Dominic Cummings Covid evidence

[Newtonianmechanics]

Is anyone going to watch this man give evidence today?

Apparently there is a vigil in Barnard Castle ahead of this.

The shopping trolleys emoji seems to mean they think Carrie was controlling Boris from the last few days. Wonder if this will feature.

Yes, people on here were taking the possibility of a shit storm seriously enough in Feb to be discussing stockpiling. Certainly I listened to the threads here and stocked up on enough food and loo roll (before any panic buying shortages) that we weren’t short of anything. I’d advised friends to do the same.

if random mumsnetters had a suspicion of what might be looming it’s crazy to think at that same point the govt weren’t taking it seriously and weren’t preparing.

Your guessing isn’t getting better on each go. But no I don’t align with unions.

I’m for the same thing Save the Children proposed. A dedicated voice at top level to argue on behalf of children and school as essential infrastructure.

Both I thought at the time but good to see it confirmed, at last.

The behaviour of some teachers during the pandemic was disgraceful.

We had a plan for what to do if the situation got serious to protect vulnerable DD and ensure that DPs could continue with essential employment. Lockdown intervened so it didn't become necessary, but it is staggering to think that the government had no plan by the middle of March for anything.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/anne-longfield-gavin-williamson-government-england-covid-b2425250.html

The teaching unions were doing just as you suggest. Why would you like the government not want them involved when they are quite clearly experts in the subject?

@derxa have you worked out why you think it was necessary for a 56 year old to have an illegal birthday party, whilst denying that opportunity to millions of children.
An opportunity that it seems from the evidence thus far presented to the enquiry need not have been denied to children if said 56 year old had done anything approaching a competent job?

Of course not. Unions represent their members not children.

They did not align with what was best for dc.

I want what Save the Children propose, a top level voice for young people in gov

Solely dedicated to their needs. I can’t see why any parent would not want that.

Hopefully it will be evidenced at some point.

Evidence shown during Martin Reynold’s witness appearance at Covid Inquiry reveals that Gavin Williamson and Boris Johnson rejected calls for masks in schools because they were in “no surrender mode” towards unions

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-government-ignored-covid-safety-warnings-schools-because-ministers-didnt-want-give-inch

I feel so weary reading this. When will your preoccupation with this man end?

There are very, very few teachers I have met who don't want what is best for children and therefore the unions that represent teachers do so with that very much in their minds as was evident during the covid pandemic.

The problem isn't actually that there isn't someone dedicated to representing the needs of children in government. The problem was, as the evidence to the enquire each day is making clear, that the government was only interested in listening to their mates and making decisions that advantaged them and not the country.

It is perhaps escaped your notice that this thread is about the evidence given to the covid inquiry by one of the most senior people appointed by Boris. Evidence that made it clear, as if we didn't know already, that Boris was utterly unsuitable to be Prime Minister. Are you suggesting we should not discuss the evidence presented at the covid inquiry?

No chance. It’s obvious unions represent their members, it’s what they pay for and expect.

Hence the report from Save the Children not suggesting unions why on Earth would they, but a representative.

Dangerous to expect unions to make best decisions for children, it’s not their remit.

The one place in US that had strong union power closed schools for 18 months. Definitely not.

As a parent I’m sure you, well maybe but you, but others will want a children’s representative present.

From today's Covid Inquiry hearing,

Ms MacNamara said she would struggle to "pick one day" when Covid regulations were followed properly inside Downing Street

It is interesting to see the push back on it though.

Suggesting there is a misalignment in wants. I can see why some would be against a voice for children.

Have you got any explanation as to why the government couldn't simply listen to the advice of experts on the impacts of their policies on children, without the need to appoint a specific representantive?
Are elected MPs not supposed to be aware of all that is occuring in their constituency and look out for the interests of all their constituents?

It is worth noting that MacNamara also pointed out that the voices and experiences of frontline female workers were not represented, cared about, or heard and in this she included female heavy workforces, including teachers.

Same explanation as Save the Children I expect. Higher up powers needed.

So together with a representative for children for the important men to ignore, we should also have had a representative of women, because they would definetly have been listened to, when the 2nd most senior civil servant in the Cabinet Office was ignored...

We could lower the voting age to 16

They would have more powers than say for instance a constituency MP or senior Cabinet Office civil servants who were ignored when they raised such issues.
Presumably they would have higher powers than the law that requires an equality assessment to be made of government policy before it implemented, but was ignored?

What would these powers be?

No we didn’t have anything high up enough, but we should next time.

Not ‘2nd most senior civil servant’.

Here the recommendation from Save the Children - Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People

I expect there’ll be some like you pushing back on it, but why?

Why wouldn’t you want this and schools as essential infrastructure? (Also recommended)

Of course in a pandemic everyone is fighting their corner but anyone who doesn’t want a corner to be fought for children, I’d question. I take it it’s your job not role as a parent guiding that.

Unions are no where it, nor 2nd level civil servants.

Ah a Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People.

Given that we already have a Secretary of State for Education who was responsible for schools who should have been advocating for the needs of schools and particularly the education of children, forgive me not understanding how having Gavin Williamson or Matt Hancock or their equivalent as Minister for Children would have made any difference.

Has there been any evidence to the inquiry as to how much Cabinet was consulted on key decisions, where the relevant Ministers regualarly attending COBR meetings with the Prime Minister?

The last think one should have in a crisis is everyone fighting for their corner, they should all be working together, and there in lies the problem. The evidence increasingly suggests that those in No 10 and particularly the Prime Minister had little to no interest in what was happening in the country, and was not prepared to listen to those who did.

No. I want it in and out of education. A voice for children and young people in a pandemic

I get you’re pushing hard against it for whatever reason, I’m guessing it’s your job, but hopefully whoever wrote the report will speak at the inquiry or similar and it will be a solid outcome.

You don’t want that, I get it. You’ve suggested three different alternatives now.

I hope we do. Children and young people did not get enough voice throughout.

Save the Children is hardly anti child, I’ll go with them.

Given the inquiry has heard that the Prime Minister would hold the view of whoever spoke to him last, unless the Minister for Children was the last person to speak to the Prime Minister before he made a decision, having someone like Gavin Williamson or Matt Hancock in that position would have made exactly no difference.

The problem, which you seem very keen to avoid was in the personality of the Prime Minister and those he chose to surround himself with.