WESTMINSTER (Labour Buzz) - In a week in which a Premier League footballer took control of Government policy, Boris Johnson faced off against Starmer. It was another difficult session for the Prime Minister who again showed his tendency to crumble under pressure.
Child poverty
Starmer was quick to congratulate Johnson on his ‘latest U turn’ about free school meals, before moving quickly onto the growing problem of child poverty.
Citing the report from the Government’s Social Mobility Commission which said that 600,000 more children are living in absolute poverty than in 2012 he asked, “what does the Prime Minister think caused that.”
The findings of the report are damning: a steady rise in poverty since the Tories took over and the prospect of more than 5.3million children living in absolute poverty by 2022.
Johnson’s approach to the problem was to deny it exists. To audible gasps of disbelief from MPs he claimed that poverty had fallen under the Conservatives. He then appeared to be confused about the details of the report itself, apparently believing the 600,000 figure was a forecast.
“I’m sure the prime minister has read the report,” said Starmer to laughter from some MPs. “The prime minister obviously hasn’t got the first idea about what the Social Mobility Commission report actually said last week – a government body.”
Council funding
There were further clashes over funding for local councils. Starmer drew on forecasts which suggest a £10bn shortfall in local authority funding due to Coronavirus and quoted a letter to the Government from Lancashire County Council, which is run by the Conservatives, saying extra funding for Councils would not cover Covid 19 related costs.
“I spoke with council leaders across the country this week,” said Starmer . “They face a choice – the prime minister must know this – between cutting core services or facing bankruptcy under Section 114 notices.
“Either outcome will harm local communities and mean local services can’t reopen. That will drive up poverty, something the prime minister says he doesn’t intend to do.”
His end message echoed a sentiment many are feeling in the country right now. “Will the prime minister take responsibility and actually do something?”
As usual when under pressure, Johnson resorted to demanding questions of Starmer and repeatedly asked him if he believed it was safe to reopen schools.
To more chuckles from MPs, Starmer replied: “This is turning into opposition questions. If he wants to swap places – I’ll do it now.”
Immigration health surcharge
Returning to ‘his other recent U turn’, the immigration surcharged. The Government had announced it would drop this ‘deeply unfair charge’. A month later nothing had happened. “The BMA Royal college of Nursing, The Royal College of Physicians and Unison have all written to the PM,” he said, “so he must know about this.”
One doctor was quoted as saying he had to pay for himself, his wife and his four children. That’s £6,000. The Home Office is saying nothing has been implemented. The Prime Minister said he would act; when is he going to do so?”
Johnson said people who had paid the surcharge would be refunded and they are implementing the new arrangements. However, given Johnson’s growing record of inaction, those on the front line, being forced to find hundreds of pounds to cover the surcharge, are unlikely to feel particularly reassured.
Another bad day at the office
There were more difficult questions for Johnson over his decision to appoint Dr Munira Mirza, who is on record as claiming institutionalised racism doesn’t exist, to head up a report on racism. SNP leader Ian Blackford, meanwhile, wanted to know why Johnson was more interested in spending money on a vanity project, a luxury VIP plane costing £1million to repaint in red, white & blue, than increasing Universal Credit payments to families.
(Written by Tom Cropper, edited by Michael O’Sullivan)