Everyone has made real sacrifices to help stop the spread of coronavirus. Our country’s death toll stands at 120,000 people. We must end boom and bust lockdowns and reopen society sustainably and for the long term. THREAD 👇 1/4 bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-5…
The plan to reopen schools fully on March 8 is a real cause for concern & could lead to a big bang in case numbers. We need to see the science behind that decision. Govt needs to learn the lessons of the past year and listen to its scientific advisers, not Tory backbenchers. 2/4
But the Govt is still far off adequate suppression - the R number is only just below 1. We still need to see urgent improvements in test and trace - including better financial support for those self-isolating - alongside the vaccine rollout. 3/4
This has to be the last lockdown. We can’t afford any errors. The Prime Minister needs to be cautious, listen and learn from his mistakes.
The @AppgCoronavirus will continue to work cross-party and make vital recommendations to the Govt so we can save more lives. 4/4
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🚨NEW: I’ve written to the PM along with 47 MPs and Peers following the NAO report on the Govt’s vaccine rollout.
It suggests that less than half the UK population may be vaccinated by the end of 2021. We badly need an exit strategy to protect our health and wealth. THREAD👇
As the devolved nations receive the same population share of vaccine supplies, this report suggests that the amount of the UK population vaccinated in 2021 may be far short of the high percentage of people who need to receive the vaccine to achieve population immunity. 2/4
With cases rising across the country, we can expect another deadly surge in cases early in the New Year. The NAO’s worrying findings, however, raise the prospect of further spikes throughout 2021 and contradict the Govt’s claim that we will be ‘back to normal after Easter’. 3/4
The failure to coordinate between the NHS and commercial labs has cost the country heavily: our expert pathologists need a much greater role in the organisation of testing, and there needs to be much greater coordination between the commercial and the NHS laboratories. 2/5
Every public health expert who gave evidence to our cross-party inquiry was clear that tracing is far more effective when done at a local level by local health teams. And we need to see vast improvements in the isolate part of test, trace, isolate. 3/5
Today on #HumanRightsDay I want to thank all human rights defenders who have done courageous work during this pandemic, and @AmnestyUK for everything they do to protect human rights around the globe.
Coronavirus has exposed & exacerbated many of the challenges we face. THREAD👇
We are in a global crisis, and yet the need to respect human rights is still being forgotten, including by our own government. Last week I signed a cross-party letter condemning the deportation of Black British residents to Jamaica. 2/
When it comes to oppression in Hong Kong, the genocide being committed against the Uyghurs in China and other atrocities, the UK must play a leading role in holding those responsible to account. The @LibDems will continue to champion this until the Govt does the right thing. 3/
I've written to the Prime Minister in my role as Chair of the Cross-Party Coronavirus Inquiry. Following over 1000 evidence submissions, we recommend an urgent move to a ‘zero-covid’ strategy. standard.co.uk/news/uk/boris-…
Unfortunately, the Government has failed abysmally to put a clear strategy in place to eliminate coronavirus from the UK. This lack of clarity has left the public confused, and our NHS and care staff flying blind.
The prime minister must get a grip and introduce a comprehensive plan to control this deadly pandemic before this winter. We urgently need an effective communications strategy with clear messaging to the public, including by immediately reinstating daily press conferences.
This decision should have been debated and scrutinised in Parliament, instead it was announced at a right-wing think tank without a single question allowed from the media. 2/5
Given we still don't have an effective Test, Trace and Isolate system, this feels like a reward for failure. 3/5
Today I called on Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary to resign over his handling of the ongoing grade fiasco. 1/6 theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
He had seen the warning signs from Scotland, yet the Education Secretary pushed ahead with plans which ignored teachers’ advice and have disproportionately affected pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. 2/6 expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2…
Pupils should have a right to appeal their grade awards with no charge, and the chance to sit the examinations at the earliest possible date at no cost. Any less will further entrench how unfair this situation is. 3/6 leftfootforward.org/2020/08/lib-de…