Boris Johnson news: Keir Starmer says PM's economic recovery plan 'not enough' as May attacks government over civil service shake-up
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said Boris Johnson's economic recovery plan for coronavirus is "not enough" to prevent a crisis after the prime minister warned on Tuesday that "many jobs are not coming back" after the pandemic.
The prime minister announced a £5bn infrastructure spending boost on Monday night for hospital maintenance, high street rescues and road upgrades but critics warned the plans failed to address the need for action on climate change or the extent of the economic crisis brought on by Covid-19.
It came as former prime minister Theresa May sharply criticised the government over the decision to appoint David Frost, the UK's chief Brexit negotiator, as a national security adviser, despite the diplomat having "no proven expertise in national security".
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Here are Mr Johnson’s comments in more detail on the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic which are expected in the coming months.
The prime minister said:
“We all knew when we went into lockdown that there would be huge economic costs, we could see what would happen and yet we did it, the United Kingdom, in a display of solidarity not seen since the Second World War.
“And so today we must combine that energy and drive and that concentrated burst of collective willpower that protected the NHS and controlled the virus and saved literally hundreds of thousands of lives and we must work fast because we've already seen the vertiginous drop in GDP and we know that people are worried now about their jobs and their businesses.
“And we're waiting as if between the flash of lightning and the thunderclap with our hearts in our mouths for the full economic reverberations to appear.
“And so we must use this moment now, this interval to plan our response and to fix of course the problems that were most brutally illuminated in that Covid lightning flash.”
The prime minister has pledged to “unleash” the potential of the entire country with his government's economic recovery plan.
“I believe in building people up: giving everyone growing up in this country the opportunity they need,” Mr Johnson said.
“Whoever you are, whatever your ethnicity, whatever your background, and there are certain things that are indispensable for that opportunity: the hospital you're born in, the schools you go to, the safety of the streets where you grow up.
“And this government has not forgotten that we were elected to build 40 new hospitals - and we will. Matt Hancock is setting out the list in the next few days, and that is just the beginning.”
In reference to figures which suggest a pupil from a London state school is 50 per cent more likely to go to a top university than one in the West Midlands, the PM added: “That is not only unjust - it is such a waste of human talent.
“We will unleash the potential of the entire country.”
Mr Johnson’s comments on the possibility of a return to austerity can be found below:
Johnson: Many jobs ‘are not coming back’ after pandemic
In a stark admission of the economic fallout from Covid-19, Mr Johnson has said the furloughing scheme “cannot go on forever” and many jobs “are not coming back”.
The prime minister claimed there would be thousands of “high-paid, high-skilled jobs” created to address the crisis and an “opportunity guarantee” for young people to receive apprenticeships or in-work placements.
“We know in our hearts that the furloughing cannot go on forever and as the economy recovers we also know that jobs that many people had in January are also not coming back or at least not in that form,” Mr Johnson said.
Here are some sceptical interpretations of Mr Johnson’s speech this morning - which was high on rhetoric but low on detail.
PM refuses to rule out tax rises to fund recovery
Mr Johnson has also refused to rule out tax rises in order to fund the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
When asked about his party's manifesto tax guarantee, the PM said: “I think you should really wait to see what the chancellor has to say in the course of the next few weeks and months.
“But I remain absolutely determined to ensure that the tax burden in so far as we possibly can is reasonable and that we continue to be a dynamic, competitive, open market economy."
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary urges Raab to not 'waver' on support for Hong Kong
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy has urged Dominic Raab to not “waver” on support for Hong Kong amid concerns over China’s reported introduction of new national security laws.
Mr Raab, the foreign secretary, said he had urged China to “step back from the brink” following reports Beijing had passed controversial new laws to take effect in Hong Kong.
“He told me in this House a few weeks ago that at its application Britain would act. That law comes into force tomorrow [Wednesday], he must not waver,” Ms Nandy said.
“He said just a few weeks ago we would live up to our responsibilities to the people of Hong Kong. It would be extraordinary were the UK to turn back now.”
In response, Mr Raab said: “She hasn't seen the legislation so I think the right thing to do is wait to see it.
“But as we have made clear if it is as we expect then it would be not just a challenge as she said to the joint declaration, it would be a violation of the joint declaration.”
He added: “I'll come to this House and make sure all honourable members can be updated not just on what we'll do on BNOs which I can confirm we fully intend to see through but any other action we want to take with our international partners.”
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has more details below on Boris Johnson’s stark warning about the unemployment crisis facing the UK:
Ed Miliband calls out Johnson over affordable housing funding
Labour’s Ed Miliband has called out Boris Johnson’s “build, build, build” pitch today by raising concerns about how the PM appears to have cut money from the affordable housing budget by spreading funding over a longer period of time.
“So now we discover this 'FDR' speech cuts money for affordable housing - £12bn over 5 years in Budget 2020, now £12bn over 8 years. What an absolute fraud,” Mr Miliband wrote on Twitter.
Theresa May sharply criticises government for appointing national security adviser with ‘no proven expertise’
Theresa May has criticised Boris Johnson’s decision to appoint a new national security adviser with no national security experience.
Unlike previous holders of the post, David Frost is a political adviser rather than a career civil servant. He is also currently Mr Johnson's chief EU negotiator.
During an urgent question in the Commons on his appointment, Mrs May said that she
served on National Security Council for nine years, including as prime minister, and listened to the expert independent advice of national security advisors.
In a dig at her successor’s decision, she asked why the job has now gone to “political appointee with no proven expertise in national security.”
“I served on the National Security Council for nine years - six years as home secretary and three as prime minister - during that time I listened to the expert, independent advice from national security advisers,” the Tory MP said.
“On Saturday, my right honourable friend said: ‘We must be able to promote those with proven expertise’, why then is the new national security adviser a political appointee with no proven expertise in national security?”
Mr Gove responded by saying Mr Frost was a “distinguished diplomat” and insisted it was “entirely appropriate” for him to be appointed.
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