Boris Johnson's back-to-work drive attacked from all sides as critics warn against 'intimidating' workers

Cat Neilan
·40-min read
Boris Johnson's back-to-work push has made critics see red - AFP
Boris Johnson's back-to-work push has made critics see red - AFP

Boris Johnson's back-to-work drive has been attacked on all sides before it has even begun.

The Prime Minister will next week extol the virtues of returning to the workplace, while ministers will also warn that bosses at struggling firms will find it easier to hand out P45s to people they never see than to colleagues who have been at their desks during the pandemic.

One Government source said those who continue to work from home could "find themselves in the most vulnerable position" if firms have to make cut-backs.

But this approach was attacked on all fronts, with Tory MPs fearing it was divisive and paternalistic.

"We have to be careful when it is rich and privileged Tories telling people that they know better than employers how people should work, and don't have to do the struggle on the daily commute," said one MP. "As Conservatives I thought we trusted employers to make their own decisions."

Another said it had led to "a right old ding-dong", with suburban MPs angered at a London-centric approach.

A third warned it would "almost certainly lead to another U-turn" once rates started to rise again.

Meanwhile Nicola Sturgeon criticised the approach, saying: "I will not countenance in Scotland any kind of narrative around this that is seeking to almost intimidate people back to work before, as a country, we have taken a decision that that is safe.

The Welsh Government this morning confirmed there would be no change to its 'work from home if you can' position, adopted at the start of lockdown, which makes England once again the outlier.

And even the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) waded in, saying  there should be "no question of people's jobs being vulnerable if they do not return to the office".

Interim commission chair Caroline Waters said: "Having seen how it is possible to work flexibly and retain productivity, we cannot backtrack now."

British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) boss Adam Marshall also warned against "scare-mongering".

03:17 PM

And that's it for another day...

It's the last Friday in August - but it hasn't really felt like it. While the weather is distinctly autumnal, the response to Boris Johnson's back-to-work push was frosty at best. 

It's not just political adversaries who have hit out at the suggestion that working from home could make staff "vulnerable", but Tory backbenchers who yet again are at odds with the frontbench. Agreement among Cabinet members also appears stretched on this point, as with so many. 

The problem is that, no matter how many times they say otherwise, there is a trade-off between the economic and the health cost of any decision at this stage. With the Government committed to ending furlough in October, it must do what it can to get as many people in paid employment as possible, and without those office workers buying coffees and getting their dry cleaning we will inevitably see unemployment rise. 

It's a delicate issue and a big challenge, which is reflected in today's poll result. Despite nearly 1,500 people voting, there was no clear consensus, with 46 per cent saying it was a necessary move while 32 per cent warned it was a misstep that risked backfiring. A further 22 per cent said it was well-meant, but that Tories should not tell business what to do. 

That's it until next week, when we will be back in Westminster - along with how many others?

02:58 PM

Bank of England 'not out of firepower', says governor

The governor of the Bank of England has said that the central bank is "not out of firepower" to support the economy, following the dramatic shock caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew Bailey told traders that the bank has more ammunition left and that major bond-buying drives are more effective following major crises, in a speech to the Jackson Hole economic policy symposium.

Mr Bailey stressed that the central bank appreciated the need to keep enough "headroom" to deal with future shocks.

However it's not the Bank of England's approach to monetary policy that people are talking about today - but the Bank of Jamaica. 

02:54 PM

Unions demand Gavin Williamson launches inquiry into exams 'injustice'

Four education unions have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling for an urgent and independent inquiry into the exams "injustice" this year.

The letter, signed by the general secretaries of the ASCL, NAHT, NEU, and NASUWT, also calls for the suspension of school performance tables in the 2020/21 academic year because of the likelihood of continuing disruption.

The exams chaos "undermined public confidence, and raises questions about governance and oversight within the Department for Education and Ofqual. Parents and taxpayers will quite rightly be asking what went wrong and why," the letter states.

"We are asking you to commit to an urgent and independent inquiry into what happened this year in order to understand what went wrong and to learn lessons for the future.

"We are particularly concerned about the arrangements for examinations in summer 2021 and the fact that there is no contingency plan in the event of further disruption. The overriding priority must be focused on ensuring that there is a robust strategy in place to ensure that young people are not disadvantaged next year."

02:30 PM

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02:23 PM

No further Covid deaths in Wales, official figures show

There have been no further reported deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus in Wales, health officials have said.

The total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic remains at 1,595.

Public Health Wales said the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country had increased by 34, bringing the revised confirmed cases to 17,877.

02:21 PM

Trafford council leader raises warning after local authorities 'overruled' by Government

The council leader of Trafford has warned that rates are rising in the local area, and that lifting the restrictions too early risks "a longer lockdown in the medium term". 

Andrew Western told Sky News "We would have liked to have seen another week or two of sustained downwards trend... [instead] we have now moved up from the Government's green zone to amber."

"I am concerned about this decision, I appreciate it was a judgement call... It is a very unfortunate piece of timing on the Government's part," he added, noting that children returning to school risked pushing it up further. 

"It is a difficult decision but having asked for our advice... being overruled with no explanation or justification provided to me or anyone in the council."

He stressed he did not want to get in a "row" with local MPs, who include Sir Graham Brady (see below for more).

02:14 PM

Tom Harris: What would our children think if we sent them to school but refused to leave home for work?

It would be unwise in the extreme for ministers to threaten workers with the sack if they insist on continuing to work from home. And indeed, no such threats have been made. 

Ministers have, however, pointed out that decisions made by bosses remotely from their colleagues could have unforeseen consequences. 

With depressing inevitability, and as befits our divided times, we have a ready-made partisan fight on our hands, with evil Tories whipping reluctant, fearful workers into crowded buses and trains, and lazy socialists demanding endless handouts for cowardly employees allergic to a proper day’s hard work.

But, as Tom Harris points out, it’s a touch more complicated than that.

02:08 PM

EHRC hits out over Government's veiled back-to-work threat

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said there should be "no question of people's jobs being vulnerable if they do not return to the office". 

It comes after a  Government source told the Telegraph office workers who do not go back could be "vulnerable" if job cuts are made.

Interim commission chair Caroline Waters said: "The pandemic has seen many employers rip up the red tape and scale up their flexible working practices.

"Having been forced out of offices and to adapt to working from home overnight, many employers have seen the benefits of flexible working and have said they will continue with a more flexible approach beyond the pandemic.

"This has presented an opportunity to drive up flexibility for everyone, unlocking more career opportunities for disabled people and helping people to balance the complexity of working from home with caring responsibilities and family life.

"Having seen how it is possible to work flexibly and retain productivity, we cannot backtrack now.

"Reopening offices does not need to mean the end of homeworking and there should be no question of people's jobs being vulnerable if they do not return to the office."

01:55 PM

R-rate unchanged on last week, Sage data shows

The reproduction number (R value) of coronavirus across the UK remains unchanged since last week, and is still above 1.0.

Sage data shows the estimate for R across the UK is between 0.9 and 1.1.

The growth rate of coronavirus transmission, which reflects how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day, has changed slightly.

For the whole of the UK the latest growth rate is between minus two per cent and plus one per cent per day, a slight change from between minus three per cent and plus one per cent last week.

The growth rate means the number of new infections is somewhere between shrinking by two per cent and growing by one per cent every day.

The most likely value is towards the middle of the range, experts say.

Scientists say there have been indications that these values may be increasing, with estimated ranges rising slightly from previous publications.

01:49 PM

'Some improvement' in Alexei Navalny's condition, says Berlin hospital

The Berlin hospital treating Russia's leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny has said there is "some improvement" in his condition.

The 44-year-old is in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator, with his condition described as serious but not life-threatening.

"There has been some improvement in the symptoms" , the statement said. "However, due to the severity of the patient's poisoning, it remains too early to gauge potential long-term effects."

Mr Navalny, a critic of the Kremlin, fell ill after boarding a plane in Siberia last week. He was initially treated in a local hospital before being flown to Berlin for treatment last Saturday.

His allies say he may have been poisoned by a cup of tea he drank at Tomsk airport in Siberia. 

01:46 PM

Have your say on: the Government's back-to-work push

Boris Johnson is poised to embark on a big back-to-work push in a bid to revive parts of the country that have been left looking like "ghost towns" during lockdown. 

Without it, the economy risks long-term scarring and pits white collar workers against those who have been on the frontline throughout. 

But the move has provoked anger among non-London Conservatives who argue the drive is prioritising the capital above local economies, and risks increasing the chances of a second wave. 

Others claim it goes against the Conservative ethos of letting employers decide what is best for them, and the pledge on flexible working, while some fear it is opening the Government up to yet another embarrassing U-turn. 

What do you think? Have your say in the poll below. 

 

01:40 PM

Watch: How significant race could be during the 2020 US election

Over the course of the last few months the US has seen unprecedented Black Lives Matter protests, placing the subject of race relations squarely at the front and centre of the US election 2020.

Polling shows that whilst there was widespread support for the BLM movement following the death of George Floyd, concerns for the restoration of law and order are growing. That's a concern that Donald Trump is trying to play to his advantage.

In this video, The Telegraph examines just how fractured race relations are in the US and how significant that could prove to be in the upcoming election.

01:23 PM

John Longworth: Home workers should be careful what they wish for - and demand to go back to the office

Boris Johnson is right to warn people that they are putting their jobs at risk by not returning to their places of work.

It may at first appear that the fact that city businesses like sandwich shops will go bust as a consequence of white-collar “stay at homers” not returning to their offices is of no consequence since these will just be replaced by home delivery jobs providing food and toilet rolls, but the short- to medium-term disruption will be significant and could easily put back the economy permanently to some extent.

People out of work has a knock on effect across the economy. When the grass dies, argues John Longworth, it eventually goes all the way up the food chain and eventually the T-Rex starves. 

01:14 PM

Further 10 people die with coronavirus in English hospitals

A further 10 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospitals in England, the NHS has confirmed. 

The South East was the worst affected, with five deaths, followed by the North West, where two deaths were registered. The Midlands, North East & Yorkshire and South West all recorded one death, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths to 29,541.

The patients were between 63 and 95 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.

Date of death ranges from 2 to 26 August 2020, with the majority on or after 25 August.

12:59 PM

Boris Johnson's back to work push prompts 'right old ding-dong' among Tory MPs

Boris Johnson's back-to-work push is dividing Conservative MPs, with backbenchers fearing it could backfire for the party in suburban parts of the country. 

The Prime Minister's new drive - revealed by The Telegraph this morning - has upset many Tory MPs with seats in the commuter belt. 

One said: "There's a right old ding-dong going on the Conservative MPs WhatsApp group... the London MPs are v worried about how you convince people to come back to Pret."

Another added: "Employees at home help their local economies and independent corner shops and cafes, even if it doesn't help big multinationals like Pret A Manger...

"We have to be careful when it is rich and privileged Tories telling people that they know better than employers how people should work, and don't have to do the struggle on the daily commute... as Conservatives I thought we trusted employers to make their own decisions."

A third warned it would "almost certainly lead to another U-turn". 

"Many around the PM want a return to some sort of normality, but as soon as [the chief medical officer] says it's a bad idea, the PM capitulates... As soon as figures start to go up, Number 10 will revert to the health position and become risk averse."

12:34 PM

Trafford council 'failed to seek consensus' over lockdown extension, Sir Graham Brady says

Sir Graham Brady has hit back at accusations that central Government has lifted local lockdown in parts of Greater Manchester to "placate Tory MPs", claiming the local council "failed to seek consensus". 

The 1922 Committee chair told the Telegraph he had contacted the Department for Health and Social Care after being "unpersuaded" by the reasoning behind extending the lockdown by a week, which was then increased to two weeks. 

"I understand that DHSC offered a choice of ending restrictions on the wards with the lowest infection rates, or ending restrictions for the whole borough, and the council chose the latter". 

He added: "It is worth noting that 19 of 21 wards had between zero and five cases in the last week, with 11 wards have no cases or a single case... Making it illegal for people to see their families seems like an extreme measure in these circumstances."

12:13 PM

Dominic Raab pays tribute to Shinzo Abe as Japanese prime minister steps down

Dominic Raab has praised Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, who this morning confirmed he would be leaving his post because of ill health. 

“I was sorry to learn that Shinzo Abe is stepping down as prime minister, and I pay tribute to the great things he has achieved as Japan's longest serving leader," the Foreign Secretary said. 

“He leaves a strengthened UK-Japanese friendship, which we look forward to continuing in the years ahead. I wish him well for the future.”

12:00 PM

Burnley and Hyndburn restrictions lifted but remain in Pendle

Restrictions on mixing between different households in Burnley and Hyndburn will be lifted from next Wednesday, it has been announced. 

However, unlike in Trafford (12:36pm), the decision has been welcomed by Lancashire's director of public health, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi.

But he urged residents not to allow the relaxation in rules to "lead to complacency", noting that rates were still "significantly above the national average with an increasing rate in Hyndburn".

"The virus is very much still present in both Burnley and Hyndburn so residents must play their part to help protect themselves, their families and their communities," Dr Karunanithi said. 

Restrictions in Preston and parts of Pendle will remain, with residents still banned from visiting others in their homes or gardens, although they can continue to meet in groups of up to six in outdoor public areas.

People living elsewhere in Pendle and in the northern part of Blackburn with Darwen will still not be able to socialise with anyone outside their household and should only use public transport if essential.

11:53 AM

Wales breaks with UK Government on work from home advice

The Welsh Government will continue to advice that employees in the country work from home "where possible", a spokesman has said.

"In Wales, we continue to advise people to work from home where possible," he said.

"We recognise, however, that there will be situations where there is a pressing organisational need for employers to ask staff to return to an office, or where employees feel working from home is impairing their wellbeing.

"Employers are under a duty to take all reasonable measures to minimise the spread of coronavirus, which will include ensuring they do not require staff to return to workplaces in the absence of a clearly demonstrated business need."

11:36 AM

Trafford councillor accuses Government of 'placating Tory MPs' in lifting lockdown

A local councillor in Greater Manchester has accused the Government of "placating Tory MPs" by deciding to remove Trafford from the local lockdowns against his advice. 

Andrew Western, Labour leader of Trafford Council, tweeted: "Nobody has bothered to discuss gov decision with me - accept a finely balanced decision and we will continue work with residents and businesses over next few weeks to keep people safe. 

"It is absolutely clear that government claims of partnership working with local authorities are nonsense and approach all about placating Tory MPs. No one in gov has explained decision to overrule us to me, or bothered to contact me at all. Disgraceful."

Local Conservative MPs including 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady has been critical of the decision to take a "blanket approach" to the northern lockdown. 

However, the rate of infection in Trafford has failed to come down despite restrictions, and currently stands at 21.1 cases per 100,000, above the level that quarantines are imposed on foreign countries and double the UK's national average.

11:11 AM

Back-to-work 'scaremongering' attacked by business group boss

The boss of the British Chamber of Commerce has slammed the Government's "scaremongering" over its plans to rush workers back to the office. 

BCC director Adam Marshall tweeted: "We all want to see a safe return to more workplaces – but the pace and scale will result from mature conversations between employers and employees, not scaremongering."

"Businesses have worked hard to build up trust with their people over the last six months," he added. "They've learned what works - and what doesn't. 

"Some of the changes they've made will be permanent, and Govt needs to be ready to support city and town centres as they change as a result."

10:55 AM

Have your say on: the Government's back-to-work push

Boris Johnson is poised to embark on a big back-to-work push in a bid to revive parts of the country that have been left looking like "ghost towns" during lockdown. 

Without it, the economy risks long-term scarring and pits white collar workers against those who have been on the frontline throughout. 

But the move has provoked anger among non-London Conservatives who argue the drive is prioritising the capital above local economies, and risks increasing the chances of a second wave. 

Others claim it goes against the Conservative ethos of letting employers decide what is best for them, and the pledge on flexible working, while some fear it is opening the Government up to yet another embarrassing U-turn. 

What do you think? Have your say in the poll below. 

10:47 AM

Ministers 'sounding like dinosaurs' over back-to-work push, says union boss

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, said ministers need to accept the "world of work has changed".

The leader of the civil service union spoke after the Government announced plans for a media blitz next week to encourage employees to return to their workplaces after months of working at home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

"Ministers are increasingly sounding like dinosaurs here," said Mr Penman, who shared an image of the Telegraph's front page on Twitter.

10:42 AM

Civil servants thin on the ground despite Prime Minister's order to return

It's not just MPs who are concerned about the latest back-to-work push. Civil servants are decidedly thin on the ground in Whitehall.

This morning Grant Shapps told BBC Breakfast that in the Department for Transport "each floor has a buzz about it again", although he did not put a number on exactly how many officials are working in situ. 

My understanding is that the reality is rather more as it sounded from Matt Hancock, who yesterday said he had “absolutely no idea” how many people were physically working from DHSC buildings, saying: "Some of them have been working from home, some come in sometimes, some are full-time, and what matters to me is that they deliver and, frankly, they've been delivering at an unbelievable rate."

MPs have expressed surprise at his frankness, which is decidedly off-message, but noted that he is reflecting the reality on the ground. 

In Marsham Street, where the expansive Home Office is located, I'm told that just 20 civil servants were spotted on a whole floor. 

10:27 AM

Retirees most enthusiastic about Boris Johnson's back-to-work push

The group of people most enthusiastic about getting white collar workers back in offices are the most likely to be retired, a poll has found. 

Support for Boris Johnson's back-to-work push was weakest among those most likely to be affected, with just a quarter of people aged 25-49, and 26 per cent of those aged 18-24, backing the move. 

However among those aged 65-and up that rose to 44 per cent, YouGov found. Those aged 50-64 came in the middle, with 32 per cent in support. 

More than half of people aged 18-49 said workers should not be encouraged to return to the office. 

10:19 AM

Jeremy Warner: There is no good tax rise for the Conservatives

At some stage, quite soon, Boris Johnson will have to make up his mind; is Britain going to be a big state, high tax economy on the European model, or a relatively low tax jurisdiction in the Thatcherite tradition, with a pared down state to match? 

It would plainly be nice to have both – a combination of low tax and big state – but optimist though he is, the Prime Minister must know that in the real world there can be no such thing. Eventually, spending has to be brought into line with tax revenues. Taxes have to rise, or spending has to fall.

For the moment, however, confusion reigns.

10:05 AM

North West home to highest coronavirus mortality rates in England during July

The North West of England had the highest coronavirus mortality rate for the month of July, but figures for all regions have decreased since the previous month.

There were 2.8 deaths involving Covid-19 per 100,000 of population for the North West, down from 9.2 in June, when it was also the region with the highest rate.

The South West had the lowest rate again, with 0.3 deaths per 100,000 population, down from 2.1 in June.

In London the rate was 1.2 for July, down from 3.1 in June.

The Office for National Statistics figures, which take into account the age of population, are based on all deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate and which had been registered by August 15.

10:01 AM

Shinzo Abe 'achieved great things' as Japan's PM, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has thanked Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe for his service and wished him good health following his abrupt resignation.

Mr Abe announced he is stepping down for health reasons after suffering for many years from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.

Mr Abe said he did not want his illness, which has worsened recently, to get in the way of decision making, and apologised to the Japanese people for not completing his term in office.

Mr Abe, who last year became Japan's longest serving prime minister, is receiving treatment on a regular basis which would make it hard for him to carry out his prime ministerial duties, and came to the conclusion that he should step down.

Mr Abe's current period in office began in 2012.

09:59 AM

Coronavirus will get 'more difficult' in coming months, warns Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday the coronavirus pandemic will make things more difficult in the coming months and over the winter.

"It will probably get more difficult," Merkel told reporters at a news conference as she urged Germans to take social distancing seriously. 

Rates in parts of Europe have surged again, particularly in parts of France and Spain, prompting fears of a second wave and possible national lockdown. 

However Germany's rates are not sufficiently high - 20 cases in 100,000 people - to have excluded the country from the UK's travel corridors. 

09:32 AM

Donald Trump dubs Joe Biden ‘the destroyer of American greatness’

Donald Trump has dubbed Joe Biden “the destroyer of American greatness” in his closing speech at the Republican convention as he warned the country’s way of life would be dismantled unless he won re-election.

In an address packed with grave warnings about the consequences of a Biden presidency, Mr Trump said that his political opponents saw America as a “depraved” and “wicked” country and wanted to push it towards socialism.

The US president cast Mr Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, as a man with a string of past “betrayals and blunders” from his five decades in Washington who is too weak to keep Americans safe from rioters.

09:25 AM

EU countries split over whether to sanction Lukashenko

EU countries deciding on sanctions over the Belarus crisis are split on whether Alexander Lukashenko should be targeted for his actions against the opposition.

The bloc is drawing up a list of individuals to hit with asset freezes and travel bans for either rigging the August 9 poll in which Lukashenko was re-elected, or for the violent crackdown on huge opposition protests the contested result triggered.

Officials say the list is likely to include around 20 people, though some countries including Belarus's neighbour Lithuania are pushing for more.

Legal checks mean the final list will not be formally approved and published for some time, but EU foreign ministers meeting in Berlin to give it their political blessing were divided on whether it would be helpful to include Lukashenko himself.

"I think he has to be on the list," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told reporters in Berlin, saying the EU needed to "speed up our actions".

"What is happening is unprecedented. It is untolerable."

09:14 AM

Dominic Raab to welcome Canadian counterpart to Hampton Court

Dominic Raab will meet Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne at Hampton Court Palace on Friday, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

The FCO said the Foreign Secretary and Mr Champagne will discuss the global response to coronavirus, shared international priorities and the strengthening of UK-Canada trade.

Following respective visits to the Middle East this week, they are also expected to discuss the Middle East Peace Process and support for Lebanon following the recent explosion in Beirut, alongside other foreign policy and security issues.

Mr Raab said: "I look forward to welcoming Foreign Minister Champagne to Hampton Court Palace, and to continue our work making the friendship between our countries a force for good in the world.

"From trade to security co-operation, the UK and Canada have a close bond but above all we share the same values - and a commitment to champion them around the world."

08:48 AM

Fraser Nelson: A dose of classic Boris boosterism is key to Britain’s national recovery

Britain is now one of the few countries to have restaurant bookings back to normal levels, thanks to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, figures suggest.

But there was something lacking from the initiative: Boris Johnson.

Ministers had thought he’d play a big role in all this, which seemed straight from his Falstaffian brand of Merry England conservatism. But instead when the scheme launched, the Prime Minister had switched back to Project Fear – saying a “second wave” was starting in Europe. People took this seriously, and still do. Restaurants aside, Brits are still staying at home.

As Fraser Nelson argues the problem is sentiment – and there is much he can do to change that.

08:31 AM

Have your say on: the Government's back-to-work push

Boris Johnson is poised to embark on a big back-to-work push in a bid to revive parts of the country that have been left looking like "ghost towns" during lockdown. 

Without it, the economy risks long-term scarring and pits white collar workers against those who have been on the frontline throughout. 

But the move has provoked anger among non-London Conservatives who argue the drive is prioritising the capital above local economies, and risks increasing the chances of a second wave. 

Others claim it goes against the Conservative ethos of letting employers decide what is best for them, and the pledge on flexible working, while some fear it is opening the Government up to yet another embarrassing U-turn. 

What do you think? Have your say in the poll below. 

08:22 AM

Younger people who have worked 'from bedroom corner', will welcome back-to-work push, says Grant Shapps

Younger people who have spent lockdown working "from a corner of their bedroom" will be more likely to welcome the push to get back to work than others, Grant Shapps has said. 

The Transport Secretary told Radio 4's Today programme: "where it is more appropriate for people to work from home, and some people will do that.

"On the other hand, if you think about somebody who is maybe at the younger end of the workforce, perhaps lives in an apartment or a shared flat maybe, is literally spending their days on Zoom from a corner of their bedroom, you can see why for a lot of people's mental health it is important to be able to return to a safe workplace and that is why we're saying actually workplaces are being made Covid-secure over the summer.

"And for a lot of people, it will be the right time to return. Others I accept will carry on in a much more flexible way than they did in the past."

08:11 AM

Government could exempt islands from quarantine, Grant Shapps hints

Grant Shapps has hinted that the Government could strip islands out of country-wide quarantine, paving the way for travel corridors with tourist hot spots such as Ibiza. 

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Now I do accept that actually islands are potentially an area where you can distinguish.

"But even there, we're having to work very carefully and closely with the authorities on the ground to check the data is accurate.

"And as I say, the first priority has to be protecting the UK population. We cannot see this return by re-importing it by people coming home from a break and bringing it back with them.

"And we're seeing too much of that and we will always clamp down on it, I'm afraid."

08:10 AM

Back to work push puts women workers at risk, Tory MPs warn

Boris Johnson's back-to-work push risks undermining a Government pledge to make flexible working the default option, backbenchers have warned. 

The Conservative manifesto pledged to consult on introducing flexible working by default,something which Women and Equalities minister Liz Truss said the pandemic would make more likely. 

But one backbencher said the new drive to get office workers back into cities put paid to this pledge, saying "it's joined up government at is finest".

The Tory MP told the Telegraph it would "unfairly impact women" who have already "carried the largest share of childcare and home schooling" during lockdown. "Much will hinge on the availability of childcare - if that sector cannot provide, women will really struggle to go back," the MP added. 

07:57 AM

Liberal Democrats 'are buzzing', insists new leader Sir Ed Davey

New leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey has said coronavirus was the reason for the low turnout in the party's leadership election, stressing "the party is buzzing".

Sir Ed told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think the real issue is we had a leadership election during Covid. I don't think that has ever happened before. We weren't able to have any meetings with people in public, it was all over Zoom, so I'm not surprised that turnout was lower than in recent leadership elections.

"But, I think the party is buzzing. There are lots of people who are very excited about the prospect of us regaining our status but they know that the party has to change and the general election review that I co-commissioned showed how serious the party's problem is, and I've been very up front, we need to wake up and smell the coffee - we've got to reconnect with voters, we've got to listen to voters, we've got to make sure that we're on their side and seem to be on their side.

"And that is going to take a little while, I'm under no illusions."

07:56 AM

Breaking quarantine 'puts other people's lives at risk', warns Grant Shapps

Grant Shapps has reminded people that breaking quarantine is a criminal offence and puts "other people's lives at risk".

Asked about the case of an individual who attempted to board a flight despite having received a positive test result from NHS Test and Trace, Mr Shapps told LBC: "No if you've got the test, you need to stay home.

"You're not just doing this for yourself, you're doing it for those around you. Don't put other people's lives at risk. Not only that when you do that, you are committing offences as well.

"As with breaking a quarantine, if you come home from one of these countries that is quarantined, it is a criminal offence, it goes on your criminal record.

"You don't want to be in that position and the police have 4,000 cases of people who they are pursuing in various different ways.

"Don't break your quarantine and for goodness sake be sensible."

07:54 AM

Parents should be 'reassured' about lack of deaths among healthy chilren, says Sage scientists

Parents should be "reassured" that Covid-19 has not caused the deaths of any healthy school children, a Sage scientist has said.

No healthy child has died from coronavirus in the UK, the biggest study into the condition has suggested. 

Professor Calum Semple of the University of Liverpool told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "When we looked really carefully and did all the numbers, we found that out of that 69,500 there was only 650 children - so one per cent of hospital admissions were children. And then of that one per cent, only six children died.

"Now each of these deaths is a huge personal tragedy, of course, buat in the bigger picture, this is quite reassuring."

He added that "what we can say is that each of these six children had profound medical problems prior to getting ill with Covid, and in many cases these conditions would have been life-limiting in their own right".

Prof Semple said: "We did have quite a few children go to intensive care needing organ support and we can't deny that it is possible for children to get severe disease, but in the bigger picture we want to be able to reassure parents."

07:41 AM

It will 'usually be OK' for workers to return to offices, says Grant Shapps

Grant Shapps has said it is "usually going to be OK" for workers to return to offices - although insisted that there will be "more flexible working" longer-term. 

He told BBC Breakfast that most workplaces now had "measures to ensure that people can work safely from their offices because there are just things which are impossible to do from home over Zoom videos as we're doing now.

"So yes, gradually now people will start to return to the office. But I suspect we'll see more flexible working than we've seen in the past and it will be for employers and employees to work out the right balance in their particular cases."

Speaking from his own home, the Transport Secretary added: "So usually it is going to be OK to return, unless somebody's in a particular vulnerable state there is no reason not to return."

Asked how many people are currently in the Department for Transport's main central London headquarters, the Cabinet minister said they are "encouraging people back now" but that renovation works are ongoing at the building.

He added: "So now, whereas at the height of the disease there were only four or five people in the building when everybody was being asked to stay at home and the department absolutely complied with it, now you'll find that each floor has a buzz about it again."

07:28 AM

Back to work impact on London transport 'not without challenges', Grant Shapps admits

An increase in the number of commuters using London's transport system is "obviously not without its challenges", Grant Shapps has said. 

But the Transport Secretary insisted that his team is "ramping it up so that the transport system will be back and, in particular, putting on additional coaches bespoke for the school children returning in many cases."

Asked whether he himself has been on a train, Mr Shapps told BBC Breakfast: "Yes I have, yes. I go on them all the time actually because in my job, as you can imagine, I go on them a lot.

"What I found, what I tend to find... in London they are a bit busier. They're sort of up to about 40 even 50 per cent of where they were. Out of town they tend to be less busy.

"The key thing is to make sure there is still sufficient social distancing there with the one metre-plus (rule) which there will be, certainly on lines outside of London."

07:22 AM

There is 'a limit' to how effective remote working can be, says Grant Shapps

There is a limit "in human terms" to remote working, Grant Shapps has said, as the Government embarks on a back-to-work push. 

Speaking on Sky News, from his own home, the Transport Secretary said: "What we're saying to people is it is now safe to go back to work... We're absolutely clear that employers and employees need to work together to resolve this and there are of course a whole host of sort of employee protections in place if employees have concerns about the work place for example, then the Health and Safety Executive, the local authority will be the right places to go.

"The vast majority of employers just want to get their businesses back up and running, they want to do the right thing, and many will have found that actually home working can work for some of their employees.

"But as I say, I think there's a limit, just in human terms, to remote working. And there are things where you just need to spark off each other and get together in order to make progress.

"So I think common sense will prevail between employers and employees. It's certainly what we've seen so far and I very much think that will carry on next week as people do start to return more often to the office."

07:20 AM

New school rules will become 'second nature' in a few weeks, says Grant Shapps

New rules around social distancing and face masks will become "second nature" within a very quick time, Grant Shapps has said. 

Asked what happens to schools in a lockdown area, the Transport Secretary told Sky News: "So in a lockdown area things may be a bit different, and as you've seen people will... the students will need to wear face coverings in Year 7 upwards, secondary school upwards.

"In other areas that will be at the discretion of the head teacher and the school depending on, for example, the width of corridors and that sort of thing."

He added: "So it will depend on the layout of the school and local factors, but in an area which is experiencing a local lockdown - there it will be mandatory."

Mr Shapps stressed that "as with so many things" measures will feel normal relatively quickly. 

"When you first hear something that is being introduced, even with the first lockdown going back months, you think 'how is that going to work?' and then it becomes almost second nature... almost routine. You just pick up your face covering and get on with it.

"It will all settle down and be done in a sensible way," he added. 

07:16 AM

Get back to the office to 'spark off each other', says Grant Shapps

Office workers have been urged to get back in the office so they can make progress by "sparking off each other", Grant Shapps has said.

The Transport Secreatry told Sky News: "Many will have found home working can work for their employees but there is a limit just in human terms to remote working.

"There are things when you need to spark off each other and get to together to make progress."

Mr Shapps didn't comment on the threats of employees being sacked if they didn't return, saying he thought "common sense would prevail".

He also dodged a question about whether there was unity in the Cabinet on this push to get people back at work, after colleague Matt Hancock said yesterday he didn't care where his team worked. 

06:58 AM

'Go back to work or risk losing your job': Major drive to get people to return to work

Boris Johnson is launching a major drive to get Britain back to the office as ministers warn working from home will make people more “vulnerable” to being sacked.

A publicity campaign to begin next week will extol the virtues of returning to the workplace, making the “emotional case” for mixing with colleagues and highlighting the benefits to mental health.

It will also provide reassurance that “the workplace is a safe place”, while a new online tool will help people avoid the most crowded trains and buses.

While the media blitz – to be launched at the end of next week once schools in England have reopened – will focus on the positives of returning to the office, ministers are already warning of the negatives of home working as part of a carrot and stick approach.

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