Markus Andrews

Ministers are understood to have received recommendations form the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the next round of jabs covering 18-50 year-olds, with a decision expected imminently.It is thought that the committee has rejected proposals for workers in key occupations, such as teachers and police, to be next in the queue or for particular ethnic minority groups to have priority.Instead, they are understood to have recommended continuing to work through the age-range, sending out invitations in 10-year age-bands down to 18. The government aims to offer protection to all adults by July.But the JCVI is believed have accepted that local vaccination teams should be given flexibility to deal with institutions like prisons in a single go, to avoid the need to separate inmates out by age and have multiple visits, potentially wasting vaccine.Downing Street today gave a firm thumbs-down to the idea.Asked if prisoners could potentially receive the jab before others the same age or older – potentially including their victims – Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “That is obviously not the case and is not true. Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekday“Prisoners won’t be prioritised for vaccines.“They are vaccinated at the same time as the general public in line with the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) prioritisation groups, no quicker than that.”The spokesman confirmed that, while the JCVI makes the recommendation, it is for ministers to make the final decision.“The JCVI make their recommendation and we take it forward in terms of the vaccination programme,” he said.Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi indicated earlier this week that there was no prospect of ministers overturning the experts’ proposals, saying: “We will absolutely follow what they recommend.”Schools minister Nick Gibb played down the chances of teachers being given priority, saying that the JCVI’s recommendations were driven by data on “morbidity, the most vulnerable to hospitalisation and deaths” and not on occupation.As the rollout progresses through younger age-groups, “we will be vaccinating more and more teachers”, he said.Last week there were Covid outbreaks in 92 of the 117 prisons in England and Wales, leading to calls for jails to be treated like care homes, giving priority to vaccinating all staff and inmates. More

Boris Johnson is an “unrepentant and inveterate liar”, who will blame the problems of Brexit on coronavirus, France’s former ambassador to the UK has said.In her new book Sylvie Bermann, France’s top representative in London during the EU referendum, said the prime minister uses “lies to embellish reality, as a game and as instrument of power”.Describing the prime minister’s approach, she said: “The ends justify the means. He has no rules.”As French ambassador to Britain between 2014 to 2017 Ms Bermann is among her country’s most senior diplomats. She has also previously represented her country as ambassador to China and to Russia.Her book, Goodbye Britannia, the top former diplomat characterises the Brexiter mindset of “reciting a history in which the UK is never defeated, never invaded”.This was driven by the idea of a “history that stopped in June 1944”, she said.Admitting she did not expect the EU referendum to be lost, she said: “How this country whose influence had been decisive in Brussels, which insolently rolled out the red carpet for French entrepreneurs and which Xi Jinping had elected in October 2015 as the gateway to Europe, at the dawn of a golden period, how has it undertaken to scuttle itself?”Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekday“Boris Johnson’s temptation will be to hide the bill for Brexit under the Covid carpet, valued at more than £200bn for 2020, almost as much as the United Kingdom’s total contribution to the European Union since its accession in 1973, which was £215bn.”Ms Bermann’s comments recall those of Emmanuel Macron, who in 2018 branded leading Brexiteers such as Mr Johnson “liars” who “left the next day so they didn’t have to manage it”.Asked on Thursday about the ambassador’s comments, the prime minister’s spokesperson said: “We completely reject that characterisation. We delivered on what we promised the British people in both the 2019 election and previously during the referendum in terms of returning sovereignty. We’ve now taken back control of our borders, our laws, and our money.” More

Boris Johnson’s government has been accused of “aggressively undermining” the UK’s devolution settlements after it announced money from the levelling up fund would be extended to include Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – but be controlled by Westminster.An extra £800m will be used for town centre and high street regeneration, local transport schemes and cultural and heritage projects until 2025.The fund was originally intended to be spent on England only but on Wednesday the government revealed all four nations would be included.The initial £4bn will be increased to £4.8bn as the scheme is rolled out UK-wide.The devolved administrations reacted angrily to plans that they say will see them bypassed by ministers in London.A Welsh government spokesman said the extra money was not “new or additional” and accused Mr Johnson’s administration of “aggressively undermining the outcome of two referendums which backed Welsh devolution”.“The UK government was not elected to take decisions or spend money in areas that are devolved to Wales,” the spokesman said.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayLiz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru’s leader in Westminster, said the move was “about undermining Welsh democracy and the proven priorities of our country”.The SNP also accused Westminster of bypassing the devolved Scottish government by spending money in areas that it said were controlled by Holyrood ministers.Kirsten Oswald, the party’s deputy Westminster leader, said: “The Tory government’s move to bypass the devolved governments and dictate spending over devolved areas is yet another sign of its naked power grab plans.“Rather than passing on funding through Barnett consequentials – which could have seen Scotland receiving its share totalling around £400m – the Tories are intent on dismantling devolution and taking control, with absolutely no clarity over how much will be spent in Scotland.”
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Alex Salmond believes there was a “conspiracy” by Nicola Sturgeon’s circle to stop his political comeback, one of the former first minister’s allies has claimed.SNP MSP Alex Neil said Mr Salmond suspects senior party figures feared he would try to win a seat through a by-election after losing his Westminster seat in 2017.The Salmond loyalist also claimed that if the ex-SNP leader’s claims of conspiracy were proven, then “everybody involved” would have to resign.“He believes that there was a conspiracy to get him,” Mr Neil told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “He believes a number of people have been involved in conspiring against him and stitching him up.“Alex believes that after he lost his Westminster seat there was a possibility of a by-election in Scotland in his neck of the woods. He believes some people were frightened of him coming back in … he thinks it may have all started from there.”Asked if Mr Salmond thought Ms Sturgeon was involved in efforts to bring him down, along with other senior figures working with her in the SNP, the MSP said: “Basically I think he does, yes, absolutely.”On Wednesday Ms Sturgeon insisted it is “downright wrong” to blame political influence for the censorship of written evidence submitted by her predecessor to a Scottish parliament inquiry.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShe dismissed any suggestion of political interference in the Crown Office’s decision to ask for redactions in the evidence as a “dangerous conspiracy theory”.She also repeated her assertion that there is not “a shred of evidence” to support Mr Salmond’s claims of a plot to remove him from public life.Calling on the Crown Office and committee to allow Mr Salmond to make his claims in full, Mr Neil said: “If it was proven that there was a conspiracy, everybody involved in the conspiracy would be getting their jotters [getting sacked].”Mr Salmond pulled out of a scheduled appearance before the inquiry on Wednesday after parliamentary authorities removed passages from his written submission.However, the former first minister is now reportedly ready to accept an invitation to appear on Friday, with Ms Sturgeon completing the inquiry’s evidence sessions next Wednesday.Ruth Davidson, Scottish Tory leader at Holyrood, called the ongoing saga over evidence “the biggest crisis in our institution since devolution began” in a video message on Thursday morning.Some SNPs have also been critical of the Crown Office’s intervention and the Scottish parliamentary authorities’ decision to redact parts of the evidence.Mr Salmond’s ally Joanna Cherry tweeted: “All democracies governed by the rule of law should have proper separation of powers.” Fellow SNP MP Angus MacNeil said the decision to redact evidence “looks crooked”. More

The schools minister has said he trusts “the judgement of teachers” amid warnings that the government’s new grading system could undermine the value of qualifications. The government is expected to task schools with determining pupils’ grades in lieu of exams this year, because of disruption caused by coronavirus. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is to set out further details of the plan in the Commons later on Thursday.But some experts have warned that the approach could lead to inconsistent outcomes across schools and even see top grades devalued.The Education Policy Institute (EPI) think-tank warned the plans could cause “extremely high grade inflation”.But ministers are keen to avoid a repeat of last year’s fiasco when grades were effectively tweaked by an algorithm based on past results, causing widespread perceived unfairness. Natalie Perera, chief executive of the Education Policy Institute (Epi) think tank, said: “Without timely and detailed guidance for schools on how this year’s grades should be benchmarked against previous years, and with classroom assessments only being optional, there is a significant risk that schools will take very different approaches to grading.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekday”This could result in large numbers of pupils appealing their grades this year or extremely high grade inflation, which could be of little value to colleges, universities, employers and young people themselves.”Schools minister Nick Gibb said there would be checks in place “at the school level and at the exam boards level to make sure that we do get consistency” across the country.Others were broadly welcoming of the approach and said it was the best option available in the circumstances.
We trust the judgment of teachers. They’re the people who know their pupils best.Nick Gibb, schools minister Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts, said: “There is a reasonable consensus that teacher judgment will need to be both supported, scaffolded and quality assured.”This is because although the pandemic has had a damaging impact, we still want assessment outcomes this year to reflect something objective.”Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union Naht, said the plans “appear to chart a path which avoids the awful chaos of last year”.He said: “This set of decisions is, however, only the starting point. It is now down to the awarding bodies to provide the detail which schools and colleges need to implement the process.”Although earlier results for students seeking to start university could be beneficial, cramming GCSE results into the same week will place unnecessary pressure on to the system.”Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the approach was “likely the least worst option available”.
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Town halls would be able to seize empty shops and bring them back into use, under Labour plans to revive decaying high streets.The party will accuse the government of overseeing “a decade of decline” that has weakened the economy and society – vowing to give local councils beefed-up powers to act.Under changes to come into force in August, restaurants, banks, gyms, creches and offices will also be fast-tracked for residential use.That policy will see high streets “sold off to the highest bidder for poor quality housing without planning permission”, the shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds will allege.Vowing to fight back instead, she will say in a set piece speech: “Britain’s high streets are at the heart of local communities“It is not just a string of shops and post offices, it’s a place that people want to have pride in. The high street goes to the heart of Labour’s vision to make Britain the best place to grow up and grow old in.”Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayLabour believes a new “empty shops order” can enable councils to seize the initiative and ensure premises are used either for shopping, small businesses or “other enterprises”.The idea was put forward a decade ago by Mary Portas, the broadcaster appointed by David Cameron to carry out a high streets’ review, but never enacted.Ms Dodds will propose that town halls would first work with the owner of an empty shop, to restore it to use – but, if that fails, take it over and carry out any necessary works.Councils would be permitted to charge rent and, after recouping the cost of carrying out any improvements, that rent would then pass to the property owner.Last summer, the prime minister sparked a row by announcing that redundant buildings would be demolished and rebuilt without a normal planning application.Pubs, libraries and village shops “essential to the lifeblood of communities” would be protected – but the move was condemned by campaigners who protested it was already far too easy to build poor quality homes.Speaking in London, Ms Dodds will say: “The Conservatives have presided over a decade of decline in Britain’s high streets that has left our economy insecure and the foundations of our society weakened.“Labour’s plan would help secure the future of the high street. It would give local communities a proper stake in their town centres, support new businesses to open up on our high streets and help rebuild our economy post-pandemic.” More

There’s nothing as ex as an ex-prime minister,” so they say, but that has never stopped our most senior elder statesmen and stateswomen from trying to prove otherwise. Usually they make no difference; sometimes it can be fun to watch. David Cameron is an interesting example. Telling Boris Johnson to be more “muscular” in his environmentalism might carry more authority had Cameron not turned down the offer of chairing the COP26 Climate Conference in November. It’s also worth recalling how he once famously dismissed the climate crisis as “green crap” and fitted a ludicrous miniature windmill to his house in Notting Hill, derided as the ultimate in pretentious token politics and rumoured to be powered off the mains. The Coalition government he led might have had some success is getting CO2 emissions down, but part of that was by crashing the economy into an austerity recession. In his memoirs Cameron did take the opportunity to tell a few home truths about Johnson in his memoirs, published in 2019, but bybthen it was far too late. Knowing that Johnson never believed in Brexit might have been handier Intelligence had we known about it earlier. More

Nicola Sturgeon has insisted it is “downright wrong” to blame political influence for the censorship of evidence submitted by her predecessor Alex Salmond to a Scottish Parliament inquiry, amid claims her SNP government is “shutting down scrutiny” of its actions. Mr Salmond pulled out of a scheduled appearance before the inquiry on Wednesday after parliamentary authorities removed passages from the written submission setting out his case that there was a “malicious and concerted” attempt to remove him from public life through claims of sexual harassment.In the document, he accused Ms Sturgeon, his former protegee and successor as first minister, of misleading Holyrood and breaching the ministerial code.The former first minister is now reportedly ready to accept an invitation to appear on Friday, with Ms Sturgeon completing the inquiry’s evidence sessions next Wednesday by answering MSPs’ questions on the scandal which is convulsing Scottish politics.Mr Salmond called on Scotland’s Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC to explain the “unprecedented and highly irregular” decision by the Crown Office – the body responsible for prosecuting crimes in Scotland – to demand the redaction of his evidence some 16 hours after its publication by the Holyrood parliament.His spokesperson made clear that the former SNP leader wanted to know whether any political pressure was placed on the Crown Office to intervene.“Mr Salmond has instructed his lawyers to request specifically that the Crown preserve and retain all material and communications with all or any third parties which led to their decision to intervene at the very last minute just as he was set to give his evidence,” said the spokesperson.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayBut Mr Wolffe told the Scottish Parliament that the decision was made by “senior professional prosecutors acting independently” to protect the identity of complainants in the harassment case, with no input from him.“At no time have I encountered any situation in which ministers have sought to influence a prosecutorial decision,” he told MSPs.“If any minister were to try to do so, I will not countenance it, nor, I am confident, would any professional prosecutor who acts on my behalf.”Speaking at her daily coronavirus press conference, Ms Sturgeon dismissed any suggestion of political interference as a conspiracy theory.“Any suggestion at all that these decisions are in any way politically influenced are downright wrong,” she said.“I would suggest that they go further than that; that they actually start to buy into what is a false and quite dangerous conspiracy theory that has no basis in fact.”Ms Sturgeon repeated her assertion that there is not “a shred of evidence” to support her former mentor’s claims of a plot to eject him from public life.And she said he had no “good reason” to dodge the committee hearing on Wednesday.“I hope he comes to the committee in early course so that he can say what he wants, put forward any claims that he wants and, crucially, bring forward the evidence,” she said.“I want to get in front of this committee to answer every and all questions that people have of me, to address all the issues that people have and to rebut, frankly, head on and very directly, some of the wild, untrue, false and baseless claims.”The inquiry by the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints was launched after a government investigation of allegations against Mr Salmond was found to be “tainted by apparent bias”.The former first minister, who was later acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault in a criminal trial, was awarded a £512,250 payout after he successfully challenged the lawfulness of the process.Scottish Labour’s interim leader Jackie Baillie, who sits on the committee, said: “The credibility of the inquiry into the Scottish government’s handling of harassment complaints, and indeed the credibility of the entire parliament, hangs in the balance.”And Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: “The SNP government and the Crown Office are shutting down scrutiny at every turn.”He accused the Crown Office of “strong-arming parliament and suppressing evidence, not to protect victims’ identities but to protect Nicola Sturgeon”.Former cabinet minister Liam Fox told the House of Commons that Mr Salmond’s allegations would be a “damning indictment in a tinpot dictatorship” and voiced concern that the affair would “bring politics in the whole of the United Kingdom into international disrepute”. More