Politics Live
5:30pm – And that’s all from us today! Tune in tomorrow for more news and updates.
4:52pm – Here’s the clip of the health secretary saying he doesn’t think he’s hopeless…
"Are you hopeless Mr Hancock?"
"I don't think so" https://t.co/iwccDNajDo pic.twitter.com/6HMk28IDno
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) June 16, 2021
4:24pm – Hearing someone say they’re not f***ing hopeless really does ease my fears.
Defiant Matt Hancock insists he’s not ‘totally f***ing hopeless’ https://t.co/Mf7tdw78Yl
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) June 16, 2021
4:04pm – Government seems very set that the next unlocking will definitely be the last, and that after that we’ll have to live with covid. But there are questions about whether we’ll have true normality any time soon…
The Health Secretary @MattHancock says we will have to live with Covid after 19 July ‘like flu’. But it’s not going to be the same. Let’s be honest. Test and trace and compulsory self isolation will remain in place for many months for Covid. We’ve never had that for flu.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) June 16, 2021
2:37pm – Downing Street refusing to respond to Cummings’ latest inflamatory leaks, despite text messages saying the prime minister wanted to sack Hancock.
New: Downing Street does not deny the messages published by Dominic Cummings from Boris Johnson are genuine.
Asked if the messages are real, PM's spox says: ‘I don’t plan to get into the detail of what has been published.'
— Jack Maidment (@jrmaidment) June 16, 2021
1:33pm – Away from much of the news, there’s the small story of the Chesham & Amersham by-election tomorrow. Lib Dems hopefully they can snatch a Tory seat…
One senior Tory MP is worried about a Lib Dem victory in tomorrow’s Chesham & Amersham by-election because of “EU flags still fluttering in gardens" there
Seems highly unlikely….
— Rob Merrick (@Rob_Merrick) June 16, 2021
11:54am – Cummings hinting at what we may see in a few minutes…?
A bit of last minute suggestive prep for Starmer ahead of PMQs? https://t.co/pNBSaAwUj0
— Kate Proctor (@Kate_M_Proctor) June 16, 2021
11:45am – Cummings has released a few more golden nuggets, including the prime minister describing the health secretary rather unflatteringly:
Dominic Cummings posts bombshell Whatsapp grab showing Boris Johnson did call Matt Hancock "totally fucking useless" pic.twitter.com/fm8cGsOOzC
— Kate Ferguson (@kateferguson4) June 16, 2021
10:59am – There have been concerns from many animal rights groups about what the new Australia trade deal could mean for our food standards:
If reports are true, then the Government’s trade deal with Australia will set an appalling precedent that will undermine British farming and our high animal welfare and environmental standards.
Parliament MUST be allowed to vote on this deal. pic.twitter.com/xCKLA1I4By
— Tim Farron (@timfarron) June 16, 2021
10:24am – An explanation for why it’s taken so long for the care home rules to be changed:
You might also think it’s a no-brainer that carers should want to be vaccinated given the deaths they’ve witnessed.
But reluctance is for broad and complex set of reasons. Young women worried (unnecessarily) about fertility, conspiracy theories, scepticism about authority.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) June 16, 2021
9:32am – Not a great look for the SNP as Scotland prepares to host COP26 later this year:
Scotland is a world leader at setting ambitious climate targets… unfortunately, @scotgov is also really really good at failing to meet their own targets 🤦♂️ #COP26 🌍🏴 https://t.co/cALIHKz3Ct
— David Mac Dougall (@davidmacdougall) June 16, 2021
8:55am – It’s been touted for a while but is now coming into place.
Covid jabs set to become compulsory for care home staff in plan confirmed within dayshttps://t.co/HjVxXyuMbh
— Dan Bloom (@danbloom1) June 16, 2021
8:51am – This whole thread raises serious questions about how we’ve been tackling covid, including the claim that perspex screens may actually make spreading covid easier.
Big problem for No. 10 and 11
Internal govt assessment finds current self-isolation policy has "low to medium" effectiveness
It warns there are "barriers" & "disincentives" to isolating
And urges ministers to do more on sick pay / financial support https://t.co/8q9CEX7a6Z pic.twitter.com/WxOoB442RV
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) June 16, 2021
8:35am – Five years on from the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by a right wing extremist, MPs pay tribute to her.
Jo Cox was an enthusiast, an egalitarian, a feminist, a doer. She was thoughtful & determined, she knew change was possible & certain if you worked to make it so. She was a brilliant friend & an even better mum. She is missed today like everyday but still motivates us to action
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) June 16, 2021
Today marks five years since Jo Cox’s murder.
She was a friend and a colleague, and there is not a day that goes by that we do not miss her.
“We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.”
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 16, 2021
8:30am – So what’s in the news this morning?
- UK warned it is unprepared for climate chaos
- MPs to vote on lockdown easing
- PM insists that final unlocking will happen in July, despite scientist concerns
8:00am – Welcome back to another day of Politics Live!