My website is now fully updated for #COVIDー19#coronavirus assistance to constituents. Please go to the following link for medical advice, business, employer, benefit, + SSP support plus ideas for viral kindness: stay safe team + we will get through this: guyopperman.co.uk/coronavirus
We have also added in Foreign Office travel advice, a guide to how you look after your neighbours, and supermarket advice from them on why you don’t need to stockpile.
Any additions I will add as we go along 2/
Want to help?
⚙ Are you a manufacturer able to help make #ventilators?
🦠 We will need a massive national effort to combat #Coronavirus + help our #NHS
📞 If you genuinely think you can help + have the capability, then call the BEIS Business Support line - 0300 456 3565 3/
Finally, for now, if you genuinely fear that the worst thing that could happen to you with #COVIDー19 is that you run out of #toiletroll ????
- listen to my wonderful constituent Tony Richards + realise that #Essity have got your bum covered
🧻 🧻 🧻 4/ bbc.co.uk/news/av/busine…
Advice now is v clear:
💻Work from home wherever possible
1⃣4⃣Self-isolate for 14 days if you/ anyone in your home has #COVID19 symptoms
❌Avoid non-essential travel + gatherings 5/
Advice = #schools are not being closed. There are good reasons why:
- the UK chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance says it "may be necessary" to think about school closures, but not now.
Clearly this virus is having a massive impact on local businesses+people.
On top of the initial support package announced in the budget last week, the Chancellor will announce more support today, as I understand it.
I will update across our Community via my website/ here 8/
Foreign Office new travel advice = avoid all non essential travel 9/
The Guidance on #keyworkers is here ⬇️
As always dealing with #CoronaVirus this will require us to work at speed in difficult circumstances but liaise with your school and employer and we will get through this 10/ gov.uk/government/pub…
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Thread 🧵 on the Labour reduction in #WinterFuelPayments.
I was the Minister in charge of this policy at DWP from 2017-2022. Labour are making a big mistake 1/
Firstly an explainer of our benefit system. It is a big beast made up of 12+ ageing computer systems and 1000s of admin staff. It does not do nuance and fine margins. The state pension and add on benefits - winter fuel payment, Christmas support etc are one off payments 2/
Over the last few years the Conservatives Government added an extra £300 extra cost of living winter fuel payment support to all pensioners, meaning they got £500-£600 WFP.This is also not being renewed by labour. So the £500-600 loss to a pensioner on state pensions is huge. 3/
Fully behind an #energysaving campaign. The energy war of Putin means this is a worldwide problem.
Reduction in energy helps constituents save money, &saves the taxpayer money, as public sector should lead the way. Reduce usage, while we address supply. Government must act 1/
The obvious reductions pursued by France, Germany & others in public sector are:
- no public buildings warmer than 19C
- turn off overnight lighting of buildings / ads etc
- turn off hot water for hand washing / public spaces
All basic but simple stuff to help supply issues 2/
This is not Nanny state.
It is preserving supply, saving money for everyone, and encouraging localism. The example of Germany, which is in a massive energy crisis way way worse than UK, is worth following 3/
The PM & Chancellors Budget Bazooka - and the new ESG.
A thread 🧵 1/
To paraphrase M and S that was no “ordinary”mini budget. It was the Full Monty.
We have a new ESG
Energy support ✅
Scrapping tax rises ++✅
Growth ✅
2/
Energy:
The biggest thing in the budget.
The key to everything this winter is #energysupport. Without it, lots of businesses go under, we have a big recession, huge personal debt.
On top of @RishiSunak £37 Billion spring package, the PM/Chancellor have stepped in to help👍⬇️ 3/
🧵 on climate change, emerging markets and specific UK 🇬🇧 action using workplace pensions to finance the change, and get returns for members 1/
For a year + I have been working with the @churchofengland Pension Board, and others, to see how we can unleash the productive power of UK pensions in support of the climate transition in emerging economies, while also delivering sustainable returns for members. It’s doable 2/
but hard. I am particularly grateful to Adam Matthews and David Hickey who I have been discussing this with in particular, not least on their #TalkingResponsibly Podcast. This led to a major conference at Church House on April 20th. We spent several hours debating the issues 3/
Like many of the UK I spent the covid lockdown shielding as I was immunocompromised, following a racing fall as a steeplechase jockey which ruptured my spleen.
In Summer 2020 I could not attend the NHS hospital with my wife as she cared for our children. Sadly, the twins died 1/
and I was only allowed into hospital as the first child’s time was ending.
This was on compassionate grounds.
I say this as we have to accept that the findings against political leaders, and others, for breach of lockdown rules matters. Covid was an awful time in many ways 2/
and many of us are still trying to come to terms with loss, bereavement, and sadness.
To deny the upset caused by breaches of the covid rules would be wrong, and it is right that that there have been unreserved apologies. It is patently clear that the police consider that the 3/