labourlist--2020-10-01--Starmer slams asylum ferries plan as “inhuman”

Keir Starmer has slammed proposals currently being considered by Downing Street and the Home Office to establish floating asylum centres on disused ferries moored off the UK coast as “ inhuman ” .
In an interview with BBC News today , the Labour leader responded to reports that the government is considering buying old ships and converting them into asylum-processing centres .
Reacting to the policy suggestion from the Tories , he told viewers this afternoon : “ This isn ’ t creative thinking… these suggestions are inhuman and the government shouldn ’ t be pursuing them .
“ Everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seekers ’ claims is that it takes a long time for the Home Office to process them , that ’ s the problem , it ’ s been there for years .
Get your house in order , get that sorted out instead of lurching from one ridiculous proposition to another.
” The Labour leader called for better international cooperation to address displacement and added : “ There is of course an issue with people trying to get to the UK , but people are fleeing often from persecution.
” His comments come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and French governments are working on proposals to “ prevent abuse of the system and criminality ” , and that this is just one option being considered by Downing Street .
Another possible idea put forward involved moving people to decommissioned oil platforms in the North Sea for processing , and was debated at a Whitehall brainstorming session before government ministers decided that it was a “ no go ” .
No 10 has also asked the Home Office to consider sending asylum seekers to Moldova , Morocco or Papua New Guinea , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ascension and St Helena , while having their applications assessed .
Starmer also discussed the local lockdown strategy being used to prevent the spread of coronavirus , and said that local areas going into a lockdown need a “ roadmap ” as to how they will see those restrictions removed .
Commenting on the Covid strategy this afternoon , Starmer said : “ Over the weeks and months only one area has come out of these restrictions and so we need a strategy – a roadmap – people need to have hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also , of course , needs to massively improve the communications .
And the other thing that is missing now is you ’ ve got local restrictions going in , but no economic support – and they need to be brought together.
” Starmer called for a “ rapid review of the local lockdowns ” and pointed out that in some of the areas with additional restrictions , infections are actually increasing and that some places have been in lockdown for months .
He added : “ There needs to be a rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what isn ’ t working ?
What does the science tell us about that ?
People need to know what is the exit strategy from this.
” The Labour leader reiterated the call , which he has made several times including during Prime Minister ’ s Questions this week , for a support package for businesses and people not able to work while lockdowns are in place .

Keir Starmer has slammed proposals currently being considered by Downing Street and the Home Office to establish floating asylum centres on disused ferries moored off the UK coast as “inhuman”.
In an interview with BBC News today, the Labour leader responded to reports that the government is considering the idea of buying old ships and converting them into asylum-processing centres.
Reacting to the policy suggestion from the Tories, he told the BBC this afternoon: “This isn’t creative thinking… These suggestions are inhuman and the government shouldn’t be pursuing them.
“Everybody knows that the biggest problem with asylum seekers’ claims is that it takes a long time for the Home Office to process them, that’s the problem, it’s been there for years. Get your house in order, get that sorted out, instead of lurching from one ridiculous proposition to another.”
The Labour leader called for better international cooperation to address displacement, adding: “There is of course an issue with people trying to get to the UK, but people are fleeing often from persecution.”
His comments come after reports emerged overnight that the UK and French governments are working on proposals to “prevent abuse of the system and criminality”, and that this is just one option being considered by Downing Street.
Another possible idea put forward involved moving people to decommissioned oil platforms in the North Sea for processing, and was debated at a Whitehall brainstorming session before government ministers decided that it was a “no go”.
No 10 has also asked the Home Office to consider sending asylum seekers to Moldova, Morocco or Papua New Guinea, and to the south Atlantic islands of Ascension and St Helena, while having their applications assessed.
Starmer also discussed the local lockdown strategy being used to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and said that local areas going into a lockdown need a “roadmap” as to how they will see those restrictions removed.
Commenting on the Covid strategy, Starmer said: “Over the weeks and months, only one area has come out of these restrictions and so we need a strategy – a roadmap. People need to have hope that this is going to work…
“It also, of course, needs to massively improve the communications. And the other thing that is missing now is you’ve got local restrictions going in, but no economic support – and they need to be brought together.”
Starmer called for a “rapid review of the local lockdowns” and pointed out that in some of the areas with additional restrictions, infections are actually increasing and that some places have been in lockdown for months.
He added: “There needs to be a rapid review: what’s working, what isn’t working? What does the science tell us about that? People need to know what is the exit strategy from this.”
The Labour leader reiterated the call, which he has made several times including during Prime Minister’s Questions this week, for a support package for businesses and people not able to work while lockdowns are in place.


labourlist--2020-10-01--We cannot allow Covid’s impact on transport to turn inner cities into urban deserts

At times I feel like crying .
I recently did when I met a railway manager at St Pancras station at 9 o ’ clock in the morning .
Instead of the usual hustle and bustle along the walkway between the underground and Thameslink , there was a handful of people – few of whom showed any urgency to reach their destination .
Outside , the picture was the same .
The usually jammed bike racks had plenty of spaces .
My friend who had travelled in from Woking on a rush-hour train with just four people in his carriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There were most staff than passengers , ” he said wryly .
This was after the schools had reopened and Boris Johnson had called on people to come back to their offices .
Clearly they are not doing so .
The anecdotal evidence among my friends and business contacts is unequivocal : companies big and small are planning to downsize their office space in central London .
One told me of a business with 400 staff members that is now just planning to accommodate between 20 and 40 , an architect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now going almost entirely online , and so on .
I have lived all my life in the capital and it is difficult not to feel emotional about what is happening .
Public transport is the most obvious area affected .
There is a double whammy : the short term impact of Covid and the consequent fear of catching the disease , and – much more important – the long-term impact of people working from home or having virtual meetings rather than real face-to-face contact .
In fact , the fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exaggerated and the messaging at the height of the pandemic was far too negative .
Research in France , Austria and Japan found that there was no evidence that cases had been spread through the use of public transport .
However , the perception that there is a high risk , greatly increased by the messaging , remains .
It is the longer-term impact that is of far greater import .
While few people are likely to work from home five days per week , there are probably even fewer who want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the advantages and ease of working from home have now been understood .
Local government expert and London School of Economics academic Tony Travers does not foresee any quick recovery : “ This is a game changer .
The whole inner city is dependent on masses of people coming in to work .
It is not just the trains and buses .
It is theatres , restaurants , concert halls and even shoe shine people and heel bars.
” Meanwhile , my optician tells me that his colleagues in the suburbs “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it is , of course , not just London .
In his interview for LabourList , Shadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon talked about the impact of the local HMRC office and magistrates court closing in his Oldham constituency .
All of this demands a coherent strategy to prevent inner cities becoming the urban deserts , neglected and impoverished , that they declined into in the post-war period .
It is easy to forget that the inner cities were characterised by slums and abandoned warehouses and factories .
It was a similar set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emphasis on motorised transport , urban sprawl into the suburbs and the relocation of many jobs away from city centres .
It is Labour councils that are in control of many of these areas , and a Tory government may seek to act in a politically partisan way in restricting much needed funds to them – as has already happened in London .
The response from Labour must be to highlight the risks to these areas and to develop politics to support them .

At times I feel like crying. I recently did when I met a railway manager at St Pancras station at 9 o’clock in the morning. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle along the walkway between the underground and Thameslink, there was a handful of people – few of whom showed any urgency to reach their destination. Outside, the picture was the same. The usually jammed bike racks had plenty of spaces. My friend who had travelled in from Woking on a rush-hour train with just four people in his carriage showed me pictures of Waterloo at 8.30am. “There were most staff than passengers,” he said wryly.
This was after the schools had reopened and Boris Johnson had called on people to come back to their offices. Clearly they are not doing so. The anecdotal evidence among my friends and business contacts is unequivocal: companies big and small are planning to downsize their office space in central London. One told me of a business with 400 staff members that is now just planning to accommodate between 20 and 40, an architect pal said his practice with 25 people is now going almost entirely online, and so on.
I have lived all my life in the capital and it is difficult not to feel emotional about what is happening. Public transport is the most obvious area affected. There is a double whammy: the short term impact of Covid and the consequent fear of catching the disease, and – much more important – the long-term impact of people working from home or having virtual meetings rather than real face-to-face contact. In fact, the fear of travelling on public transport has been greatly exaggerated and the messaging at the height of the pandemic was far too negative. Research in France, Austria and Japan found that there was no evidence that cases had been spread through the use of public transport. However, the perception that there is a high risk, greatly increased by the messaging, remains.
It is the longer-term impact that is of far greater import. While few people are likely to work from home five days per week, there are probably even fewer who want to go to the office every weekday given that the advantages and ease of working from home have now been understood. Local government expert and London School of Economics academic Tony Travers does not foresee any quick recovery: “This is a game changer. The whole inner city is dependent on masses of people coming in to work. It is not just the trains and buses. It is theatres, restaurants, concert halls and even shoe shine people and heel bars.” Meanwhile, my optician tells me that his colleagues in the suburbs “have never been so busy”. And it is, of course, not just London. In his interview for LabourList, Shadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon talked about the impact of the local HMRC office and magistrates court closing in his Oldham constituency.
All of this demands a coherent strategy to prevent inner cities becoming the urban deserts, neglected and impoverished, that they declined into in the post-war period. It is easy to forget that the inner cities were characterised by slums and abandoned warehouses and factories. It was a similar set of circumstances that began their decline – an emphasis on motorised transport, urban sprawl into the suburbs and the relocation of many jobs away from city centres. It is Labour councils that are in control of many of these areas, and a Tory government may seek to act in a politically partisan way in restricting much needed funds to them – as has already happened in London. The response from Labour must be to highlight the risks to these areas and to develop politics to support them.


labourlist--2020-10-01--Labour announces Black History Month organising sessions and rally

Marsha de Cordova has announced events for Black History Month including organising sessions with members from a Black , Asian or minority ethnic background and a mass online rally at the end of October .
In an email to the membership this morning , the Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary invited party members to sign up for the online events and declared : “ Together , we will show that Black Lives Matter.
” The message comes after Keir Starmer this morning called for schoolchildren in the UK to be taught more about the country ’ s Black history to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the struggle for equality ” .
De Cordova told members the “ incredible show of global solidarity in the form of the Black Lives Matter protests this summer has put the spotlight on demands for fundamental change ” .
She noted that Black History Month is a “ powerful opportunity to show solidarity and champion great achievements , as well as to put forward Labour ’ s vision and demands for changes that extend beyond just a single month ” .
The email set out how the party will hold two organising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one on “ building relationships in our community ” and another focused on “ listening to issues in our community ” .
These events will be followed later in the month by a mass rally , taking place online on the evening of October 29th .
De Cordova has encouraged people to sign up , urging members to “ take a stand with us and demand change ” .
The call to party members follows a video message released by the Labour Party earlier today , in which Keir Starmer made the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just one month – it should be a proper part of the curriculum ” .
He said : “ Black history should be part of the curriculum because I think it ’ s really important for young people to learn and understand , in a balanced way , about Britain ’ s past and how our modern society came to be shaped and formed.
” De Cordova appeared alongside the Labour leader and highlighted recommendations made in the MacPherson review on the need for a curriculum reflecting the diversity of society , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review .
She called for a review of the curriculum “ to ensure that Black History is taught as part of British History ” , while Starmer promised that the eradication of structural racism would be a “ defining cause for the next Labour government ” .

Marsha de Cordova has announced events for Black History Month including organising sessions with members from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background and a mass online rally at the end of October.
In an email to the membership this morning, the Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary invited party members to sign up for the online events and declared: “Together, we will show that Black Lives Matter.”
The message comes after Keir Starmer this morning called for schoolchildren in the UK to be taught more about the country’s Black history to help them reach a “full understanding of the struggle for equality”.
De Cordova told members the “incredible show of global solidarity in the form of the Black Lives Matter protests this summer has put the spotlight on demands for fundamental change”.
She noted that Black History Month is a “powerful opportunity to show solidarity and champion great achievements, as well as to put forward Labour’s vision and demands for changes that extend beyond just a single month”.
The email set out how the party will hold two organising sessions, open to BAME members: one on “building relationships in our community” and another focused on “listening to issues in our community”.
These events will be followed later in the month by a mass rally, taking place online on the evening of October 29th. De Cordova has encouraged people to sign up, urging members to “take a stand with us and demand change”.
The call to party members follows a video message released by the Labour Party earlier today, in which Keir Starmer made the case that Black history “should not be just one month – it should be a proper part of the curriculum”.
He said: “Black history should be part of the curriculum because I think it’s really important for young people to learn and understand, in a balanced way, about Britain’s past and how our modern society came to be shaped and formed.”
De Cordova appeared alongside the Labour leader and highlighted recommendations made in the MacPherson review on the need for a curriculum reflecting the diversity of society, as well as those made in the Windrush review.
She called for a review of the curriculum “to ensure that Black History is taught as part of British History”, while Starmer promised that the eradication of structural racism would be a “defining cause for the next Labour government”.


labourlist--2020-10-01--What local party nominations tell us about Labour’s 2020 NEC elections

Nominations have now closed for Labour ’ s national executive committee ( NEC ) elections .
A total of 454 Constituency Labour Parties ( CLPs ) participated in the process – the highest number in any NEC election to date .
LabourList has drawn up a list of every candidate who secured a place on the ballot .
In the past , nominations have been a reliable indicator of the final vote .
They also provide an interesting insight into the politics of CLPs .
This contest is also set to be more interesting than most : for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party representatives will be run using the single transferable vote ( STV ) system , which means no slate can win every seat .
What have we learned about the Labour NEC ’ s CLP representative race from the nominations of local parties ?
66 candidates put themselves forward for the nine CLP rep spaces on the NEC .
Of these , 42 won the five nominations they needed to appear on the final ballot paper .
Approximately half of these candidates are on one of five slates , but between them they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• ‘ Grassroots Voice ’ ( GV ) is supported by Labour-left organisations like Momentum and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy ( CLPD ) .
It has six candidates and 42 % of the nominations .
• ‘ Labour to Win ’ ( LtW ) represents the party ’ s right-wing and is backed by Progress and Labour First .
They too have six candidates but only 24 % of nominations .
• Open Labour – which represents the party ’ s soft left – have put forward two candidates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The Tribune Group of MPs ( TMP ) ( not to be confused with the magazine ) is supporting three ex-MPs to stand and these have together won 7 % of nominations .
• The Labour Left Alliance ( LLA ) has also endorsed six candidates , winning 5 % of nominations .
The remaining 19 candidates are standing as independents .
How many seats will go to each slate ?
Instead of allocating up to nine equally weighted votes , STV asks members to rank candidates in order of preference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most votes could reliably win every seat .
Under STV this is no longer possible .
Slates will win seats in proportion to their votes .
In this contest , it means that they will secure one seat for roughly every 10 % of voters they win over .
Three factors shape a slate ’ s success .
The first , and by far the most significant , is the number of ‘ first preference ’ votes the slate wins .
The second factor is ‘ slate loyalty ’ .
If a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay in the race , or some to spare after winning a seat , these votes are ‘ transferred ’ to the next candidate .
If members are loyal to the slate , then the transferred votes will go to its other candidates .
If loyalty is low , there is ‘ vote leakage ’ to rival candidates .
The third factor is whether the slate attracts supporters of other candidates .
In other words , how many votes will ‘ transfer ’ from opposing candidates .
Earlier this year , Keir Starmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the vote .
His opponents , Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy , had been endorsed by the left and soft left respectively .
Of the organisations contesting the NEC elections , only those behind Labour to Win supported his bid .
If they were to replicate Starmer ’ s vote , five – or perhaps even all six – of their candidates would win .
The nominations do not suggest that this outcome is likely .
Of the 374 CLPs that nominated Starmer , only 37 went on to nominate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominated every Grassroots Voice candidate .
By contrast , almost half of Long-Bailey ’ s CLPs nominated the entire GV slate while LtW won only two .
Nonetheless , there is no denying that the slate has significant support .
Of the nine highest-scoring candidates , two are from LtW ( the two incumbents : Johanna Baxter and Gurinder Singh Josan ) , and the remaining four are not far behind .
How loud is the voice of the grassroots ?
Grassroots Voice are , by every measure , the frontrunners in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate , Laura Pidcock .
Their entire slate has 50 % more nominations than their nearest competitor , and three times the number of CLPs to nominate all their candidates .
There are only 80 nominating CLPs that did not endorse at least one of their candidates .
In other words , they fare well in all three of the factors mentioned above : first preference votes , slate loyalty , attractiveness to other candidates ’ supporters .
After winning only 28 % of the vote for Long-Bailey this spring , the Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I would urge caution .
Most nominations will have been decided by general committees ( GCs ) elected before Starmer ’ s ascension .
Members who have since joined , rejoined or reactivated would not have participated in this process , but they will be able to participate in the final NEC vote .
This group will probably be less amenable to the left than members active under the Corbyn years .
While Grassroots Voice is probably not as far ahead as the nominations suggest , they are almost certainly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Corbyn supporters still make up a huge proportion of the party membership and GV is best placed to win those members .
However , this may not be an easy task as the election goes on .
Corbyn supporters are divided on the current leadership : while many are fiercely critical , tens of thousands voted for Starmer .
Grassroots Voice can not afford to alienate either group .
An opening for the soft left The biggest beneficiary of the new voting system , STV , is the soft left .
Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller factions are crowded out , STV allows any candidate with 10 % of the vote to win a seat .
They will manage this easily .
One of their candidates , Ann Black , has the second highest number of nominations , and is the only candidate to beat any on the GV slate .
Their second candidate , Jermain Jackman , is in 12th place – behind GV and four of the LtW candidates but ahead of everyone else .
An idiosyncrasy of this election is that while the overall vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were decided through first-past-the-post .
Support for the soft left is probably greater than it appears .
Open Labour has chosen its two candidates well .
Black has strong appeal to the right-wing of the party , winning a formal endorsement from LtW and securing nominations from 90 % of their most solid CLPs .
Jackman , on the other hand , has more appeal to the party ’ s left : three quarters of the CLPs that nominated him but not Black endorsed the entire GV slate .
What about the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MPs and the Labour Left Alliance , each have fewer than 10 % of nominations .
However , those total figures are quite misleading : LLA share those nominations amongst six candidates , whereas TMP ’ s are only shared amongst three .
The most successful TMP candidates , Theresa Griffin and Paula Sheriff , won almost double the number of nominations of the strongest LLA candidate , Roger Silverman .
I suspect that many LtW voters will give their lower-preference votes to TMP candidates , while many GV voters will lend support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , is how many first preference votes the minor slates will score .
They will only be able to collect ‘ transferred ’ votes from the major slates if they have enough first preferences to survive the initial rounds of eliminations .
This will be tough .
The prospects are even bleaker for the independent candidates .
They simply do not have enough nominations .
Whereas only one of the candidates on a slate has fewer than 30 nominations , only one independent , Crispin Flintoff , has more than 30 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferred votes ’ either .
Candidates on slates will transfer amongst themselves before sharing any votes with the independents , and by that point it will probably be too late .
An independent candidate like Flintoff may do relatively well on first preferences , but it is highly unlikely that he would pick up enough transfers to win .
If Starmer ’ s , Long-Bailey ’ s and Nandy ’ s voters aligned perfectly with the organisations that endorsed them for the leadership , in this contest LtW would win six seats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win one .
The nominations so far suggest that will not be the case .
Grassroots Voice is on track for four seats .
Not only do they have a huge number of nominations , their supporters are the most loyal .
Two thirds of their nominations are from CLPs that endorsed the entire slate , compared to one third for LtW , which suggests they minimise the proportion of ‘ vote leakage ’ to rival candidates .
I expect LtW will win three seats .
Their nomination count would only suggest two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support .
That said , while their individual candidates are relatively popular , this does not translate into support for the slate .
Their vote will leak .
Ann Black is all-but-guaranteed a seat .
She has the second most nominations and fares well in CLPs dominated by each of the major slates .
I am unsure about the final seat .
It will be decided after many ‘ transfers ’ , through second , third or even 40th preferences .
To win it , minor slates would need to score enough first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Open Labour must find a strategy to secure some of Ann Black ’ s votes for Jermain Jackman .
Labour to Win ’ s vote would need to solidify around the slate .
Grassroots Voice would need to reach the Corbyn supporters who elected Starmer , without alienating those who did not .
There ’ s still a lot to play for .

Nominations have now closed for Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) elections. A total of 454 Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) participated in the process – the highest number in any NEC election to date. LabourList has drawn up a list of every candidate who secured a place on the ballot.
In the past, nominations have been a reliable indicator of the final vote. They also provide an interesting insight into the politics of CLPs. This contest is also set to be more interesting than most: for the first time ever, the elections for local party representatives will be run using the single transferable vote (STV) system, which means no slate can win every seat.
What have we learned about the Labour NEC’s CLP representative race from the nominations of local parties?
Candidates and slates
66 candidates put themselves forward for the nine CLP rep spaces on the NEC. Of these, 42 won the five nominations they needed to appear on the final ballot paper. Approximately half of these candidates are on one of five slates, but between them they hold almost 90% of all nominations.
‘ Grassroots Voice ’ (GV) is supported by Labour-left organisations like Momentum and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD). It has six candidates and 42% of the nominations.
’ (GV) is supported by Labour-left organisations like Momentum and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD). It has six candidates and 42% of the nominations. ‘ Labour to Win ’ (LtW) represents the party’s right-wing and is backed by Progress and Labour First. They too have six candidates but only 24% of nominations.
’ (LtW) represents the party’s right-wing and is backed by Progress and Labour First. They too have six candidates but only 24% of nominations. Open Labour – which represents the party’s soft left – have put forward two candidates, winning 11% of nominations between them.
– which represents the party’s soft left – have put forward two candidates, winning 11% of nominations between them. The Tribune Group of MPs (TMP) (not to be confused with the magazine) is supporting three ex-MPs to stand and these have together won 7% of nominations.
(TMP) (not to be confused with the magazine) is supporting three ex-MPs to stand and these have together won 7% of nominations. The Labour Left Alliance (LLA) has also endorsed six candidates, winning 5% of nominations.
The remaining 19 candidates are standing as independents.
How many seats will go to each slate? Instead of allocating up to nine equally weighted votes, STV asks members to rank candidates in order of preference. Until now, the slate with the most votes could reliably win every seat. Under STV this is no longer possible. Slates will win seats in proportion to their votes. In this contest, it means that they will secure one seat for roughly every 10% of voters they win over.
Three factors shape a slate’s success. The first, and by far the most significant, is the number of ‘first preference’ votes the slate wins. The second factor is ‘slate loyalty’. If a candidate has either too few votes to stay in the race, or some to spare after winning a seat, these votes are ‘transferred’ to the next candidate. If members are loyal to the slate, then the transferred votes will go to its other candidates. If loyalty is low, there is ‘vote leakage’ to rival candidates. The third factor is whether the slate attracts supporters of other candidates. In other words, how many votes will ‘transfer’ from opposing candidates.
Is Labour to Win?
Earlier this year, Keir Starmer was elected as Labour leader with 56% of the vote. His opponents, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy, had been endorsed by the left and soft left respectively. Of the organisations contesting the NEC elections, only those behind Labour to Win supported his bid. If they were to replicate Starmer’s vote, five – or perhaps even all six – of their candidates would win.
The nominations do not suggest that this outcome is likely. Of the 374 CLPs that nominated Starmer, only 37 went on to nominate the whole LtW slate whereas double that number nominated every Grassroots Voice candidate. By contrast, almost half of Long-Bailey’s CLPs nominated the entire GV slate while LtW won only two.
Nonetheless, there is no denying that the slate has significant support. Of the nine highest-scoring candidates, two are from LtW (the two incumbents: Johanna Baxter and Gurinder Singh Josan), and the remaining four are not far behind.
How loud is the voice of the grassroots?
Grassroots Voice are, by every measure, the frontrunners in this race. They have the most popular candidate, Laura Pidcock. Their entire slate has 50% more nominations than their nearest competitor, and three times the number of CLPs to nominate all their candidates. There are only 80 nominating CLPs that did not endorse at least one of their candidates. In other words, they fare well in all three of the factors mentioned above: first preference votes, slate loyalty, attractiveness to other candidates’ supporters. After winning only 28% of the vote for Long-Bailey this spring, the Labour left looks poised to top this election.
But I would urge caution. Most nominations will have been decided by general committees (GCs) elected before Starmer’s ascension. Members who have since joined, rejoined or reactivated would not have participated in this process, but they will be able to participate in the final NEC vote. This group will probably be less amenable to the left than members active under the Corbyn years.
While Grassroots Voice is probably not as far ahead as the nominations suggest, they are almost certainly in the lead. This is no surprise as Corbyn supporters still make up a huge proportion of the party membership and GV is best placed to win those members. However, this may not be an easy task as the election goes on. Corbyn supporters are divided on the current leadership: while many are fiercely critical, tens of thousands voted for Starmer. Grassroots Voice cannot afford to alienate either group.
An opening for the soft left
The biggest beneficiary of the new voting system, STV, is the soft left. Unlike in first-past-the-post (FPTP), where smaller factions are crowded out, STV allows any candidate with 10% of the vote to win a seat. They will manage this easily. One of their candidates, Ann Black, has the second highest number of nominations, and is the only candidate to beat any on the GV slate. Their second candidate, Jermain Jackman, is in 12th place – behind GV and four of the LtW candidates but ahead of everyone else.
An idiosyncrasy of this election is that while the overall vote is counted using STV, most nominations were decided through first-past-the-post. Support for the soft left is probably greater than it appears.
Open Labour has chosen its two candidates well. Black has strong appeal to the right-wing of the party, winning a formal endorsement from LtW and securing nominations from 90% of their most solid CLPs. Jackman, on the other hand, has more appeal to the party’s left: three quarters of the CLPs that nominated him but not Black endorsed the entire GV slate.
What about the rest?
The two remaining slates, Tribune MPs and the Labour Left Alliance, each have fewer than 10% of nominations. However, those total figures are quite misleading: LLA share those nominations amongst six candidates, whereas TMP’s are only shared amongst three. The most successful TMP candidates, Theresa Griffin and Paula Sheriff, won almost double the number of nominations of the strongest LLA candidate, Roger Silverman.
I suspect that many LtW voters will give their lower-preference votes to TMP candidates, while many GV voters will lend support to the LLA. The question, however, is how many first preference votes the minor slates will score. They will only be able to collect ‘transferred’ votes from the major slates if they have enough first preferences to survive the initial rounds of eliminations. This will be tough.
The prospects are even bleaker for the independent candidates. They simply do not have enough nominations. Whereas only one of the candidates on a slate has fewer than 30 nominations, only one independent, Crispin Flintoff, has more than 30. They have no obvious source for ‘transferred votes’ either. Candidates on slates will transfer amongst themselves before sharing any votes with the independents, and by that point it will probably be too late. An independent candidate like Flintoff may do relatively well on first preferences, but it is highly unlikely that he would pick up enough transfers to win.
Predictions
If Starmer’s, Long-Bailey’s and Nandy’s voters aligned perfectly with the organisations that endorsed them for the leadership, in this contest LtW would win six seats, GV would win two and OL would win one. The nominations so far suggest that will not be the case.
Grassroots Voice is on track for four seats. Not only do they have a huge number of nominations, their supporters are the most loyal. Two thirds of their nominations are from CLPs that endorsed the entire slate, compared to one third for LtW, which suggests they minimise the proportion of ‘vote leakage’ to rival candidates.
I expect LtW will win three seats. Their nomination count would only suggest two but I suspect that this underestimates their support. That said, while their individual candidates are relatively popular, this does not translate into support for the slate. Their vote will leak.
Ann Black is all-but-guaranteed a seat. She has the second most nominations and fares well in CLPs dominated by each of the major slates.
I am unsure about the final seat. It will be decided after many ‘transfers’, through second, third or even 40th preferences. To win it, minor slates would need to score enough first preferences to start picking up transfers. Open Labour must find a strategy to secure some of Ann Black’s votes for Jermain Jackman. Labour to Win’s vote would need to solidify around the slate. Grassroots Voice would need to reach the Corbyn supporters who elected Starmer, without alienating those who did not. There’s still a lot to play for.


labourlist--2020-10-01--“People need clarity” – Ashworth questions Hancock on Covid measures

Jonathan Ashworth has questioned Matt Hancock on the Covid measures , the local lockdown strategy and testing , declaring that “ people need clarity ” over the rules being introduced by the government to combat the virus .
Discussing the response to Covid in parliament this morning , the Shadow Health Secretary challenged the effectiveness of the approach described by Boris Johnson as a ‘ whack-a-mole strategy ’ and asked : “ Why are the moles not getting whacked ?
” Hancock argued that “ some parts of the country have come through a local lockdown ” .
He referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all restrictions have yet been removed in the city .
Ashworth today echoed his call from last week for a review of the government ’ s 10pm Covid curfew and asked how the minister would stop crowds of people gathering in city centres , as seen last weekend , over the coming days .
The Shadow Health Secretary asked Hancock whether the government had ruled out the idea of implementing a national ‘ circuit break ‘ measure over the school half term to suppress the spread of Covid .
The minister gave no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A test still take 30 to 31 hours to be turned around for in-person tests ; 75 hours for home test kits ; and 88 hours – more than three and a half days – for test results in satellite test centres predominantly used by care homes.
” The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care responded by describing a “ record capacity ” for Covid testing , and said that “ the speed of the turnaround of test results in care homes is speeding up ” .
Labour ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help run the NHS test-and-trace programme , is currently involved in selling separate contact-tracing services directly to local health officials in the UK .
Hancock defended the contractor and argued : “ Deloitte have done an incredible job in helping us to put together the contact tracing… And of course they should offer their services to local councils as well.
” Keir Starmer called on Wednesday for an “ urgent review into whether these local lockdowns are working in the way intended ” , as he highlighted that of the 48 areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one has seen those measures removed .
Below is the full text of Jonathan Ashworth ’ s contribution to parliament today .
We have a long winter ahead .
We know that sustained contact , especially in crowded poorly ventilated spaces , is a driver of infection .
Pubs and bars are an obvious risk – I heard what he said about the 10pm rule but our concerns relate to everyone leaving the pub at the same time , so what action is he taking this weekend so we don ’ t see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out into city centres and packed out public transport , or sometimes piling into a supermarket to buy more drink ?
What action is he taking so we don ’ t see a repeat this weekend of people piling out into city centres and packed out public transport ?
If we see a repeat of those problems will he impose further restrictions nationwide ?
We understand the need for local restrictions including in Merseyside , as announced .
But restrictions extract a heavy social and economic toll .
Areas need tailored financial support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health impact and allow the virus to thrive – will be exacerbated .
People need clarity .
Areas like Leicester , parts of Greater Manchester , Bradford and West Yorkshire have had restrictions imposed on them for months now .
Millions of people in these local lockdowns across the North and Midlands need reassurance that an end is in sight .
Many want to know if they will be able to visit their loved ones in the coming school half term for example .
Has he now ruled out a so called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Some of the heaviest increases in infection are in areas with restrictions , so why are interventions not working ?
Why are the moles not getting whacked ?
Yesterday the Prime Minister suggested that the success of Luton in leaving restrictions was because of people pulling together .
But people across Bolton , Bury and Rossendale are also pulling together , so what additional help will they receive to drive the virus down ?
Ministers lost precious ground in fighting this virus by not having an effective test , trace and isolate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
Testing and tracing is key to control the virus .
Increasing evidence shows the importance of backward contact tracing in controlling outbreaks .
Is backward contact tracing routinely happening in areas of restriction and will he publish data on backward contacts reached ?
We support the call from the health select committee for routine testing of all NHS staff – will he now finally set a date for introducing it ?
Problems with testing remain .
On 8th September he told the select committee that the problems with testing would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This was more than three weeks ago .
Yet a test still takes : 30 to 31 hours to be turned around for in person tests ; 75 hours for home test kits ; and 88 hours – more than three and a half days – for test results in satellite test centres predominantly used by care homes .
So he hasn ’ t resolved the problem , when will he ?
Today we ’ ve learned that Deloitte , who are contracted by the government to help run test and trace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing services to local councils .
So the government ’ s own contractor , one of the very firms responsible for the failing system in the first place , now sees a business opportunity in selling information and services to local authorities – that they should be receiving anyway – in the middle of a biggest public health crisis for 100 years .
Isn ’ t this an utter scandal ?
How can this be allowed ?
Doesn ’ t it show once again that local directors of public health should be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week GPs warned of ‘ significant problems ’ with flu vaccine supplies and Boots and Lloyds pharmacies also stopped offering flu jab appointments due to issues with supply – do we have enough flu vaccines available for all who need one ?

Jonathan Ashworth has questioned Matt Hancock on the Covid measures, the local lockdown strategy and testing, declaring that “people need clarity” over the rules being introduced by the government to combat the virus.
Discussing the response to Covid in parliament this morning, the Shadow Health Secretary challenged the effectiveness of the approach described by Boris Johnson as a ‘whack-a-mole strategy’, asking: “Why are the moles not getting whacked?”
Hancock argued in response that “some parts of the country have come through a local lockdown”. He referred to Leicester, though admitted that not all coronavirus restrictions have yet been removed in the city.
Ashworth today reiterated his call from last week for a review of the 10pm hospitality curfew and asked how the minister would stop crowds of people gathering in city centres, as seen last weekend, over the coming days.
The Shadow Health Secretary also asked Hancock whether the government had ruled out the idea of implementing a national ‘circuit break‘ measure over the school half term to suppress the spread of Covid. The minister gave no answer.
Ashworth highlighted: “A test still take 30 to 31 hours to be turned around for in-person tests; 75 hours for home test kits; and 88 hours – more than three and a half days – for test results in satellite test centres predominantly used by care homes.”
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care responded by describing a “record capacity” for Covid testing, and said that “the speed of the turnaround of test results in care homes is speeding up”.
Labour’s health spokesperson raised reports that Deloitte, hired to help run the NHS test-and-trace programme, is currently involved in selling separate contact-tracing services directly to local health officials in the UK.
Hancock defended the contractor and argued: “Deloitte have done an incredible job in helping us to put together the contact tracing… And of course they should offer their services to local councils as well.”
Keir Starmer called on Wednesday for an “urgent review into whether these local lockdowns are working in the way intended”, as he highlighted that of the 48 areas that have seen additional restrictions, only one has seen those measures removed.
Below is the full text of Jonathan Ashworth’s contribution to parliament today.
We have a long winter ahead. We know that sustained contact, especially in crowded poorly ventilated spaces, is a driver of infection. Pubs and bars are an obvious risk – I heard what he said about the 10pm rule but our concerns relate to everyone leaving the pub at the same time, so what action is he taking this weekend so we don’t see a repeat this weekend of people piling out into city centres and packed out public transport, or sometimes piling into a supermarket to buy more drink? What action is he taking so we don’t see a repeat this weekend of people piling out into city centres and packed out public transport? If we see a repeat of those problems will he impose further restrictions nationwide?
We understand the need for local restrictions including in Merseyside, as announced. But restrictions extract a heavy social and economic toll. Areas need tailored financial support otherwise existing inequalities – which themselves have a health impact and allow the virus to thrive – will be exacerbated. People need clarity. Areas like Leicester, parts of Greater Manchester, Bradford and West Yorkshire have had restrictions imposed on them for months now. Millions of people in these local lockdowns across the North and Midlands need reassurance that an end is in sight. Many want to know if they will be able to visit their loved ones in the coming school half term for example.
Has he now ruled out a so called ‘circuit break’ across half term? Some of the heaviest increases in infection are in areas with restrictions, so why are interventions not working? Why are the moles not getting whacked? Yesterday the Prime Minister suggested that the success of Luton in leaving restrictions was because of people pulling together. But people across Bolton, Bury and Rossendale are also pulling together, so what additional help will they receive to drive the virus down?
Ministers lost precious ground in fighting this virus by not having an effective test, trace and isolate regime in place by the end of summer. Testing and tracing is key to control the virus. Increasing evidence shows the importance of backward contact tracing in controlling outbreaks. Is backward contact tracing routinely happening in areas of restriction and will he publish data on backward contacts reached? We support the call from the health select committee for routine testing of all NHS staff – will he now finally set a date for introducing it?
Problems with testing remain. On 8th September he told the select committee that the problems with testing would be resolved ‘in the coming weeks’. This was more than three weeks ago. Yet a test still takes: 30 to 31 hours to be turned around for in person tests; 75 hours for home test kits; and 88 hours – more than three and a half days – for test results in satellite test centres predominantly used by care homes. So he hasn’t resolved the problem, when will he?
Today we’ve learned that Deloitte, who are contracted by the government to help run test and trace, are now trying to sell contact tracing services to local councils. So the government’s own contractor, one of the very firms responsible for the failing system in the first place, now sees a business opportunity in selling information and services to local authorities – that they should be receiving anyway – in the middle of a biggest public health crisis for 100 years. Isn’t this an utter scandal? How can this be allowed? Doesn’t it show once again that local directors of public health should be in charge of contact tracing?
Finally this week GPs warned of ‘significant problems’ with flu vaccine supplies and Boots and Lloyds pharmacies also stopped offering flu jab appointments due to issues with supply – do we have enough flu vaccines available for all who need one?


labourlist--2020-10-01--University unions issue list of demands to fix campus Covid crisis

Groups representing university staff and students have jointly issued a list of demands to the government as part of a push to improve the handling of Covid outbreaks that have hit many university campuses since the start of term .
The National Union of Students ( NUS ) and the University and College Union ( UCU ) , which represent students and lecturers respectively , have put forward six demands in a statement issued today .
They call on the government to : • “ Urgently coordinate a national test and trace system for universities on campus ; • “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave campus if they need or want to ; • “ Ensure no financial detriment to any student giving up accommodation places or choosing to defer or leave university ; • “ Move to online learning wherever possible ; • “ Guarantee for universities to help them deal with any shortfall or additional expenses due to Covid ; • “ Ensure students are not subject to more severe restrictions than the rest of the population.
” A spokesperson for Labour leader Keir Starmer declined to back tuition fee or rent refund requests by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not yet commented on whether it supports the new NUS and UCU list of demands .
Commenting on the joint statement , UCU general secretary Jo Grady said : “ Ministers need to act now and tell universities to halt in-person teaching where possible and move the majority of work online , in line with other workplaces… “ If the government had followed our advice and made that clear financial commitment , universities could have spent the summer studying the science , working on a consensus about when to restart and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Stressing the need for urgent action , Grady concluded : “ Ministers got it wrong at the start of this crisis .
They need to act quickly now and not get it wrong a second time.
” Gavin Williamson announced measures to ensure students would be able to go home at Christmas in a Commons statement earlier this week , days after several government ministers said they may need to isolate on campus over the holidays .
The Education Secretary offered no extra testing support for universities and committed to keep face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ incompetent ” and told him to “ get a grip ” of the Covid outbreaks on campuses .
Reacting to Williamson ’ s parliamentary statement , his first public comments on universities in weeks , the UCU said earlier this week that he was “ clearly wrong ” to say higher education was well-prepared to cope with Covid .
On the new list of six demands , NUS president Larissa Kennedy said : “ It is wholly unforgivable that students continue to be punished for the government ’ s failure to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our education system is broken – time and again it prioritises profit over people .
Over the past few months , students have repeatedly been encouraged to move , ensuring that universities and accommodation companies could collect tuition fees and rent whilst leaving thousands of students trapped in halls.
” The NUS president concluded : “ The ongoing uncertainty students face is exacerbating poor mental health , debt and needlessly puts lives at risk .
Put simply – students deserve better.
” Epidemiologist Professor Mark Woolhouse , who serves on the Scottish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Sunday that the current Covid outbreaks at universities had been “ entirely predictable ” .
The latest UCU and NUS intervention follows reports that thousands of students have been banned from leaving their flats , in some cases with private security stationed outside their accommodation and with some running out of essential items .

Groups representing university staff and students have jointly issued a list of demands to the government as part of a push to improve the handling of Covid outbreaks that have hit many university campuses since the start of term.
The National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU), which represent students and lecturers respectively, have put forward six demands in a statement issued today. They call on the government to:
“Urgently coordinate a national test and trace system for universities on campus;
“Enable a safe way for students to leave campus if they need or want to;
“Ensure no financial detriment to any student giving up accommodation places or choosing to defer or leave university;
“Move to online learning wherever possible;
“Guarantee for universities to help them deal with any shortfall or additional expenses due to Covid;
“Ensure students are not subject to more severe restrictions than the rest of the population.”
A spokesperson for Labour leader Keir Starmer declined to back tuition fee or rent refund requests by university students on Wednesday. The party has not yet commented on whether it supports the new NUS and UCU list of demands.
Commenting on the joint statement, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Ministers need to act now and tell universities to halt in-person teaching where possible and move the majority of work online, in line with other workplaces…
“If the government had followed our advice and made that clear financial commitment, universities could have spent the summer studying the science, working on a consensus about when to restart and, crucially, prepare properly for this term.”
Stressing the need for urgent action, Grady concluded: “Ministers got it wrong at the start of this crisis. They need to act quickly now and not get it wrong a second time.”
Gavin Williamson announced measures to ensure students would be able to go home at Christmas in a Commons statement earlier this week, days after several government ministers said they may need to isolate on campus over the holidays.
The Education Secretary offered no extra testing support for universities and committed to keep face-to-face teaching. Labour in response called Williamson “incompetent” and told him to “get a grip” of the Covid outbreaks on campuses.
Reacting to Williamson’s parliamentary statement, his first public comments on universities in weeks, the UCU said earlier this week that he was “clearly wrong” to say higher education was well-prepared to cope with Covid.
On the new list of six demands, NUS president Larissa Kennedy said: “It is wholly unforgivable that students continue to be punished for the government’s failure to keep students, staff and communities safe.
“Our education system is broken – time and again it prioritises profit over people. Over the past few months, students have repeatedly been encouraged to move, ensuring that universities and accommodation companies could collect tuition fees and rent whilst leaving thousands of students trapped in halls.”
The NUS president concluded: “The ongoing uncertainty students face is exacerbating poor mental health, debt and needlessly puts lives at risk. Put simply – students deserve better.”
Epidemiologist Professor Mark Woolhouse, who serves on the Scottish government’s Covid-19 advisory committee, said on Sunday that the current Covid outbreaks at universities had been “entirely predictable”.
The latest UCU and NUS intervention follows reports that thousands of students have been banned from leaving their flats, in some cases with private security stationed outside their accommodation and with some running out of essential items.


labourlist--2020-10-01--“Drop the posturing,” says Labour as EU launches legal challenge

Rachel Reeves has told the government and the EU to “ drop the posturing ” as the European Commission has announced legal action over the controversial internal market bill passed recently by the Commons .
Commenting as the European bloc this morning sent the UK government a letter of notice , which begins a formal infringement process , the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster urged the two sides to return to negotiations .
She said : “ There is clearly a deal to be done .
Both sides need to drop the posturing and the threats by getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trade deal done .
“ The country wants the government to move on from past divisions , secure the trade agreement we need and focus on defeating this pandemic.
” Her comments come after the internal market bill , which overrides parts of the withdrawal agreement with the EU , passed its third reading in the lower chamber earlier this week with a majority of 84 .
Under the withdrawal agreement signed by Boris Johnson less than a year ago , Northern Ireland is set to remain in the single market regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal on trade and security with the EU by the end of the year .
This means that if the UK does not reach an agreement on trade with its European neighbours , the EU ’ s codes on goods coming into Northern Ireland will still be required , necessitating checks at the border .
The bill would override this by narrowly defining the obligation to notify Brussels of subsidy decisions for it to approve , and dispense with the requirement for local businesses to file customs paperwork when exporting to the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rebellion at second reading in mid-September , with two Tory MPs voting against – Roger Gale and Andrew Percy – and 30 more appearing to abstain from voting .
But the bill completed its process through the Commons after Boris Johnson managed to head off a full-scale rebellion within his own party earlier by striking a compromise deal with Conservative backbenchers .
The government agreed the principle of an amendment tabled by Tory Bob Neill , which provides for a ‘ parliamentary lock ’ on the use of certain powers within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a minister can break international law .
The European Commission ’ s Maros Sefcovic warned earlier this week that the plans put forward by the UK government are “ far apart ” from what the EU can accept , but Conservative ministers refused to remove the controversial parts of the bill .
Keir Starmer has previously said that the government is “ wrong ” to propose breaking international law over Brexit , and told the government that a “ good deal is there to be had and the Prime Minister needs to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter sent by the EU this morning has started a lengthy process that could eventually end in the European Court of Justice .
The court could impose daily fines for the continued breach of international law .

Rachel Reeves has told the government and the EU to “drop the posturing” as the European Commission has announced legal action over the controversial internal market bill passed recently by the Commons.
Commenting as the European bloc this morning sent the UK government a letter of notice, which begins a formal infringement process, the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster urged the two sides to return to negotiations.
She said: “There is clearly a deal to be done. Both sides need to drop the posturing and the threats by getting back round the negotiating table and getting a trade deal done.
“The country wants the government to move on from past divisions, secure the trade agreement we need and focus on defeating this pandemic.”
Her comments come after the internal market bill, which overrides parts of the withdrawal agreement with the EU, passed its third reading in the lower chamber earlier this week with a majority of 84.
Under the withdrawal agreement signed by Boris Johnson less than a year ago, Northern Ireland is set to remain in the single market regardless of whether the wider UK has a deal on trade and security with the EU by the end of the year.
This means that if the UK does not reach an agreement on trade with its European neighbours, the EU’s codes on goods coming into Northern Ireland will still be required, necessitating checks at the border.
The bill would override this by narrowly defining the obligation to notify Brussels of subsidy decisions for it to approve, and dispense with the requirement for local businesses to file customs paperwork when exporting to the rest of the UK.
The legislation produced a rebellion at second reading in mid-September, with two Tory MPs voting against – Roger Gale and Andrew Percy – and 30 more appearing to abstain from voting.
But the bill completed its process through the Commons after Boris Johnson managed to head off a full-scale rebellion within his own party earlier by striking a compromise deal with Conservative backbenchers.
The government agreed the principle of an amendment tabled by Tory Bob Neill, which provides for a ‘parliamentary lock’ on the use of certain powers within the bill – allowing MPs to decide whether a minister can break international law.
The European Commission’s Maros Sefcovic warned earlier this week that the plans put forward by the UK government are “far apart” from what the EU can accept, but Conservative ministers refused to remove the controversial parts of the bill.
Keir Starmer has previously said that the government is “wrong” to propose breaking international law over Brexit, and told the government that a “good deal is there to be had and the Prime Minister needs to get on and negotiate it”.
The letter sent by the EU this morning has started a lengthy process that could eventually end in the European Court of Justice. The court could impose daily fines for the continued breach of international law.


labourlist--2020-10-01--How Labour is quietly becoming the party of business

One of the worst things about being a business owner watching the news during the pandemic is having to listen to the endless opinions of economists and business leaders in the media .
They may sound like they know what they ’ re talking about , with lots of fancy words such as “ trend ” and “ sector ” , but they are all largely isolated from the realities of business in a coronavirus-affected sector and miss the personal , day-to-day realities of running a business during this crisis .
I heard about the increased restrictions on my pub @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but how we have all come to expect news from this government – through a late-night briefing to the press .
I was attempting to have a night off and enjoy time with friends .
Instead , yet again , my future and the futures of my staff members were thrown into doubt .
It does not have to be this way .
Businesses have been told by Boris Johnson that we have a long , hard winter ahead , and Rishi Sunak has followed that up by confirming that nobody will save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual market forces and long-term trends that the economists understand .
We are in a fight for survival .
It ’ s emotional and we ’ re already battered and tired from the last six months , having to react to announcements that are not backed up by the detailed guidance we need .
Our fortitude will be key to making sure we make it through to recovery and don ’ t just throw in the towel .
This is not to say that we are sick of experts .
Far from it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , it must be with evidence-based policy .
The thinking behind restrictions must be clearly communicated .
We need to be treated like adults , not just sent to our room like naughty children .
It has now been admitted by small business minister Paul Scully that no assessment was made of the impact the 10pm curfew would have on hospitality and it seems it wasn ’ t discussed with SAGE either .
The 2003 Licensing Act brought in measures to stop every pub and club kicking people out at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clubbing before that law will remember the long queue for the taxi rank .
The scenes in London and other cities of winding queues for the off-licence and the ride home were completely foreseeable for those of us that run pubs .
They ’ ve ignored us when we ’ ve told them what we need to survive .
It has now passed into folklore that hospitality has been offered tax cuts and we are being supported .
In reality , these cuts have been selective , with a VAT reduction only on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favours exactly the same businesses that were able to make money during Eat Out to Help Out .
At this point , it is hard not to believe that Rishi Sunak has something against community , drinks-led pubs .
As anyone who has ever run a business will tell you , uncertainty is a killer .
If there are bad times ahead , the one thing you need is a plan .
We recognise that restrictions will often need to be announced with little or no warning , but support packages for businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that announcements about support come at the same time as announcements about restrictions .
The haphazard approach to the economic crisis means that any decisions I make are just guesses .
The need for thinking ahead is why Labour is quietly becoming the party of business .
Over the summer , it has been Labour voices that have been consistently planning ahead and looking for long-term solutions .
The three-point plan put forward by Anneliese Dodds for the economy included a need to rebuild businesses .
I found it emotional to hear her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business during her speech to ‘ Connected ‘ .
It was the first major speech by a politician to recognise that business owners are people in pain .
Shadow business minister Lucy Powell has been tireless in speaking to suffering businesses , such as wedding planners , and has built up a great understanding of the personal cost of closures .
To ensure that we cement this good start and have a strong set of business policies , we must talk to business owners who embody Labour values .
Labour Business is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affiliated socialist societies .
It was founded by Harold Wilson in 1972 to enable the Labour Party to listen to the business community and be listened to by the business community .
We are arranged into nine policy groups that are encouraged to innovate and organise discussions on subjects like economic policy , business and industrial policy , corporate governance , self-employment and women in business .
I joined Labour because of my values , not my business .
I campaigned in the last election on public sector pay , the NHS and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many businesses disappearing without a trace , our business policies must be fair and true to our values but also rooted in the new economic reality .
Labour Business stands ready to lead the conversation , consulting with the frontbench and grassroots members .
Now more than ever , Labour can be the party of business as well as the party of workers and their trade unions .

One of the worst things about being a business owner watching the news during the pandemic is having to listen to the endless opinions of economists and business leaders in the media. They may sound like they know what they’re talking about, with lots of fancy words such as “trend” and “sector”, but they are all largely isolated from the realities of business in a coronavirus-affected sector and miss the personal, day-to-day realities of running a business during this crisis.
I heard about the increased restrictions on my pub not through any official government announcement, but how we have all come to expect news from this government – through a late-night briefing to the press. I was attempting to have a night off and enjoy time with friends. Instead, yet again, my future and the futures of my staff members were thrown into doubt. It does not have to be this way.
Businesses have been told by Boris Johnson that we have a long, hard winter ahead, and Rishi Sunak has followed that up by confirming that nobody will save us. Businesses are not facing the usual market forces and long-term trends that the economists understand. We are in a fight for survival. It’s emotional and we’re already battered and tired from the last six months, having to react to announcements that are not backed up by the detailed guidance we need. Our fortitude will be key to making sure we make it through to recovery and don’t just throw in the towel.
This is not to say that we are sick of experts. Far from it. If we are to fight the virus, it must be with evidence-based policy. The thinking behind restrictions must be clearly communicated. We need to be treated like adults, not just sent to our room like naughty children. It has now been admitted by small business minister Paul Scully that no assessment was made of the impact the 10pm curfew would have on hospitality and it seems it wasn’t discussed with SAGE either. The 2003 Licensing Act brought in measures to stop every pub and club kicking people out at the same time. Those of us that remember clubbing before that law will remember the long queue for the taxi rank. The scenes in London and other cities of winding queues for the off-licence and the ride home were completely foreseeable for those of us that run pubs.
They’ve ignored us when we’ve told them what we need to survive. It has now passed into folklore that hospitality has been offered tax cuts and we are being supported. In reality, these cuts have been selective, with a VAT reduction only on dry sales, not alcohol. This favours exactly the same businesses that were able to make money during Eat Out to Help Out. At this point, it is hard not to believe that Rishi Sunak has something against community, drinks-led pubs.
As anyone who has ever run a business will tell you, uncertainty is a killer. If there are bad times ahead, the one thing you need is a plan. We recognise that restrictions will often need to be announced with little or no warning, but support packages for businesses should have been preplanned, to ensure that announcements about support come at the same time as announcements about restrictions. The haphazard approach to the economic crisis means that any decisions I make are just guesses.
The need for thinking ahead is why Labour is quietly becoming the party of business. Over the summer, it has been Labour voices that have been consistently planning ahead and looking for long-term solutions. The three-point plan put forward by Anneliese Dodds for the economy included a need to rebuild businesses. I found it emotional to hear her talk about her father’s small business during her speech to ‘Connected‘.
It was the first major speech by a politician to recognise that business owners are people in pain. Shadow business minister Lucy Powell has been tireless in speaking to suffering businesses, such as wedding planners, and has built up a great understanding of the personal cost of closures. To ensure that we cement this good start and have a strong set of business policies, we must talk to business owners who embody Labour values.
Labour Business is one of the Labour Party’s oldest affiliated socialist societies. It was founded by Harold Wilson in 1972 to enable the Labour Party to listen to the business community and be listened to by the business community. We are arranged into nine policy groups that are encouraged to innovate and organise discussions on subjects like economic policy, business and industrial policy, corporate governance, self-employment and women in business.
I joined Labour because of my values, not my business. I campaigned in the last election on public sector pay, the NHS and social security. However, with so many businesses disappearing without a trace, our business policies must be fair and true to our values but also rooted in the new economic reality. Labour Business stands ready to lead the conversation, consulting with the frontbench and grassroots members. Now more than ever, Labour can be the party of business as well as the party of workers and their trade unions.


labourlist--2020-10-02--Less than a year after the election, our sense of purpose is returning

It will be a long time before we truly understand all the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic .
The economic consequences – felt most keenly through people ’ s jobs and livelihoods – are likely to echo for years to come .
The consequences for young people , let down by the government on school returns and exams , will be particularly stark for those who already faced significant challenges .
The impacts on both physical and mental health may never truly known .
Our recovery will be long and difficult .
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming .
As someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know as ‘ Long Covid ’ , the past months have often been frustrating and miserable .
Without an end in sight , it feels like a slog , fighting an invisible enemy .
It ’ s also been a reminder of how quickly the world can change .
It ’ s not even a year since Labour lost the general election : a campaign in which coronavirus wasn ’ t mentioned once .
It feels like another lifetime in another world .
Among all this , we should take inspiration and confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
My concern after last year ’ s terrible defeat was that we would learn all the wrong lessons .
When you lose – and lose badly – the temptation is to junk everything or turn inward and fight each other .
But , as the person who ran Labour ’ s 2017 general election campaign , I always felt this would be a mistake .
We needed to find a way to recapture that energy and focus .
There were three key tasks facing the party : fixing what went wrong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the future .
On those challenges , we are heading the right way .
I backed Keir Starmer in the leadership contest because he understood these aims .
He wanted to capture all that is good and positive about our movement and build a credible platform from which we can turn our values and ideas into reality in government .
He also wanted to focus relentlessly on the future – not relitigate the fights of old or focus on personalities , but fix on the challenges facing the world in 2024 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came before the pandemic changed everything .
The world is a very different place now .
But the changes that are likely to result from it only make our task – to be a credible opposition , to take on the new challenges , to lead once again – more urgent .
As Keir said in his speech to Connected : “ Covid has made us appreciate what we value.
” It has revealed who our key workers really are , and highlighted how under-appreciated they are .
It has reminded us of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbours and community .
It has reminded us of how strong we are we come together .
When Keir gave his speech , I saw a leader whose resolve and passion has been redoubled by this crisis .
I also saw someone who has been proved right .
The pledges he made during the leadership campaign look even more prescient now than they did then .
The focus on wellbeing and health is going to be more important than ever .
Creating truly public services designed for those that use them , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuilding .
The commitment to a Labour Party standing up for working people couldn ’ t be a starker contrast to Rishi Sunak using this crisis to take us back to the Thatcherite sink or swim mentality .
And , now the country has seen what happens when you rely on companies like Serco to deliver crucial systems like test and trace , a commitment to ending outsourcing once and for all .
Speaking to the Local Government Association earlier this year , it was fantastic to hear Keir talk with real commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hands of people across the country .
While Dominic Cummings dictates to the country from his NASA control centre on Whitehall , Keir Starmer wants to win power to put it in the hands of the people .
While Boris Johnson seeks to stoke up culture wars and divide people , Keir ’ s focus is on bringing communities and people together , eradicating structural racism , unleashing people ’ s potential and making this the best country to grow up and grow old in .
To do all this , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a year after the election , the work that has been done to restore trust , credibility and to get a hearing has been remarkable .
We are still at the foothills .
The climb will be long , and gruelling .
But the feeling around the party is as optimistic as I can remember .
Our sense of purpose is returning .
People are pulling together .
This has been a difficult year .
There are tough times to come .
But together we can build something truly special – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be exciting .

It will be a long time before we truly understand all the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic. The economic consequences – felt most keenly through people’s jobs and livelihoods – are likely to echo for years to come. The consequences for young people, let down by the government on school returns and exams, will be particularly stark for those who already faced significant challenges. The impacts on both physical and mental health may never truly known. Our recovery will be long and difficult.
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming. As someone who has suffered from what we now know as ‘Long Covid’, the past months have often been frustrating and miserable. Without an end in sight, it feels like a slog, fighting an invisible enemy. It’s also been a reminder of how quickly the world can change. It’s not even a year since Labour lost the general election: a campaign in which coronavirus wasn’t mentioned once. It feels like another lifetime in another world.
Among all this, we should take inspiration and confidence from the shape of the Labour Party. My concern after last year’s terrible defeat was that we would learn all the wrong lessons. When you lose – and lose badly – the temptation is to junk everything or turn inward and fight each other.
But, as the person who ran Labour’s 2017 general election campaign, I always felt this would be a mistake. We needed to find a way to recapture that energy and focus. There were three key tasks facing the party: fixing what went wrong, rediscovering our mojo and turning our attention to the future. On those challenges, we are heading the right way.
I backed Keir Starmer in the leadership contest because he understood these aims. He wanted to capture all that is good and positive about our movement and build a credible platform from which we can turn our values and ideas into reality in government. He also wanted to focus relentlessly on the future – not relitigate the fights of old or focus on personalities, but fix on the challenges facing the world in 2024 and into the 2030s.
His leadership campaign came before the pandemic changed everything. The world is a very different place now. But the changes that are likely to result from it only make our task – to be a credible opposition, to take on the new challenges, to lead once again – more urgent. As Keir said in his speech to Connected: “Covid has made us appreciate what we value.” It has revealed who our key workers really are, and highlighted how under-appreciated they are. It has reminded us of the importance of family, friends, neighbours and community. It has reminded us of how strong we are we come together.
When Keir gave his speech, I saw a leader whose resolve and passion has been redoubled by this crisis. I also saw someone who has been proved right. The pledges he made during the leadership campaign look even more prescient now than they did then. The focus on wellbeing and health is going to be more important than ever. Creating truly public services designed for those that use them, not for profit, will be vital to rebuilding. The commitment to a Labour Party standing up for working people couldn’t be a starker contrast to Rishi Sunak using this crisis to take us back to the Thatcherite sink or swim mentality. And, now the country has seen what happens when you rely on companies like Serco to deliver crucial systems like test and trace, a commitment to ending outsourcing once and for all.
Speaking to the Local Government Association earlier this year, it was fantastic to hear Keir talk with real commitment to a proper devolution of power into the hands of people across the country. While Dominic Cummings dictates to the country from his NASA control centre on Whitehall, Keir Starmer wants to win power to put it in the hands of the people. While Boris Johnson seeks to stoke up culture wars and divide people, Keir’s focus is on bringing communities and people together, eradicating structural racism, unleashing people’s potential and making this the best country to grow up and grow old in.
To do all this, we first have to win. And less than a year after the election, the work that has been done to restore trust, credibility and to get a hearing has been remarkable. We are still at the foothills. The climb will be long, and gruelling. But the feeling around the party is as optimistic as I can remember. Our sense of purpose is returning. People are pulling together. This has been a difficult year. There are tough times to come. But together we can build something truly special – and for every Labour person, that should be exciting.


labourlist--2020-10-02--The unlikely link between President Trump and Margaret Ferrier

President Trump has tested positive for Covid-19 .
We shouldn ’ t be shocked : he was probably the most likely person on the planet to contract the novel coronavirus , as a rule-defying campaigner in the world ’ s worst-affected nation .
It was only in the debate on Tuesday that he mocked Joe Biden , saying : “ I don ’ t wear masks like him .
Every time you see him he ’ s got a mask !
” The US President was also found this week to be the “ single largest driver ” of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he promoted the injection of bleach as a treatment ?
And ultraviolet light , of course .
( “ I ’ m not a doctor .
But I ’ m , like , a person that has a good you-know-what , ” Trump told us earlier this year , pointing to his head . )
We are living through a truly special era .
Naturally , the chief conspiracy theorist did not self-isolate after learning that his aide was displaying symptoms , but instead attended a fundraiser , joined a roundtable and delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not as outrageous as that of the SNP ’ s Margaret Ferrier , however .
Her Covid story is possibly more gobsmacking than the infamous Barnard Castle trip .
First , after feeling unwell and taking a test , the MP travelled from Glasgow to London by train and gave a speech in the House of Commons .
This address paid tribute to NHS key workers , and a clip was proudly tweeted .
Next , Ferrier received a positive result… and took a train back to Scotland .
Train drivers ’ union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its members , calling the actions “ dangerous and disgraceful ” .
Scottish Labour ’ s Richard Leonard has wished Ferrier a speedy recovery but called for a by-election .
She has been suspended from the SNP and her colleagues are also urging her to quit parliament , while Ian Blackford is saying she should consider her position .
The handling of this debacle has not dragged on for weeks and produced a ridiculous press conference like the one we saw in Downing Street ’ s rose garden back in May for Cummings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be asked .
Why was the information only made public on Thursday evening ?
Why did the SNP initially release a statement refusing to suspend the whip until further investigation ?
If there is a by-election , it will be an interesting one : Rutherglen and Hamilton West has flitted between SNP and Labour since 2010 .
Remember to sign up for our event with UK in a Changing Europe , taking place at midday on Tuesday .
To discuss the latest developments on Brexit and what exactly Labour ’ s policy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anand Menon , Stephen Bush and Rachel Reeves MP .
Register here , and have a great weekend .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

President Trump has tested positive for Covid-19. We shouldn’t be shocked: he was probably the most likely person on the planet to contract the novel coronavirus, as a rule-defying campaigner in the world’s worst-affected nation. It was only in the debate on Tuesday that he mocked Joe Biden, saying: “I don’t wear masks like him. Every time you see him he’s got a mask!” The US President was also found this week to be the “single largest driver” of coronavirus misinformation. Who can forget the time he promoted the injection of bleach as a treatment? And ultraviolet light, of course. (“I’m not a doctor. But I’m, like, a person that has a good you-know-what,” Trump told us earlier this year, pointing to his head.) We are living through a truly special era.
Naturally, the chief conspiracy theorist did not self-isolate after learning that his aide was displaying symptoms, but instead attended a fundraiser, joined a roundtable and delivered a speech. Even his behaviour was not as outrageous as that of the SNP’s Margaret Ferrier, however. Her Covid story is possibly more gobsmacking than the infamous Barnard Castle trip. First, after feeling unwell and taking a test, the MP travelled from Glasgow to London by train and gave a speech in the House of Commons. This address paid tribute to NHS key workers, and a clip was proudly tweeted. Next, Ferrier received a positive result… and took a train back to Scotland. Train drivers’ union ASLEF is unsurprisingly furious on behalf of its members, calling the actions “dangerous and disgraceful”.
Scottish Labour’s Richard Leonard has wished Ferrier a speedy recovery but called for a by-election. She has been suspended from the SNP and her colleagues are also urging her to quit parliament, while Ian Blackford is saying she should consider her position. The handling of this debacle has not dragged on for weeks and produced a ridiculous press conference like the one we saw in Downing Street’s rose garden back in May for Cummings. But there are still questions to be asked. Why was the information only made public on Thursday evening? Why did the SNP initially release a statement refusing to suspend the whip until further investigation? If there is a by-election, it will be an interesting one: Rutherglen and Hamilton West has flitted between SNP and Labour since 2010.
Remember to sign up for our event with UK in a Changing Europe, taking place at midday on Tuesday. To discuss the latest developments on Brexit and what exactly Labour’s policy is, we’ll be joined by Anand Menon, Stephen Bush and Rachel Reeves MP. Register here, and have a great weekend. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-10-02--Ian Murray demands more answers from SNP over Margaret Ferrier scandal

Labour ’ s Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has written to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford in the search for more answers over the scandal that saw Margaret Ferrier flagrantly breach coronavirus rules this week .
The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West , who was elected to represent the SNP but has now had the whip suspended , is facing calls to quit parliament after it was revealed that she travelled from Glasgow to London and back with Covid-19 .
Ferrier felt unwell and took a coronavirus test over the weekend , then took a 380-mile train journey to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of self-isolating .
She delivered a speech on Covid in the House of Commons on Monday .
The Scottish MP then received a positive result and again chose not to self-isolate but took another train to return to Glasgow .
She apologised in a statement on Thursday evening for the behaviour that has led to a police investigation .
While the SNP has withdrawn the whip and her colleagues have called for her resignation from parliament , as has Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard , UK Labour ’ s Scottish spokesperson has now @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has written to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford in the search for more answers over the scandal that saw Margaret Ferrier flagrantly breach coronavirus rules this week.
The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, who was elected to represent the SNP but has now had the whip suspended, is facing calls to quit parliament after it was revealed that she travelled from Glasgow to London and back with Covid-19.
Ferrier felt unwell and took a coronavirus test over the weekend, then took a 380-mile train journey to London while waiting for the result instead of self-isolating. She delivered a speech on Covid in the House of Commons on Monday.
The Scottish MP then received a positive result and again chose not to self-isolate but took another train to return to Glasgow. She apologised in a statement on Thursday evening for the behaviour that has led to a police investigation.
While the SNP has withdrawn the whip and her colleagues have called for her resignation from parliament, as has Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, UK Labour’s Scottish spokesperson has now put further questions to the SNP.


labourlist--2020-10-01--Starmer slams “inhuman” plan to use disused ferries as asylum centres

Keir Starmer has slammed proposals currently being considered by Downing Street and the Home Office to establish floating asylum centres on disused ferries moored off the UK coast as “ inhuman ” .
In an interview with BBC News today , the Labour leader responded to reports that the government is considering the idea of buying old ships and converting them into asylum-processing centres .
Reacting to the policy suggestion from the Tories , he told the BBC this afternoon : “ This isn ’ t creative thinking… These suggestions are inhuman and the government shouldn ’ t be pursuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest problem with asylum seekers ’ claims is that it takes a long time for the Home Office to process them , that ’ s the problem , it ’ s been there for years .
Get your house in order , get that sorted out , instead of lurching from one ridiculous proposition to another.
” The Labour leader called for better international cooperation to address displacement , adding : “ There is of course an issue with people trying to get to the UK , but people are fleeing often from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged overnight that the UK and French governments are working on proposals to “ prevent abuse of the system and criminality ” , and that this is just one option being considered by Downing Street .
Another possible idea put forward involved moving people to decommissioned oil platforms in the North Sea for processing , and was debated at a Whitehall brainstorming session before government ministers decided that it was a “ no go ” .
No 10 has also asked the Home Office to consider sending asylum seekers to Moldova , Morocco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the south Atlantic islands of Ascension and St Helena , while having their applications assessed .
Starmer also discussed the local lockdown strategy being used to prevent the spread of coronavirus , and said that local areas going into a lockdown need a “ roadmap ” as to how they will see those restrictions removed .
Commenting on the Covid strategy , Starmer said : “ Over the weeks and months , only one area has come out of these restrictions and so we need a strategy – a roadmap .
People need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work… “ It also , of course , needs to massively improve the communications .
And the other thing that is missing now is you ’ ve got local restrictions going in , but no economic support – and they need to be brought together.
” Starmer called for a “ rapid review of the local lockdowns ” and pointed out that in some of the areas with additional restrictions , infections are actually increasing and that some places have been in lockdown for months .
He added : “ There needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s working , what isn ’ t working ?
What does the science tell us about that ?
People need to know what is the exit strategy from this.
” The Labour leader reiterated the call , which he has made several times including during Prime Minister ’ s Questions this week , for a support package for businesses and people not able to work while lockdowns are in place .


labourlist--2020-10-01--“People need clarity”: Ashworth grills Hancock on Covid measures

Jonathan Ashworth has questioned Matt Hancock on the Covid measures , the local lockdown strategy and testing , declaring that “ people need clarity ” over the rules being introduced by the government to combat the virus .
Discussing the response to Covid in parliament this morning , the Shadow Health Secretary challenged the effectiveness of the approach described by Boris Johnson as a ‘ whack-a-mole strategy ’ , asking : “ Why are the moles not getting whacked ?
” Hancock argued in response that “ some parts of the country have come through a local lockdown ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that not all coronavirus restrictions have yet been removed in the city .
Ashworth today reiterated his call from last week for a review of the 10pm hospitality curfew and asked how the minister would stop crowds of people gathering in city centres , as seen last weekend , over the coming days .
The Shadow Health Secretary also asked Hancock whether the government had ruled out the idea of implementing a national ‘ circuit break ‘ measure over the school half term to suppress the spread of Covid .
The minister gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A test still take 30 to 31 hours to be turned around for in-person tests ; 75 hours for home test kits ; and 88 hours – more than three and a half days – for test results in satellite test centres predominantly used by care homes.
” The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care responded by describing a “ record capacity ” for Covid testing , and said that “ the speed of the turnaround of test results in care homes is speeding up ” .
Labour ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help run the NHS test-and-trace programme , is currently involved in selling separate contact-tracing services directly to local health officials in the UK .
Hancock defended the contractor and argued : “ Deloitte have done an incredible job in helping us to put together the contact tracing… And of course they should offer their services to local councils as well.
” Keir Starmer called on Wednesday for an “ urgent review into whether these local lockdowns are working in the way intended ” , as he highlighted that of the 48 areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one has seen those measures removed .
Below is the full text of Jonathan Ashworth ’ s contribution to parliament today .
We have a long winter ahead .
We know that sustained contact , especially in crowded poorly ventilated spaces , is a driver of infection .
Pubs and bars are an obvious risk – I heard what he said about the 10pm rule but our concerns relate to everyone leaving the pub at the same time , so what action is he taking this weekend so we don ’ t see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out into city centres and packed out public transport , or sometimes piling into a supermarket to buy more drink ?
What action is he taking so we don ’ t see a repeat this weekend of people piling out into city centres and packed out public transport ?
If we see a repeat of those problems will he impose further restrictions nationwide ?
We understand the need for local restrictions including in Merseyside , as announced .
But restrictions extract a heavy social and economic toll .
Areas need tailored financial support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health impact and allow the virus to thrive – will be exacerbated .
People need clarity .
Areas like Leicester , parts of Greater Manchester , Bradford and West Yorkshire have had restrictions imposed on them for months now .
Millions of people in these local lockdowns across the North and Midlands need reassurance that an end is in sight .
Many want to know if they will be able to visit their loved ones in the coming school half term for example .
Has he now ruled out a so called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Some of the heaviest increases in infection are in areas with restrictions , so why are interventions not working ?
Why are the moles not getting whacked ?
Yesterday the Prime Minister suggested that the success of Luton in leaving restrictions was because of people pulling together .
But people across Bolton , Bury and Rossendale are also pulling together , so what additional help will they receive to drive the virus down ?
Ministers lost precious ground in fighting this virus by not having an effective test , trace and isolate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
Testing and tracing is key to control the virus .
Increasing evidence shows the importance of backward contact tracing in controlling outbreaks .
Is backward contact tracing routinely happening in areas of restriction and will he publish data on backward contacts reached ?
We support the call from the health select committee for routine testing of all NHS staff – will he now finally set a date for introducing it ?
Problems with testing remain .
On 8th September he told the select committee that the problems with testing would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This was more than three weeks ago .
Yet a test still takes : 30 to 31 hours to be turned around for in person tests ; 75 hours for home test kits ; and 88 hours – more than three and a half days – for test results in satellite test centres predominantly used by care homes .
So he hasn ’ t resolved the problem , when will he ?
Today we ’ ve learned that Deloitte , who are contracted by the government to help run test and trace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing services to local councils .
So the government ’ s own contractor , one of the very firms responsible for the failing system in the first place , now sees a business opportunity in selling information and services to local authorities – that they should be receiving anyway – in the middle of a biggest public health crisis for 100 years .
Isn ’ t this an utter scandal ?
How can this be allowed ?
Doesn ’ t it show once again that local directors of public health should be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week GPs warned of ‘ significant problems ’ with flu vaccine supplies and Boots and Lloyds pharmacies also stopped offering flu jab appointments due to issues with supply – do we have enough flu vaccines available for all who need one ?