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Mar 2 2023

Matt Hancock responds to leak of lockdown WhatsApp messages | Politics News

Matt Hancock has denounced what he said was a “massive betrayal and breach of trust” following the leaking of lockdown Whatsapp messages.

The exchanges were published in The Daily Telegraph after he shared them with journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who worked with the former health secretary on his Pandemic Diaries book.

In a lengthy statement, Mr Hancock denied sending a “menacing message” to Ms Oakeshott – a claim she made last night as she defended breaking a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to leak the messages.

The MP said: “I am hugely disappointed and sad at the massive betrayal and breach of trust by Isabel Oakeshott. I am also sorry for the impact on the very many people – political colleagues, civil servants and friends – who worked hard with me to get through the pandemic and save lives.

“There is absolutely no public interest case for this huge breach. All the materials for the book have already been made available to the Inquiry, which is the right, and only, place for everything to be considered properly and the right lessons to be learned. As we have seen, releasing them in this way gives a partial, biased account to suit an anti-lockdown agenda.”

Last night, Ms Oakeshott insisted she gave messages to the Telegraph because of the “overwhelming” public interest and it was not about attacking the former health secretary.

She also claimed she received a “menacing message” from Mr Hancock when he found out about what she had done – but Mr Hancock said “this is wrong”.

He said: “Last night, I was accused of sending menacing messages to Isabel. This is also wrong. When I heard confused rumours of a publication late on Tuesday night, I called and messaged Isabel to ask her if she had ‘any clues’ about it, and got no response. When I then saw what she’d done, I messaged to say it was ‘a big mistake’. Nothing more.”

He said he would not be commenting further on any stories “or false allegations that Isabel will make”.

“I will respond to the substance in the appropriate place, at the inquiry, so that we can properly learn all the lessons based on a full and objective understanding of what happened in the pandemic, and why,” he said.

The first story from the tranche of messages broke last night in the Telegraph, alleging the former health secretary had rejected testing advice on care homes and expressed concern it could get in the way of meeting his targets.

The MP strongly denied the “distorted account”, with a spokesman alleging the conversations had been “spun to fit an anti-lockdown agenda”.

Speaking to TalkTV in her first interview since the article was published, Ms Oakeshott – who received the messages from Mr Hancock while working on his memoir with him – said she had signed an NDA and chose to break it “in the public interest” as it could be “a decade” before the official inquiry into COVID reports back.

She said: “The public interest is overwhelming. Whenever you break a big story which is in the national interest… it can be a rocky road, it can be a bumpy ride.

“I know I am going to get a few knocks over this [but] I am prepared to do this because I think the national interest is so utterly compelling.”

The journalist added: “This for me is not a personal thing about Matt Hancock.”

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Mar 2 2023

Williamson accused teachers of looking for an ‘excuse’ not to work during pandemic, Hancock’s leaked messages suggest | UK News

Sir Gavin Williamson accused teachers of looking for an “excuse” not to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to leaked messages from Matt Hancock published by The Daily Telegraph.

In May 2020, as teachers prepared for classrooms to reopen, the then education secretary had messaged Mr Hancock asking for help in securing personal protective equipment (PPE) for schools.

He said this was so staff could not use a lack of it as “a reason not to open”.

He added: “All of them will but some will just want to say they can’t so they have an excuse to avoid having to teach, what joys!!!”

It was a rather different view to the one he expressed in public that same month, praising teachers for “going above and beyond the call of duty”, adding: “You have simply been outstanding and we are so grateful for what you’ve done”.

Five months later, Mr Hancock messaged Sir Gavin to congratulate him on his decision to delay A-level exams for a few weeks, due to the virus.

Mr Hancock, then the health secretary, wrote: “Cracking announcement today.

“What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are.”

Sir Gavin responded: “I know they really really do just hate work.”

Mr Hancock’s reply was two laughing face emojis and a bullseye.

Read more:
Isabel Oakeshott admits breaking NDA by leaking Matt Hancock’s WhatsApps
Matt Hancock’s explosive WhatsApp messages lay bare the political handling of the pandemic

The decision to close schools was made by the government in March 2020, although some schools had already made the choice for themselves.

Over the following year, children endured a rollercoaster of reopenings and closures, as the country tried to strike a balance between containing the virus and resuming normal life.

Unions and schools had repeatedly said they did not want to put teachers or vulnerable children at risk.

But the government also faced a problem in that parents were having to stay home to look after children during school closures, preventing them from returning fully to work.

A number of reports since then have documented the negative consequences for students.

In January 2021, research from the Social Mobility Foundation said the closures could wipe out a decade of progress closing the gap between less privileged pupils and their peers.

And in May 2021, a study by think tank Social Finance found that disadvantaged children were the least likely to return to school after lockdown.

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Mar 1 2023

Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to ‘vacate’ Frogmore Cottage, spokesperson says | UK News

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to “vacate” their UK residence, a spokesperson for the couple has said.

Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson said a “request” had been made for them to give up Frogmore Cottage, near Windsor Castle.

The spokesperson said: “We can confirm the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.”

Reports have claimed the move, which removes their final remaining foothold in the UK, was sanctioned by the King.

It comes week’s after the Duke of Sussex’s book Spare was released, which revealed deep rifts between him and the rest of the royal family.

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Mar 1 2023

Keir Starmer accuses Rishi Sunak of being in ‘total denial’ about the state of the country in PMQs clash | Politics News

Sir Keir Starmer has attacked Rishi Sunak over the “shocking state” the Conservatives have left the country in during the cost of living crisis.

The Labour leader said living standards were on the floor after 13 years of “Tory failure”, as he pressed the prime minister on what he will do over rising energy bills.

Speaking at PMQs he said: “After 13 years of Tory failure, the average family in Britain will be poorer than the average family in Poland by 2030. That’s a shocking state of affairs. If the Tories limp on in government we are going to see a generation of young people learning to say Auf Wiedersehen in Polish, aren’t we?”

Politics live: Starmer attacks Sunak over cost of living crisis

Mr Sunak blamed the rise in the cost of living on the war in Ukraine, adding: “And I just remind the honourable gentleman what we are doing to ease people through that.”

But Sir Keir said it’s “not as complicated as he pretends” as he called on the PM to “get rid of the loopholes in his botched windfall tax and finally choose family finances over oil profits”.

“Oil and gas companies are making vast, unexpected profits whilst working people face misery of higher bills,” he said.

“He can boast all he likes but companies like Shell didn’t pay a penny in windfall tax last year and they’re still not paying their fair share now.”

The windfall tax was raised to 35% in November which Mr Sunak said is “comparable, indeed higher than other North Sea nations”.

But whether companies are paying this tax is complicated as often they get credits for investments within the UK to bring their payments down – something opposition MPs have branded a “loophole”.

Read More:
What is a windfall tax?
Hancock faces claims he rejected COVID testing advice for care homes

Sir Keir said energy bills are due to go up by £900 in April and questioned what action Mr Sunak will take to make them cheaper.

Mr Sunak accused the Opposition leader of making “inflationary, unfunded spending commitments” and running out of taxpayers’ cash to fund Labour’s promises.

Sir Keir hit back with a reference to the economic damage caused by the PM’s predecessor.

“The dictionary definition for unfunded commitments is last year’s kamikaze budget. The only country in the G7 still poorer than it was before the pandemic, and he stands there pretending it’s all fine. Total denial about the damage and decline that he is presiding over.”

Labour ‘running out of other people’s money’

During PMQs, Sir Keir also called on the prime minister to scrap the non-dom tax status and use it to fund better childcare provision.

He added: “It is not just bills or housing, families are paying over a thousand pounds a month just to send their child to nursery. If he scrapped his non-dom status, he could start to fund better childcare, put money back in people’s pockets and get parents back to work.”

Sir Keir said it “seems a pretty simple choice” and asked: “So what is he going to choose? Wealthy tax avoiders or hardworking parents?”

Mr Sunak replied: “He has already spent the money he has claimed he would raise from that policy on five different things. It is the same old Labour Party, always running out of other people’s money.”

PM ‘letting generation down’ over housing

The fiery session also saw the pair clash over housebuilding targets, with Sir Keir raising the fact that the Home Builders Federation estimate housebuilding is going to fall to its lowest level in 75 years.

The Labour leader said a recent Tory rebellion forced Mr Sunak to scrap targets for new homes and called on him to change course.

He told MPs: “He can change course on this, he can bring back targets and planning reforms or he can duck that fight and let a generation down, which is it?”

In response, Mr Sunak said the UK had record levels of housebuilding – a claim that has previously been rebuked by the Full Fact charity.

They said in November that Mr Sunak’s assertion that a record number of new homes had been built did not “appear to be correct” and no data could be found which backed it up.

Speaking after PMQs today, the prime minister’s spokesman said they would have to check what Mr Sunak was referring to in today’s encounter.

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Mar 1 2023

Search continues for aristocrat’s baby as fears grow for its safety | UK News

An urgent search for the baby of aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon has entered its second day amid growing fears for the child’s safety.

Marten and Gordon were arrested in Brighton on Monday on suspicion of child neglect after being spotted by a member of the public at about 9.30pm.

They were further arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter on Tuesday.

More than 200 police officers are looking for the child and they have been concentrating on an allotment and woodland in the city.

A helicopter, sniffer dogs, thermal cameras and drones have joined the search, which has widened to include the area towards Newhaven.

Marten, 35, and Gordon, 48, were reported missing on 5 January after their car caught fire on the M61, near Bolton.

It is believed Marten had given birth just a few days before.

They were spotted multiple times in the days that followed, including in Liverpool, Essex, south London and East Sussex.

Concerns about their baby grew as it is not thought to have had any medical care.

Read more:
From Liverpool to Brighton – mapping the sightings
CCTV breakthrough suggests couple ‘sleeping in tent’

Met Police Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said the couple had not given them information about the child’s whereabouts or even disclosed its gender.

“We now have to consider the possibility that the baby has come to harm,” he told reporters.

He said he still hoped the baby could be found alive but that the cold weather was an obvious risk to its safety.

“Clearly the risk is getting higher… this may not end in the way we would like, but we need to remain hopeful,” he said.

He added they were still open-minded about the possibility the child may have been given to someone else to look after.

Chief Superintendent James Collis, from Sussex Police, said the search area was “vast” at about 91 square miles and centred on land between Brighton and Newhaven – about seven miles further down the coast.

He also appealed for people to contact the force with any information or potential sightings over the last few weeks.

Marten’s father, Napier Marten, told The Independent it was “an immense relief” to know the couple had been located but “very alarming news her baby has yet to be found”.

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Mar 1 2023

Pub trade warns of 2,000 closures without budget aid | Business News

A further 2,000 pubs are at risk of closure, threatening 25,000 jobs, unless the chancellor comes to the sector’s aid in this month’s budget, according to an industry body.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) cited research by Oxford Economics which forecast 288 million fewer pints would be sold in the next financial year as the cost of living crisis facing punters combines with the cost of doing business crisis.

Sales volumes have already slipped as the squeeze on household budgets forces more people to drink and eat at home.

The BBPA told Sky News that 450 sites closed last year alone as energy-driven inflation accelerated, despite government support.

It builds on a significant decline since 2000, with a quarter of pubs – 13,000 – being lost.

The BBPA used a submission to chancellor Jeremy Hunt, in advance of his budget on 15 March, to declare that financial support for publicans, breweries and staff training to retain workers were vital, arguing that the pub is at the core of British society.

It pointed to rising energy, food and employment bills among the reasons why costs are unsustainable.

“With cost pressures and slowing consumer spend, combined with a further duty increase in August, there are significant fears of widespread closures, with a worrying 2,000 pubs estimated to be at risk,” its statement said.

“And with the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme support ending on 31st of March, many pubs and breweries will again be subject to rocketing bills that threaten them to declare last orders once and for all.”

It said that one pound in every three spent in pubs currently made its way to the Treasury.

The BBPA’s wishlist included a freeze to duty rates and a “significant increase” in the discount for draft beer sold in pubs.

Publican Emma Shepherd, who runs the Blue Ball Inn in Worrall near Sheffield with her husband, has campaigned for more financial aid for the hospitality sector.

She described how soaring energy prices had already forced the closure of its kitchen on two days per week despite government support for energy costs.

She warned that the prospect of any easing from April could mean they have to let staff go and shut the kitchen.

“We’re in a perfect storm… working harder for less,” she explained, describing how beer, food and local regulations had added to their expenses.

“20% VAT on everything is a huge cost to small businesses that are working on small margins and the margins are getting smaller,” she said.

“The government hailed a reduction for beer tax but we don’t see a reduction at our end because the beer producers are facing the same energy costs as we are.”

Emma McClarkin, the chief executive of the BBPA, said pubs in rural areas were at particular risk, leaving more communities facing the prospect of being without a local.

“This really is a make or break moment for our pubs and our brewers,” she said.

“With everything that’s hitting them at the moment post pandemic, recovery has been really, really difficult and with cost inflation biting, labour shortages as well as those high energy costs, we’re really struggling to find our feet again as an industry… without that intervention (from the government) we could lose 2,000 pubs and 25,000 jobs.”

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Feb 28 2023

Kate beats William at spin class on visit to Welsh leisure centre – all while wearing high-heeled boots | UK News

The Princess of Wales beat her husband at an endurance spin class during a visit to an Aberavon leisure centre – while donning her high-heeled boots.

The royal couple joined gym goers at the endurance cycling session in south Wales, and were challenged to see who could cycle the furthest in 45 seconds while riding a virtual race in the Italian mountains.

As they entered the room, the prince apologised to the class saying: “Sorry for ruining your spin class.”

He then pointed out to Kate that she was still wearing her high-heeled boots.

“Not sure I am dressed for this,” she responded.

Once under way, and clearly teasing her husband, Kate said: “Can I make it harder?”

At the conclusion, William said, while breathing heavily: “Talk to you in a minute.”

The event was part of a series of visits in south Wales to mark St David’s Day.

Away from their race, the pair toured the centre’s sports hall and swimming pool, and met children from the local Tywyn Primary School, who were taking part in various indoor sports.

Seven-year-old Rafael Vazquez, from Swansea, presented the couple with a set of Welsh leotards for their children.

His mother Jo Vazquez said: “It was wonderful to meet them. They are so genuine people and have a real interest in the community, children and sport.

“They said how interested they were in keeping leisure centres open, especially swimming, as it is such a key skill for life.”

William and Kate also visited a therapy garden in Pontyclun, where the princess planted a Sweet William – prompting a laugh from her husband.

They also met a therapy dog, seven-year-old Great Dane, Ragnar, with William commenting on the dog’s “big ears”, while Kate said: “He must be very popular.”

Kate was presented with a bunch of daffodils by two-year-old Cora Phillips, with her mother Michelle Phillips, from Llanharan, saying: “Oh my goodness, I did not expect that in a million years.”

Turning to her daughter, she said: “We just met a princess. We’re never going to forget that.”

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Feb 28 2023

33,000 more civil servants to join 100,000 already walking out next month | Politics News

A further 33,000 more civil servants have voted to strike next month – joining 100,000 already walking out.

The newly balloted members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union will join the other civil servants who are walking out on 15 March – the same day as the next budget announcement.

They are calling for a pay rise of at least 10%, protection to pensions, job security and no cuts to redundancy pay.

Sunak ‘over the moon’ with new Brexit deal – latest politics updates

The government has said the demands – which it says would cost £2.4bn – are unaffordable.

Ten groups of civil servants, previously balloted along with the others in November, failed to reach the 50% turnout threshold at the time but in a re-ballot, which ended yesterday, all of them reached the threshold and voted to strike.

The new groups who are joining the day of action include: the Care Commission, Companies House, HMRC, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the National Museum of Wales, Office of Rail & Road, UK Export Finance, UK SBS, the Valuation Office Agency and the Welsh Government.

They join the 124 groups, with 100,000 civil servants, who voted in November to strike.

Four other departments yesterday voted to take action short of a strike. They are the Rural Payments Agency, DEFRA, the Forestry Commission and the Marine Maritime Organisation.

Read more: Who is striking in 2023 and when?

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Today’s overwhelming result is an astonishing show of strength and intent from our members and sends a very strong message to the government that we will not stop this action until we get a fair pay rise.

“We have consistently demanded a pay rise to help our members through the cost-of-living crisis; ministers have consistently refused to put more money on the table.

“They might have hoped we’d go away if they buried their heads in the sand, but they’ve under-estimated the determination of our members, who were praised for keeping the country running during the pandemic but now taken for granted.

“As these results clearly demonstrate, our members have had enough. Unless ministers put more money on the table, our strikes will continue to escalate, beginning on 15 March.”

PCS members at the Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA and Land Registry are already striking this week.

Next week, the union’s members at Ofsted and driving instructors are taking action.

Most PCS members who were balloted last year will vote again on 20 March as their six-month strike mandate expires in May.

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Feb 28 2023

Cost of living: Grocery inflation hits new record high of 17.1%, data shows | Business News

UK grocery inflation continued to climb during February to reach a new record high of 17.1%, according to closely-watched industry data.

Kantar Worldpanel reported that the increase over the past 12 months meant that families faced a potential £811 annual rise in the cost of their regular shopping basket.

It had been hoped that a decline in the pace of grocery prices during December would mark a turning point in that element of the cost of living crisis.

But Kantar later revealed that temporary Christmas discounting had been largely responsible, as the big four chains fight to maintain market share amid the challenge posed by discounters and other cheaper rivals.

Its latest report showed that while all of the major stores, with the exception of Morrisons, had expanded sales during the 12 weeks to 19 February, Aldi, Lidl and Iceland had grown their market shares at their expense.

The lure of cheaper own-label groceries saw Aldi achieve a record market share of 9.4% over the period, Kantar said.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons have expanded their own value offerings given the shift in consumer behaviour driven by the wider cost of living crisis.

Food, along with the cost of many other everyday products, has become more expensive largely due to the surge in energy prices seen since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The war can also be blamed for many commodity costs, such as wheat, rising markedly.

While the main rate of inflation has eased from its 11.1% peak seen in October last year, food and other grocery costs have been a major factor behind the CPI measure remaining stubbornly above 10%.

Unilever, which is behind a host of everyday products including Marmite and Magnum ice creams, has been among manufacturers warning that price increases are yet to end.

Producers – just one element of a complicated supply chain – are still grappling rising energy bills and other costs.

It also remains to be seen whether the shortage of salad items, which has forced most supermarkets to limit sales, will become a significant inflationary headwind ahead.

Kantar said that the issue came outside of its reporting window but that it expected to reveal a hit when its next report is published.

Its head of retail and consumer insight, Fraser McKevitt, said: “Shoppers have been facing sustained price rises for some time now and this February marks a full year since monthly grocery inflation climbed above 4%.

“This is having a big impact on people’s lives.

“Our latest research shows that grocery price inflation is the second most important financial issue for the public behind energy costs, with two-thirds of people concerned by food and drink prices, above public sector strikes and climate change.

“One quarter say they’re struggling financially, versus one in five this time last year.

“The numbers speak for themselves.”

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Feb 28 2023

Mother and father who went missing with newborn baby have been arrested – but baby is still missing | UK News

A mother and father who went missing with their newborn baby have been found and arrested, police say, although the baby is still missing.

Sussex Police said that Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were spotted in Brighton by a member of the public just before 9.30pm on Monday.

They were arrested and are in police custody.

Their baby is still missing, however, and an urgent search operation is underway in the area, police said.

Marten and Gordon were reported missing after their car broke down near junction four of the M61, near Bolton, on Thursday 5 January.

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