‘Living with Covid doesn’t mean ignoring it’, says MP
An MP has told the House of Commons that living with coronavirus “doesn’t mean ignoring it”.
Caroline Lucas criticised the prime minister’s plans to end all legal domestic restrictions in England as “[flying] in the face” of NHS leaders and health experts.
The Green Party MP expressed concerns that it would be difficult for people to take “personal responsibility” when the government is removing the means for people to do so. She added that the plans would make vulnerable people more fearful.
Mr Johnson replied by saying that vulnerable people will have access to therapeutics and vaccines. He added that clinically extremely vulnerable people must be treated with “caution…respect them and act with responsibility”.
Festivals boss warns this does not mean returning to ‘business as usual’
Paul Reed, chief executive of the Association of Independent Festivals, warned the lifting of coronavirus restrictions does not mean festivals are “back to business as usual”.
He said: “While we welcome legal restrictions around Covid-19 coming to an end and the prospect of a full capacity festival season, the effects of the pandemic are still being felt by the independent festival sector and the need for Government action remains.
“With festival organisers facing crippling cost increases of up to 30 per cent across operations and infrastructure, this is not back to business as usual for festivals and it is not a case of ‘job done’ for ministers.
“AIF reiterates its call for ongoing support from Government in the form of continued VAT relief on festival tickets to maintain the current reduced 12.5 per cent rate on tickets beyond the end of March; and to also explore some form of Government-backed loan scheme for suppliers to alleviate some of these pressures and encourage investment in the festival supply chain.”
Boss for the night time industry welcome PM’s Living with Covid plans
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, welcomed the plan for “living with Covid” but called for further support for the sector.
He said: “The withdrawal of the remaining Covid restrictions is welcomed by the Night Time Industries Association. We now need to see further economic support for our sector to regain consumer confidence and ensure a full recovery from the pandemic.”
Government reviewing need for passenger locator forms
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw has questioned why the government is keeping passenger locator forms for international travel, describing them as “bureaucratic and irritating”.
Boris Johnson responded by saying he understood his “grievance” with the forms and added the government is currently reviewing the need for them and will report back “by Easter”.
Music boss says end of Covid restrictions is ‘welcome relief’ to live music sector
Greg Parmley, chief executive of Live, which represents music industry venues and the entertainment sector including companies, artists and backstage workers, said: “The end of Covid-19 restrictions represents a huge, welcome relief to the live music sector, which lost billions in revenue throughout the pandemic.
“But with spiralling costs and thousands of companies struggling with pandemic debt, it’s crucial that Government does not abandon and set the sector adrift, just as it starts to tread water again.
“We are calling for a reverse to the planned hike in VAT rates and the imminent end to business rates relief in order to avoid further business closures and job losses within our sector.”
‘A man for the rules Matt Hancock’ says Commons speaker
Introducing the former health secretary to ask a question in the Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “A man for the rules, Matt Hancock”.
School leader expresses concern over plan to remove legal requirement to self-isolate
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We understand the desire to live with Covid and to return to a semblance of normality after two years of societal and educational upheaval. Our concern is that just by saying that it is at an end does not make it so.
“By removing the legal requirement to self-isolate after a positive test, along with twice-weekly testing for pupils and staff in schools and colleges, there is a risk that this may actually lead to an increase in disruption if it means that more positive cases come into the classroom.
“Staff and pupils are often absent not just because they test positive but because they are actually ill with the coronavirus and this will obviously not abate if there is more transmission.
“We are also concerned about where this leaves vulnerable staff and pupils, or those with a household member who is vulnerable. These individuals will inevitably feel more scared and less protected by the relaxation of even the fairly limited control measures that are currently in place.
“The change in the rules to advise rather than require self-isolation also opens the door for conflict with parents who may interpret symptoms that may or may not be coronavirus differently from their child’s teachers.”
He added: “Like everyone else, we want to see the back of coronavirus, but this does feel like a headlong rush rather than a sensibly phased approach. The goal must be to keep children in the classroom for as much of the time as possible. This plan does not seem to meet that objective and may in fact be counter-productive.”
SNP leader: PM’s plans are another sign of ‘government in turmoil’
SNP leader Ian Blackford has said the prime minister’s plan is “bereft of science and consultation”.
He said the choices made by the Government were “purely political and made up on the hoof”.
Damningly, he said the Living with Covid plan was a “symptom of Government in turmoil”.
“The reality is, we had a prime minister beset by chaos” and made reference to the ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged rule-breaking Downing Street lockdown parties.
He finished his statement by saying the plan was not about protecting the public, but about the “prime minister saving his own skin”.
Mr Johnson replied by saying that the co-operation between Westminster and the devolved governments has been “outstanding”.
He also said devolved administrations will have access to funding when it comes to Covid testing.
Keir Starmer says PM’s plans will encourage ‘more chaos and disarray’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has criticised Boris Johnson’s ‘Living with Covid’ plan as bringing “more chaos and disarray”.
Mr Starmer claimed that Boris Johnson was unable to persuade “his own health secretary to agree to the plan”.
He called on the PM to publish scientific evidence behind his decision to end the requirement to self-isolate after testing positive.
Mr Starmer said he “can’t understand” why the prime minister was taking away free testing provisions for the public.
Finishing his opening statement, he told MPs that Mr Johnson had come up with a “half-baked plan announcement from a government paralysed by chaos and incompetence”.
‘Restrictions pose a heavy toll on our society’, says PM
Boris Johnson told MPs that “restrictions pose a heavy toll on our society” including on the economy, mental health and on the education of children.
“We do not need to pay that cost any longer,” he said.
“We have a population that is protected by the biggest vaccination programme in our history.”
Mr Johnson said it was “time we got our confidence back” and stressed the importance of personal responsibility when it comes to managing the virus.
He said it was time to “learn to live with the virus”.
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