The intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza are an attempt by Netanyahu to project strength amid perceived political vulnerability, argues RAMZY BAROUD
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The virus doesn’t know it’s Christmas
The government is ignoring the advice of the medical community by lifting restrictions over Christmas and forcing schools to remain open, warns HANK ROBERTS
MARK FAIRHURST highlights the main issues facing officers in a long neglected service, and raised by front-line delegates at POA conference last week, including understaffing, violence, bullying and the ongoing denial of workers’ right to strike
A bizarre on-air rant by Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s head of counter-terrorism, shines a light on the present state of transatlantic relations, says NICK WRIGHT
Head of education, campaigns and organising for the General Federation of Trade Unions HENRY FOWLER explains why it is launching a fund to support trades councils and give them access to a new range of courses and resources
While working people face austerity, arms companies enjoy massive government contracts, writes ARTHUR WEST, exposing how politicians exaggerate the Russian threat to justify spending on a sector that has the lowest employment multiplier
ANYA COOK reports from the Newcastle citizens’ assembly, where over 240 people gathered to create a people’s manifesto ahead of next year’s local elections – part of former mayor Jamie Driscoll’s Majority movement
While claiming to target fraud, Labour’s snooping Bill strips benefit recipients of privacy rights and presumption of innocence, writes CLAUDIA WEBBE, warning that algorithms with up to 25 per cent error rates could wrongfully investigate and harass millions of vulnerable people
AT a government briefing last week Health Secretary Matt Hancock, after stating that the level of coronavirus infections was “highest in secondary-aged pupils,” went on to say: “We need to do everything we can to stop the spread among school-aged children.”
Presumably further school closures is not a part of doing “everything we can to stop the spread.”
Under threat of legal action, schools are forced to stay fully open instead of going to online learning.
This despite them knowing that doing so is increasing the spread of infection. It is also accepted by the government that the Christmas relaxation will be accompanied by a rise in infection rates.
The BMJ and the Health Service Journal have published a joint editorial for only the second time in 100 years, stating that rather than lifting restrictions over Christmas, Britain should follow the more cautious plans of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
Ministers should reverse the rash decision — in the light of the still-rising infection rate — and should extend the tiers over the five-day Christmas period.
They should also review and strengthen the tier structure, which has failed to suppress rates of infections and hospital admissions.
Professor Michael Marmot has said that a striking feature of the Covid-19 pandemic is the way the risk of fatal infection is distributed unevenly across the country.
The more deprived the area, the higher the mortality rate.
Pre-existing inequality led to Britain’s record Covid-19 death rate.
The Netherlands decided to go into a tough second lockdown, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Monday, with the closure of all schools and shops for at least five weeks, in a government-led push to fight the coronavirus.
We have the highest excess mortality of any country. I have a serious operation scheduled for January 6 which is dependent on bed availability, which is again dependent on the level of Covid-19 demand. I accept this. I do not want to place myself in front of a others.
However, what I find utterly unacceptable — indeed almost beyond belief — is Boris Johnson’s and the government’s incompetence.
This, combined with delusional spouting about how right they have been and are and how well they are doing.
We can only hope that the scientists and virologists save us. This lot won’t.
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