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Paul Waugh

12 May, 11 tweets, 3 min read

@BorisJohnson

BREAKING "The state has an obligation to examine its actions as rigorously as possible."
@BorisJohnson confirms there will be a full statutory inquiry into Covid.

"I can confirm today that the government will establish an independent public inquiry on a statutory basis with all powers under the Inquiries Act of 2005, including the ability to compel the production of all relevant material".

PM confirms the inquiry will start "in spring 2022".

Giving reason for delaying starting the inquiry: "there is, in any case, a high likelihood of a surge this winter, when the weather assists the transmission of all respiratory diseases, and when the pressure on our NHS is most acute".

@nedsimons

Story by @nedsimons here:

huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/covid-pu…

PM also reveals govt will set up "a UK commission on COVID commemoration" This will be "a national endeavour above party politics"

The commission will "remember the loved ones we have lost, honour the heroism of those who have saved lives and the courage of frontline workers who have kept our country going".

It will also "celebrate the genius of those who created the vaccines and commemorate the small acts of kindness, and the daily sacrifice of millions who stayed at home buying time for our scientists to come to our rescue".

As I said last night, the Q is when the Covid inquiry will *report* its conclusions.
Very likely, that won't be until after a 2023 election.

huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-jo…

@BorisJohnson

"We owe it to the country to produce answers within a reasonable timescale...though that will be a matter for the chair of the inquiry..[and remit and terms of ref]." @BorisJohnson says.
Stresses this will be an independent inquiry.
Tells @Keir_Starmer it will *start* spring 2022

Of course, an independent chair of the inquiry will determine its timeframe, so the PM knows he can't be held responsible for publication date of the final report.
But the one thing he does control is when it can start, and delaying to spring will have implications for next elxn

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More from @paulwaugh

Paul Waugh

@paulwaugh

11 May

@BorisJohnson

Story alert: @BorisJohnson says he will establish Covid inquiry "within this session" of parliament.
First time he's put a timing on it.

@EdwardJDavey

A session is undefined but the convention is it runs for about a year.
So his answer to @EdwardJDavey feels like the PM's first commitment to set one up before May 2022.

@REWearmouth

Story by @REWearmouth
huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-co…

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Paul Waugh

@paulwaugh

10 May

@Keir_Starmer

.@Keir_Starmer told his new shadow cabinet this am that @AngelaRayner "has a big, new role, taking the fight to the Tories, more public facing"
Added "Thursday mornings will be box office" with Thangham Debonnaire taking on Jacob Rees-Mogg.

On Hartlepool and wider losses, Starmer said: "To be clear, I take responsibility. nobody else. I lead the Labour party and it is entirely on me."

@AnasSarwar

Starmer heaped praise on Welsh Labour: 'the number of people on the doorsteps or on the street who acknowledge what Mark Drakeford and Welsh labour do is remarkable'
Added @AnasSarwar "ran great, focused campaign" and played "impt role preventing SNP majority".

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Paul Waugh

@paulwaugh

9 May

What's always been striking in #indyref2 debate is just how much pro-independence voices *sound* like Brexiteers: national self-determination is ultimately the priority.

Most Brexiteers + pro-indy supporters both vehemently hate the comparison - but do some concede it is valid?

This isn't a comment on the merits of Brexit or Scottish independence. Just that despite the obvious cultural/political differences between the SNP + Tories, they share a central philosophy: self-determination.

And yes, one clear motivator for Scots independence is as a route to regaining EU membership and therefore *sharing* national sovereignty, ie a complex/subtle sense of nationhood. The counter case is you can pool sovereignty within the UK via devolution not independence.

Read 5 tweets

Paul Waugh

@paulwaugh

8 May

@AngelaRayner

One thing about the @AngelaRayner 'sacking': tensions between her and @Keir_Starmer have until now been under the radar and conducted by proxies for both sides.

Will be interesting to see what both say publicly in coming hours. And whether it's plausible.

Gaya Sriskanthan, Momentum co-chair, responds to the news that Angela Rayner is to be sacked as party chair:

"Angela Rayner's sacking is blatant scapegoating."

One ex-Corbyn era Labour staffer: "This Angela decision is probably one of the stupidest political decisions a leaders office has made in a very long time. And that includes putting Richard Burgon on the front bench."

Read 14 tweets