Tag: Lockdown

UK on track for record levels of child poverty, warns Children’s Commissioner, yet education secretary’s focus is a culture war

Political Fiber0

The Children’s Commissioner for England has used her final speech to excoriate the people employed and paid to educate, look after and protect the children of this country, while simultaneously condemning the silence around their collective failings. Anne Longfield, whose six year tenure ends this month, delivered a devastating final report on how far children […]

Continue Reading

PM to publish roadmap out of lockdown as R rate falls – but death toll rises past 111,000

Political Fiber0

The coronavirus rate of infection in the UK is back below 1, figures released today reveal, confirming the epidemic is finally shrinking, a month into England’s third lockdown. Boris Johnson is set to publish the government’s roadmap for lifting the lockdown restrictions in England on February 22, as data confirmed a decrease in positive coronavirus […]

Continue Reading

UK must ‘come down hard’ on SA Covid variant says Hancock, while Isle of Mann ends all restrictions

Political Fiber0

Matt Hancock has said the UK must “come down hard” on the South African coronavirus variant after community cases were found in eight areas across England. “Surge testing” will be carried out in the eight postcodes where a total of 105 cases of the SA variant – called 501Y.V2 – have been identified. Worryingly, 11 […]

Continue Reading

Sturgeon accused of jeopardising UK’s vaccine supply in row with EU; PM calls Scottish indy-ref ‘completely irrelevant’

Political Fiber0

Nicola Sturgeon is being accused of undermining the UK in its escalating battle with the EU over vaccine doses. The Scottish first minister is “threatening to publish details of confidential supplies” that the “UK government wants to keep secret”, the Times is reporting today (Thursday). The other pro-Conservative broadsheet, the Telegraph has also piled in, […]

Continue Reading

Brexit, Brazil, free school meals, ICUs and a record number of deaths – a day in the life of a PM under pressure to deliver

Political Fiber0

A single day of questions at Westminster for the prime minister has provided a glimpse of the extent and range of immediate challenges and crises that Boris Johnson has been entrusted to lead the country through. A double bill for Johnson began with PMQs and was followed by an appearance before the House of Commons […]

Continue Reading

1.8m children need devices for remote learning – ‘alternative is unacceptable’ says Children’s Commissioner

Political Fiber0

Almost two million children in the UK do not have access to a laptop, desktop computer or tablet at home, with warnings that the digital divide will lead to more inequality and further damage children’s education. The Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield wants pupils who do not have access to remote learning equipment, to be designated […]

Continue Reading

‘Extreme concern’ over surge in Covid cases with NHS staff ‘back in the eye of the storm’

Political Fiber0

Matt Hancock has warned the “NHS is facing unprecedented pressures” from the coronavirus while a senior medical adviser expressed “extreme concern” about infection rates across the UK. Boris Johnson is meeting with ministers tonight (Tuesday) to discuss what changes need to be made to England’s tier system to curb the virus spreading. Concerns have been […]

Continue Reading