support they are entitled to. We know from many heart-breaking cases that this is driving families into poverty and debt.
“Childcare costs have soared under the Tories, so it is more important than ever that parents can access the childcare they need without falling in to debt. The government must urgently fix this dangerous flaw in universal credit.
“By fixing this problem in the Budget on Wednesday, ministers could help millions of working families and avoid the humiliation of defending this appalling policy in the high court.”
Salvato is taking the department for work and pensions (DWP) to court after the flaw in the way universal credit is administered forced her to reduce her working hours and resulted in her accruing a debt of £2,000.
She worked full time and has a daughter who needs childcare before and after school. The benefit required her to pay the costs of that childcare upfront and then claim it back from the DWP later.
Parents on universal credit can claim up to 85% of monthly childcare costs up to £646, but they have to pay childcare providers upfront and only receive the money back in arrears.
Many parents resort to using payday lenders, or are faced with the prospect of reducing their hours to cope, and there are currently 2.2 million children growing up in poverty in the UK – an increase of 25% since 2010.
Various campaigners have been urging ministers to intervene and change the way in which the benefit works, and the ‘Mums on a Mission’ group recently handed a petition of more than 102,000 signatures to the government.


labourlist--2020-03-10--Shelly Asquith’s TU-esday round-up: St Mungo’s, Veolia, Royal Mail and much more

All out for education Around 100,000 education workers are on strike today .
Not just in universities this time , but in further education , too .
Today , members of the National Education Union in 34 sixth form colleges walk out in a battle for investment in pay and conditions .
In the last ten years , the college sector has sustained huge cuts that have led to job losses , larger class sizes and the narrowing of the curriculum offer .
Now in their fourth and final week of a 14-day strike action across 74 institutions , education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their 4 demands of pay , pensions , precarity and equality .
Both UCU and NEU members are joining together for a rally on Tuesday , March 9th , in Leeds .
Heathrow Airport is facing serious disruption to services as the ongoing strike by baggage and freight handlers checks in for another week .
The walk-out by workers employed by Global Baggage Solutions Limited , which began at the start of February , is scheduled over 16 more days from Saturday , March 14th .
They will now also be joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who will strike for six days between March 14th and April 9th .
Members of Unite are demanding a pay increase , including the London Living Wage , and fighting union busting tactics by employers .
You won ’ t be panic buying Greene King beers if the strike at the breweries ’ HQ goes ahead .
Unite members are planning to start their walk-out over pay on March 12th and 13th .
Rolling dates of strike action are due to extend until July , unless it all comes to a head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Getting the house in order Manufacturing workers at Stately-Albion , who make park homes and holiday lodges , are striking over pay .
Beginning with an overtime ban from Friday 13th March , the Unite members will then stage a series of one-day strikes throughout April and May .
Workers at homelessness charity St Mungo ’ s will take strike action in an ongoing , bitter dispute with management , seeing a three-day walkout between 16th and 18th March .
Unite members are rejecting the downgrading of jobs and a cruel sickness absence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to St Mungo ’ s by local authorities across the country will be affected .
In the continuing fight to maintain guards on South Western Railway , RMT members have now voted for a sixth time to take strike action .
The latest walk-out will run for 24 hours from 10am on March 9th , and again on March 12th .
The failure by Rail Gourmet to address a number of issues relating to working conditions has left a bad taste in the mouth of RMT members .
The union branch will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , March 11th through to Friday , 13th .
Another one fights the dust Cleaners in the PCS union will strike for the living wage in several locations .
Workers employed by contractor ISS in Bootle and Liverpool will walk out for two weeks starting Monday , March 16th , following previous action at the end of last year .
In Birmingham , a two-day strike will begin on the same day .
You might be able to catch it , but you won ’ t be able to bin it in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuse collection are currently on strike in Tower Hamlets , where outsourcing giant Veolia owes workers thousands of pounds in holiday payments .
The 200 workers began a seven-day strike on Monday , March 9th .
On the other side of the city in Bexley , bin collections will be on hold in the week commencing 16th March as workers demand an increase on their £8.90 an hour .
Members of both the Bakers ’ Union ( BFAWU ) and Unite at Allied Bakeries in Belfast have succeeded in their demand for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
The unions had planned a prolonged walk-out , but after one day of disruption on February 16th , which saw company vehicles unable to enter the site , they were offered a 3 % rise .
Electricians at Sandwell Council have also won a higher grade and a wage boost of up to £1,000 after Unite , UNISON and GMB threatened strike action .
All eyes will soon be on the CWU as their Royal Mail ballot closes a week today , on March 17th .
In the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employer , the union has again organised impressive gate meetings and even pioneered member engagement through Facebook live .
Members of the CWU at a BT branch will also be balloting after the issuing of a compulsory redundancy notice .
The South East branch is fighting the threat of job losses .
In the civil service , PCS members are balloting until 20th March at HMRC offices in Bootle ; and at Natural England , the result of a ballot over stressful working conditions is due this week .
In the week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a protest on the day of March 11th , and an event in the evening to co-ordinate action against the government .
While the GMB union has racked up some impressive promises from employers where coronavirus could cause concerns , members at high-street giant Wilkinson ’ s are threatening strike action over plans to scrap its sick pay scheme .
The RMT will be balloting some 10,000 members on the London Underground tube network until the end of March .
Transport for London has failed to make an adequate pay offer after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @

All out for education
Around 100,000 education workers are on strike today. Not just in universities this time, but in further education, too. Today, members of the National Education Union in 34 sixth form colleges walk out in a battle for investment in pay and conditions. In the last ten years, the college sector has sustained huge cuts that have led to job losses, larger class sizes and the narrowing of the curriculum offer.
Now in their fourth and final week of a 14-day strike action across 74 institutions, education workers in the UCU are fighting hard on their 4 demands of pay, pensions, precarity and equality. Both UCU and NEU members are joining together for a rally on Tuesday, March 9th, in Leeds.
Unexpected item in bagging area
Heathrow Airport is facing serious disruption to services as the ongoing strike by baggage and freight handlers checks in for another week. The walk-out by workers employed by Global Baggage Solutions Limited, which began at the start of February, is scheduled over 16 more days from Saturday, March 14th. They will now also be joined by colleagues working for the Vanderlande firm, who will strike for six days between March 14th and April 9th. Members of Unite are demanding a pay increase, including the London Living Wage, and fighting union busting tactics by employers.
You won’t be panic buying Greene King beers if the strike at the breweries’ HQ goes ahead. Unite members are planning to start their walk-out over pay on March 12th and 13th. Rolling dates of strike action are due to extend until July, unless it all comes to a head before then (sorry!).
Getting the house in order
Manufacturing workers at Stately-Albion, who make park homes and holiday lodges, are striking over pay. Beginning with an overtime ban from Friday 13th March, the Unite members will then stage a series of one-day strikes throughout April and May.
Workers at homelessness charity St Mungo’s will take strike action in an ongoing, bitter dispute with management, seeing a three-day walkout between 16th and 18th March. Unite members are rejecting the downgrading of jobs and a cruel sickness absence policy among other issues. Services contracted to St Mungo’s by local authorities across the country will be affected.
On the wrong track
In the continuing fight to maintain guards on South Western Railway, RMT members voted for a sixth time to take strike action. The walk-out was set to run for 24 hours from 10am on March 9th, and again on March 12th – but it has now been called off.
The failure by Rail Gourmet to address a number of issues relating to working conditions has left a bad taste in the mouth of RMT members. The union branch will be back on strike at Paddington from Wednesday, March 11th through to Friday, 13th.
Another one fights the dust
Cleaners in the PCS union will strike for the living wage in several locations. Workers employed by contractor ISS in Bootle and Liverpool will walk out for two weeks starting Monday, March 16th, following previous action at the end of last year. In Birmingham, a two-day strike will begin on the same day.
You might be able to catch it, but you won’t be able to bin it in two London local authorities. Unite members in refuse collection are currently on strike in Tower Hamlets, where outsourcing giant Veolia owes workers thousands of pounds in holiday payments. The 200 workers began a seven-day strike on Monday, March 9th. On the other side of the city in Bexley, bin collections will be on hold in the week commencing 16th March as workers demand an increase on their £8.90 an hour.
Strikes work
Members of both the Bakers’ Union (BFAWU) and Unite at Allied Bakeries in Belfast have succeeded in their demand for a pay rise, after taking strike action last month. The unions had planned a prolonged walk-out, but after one day of disruption on February 16th, which saw company vehicles unable to enter the site, they were offered a 3% rise.
Electricians at Sandwell Council have also won a higher grade and a wage boost of up to £1,000 after Unite, UNISON and GMB threatened strike action.
Coming up…
All eyes will soon be on the CWU as their Royal Mail ballot closes a week today, on March 17th. In the face of a legal and industrial battle with the employer, the union has again organised impressive gate meetings and even pioneered member engagement through Facebook live. Members of the CWU at a BT branch will also be balloting after the issuing of a compulsory redundancy notice. The South East branch is fighting the threat of job losses.
In the civil service, PCS members are balloting until 20th March at HMRC offices in Bootle; and at Natural England, the result of a ballot over stressful working conditions is due this week. In the week of the budget, PCS is also organising a protest on the day of March 11th, and an event in the evening to co-ordinate action against the government.
While the GMB union has racked up some impressive promises from employers where coronavirus could cause concerns, members at high-street giant Wilkinson’s are threatening strike action over plans to scrap its sick pay scheme.
The RMT will be balloting some 10,000 members on the London Underground tube network until the end of March. Transport for London has failed to make an adequate pay offer after a year of negotiations with the union.


labourlist--2020-03-10--UK left “vulnerable” to coronavirus by ten years of Tory cuts, says McDonnell

John McDonnell has said that ten years of “ cuts , weak growth , and widespread insecure work ” have left the UK in a “ vulnerable position ” to a shock like the one the country now faces with the escalating coronavirus .
Speaking ahead of the Budget due to be delivered on Wednesday , Labour ’ s Shadow Chancellor identified three crises , including the virus , and stressed the need for “ urgent investment ” to deal with them .
The intervention comes as the Labour Party released a series of reports , today , that highlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wider economy in the run-up to the statement from the Chancellor Rishi Sunak .
Commenting ahead of the Budget , McDonnell said : “ With all attention focused on dealing with the coronavirus , we will work constructively with the government to ensure this outbreak is properly managed and defeated .
“ What is becoming clear , regrettably , is that the economy and our public services are in a vulnerable position to deal with a shock like this , because of the cuts , weak growth , and widespread insecure work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We need urgent investment to deal with the three crises on our hands – coronavirus , the climate emergency , and the crisis in our public services – and our concern is that the public will naturally be disappointed as the Budget fails to address these issues effectively.
” NHS trusts ended the last financial year with a combined deficit of £827m , excluding £256m of exceptional technical adjustments due to the collapse of Carillion , while clinical commissioning groups had a debt of £150m .
The report from Labour into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are increasingly relying on loans from the department of health , which the national audit office ( NAO ) says they are unlikely to ever repay .
The document also provides a snapshot , with several key figure , in relation to the capacity and staffing issues currently faced by the NHS .
It states that : • 214,000 people , one in four patients , were left waiting on trolleys for over four hours last year – the second worst performance on record ; • Over 11 % of ambulances were left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hospital ; • Over 20,000 patients were forced to wait for at least an hour –the most ever recorded by the NHS ; • More than 5,000 hospital patients spent over 12 hours in A & E over the acute Christmas period last December ; • 678 urgent operations were cancelled between January and February last year ; • 4.3 million people are now on waiting lists awaiting treatment ; • One in 12 posts in England is unfilled ; • Since 2010 , 17,000 NHS beds have been cut .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 29th , bed occupancy did not drop below 92 % all winter .
The official maximum safe bed occupancy levels is 85 % .
McDonnell delivered a pre-Budget speech earlier this week , talking about the way in which the virus had “ exposed the social emergency ” the UK faces and said that “ someone needs to get a grip ” .
The Budget on Wednesday will be the first delivered since the general election in December last year and will be delivered by the new Conservative Chancellor Rishi Sunak , @ @ @ @ @ @

John McDonnell has said that ten years of “cuts, weak growth, and widespread insecure work” have left the UK in a “vulnerable position” to a shock like the one the country now faces with the escalating coronavirus.
Speaking ahead of the Budget due to be delivered on Wednesday, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor identified three crises, including the virus, and stressed the need for “urgent investment” to deal with them.
The intervention comes as the Labour Party released a series of reports, today, that highlight the vulnerability of the public sector and the wider economy in the run-up to the statement from the Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Commenting ahead of the Budget, McDonnell said: “With all attention focused on dealing with the coronavirus, we will work constructively with the government to ensure this outbreak is properly managed and defeated.
“What is becoming clear, regrettably, is that the economy and our public services are in a vulnerable position to deal with a shock like this, because of the cuts, weak growth, and widespread insecure work produced by the last ten years.
“We need urgent investment to deal with the three crises on our hands – coronavirus, the climate emergency, and the crisis in our public services – and our concern is that the public will naturally be disappointed as the Budget fails to address these issues effectively.”
NHS trusts ended the last financial year with a combined deficit of £827m, excluding £256m of exceptional technical adjustments due to the collapse of Carillion, while clinical commissioning groups had a debt of £150m.
The report from Labour into the vulnerability of the NHS highlighted that trusts are increasingly relying on loans from the department of health, which the national audit office (NAO) says they are unlikely to ever repay.
The document also provides a snapshot, with several key figure, in relation to the capacity and staffing issues currently faced by the NHS. It states that:
214,000 people, one in four patients, were left waiting on trolleys for over four hours last year – the second worst performance on record;
Over 11% of ambulances were left waiting over 30 minutes to deliver patients to hospital;
Over 20,000 patients were forced to wait for at least an hour –the most ever recorded by the NHS;
More than 5,000 hospital patients spent over 12 hours in A&E over the acute Christmas period last December;
678 urgent operations were cancelled between January and February last year;
4.3 million people are now on waiting lists awaiting treatment;
One in 12 posts in England is unfilled;
Since 2010, 17,000 NHS beds have been cut.
According to the NAO, excluding December 21st to 29th, bed occupancy did not drop below 92% all winter. The official maximum safe bed occupancy levels is 85%.
McDonnell delivered a pre-Budget speech earlier this week, talking about the way in which the virus had “exposed the social emergency” the UK faces and said that “someone needs to get a grip”.
The Budget on Wednesday will be the first delivered since the general election in December last year and will be delivered by the new Conservative Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who recently replaced Sajid Javid.


labourlist--2020-03-10--Exclusive: Dr Allin-Khan urges UK to move to ‘delay’ stage of coronavirus response

Labour deputy leadership candidate and NHS doctor Rosena Allin-Khan has called for the UK to move from the ‘ containment ’ stage to the ‘ delay ’ phase of its coronavirus response in an exclusive interview with LabourList .
Speaking about the coronavirus and the government response to the outbreak , Allin-Khan said : “ I do think we need to be moving into the delay stage now .
We ’ re there , definitely , in my personal and professional opinion .
That ’ s what I think we should be doing.
” Urging the Prime Minister to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she added : “ I don ’ t think Boris Johnson ’ s ‘ keep calm and carry on ’ jokey approach is the one we need… We need to be moving to the delay phase now.
” The Labour MP , who still regularly does A & E shifts as an NHS doctor , described the current government proposals for how the UK ’ s health service will deal with the Covid-19 outbreak as “ a huge embarrassment for the government ” .
The deputy leadership hopeful told LabourList : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with this is to bring back in retired doctors and nurses who themselves would be in the most at-risk groups.
” She added : “ I am at a loss for words when I think about the strategy that they want to employ , to basically cover up this drastic underfunding of our NHS.
” Describing the government as “ slow to act ” , she said : “ I think Boris Johnson took too long .
I mean , we had confirmed cases weeks ago .
I remember in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we only had the first press conference last week .
To me , that ’ s too long.
” In a wide-ranging interview with LabourList , Dr Rosena Allin-Khan also : • Backed calls to extend the Brexit transition period amid the coronavirus outbreak • Agreed with the suspension of Trevor Phillips from the Labour Party in relation to Islamophobia claims • Raised concerns about Labour members not receiving their ballot papers in the leadership contests • Criticised the data fees charged to all Labour leadership candidates by the party Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be shut down in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus , she believes other measures should be taken – such as limiting the number of visitors .
The MP for the south London seat of Tooting has not done an A & E shift since the Christmas period , having been busy with the deputy leadership campaign , but told LabourList that she has a WhatsApp group with doctors from her cohort .
“ They ’ re talking about rapid testing kits .
They ’ re talking about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve got symptoms , ” she explained .
“ And just a general worry about capacity and workforce and how people will manage.
” Declaring that she would like to see “ firm action ” taken , the MP said : “ I ’ m interested to see exactly what Rishi Sunak means by ‘ we will give everything we need to tackle coronavirus ’ .
I want some more money for cancer treatment , for our infrastructure in our hospitals , for children ’ s wards , for A & E @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the capacity of the NHS to deal with the outbreak , Allin-Khan said : “ If you are someone who is like a manual worker , and you ’ ve been waiting for your knee operation , you can ’ t feed your family because you can ’ t get into work .
And if your operation is put on hold , that hugely impacts your life .
People need answers .
“ Also , we need to make sure we don ’ t get staff burnout , particularly if we look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensively for 12 hours at a time one-on-one .
So they can ’ t be doing double shifts .
How are we going to manage with that ?
We don ’ t have enough nurses in our NHS.
” Asked about calls for an extension to the Brexit transition period in light of Covid-19 , Allin-Khan replied : “ I think that is a good idea .
Because fundamentally we have a duty to protect our most vulnerable , and I don ’ t see how in any way this benefits them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period.
” The deputy leadership candidate also talked to LabourList about her experiences of the campaign and the way that the Labour Party was managing its internal elections for leader , deputy leader and places on its ruling body .
Allin-Khan has put the introduction of an independent complaints process at the centre of her bid for the deputy role , and advocated robust action on all forms of discrimination from racism including antisemitism to misogyny .
“ I ’ ve called for a truly independent complaints process , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be trusted , at this point , to do it in-house .
A truly independent complaint process , but I ’ d like to see misogyny as one of the real issues that you can complain about within the party.
” A decision by Labour to suspend the party membership of broadcaster and former politician Trevor Phillips , pending investigation of Islamophobia claims made against him , proved controversial when the details were released earlier this week .
Asked whether she believed the past comments made by Trevor Phillips about Muslims were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Asked whether Labour was right to suspend his membership , she said : “ Yes.
” While Allin-Khan said she had “ really enjoyed ” the campaign and found it to be an “ incredible learning curve ” , she acknowledged “ points of frustration ” including Labour charging fees to access membership data .
Referring to the confusion in February over the amount being charged , she said : “ You manage to fight your way on the ballot paper , and then the party says : ‘ Right , can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe it ’ s six , oh , no , it ’ s five again because you said you won ’ t pay six ’ .
I had to crowdfund to pay that money.
” Allin-Khan described participation in the Labour deputy leadership race as “ mind-blowingly expensive ” , adding : “ Already , people are put off coming into politics , then this stops people like myself , who are non-career politicians.
” She also complained , as other candidates have done , about “ the lack of advertising for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we travel around the country , we do our best .
We all sacrifice our family lives .
And sometimes the number of people watching online is so low , and it ’ s been hard for people to get tickets.
” The deputy leadership hopeful said she had heard “ from so many people this week that they haven ’ t got their ballot paper ” .
There have been many reports of eligible voters in the Labour leadership races not receiving their ballots .
“ Maybe with all the thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounds – they ’ ve got from us paying them for data , which they have anyway , they could be using that to try and make a system that works , ” Allin-Khan concluded .
Allin-Khan did not say which shadow cabinet post she would favour for herself under the new Labour leader – other than the deputy leader role – but said “ some sort of capacity helping out the health team would be good ” .
Most inspirational Labour figure ?
“ My mum .
She was the one who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the difficult life that we had when I was a kid was through the Labour Party .
When things were really , really tough at home , she said , ‘ You have to hold on to two things .
One is hope .
And the second is that there are people out there that have it even worse than we do.
’ ” Have you ever taken illegal drugs ?
“ No.
” Bernie or Biden ?
“ I do like Bernie .
I like them both in different ways , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Bernie.
” Something that our readers don ’ t know about you ?
“ I ’ ve got a green belt in karate… Oh , and I can skateboard .
”

Labour deputy leadership candidate and NHS doctor Rosena Allin-Khan has called for the UK to move from the ‘containment’ stage to the ‘delay’ phase of its coronavirus response in an exclusive interview with LabourList.
Speaking about the coronavirus and the government response to the outbreak, Allin-Khan said: “I do think we need to be moving into the delay stage now. We’re there, definitely, in my personal and professional opinion. That’s what I think we should be doing.”
Urging the Prime Minister to take a different and more serious approach, she added: “I don’t think Boris Johnson’s ‘keep calm and carry on’ jokey approach is the one we need… We need to be moving to the delay phase now.”
The Labour MP, who still regularly does A&E shifts as an NHS doctor, described the current government proposals for how the UK’s health service will deal with the Covid-19 outbreak as “a huge embarrassment for the government”.
The deputy leadership hopeful told LabourList: “I find it completely preposterous that the suggestion to deal with this is to bring back retired doctors and nurses who themselves would be in the most at-risk groups.”
She added: “I am at a loss for words when I think about the strategy that they want to employ, to basically cover up this drastic underfunding of our NHS.”
Describing the government as “slow to act”, she said: “I think Boris Johnson took too long. I mean, we had confirmed cases weeks ago. I remember in early February, we had someone in Brighton, and we only had the first press conference last week. To me, that’s too long.”
In a wide-ranging interview with LabourList, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan also:
Backed calls to extend the Brexit transition period amid the coronavirus outbreak
Agreed with the suspension of Trevor Phillips from the Labour Party in relation to Islamophobia claims
Raised concerns about Labour members not receiving their ballot papers in the leadership contests
Criticised the data fees charged to all Labour leadership candidates by the party
Expressed an interest in joining Labour’s shadow health team
Although Allin-Khan does not think that parliament needs to be shut down in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, she believes other measures should be taken – such as limiting the number of visitors.
The MP for the south London seat of Tooting has not done an A&E shift since the Christmas period, having been busy with the deputy leadership campaign, but told LabourList that she has a WhatsApp group with doctors from her cohort.
“They’re talking about rapid testing kits. They’re talking about what happens if they feel as though they’ve got symptoms,” she explained. “And just a general worry about capacity and workforce and how people will manage.”
Declaring that she would like to see “firm action” taken, the MP said: “I’m interested to see exactly what Rishi Sunak means by ‘we will give everything we need to tackle coronavirus’. I want some more money for cancer treatment, for our infrastructure in our hospitals, for children’s wards, for A&E that are being closed.”
Expressing concern about the capacity of the NHS to deal with the outbreak, Allin-Khan said: “If you are someone who is like a manual worker, and you’ve been waiting for your knee operation, you can’t feed your family because you can’t get into work. And if your operation is put on hold, that hugely impacts your life. People need answers.
“Also, we need to make sure we don’t get staff burnout, particularly if we look at intensive care nurses. They nurse intensively for 12 hours at a time one-on-one. So they can’t be doing double shifts. How are we going to manage with that? We don’t have enough nurses in our NHS.”
Asked about calls for an extension to the Brexit transition period in light of Covid-19, Allin-Khan replied: “I think that is a good idea. Because fundamentally we have a duty to protect our most vulnerable, and I don’t see how in any way this benefits them, by trying to push through the transition period.”
The deputy leadership candidate also talked to LabourList about her experiences of the campaign and the way that the Labour Party was managing its internal elections for leader, deputy leader and places on its ruling body.
Allin-Khan has put the introduction of an independent complaints process at the centre of her bid for the deputy role, and advocated robust action on all forms of discrimination from racism including antisemitism to misogyny.
“I’ve called for a truly independent complaints process,” she said. “I don’t think we can be trusted, at this point, to do it in-house. A truly independent complaint process, but I’d like to see misogyny as one of the real issues that you can complain about within the party.”
A decision by Labour to suspend the party membership of broadcaster and former politician Trevor Phillips, pending investigation of Islamophobia claims made against him, proved controversial when the details were released earlier this week.
Asked whether she believed the past comments made by Trevor Phillips about Muslims were Islamophobic, she said: “Yes.” Asked whether Labour was right to suspend his membership, she said: “Yes.”
While Allin-Khan said she had “really enjoyed” the campaign and found it to be an “incredible learning curve”, she acknowledged “points of frustration” including Labour charging fees to access membership data.
Referring to the confusion in February over the amount being charged, she said: “You manage to fight your way on the ballot paper, and then the party says: ‘Right, can you give us £5,000? Oh, maybe it’s six, oh, no, it’s five again because you said you won’t pay six’. I had to crowdfund to pay that money.”
Allin-Khan described participation in the Labour deputy leadership race as “mind-blowingly expensive”, adding: “Already, people are put off coming into politics, then this stops people like myself, who are non-career politicians.”
She also complained, as other candidates have done, about “the lack of advertising for the hustings”, saying: “Because we travel around the country, we do our best. We all sacrifice our family lives. And sometimes the number of people watching online is so low, and it’s been hard for people to get tickets.”
The deputy leadership hopeful said she had heard “from so many people this week that they haven’t got their ballot paper”. There have been many reports of eligible voters in the Labour leadership races not receiving their ballots.
“Maybe with all the thousands of pounds – or tens of thousands of pounds – they’ve got from us paying them for data, which they have anyway, they could be using that to try and make a system that works,” Allin-Khan concluded.
Allin-Khan did not say which shadow cabinet post she would favour for herself under the new Labour leader – other than the deputy leader role – but said “some sort of capacity helping out the health team would be good”.
Quick-fire questions…
Most inspirational Labour figure? “My mum. She was the one who told me that the way out of the difficult life that we had when I was a kid was through the Labour Party. When things were really, really tough at home, she said, ‘You have to hold on to two things. One is hope. And the second is that there are people out there that have it even worse than we do.’”
Have you ever taken illegal drugs? “No.”
Bernie or Biden? “I do like Bernie. I like them both in different ways, but if I had to pick one it’s Bernie.”
Something that our readers don’t know about you? “I’ve got a green belt in karate… Oh, and I can skateboard.”


labourlist--2020-03-10--Yasmine Dar newly elected as chair of Labour’s disputes panel

Labour left representative Yasmine Dar won against Momentum chief and co-founder Jon Lansman to become chair of Labour ’ s disputes panel at the latest national executive committee meeting today .
The ruling body post , which currently allows the holder to oversee Labour ’ s disciplinary cases , became vacant as incumbent Claudia Webbe left the NEC after being elected as a Labour MP in December 2019 .
When Webbe was elected as disputes chair in 2018 , her candidacy was proposed by now-suspended Pete Willsman .
She stood unopposed and the decision to elect her as chair was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely fought this afternoon , as Lansman stood for the role – splitting the Labour left vote on the ruling body – and UNISON rep Wendy Nichols also put herself forward .
Jeremy Corbyn attended the NEC meeting for a short period of time in order to vote for Dar , according to LabourList sources , who said the result was close .
Dar is a Manchester City councillor who sits on the NEC as a local constituency party representative .
She has previously expressed the view that Labour does not have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Writing for LabourList in May 2019 , she said : “ I ’ m in favour of radical reforms to Labour ’ s disciplinary procedures so that we can more swiftly kick out the small number of antisemites in our ranks .
“ But as a member of the national executive committee , I haven ’ t seen any evidence that this prejudice among a minority of members is an institutional problem.
” Reacting to the Equality and Human Rights Commission decision to launch an investigation into Labour for alleged institutional antisemitism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has missed is an opportunity to rise above party politics and address deep rooted inequalities within our society .
“ Instead of separate investigations into Labour and the Tories , the EHRC could have launched a joint inquiry into both , and prejudice in politics more broadly .
The NEC disputes panel hears membership appeals , applications for re-admission to the party , party disputes and conciliation , and operates in a quasi-judicial way to conduct interviews and hearings .

Labour left representative Yasmine Dar won against Momentum chief and co-founder Jon Lansman to become chair of Labour’s disputes panel at the latest national executive committee meeting today.
The ruling body post, which currently allows the holder to oversee Labour’s disciplinary cases, became vacant as incumbent Claudia Webbe left the NEC after being elected as a Labour MP in December 2019.
When Webbe was elected as disputes chair in 2018, her candidacy was proposed by now-suspended Pete Willsman. She stood unopposed and the decision to elect her as chair was unanimous.
But the fresh contest was closely fought this afternoon, as Lansman stood for the role – splitting the Labour left vote on the ruling body – and UNISON rep Wendy Nichols also put herself forward.
Jeremy Corbyn attended the NEC meeting for a short period of time in order to vote for Dar, according to LabourList sources, who said the result was close.
Dar is a Manchester City councillor who sits on the NEC as a local constituency party representative. She has previously expressed the view that Labour does not have an “institutional problem” of antisemitism.
Writing for LabourList in May 2019, she said: “I’m in favour of radical reforms to Labour’s disciplinary procedures so that we can more swiftly kick out the small number of antisemites in our ranks.
“But as a member of the national executive committee, I haven’t seen any evidence that this prejudice among a minority of members is an institutional problem.”
Reacting to the Equality and Human Rights Commission decision to launch an investigation into Labour for alleged institutional antisemitism, Dar added: “What the EHRC has missed is an opportunity to rise above party politics and address deep rooted inequalities within our society.
“Instead of separate investigations into Labour and the Tories, the EHRC could have launched a joint inquiry into both, and prejudice in politics more broadly.”
The NEC disputes panel hears membership appeals, applications for re-admission to the party, party disputes and conciliation, and operates in a quasi-judicial way to conduct interviews and hearings.


labourlist--2020-03-10--Get Brexit Done has been superseded by Get Brexit Right

Following MPs and peers ’ effective scrutiny of legislation in the run-up to Brexit , and now that we are into an entirely new phase of Britain ’ s future relationship with the Europe , it is tempting to assume that something will be lacking in how parliament holds ministers to account .
Especially when the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill passed through parliament unamended , despite recognition of legislative deficiencies from some in government and talk of the need for a ‘ Clean Bill ’ ( i.e .
with no amendments ) from others .
Parliamentarians certainly have a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Brexit .
There ’ s no formal reporting mechanism for ministers , nor any opportunity for MPs to have a meaningful vote .
In fact , beyond ensuring – via the 2010 Constitutional Reform and Governance Act – that a report is laid and debated within three weeks , there are no real hurdles to ratifying a deal without changes .
Worse still , Boris Johnson ’ s government could just walk away from the negotiations without seeking parliament ’ s approval .
The outcome of the general election has undoubtedly limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers to amend or compromise .
Yet even before that election , the UK had both lost one Prime Minister who feared scrutiny and gained another who opposes it at every turn .
The broader debate itself has also changed .
The question is no longer whether we should leave , but how we mitigate the impact of having done so .
Get Brexit Done has been superseded by Get Brexit Right .
Given that the Article 50 negotiations and accompanying preparations for a no-deal outcome required a substantial role for parliament .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a huge volume of secondary legislation facilitated constitutional innovations such as sifting mechanisms and upgrade recommendations .
And thanks to peers ’ insistence , MPs had a meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement .
Sadly , we ended up in a situation where having been close to securing a further public vote it became a second order ambition for the leaders – and would be leaders – of other parties .
But despite the challenges in the new territory we now find ourselves , scrutiny is shifting away from the floor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Lords EU Committees already playing a vital role .
Just last week , Defra Secretary George Eustice told one such hearing that he did not see fisheries becoming a contentious issue in the negotiations .
A claim that was rightly called out as bogus .
On the same day , the EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee took evidence from the Economic Secretary to the Treasury ; and the Internal Market Sub-Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the level playing field and state aid .
Such sessions , and the forensic reports that tend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But perhaps a more engaged parliamentary press gallery in search of a fresh angle might start shining an inquisitive light or two that interests the wider public .
Our peers and our Commons colleagues will continue , of course , to use every available mechanism to hold ministers to account – be it written ministerial statements or the two Speakers ’ respective discretions in allowing urgent questions .
Indeed , anything and everything to fulfil our duty to scrutinise government proposals or actions , whether or not ‘ Clean Bill ’ becomes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , we will also be looking to nudge the government towards an agreement with the EU that maintains an outward-looking and cooperative UK , and upholds our security and prosperity .
This is something that has become even more crucial , given the international health crisis now demanding urgent action on both sides of the English Channel and beyond .

Following MPs and peers’ effective scrutiny of legislation in the run-up to Brexit, and now that we are into an entirely new phase of Britain’s future relationship with the Europe, it is tempting to assume that something will be lacking in how parliament holds ministers to account. Especially when the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill passed through parliament unamended, despite recognition of legislative deficiencies from some in government and talk of the need for a ‘Clean Bill’ (i.e. with no amendments) from others.
Parliamentarians certainly have a very different role to play in phase two of Brexit. There’s no formal reporting mechanism for ministers, nor any opportunity for MPs to have a meaningful vote. In fact, beyond ensuring – via the 2010 Constitutional Reform and Governance Act – that a report is laid and debated within three weeks, there are no real hurdles to ratifying a deal without changes. Worse still, Boris Johnson’s government could just walk away from the negotiations without seeking parliament’s approval.
The outcome of the general election has undoubtedly limited our ability in Westminster to work with ministers to amend or compromise. Yet even before that election, the UK had both lost one Prime Minister who feared scrutiny and gained another who opposes it at every turn. The broader debate itself has also changed. The question is no longer whether we should leave, but how we mitigate the impact of having done so. Get Brexit Done has been superseded by Get Brexit Right.
Given that the Article 50 negotiations and accompanying preparations for a no-deal outcome required a substantial role for parliament. Following the 2018 Withdrawal Act, scrutiny of a huge volume of secondary legislation facilitated constitutional innovations such as sifting mechanisms and upgrade recommendations. And thanks to peers’ insistence, MPs had a meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement. Sadly, we ended up in a situation where having been close to securing a further public vote it became a second order ambition for the leaders – and would be leaders – of other parties.
But despite the challenges in the new territory we now find ourselves, scrutiny is shifting away from the floor of either chamber towards the committee corridor – with Lords EU Committees already playing a vital role. Just last week, Defra Secretary George Eustice told one such hearing that he did not see fisheries becoming a contentious issue in the negotiations. A claim that was rightly called out as bogus.
On the same day, the EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee took evidence from the Economic Secretary to the Treasury; and the Internal Market Sub-Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the level playing field and state aid. Such sessions, and the forensic reports that tend to follow, often go unnoticed. But perhaps a more engaged parliamentary press gallery in search of a fresh angle might start shining an inquisitive light or two that interests the wider public.
Our peers and our Commons colleagues will continue, of course, to use every available mechanism to hold ministers to account – be it written ministerial statements or the two Speakers’ respective discretions in allowing urgent questions. Indeed, anything and everything to fulfil our duty to scrutinise government proposals or actions, whether or not ‘Clean Bill’ becomes a wider mantra.
In doing so, however, we will also be looking to nudge the government towards an agreement with the EU that maintains an outward-looking and cooperative UK, and upholds our security and prosperity. This is something that has become even more crucial, given the international health crisis now demanding urgent action on both sides of the English Channel and beyond.