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Failing Test and Trace system has left a quarter of a million Covid-19 contacts untraced

New analysis by Labour has revealed that the Government’s disastrous Test & Trace system has failed to trace almost 250,000 close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England.

The analysis, verified by the House of Commons Library, reveals a deeply flawed contact tracing system unable to handle the increase in Covid-19 cases as the country enters a second wave. It shows that last week alone, almost 80,000 close contacts of people who tested positive were not reached and notified.

A contact is defined as someone who has come into close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. Reaching 80% of close contacts is considered one of the key means of slowing transmission of Covid-19.

Yet Labour’s analysis shows that the Government’s contact tracing is going backwards across England, with just over half of close contacts (57.7%) reached last week. For the first time since the weekly Test & Trace figures were published, Labour found that the 80% target was missed in every single local authority and English region.

In the worst-affected regions, the failures of the system mean tens of thousands of people who were in close contact with someone who tested positive were not reached and told to self-isolate last week. In the North West, over 26,000 people were not contacted, with over 14,000 people in Yorkshire and the Humber.

On 9th September, the Prime Minister announced ‘Operation Moonshot’, promising a Test and Trace system which would “allow people to lead more normal lives, without the need for social distancing.”  Labour’s figures show that in the four weeks since that statement, over three quarters of local authorities saw their contact tracing rates decline.

The revelations raise further questions about the UK’s tracing system, already under scrutiny due to the Conservative government’s choice of designing a centralised, privatised system contracted out to Serco and Sitel. SAGE minutes from 21st September and published this week highlight how the billions put into the Test and Trace system has only had a “marginal” impact on slowing infection rates.

With some local councils reaching almost 100% of contacts, Labour has called for contact tracing to be handed over to them as part of a two-to-three week circuit break – designed to reverse the trend of infections and hospital admissions and “to rectify some of the mistakes the Government has made.”

Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP said:

“The Government must get a grip of the failings of the test and trace system and that means the Prime Minister must act now to reverse the trends we are now seeing.

That is why Labour is calling for a short, sharp circuit break to fix testing, protect the NHS and save lives.” 

Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Rachel Reeves MP added:

“We are at a decisive moment in our efforts to tackle coronavirus, and these figures are a new low for a Test and Trace system on the verge of collapse.

Tests are taking too long, leaving NHS and key workers vulnerable. And the abysmal contact tracing system has failed to reach a quarter of a million close contacts of people with the virus. The government is wasting hundreds of millions on a system that doesn’t seem to function or even use basic common sense.

We’re are beyond the tipping point with the Test & Trace system. Without our local councils working day in day out to pick up the pieces, contact tracing would all have but collapsed”.

 

 

 

 

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‘Government must fix testing, protect the NHS and get control of the virus’ says Portsmouth MP

Responding to news that the Covid-19 infection rate has doubled in Portsmouth from 43.4/100,000 to 94/100,000 in seven days, Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP has said latest Government restrictions won’t be enough to get control of the crisis.

Stephen Morgan MP said:

“Our city and our country are at a decisive moment in our efforts to tackle coronavirus with the numbers across Britain and here in Portsmouth moving in the wrong direction.

With Government losing control of the virus, losing control of the message and is no longer following scientific advice, the measures it has set out in recent weeks are harming the economy and failing to suppress the virus. That’s why another course is needed, and why I back calls for a national reset.

Labour is calling for a national two-three week circuit break that will give us a chance to fix testing, protect the NHS and get control of the virus.

The Prime Minister knows his latest restrictions won’t be enough. He knows he will have to impose harsher restrictions. Portsmouth people can’t wait for Mr Johnson to catch up – he must act now”.

 

 

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City MP Calls on Government to hand control of contact tracing to local authorities

Stephen Morgan MP has today urged the government to hand over control of contact tracing to councils and local public health teams, following revelations that the national – largely privatised – system is only making a marginal  difference to addressing rapidly rising rates of Covid-19 infection. 

The Portsmouth South representative said:

“For months, Labour has been asking this government to put contact tracing into the hands of councils and local public health teams who know their own communities better than anyone.

In the face of all the evidence, the Tories are continuing with a system that rewards failure by handing enormous sums of money to big companies such as Serco and Sitel.

The government should look at the science, follow our call to bring in a circuit break and transfer control of contact tracing to local authorities, so that we can better protect people’s lives and livelihoods.”

Even when the evidence mounts from Peterborough, Cumbria and throughout Wales that local tracing is more effective, the Tory government seems adamant to keep plodding on with a model that puts people’s lives and livelihoods at risk.

Stephen Morgan MP added:

“Transferring this control on a local level to Portsmouth is crucial if we are to see the Government get a grip on this crisis and save people’s lives.”

 

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City MP welcomes new funding for culture in Portsmouth but calls for further action

Welcoming news today that local organisations from the Kings Theatre to Portsmouth Guildhall Trust, Wedgewood Rooms to Mary Rose Museum, will receive culture recovery money, Stephen Morgan MP has said Portsmouth expects the government ‘to go further’.

The Portsmouth South representative said:

“I am delighted that a number of Portsmouth’s arts, music and theatre venues and museums have secured much needed money from the culture recovery fund as announced today, and pleased to have played a part in making this happen.

Arts and culture form part of the soul of our city. Yet coronavirus and the economic crisis risks thousands of redundancies across the country unless the Government introduces sector-specific support.

This sector represents around a fifth of the economy, driving so much growth, yet account for less than one per cent of government spending. It is clear the scale of the challenge is such that help to date just doesn’t go far enough.

I will continue to stand up for culture in our city, lobbying for Portsmouth until Ministers step up and act with tailored support.

Portsmouth expects the Government to go further. If they don’t soon, we risk well-loved assets going under as a result of the coronavirus crisis”.

 

 

 

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Together we can, and we will, stop AQUIND

Attending the against AQUIND human chain today in Milton, a Covid-safe protest organised by local people, city MP Stephen Morgan said:

“In the week of clean air day, when the council withdrew crucial roads from a scheme to reduce dirty air and rowed back on its climate emergency commitment, it’s humbling to see so many Portsmouth people coming together to stop the AQUIND development. 

Portsmouth’s green and open spaces are precious. The developer’s plans do nothing to benefit our city, only cause disruption to our environment and to our daily lives. 

Thank you to the grassroots group that organised today’s event. Together we can, and we will, stop this”.

To find out more about the Portsmouth South MP’s long-running work helping residents oppose the AQUIND interconnector proposals click here.

 

 

 

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Crunch Day for Food Standards as City MP demands Government back British Farmers

  • Labour is pushing the Government to adopt a legal guarantee that British animal welfare and environmental standards won’t be undercut in post-Brexit trade deals
  • PM challenged to back a Labour amendment to safeguard high UK food standards in the Government’s new farming Bill 
  • Concerns that chlorine-washed chicken, hormone-treated beef and food produced to lower animal welfare and environmental standards could be sold in the UK after Brexit undercutting British farmers

Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP is demanding the Government back British farmers and protect high UK animal welfare, environment and public health standards in food. 

In a crunch day for British food standards, MPs will vote on Monday whether to accept a Labour amendment made to the Government’s Agriculture Bill which would stop post-Brexit trade deals from allowing in imports of lower standard food to the UK like chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef.

The Government has said it won’t weaken food standards as part of a trade deal with the US or other countries with lower standards, but has made no legal commitment to guarantee this. Farming, environmental and consumer groups have been pressing Tory MPs for months to try and secure a guarantee, fearful that lower standard imports will undercut British farmers and standards.

The Government is expected to effectively vote out their own manifesto commitment from the Bill on Monday, after promising in 2019 that they wouldn’t compromise on high British standards in trade deals.

Commenting on the crunch vote, Stephen Morgan MP said:

“I know from my post bag people across Portsmouth are passionate about animal welfare, and they’re rightly worried about what might end up in our supermarkets and on our plates if the Government doesn’t make good on its promise to protect our high food standards. Nobody wants to see Trumps’ chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef in our city’s shops and restaurants.

I won’t back down from the fight to protect our high British food standards and farmers, and will be pressing the Government on Monday to back Labour’s amendment to safeguard our high animal welfare, environmental and public health standards in UK food.”

Luke Pollard MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary added:

“The Government have said they back our British standards and farmers – it’s time to put their money where their mouth is. Ministers keep promising they’ll maintain high animal welfare and environmental standards after Brexit, but there’s still a serious threat that they will drop that promise to get the trade deals they’re so desperate to secure with Donald Trump and others.

“If the Government are serious about maintaining our high UK standards post-Brexit they should get a guarantee in law, and support Labour’s amendment on Monday to safeguard our standards and back British farmers.

To vote out their own manifesto commitment to protect food standards from their flagship food and agriculture Bill is absurd.”

 

 

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City MP calls for additional support and measures for UK areas facing localised restrictions

Stephen Morgan MP has called for the government to recognise the ‘cliff edge’ faced by those most at risk in Portsmouth and across the country who are both on the furlough scheme, which is set to expire at the end of the month, and in areas facing additional local Covid-19 restrictions.

According to HMRC, 3.5m employments have been furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in local areas now under local restrictions, or on the amber watch-list.

The Government’s furlough scheme is due to expire at the end of the month. However, the official opposition has highlighted that where there have been bespoke packages of financial support – in Leicester, Liverpool, Hartlepool, Warrington and Middlesbrough – these have come after local restrictions have been put in place.

Leicester was given £3 million, meanwhile Liverpool City Region, Hartlepool, Warrington and Middlesbrough are set to receive £7 million.

Stephen Morgan MP, commented,

“The opposition and I have been calling for months to ditch the one-size-fits-all approach and target the areas and sectors that are most at risk.

“It is common sense if an area is going to be locked down it needs greater support, especially areas where many workers are still enrolled on the furlough scheme, which is set to expire at the end of the month.”

Following the Chancellor’s speech at Conservative Party Conference on Monday, the Shadow Chancellor, Anneliese Dodds MP, said,

“The Chancellor just spoke for ten minutes, but he had nothing new to say. He just blew his chance to get a grip on Britain’s jobs crisis.”

Mr Morgan has consistently called for targeted support from the government for the sectors and people that are most at risk.

 

 

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City MP backs ‘Walk to School Week’ campaign

Stephen Morgan MP has backed national campaign ‘Walk to School Week’, organised by UK charity Living Streets. 

The campaign aims to encourage families to try healthier and greener ways to travel to school. Starting today, school children across the UK will be taking part in a safe and socially distanced walk to school with other students and parents.

According to the charity, 70 per cent of children walked to school a generation ago, now it is less than half.

The government has set a target in its Cycling to Walking Investment Strategy to get 55% of primary school pupils walking to school by 2025, to tackle this issue.

The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, commented,

“I’m delighted to support this fantastic initiative to encourage children and parents to take part in a safe and socially distanced walk to school, and I urge our local schools to take part in this too.”

Many of us have spent more time indoors recently, so I’m really proud to support this campaign that offers both a greener option, and a way for both students and parents to get the fresh air and exercise they need to support their mental wellbeing through this difficult period.”

The Chief Executive of Living Streets, Mary Creagh, added,

“Walking to school is a fun and easy way for to get active. We need safer streets so more families have confidence to walk to school.”

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Portsmouth MP urges residents to make concerns known to Planning Inspectorate over AQUIND proposals

Stephen Morgan MP is urging residents to urgently make concerns known to the Planning Inspectorate over the controversial £1.2bn AQUIND interconnector project which would affect communities across the eastern side of the city.

The scheme has been heavily criticised by the MP and city council for failing to properly consider alternative routes for underground cables or the act on the views of residents.

The city MP has been taking a range of actions in opposition to the proposals. Efforts to date have included submitting a string of parliamentary questions; highlighting to national newspapers the backers’ huge donations and support to the Conservatives; undertaking a survey to hear views; meeting the company to raise city concerns; putting pressure on Ministers to take action; and; working with residents to submit objections.

The latest set of actions by the Portsmouth South representative follows concerns that have been raised over potential plans affecting local allotments. Constituents share Stephen’s worries that latest plans would involve digging up and laying of cables under the Milton Allotments off Locksway Road

Encouraging residents to voice their concerns by objecting to the Planning Inspectorate, Stephen Morgan MP said:

“Since hearing about the AQUIND project, I have been taking action on behalf of Portsmouth residents.

Despite asking repeatedly how the £1.2bn scheme would benefit our city, it is very clear to me it will only disrupt residents’ lives and put our precious natural environment and green spaces at risk.

That is why I continue to lobby in the strongest possible terms for constituents against this infrastructure project.

Whilst I continue to welcome the council’s liaison with the developers, it is vital our views in Portsmouth are heard. I therefore urge residents to make sure the Planning Inspectorate knows the strength of feeling from our city on this issue of concern”.

Local ward campaigners Paula Ann Savage and Craig Withey have created a template email for any residents to object to proposals to Government decision-makers, ahead of the deadline of 6 October 2020. It is understood planning hearings are due to take place in December, after various submissions have been delivered.

To get a copy of the objection template and who to send it to, email Portsmouth Labour at hello@portsmouthlabourparty.org.uk. Alternatively constituents should email views directly to aquind@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Further information 

To find out more about some of Stephen Morgan MP’s actions and views over AQUIND see the links below.

Taking action over environmental impact:

https://www.stephenmorgan.org.uk/city-mp-holds-government-minister-to-account-over-environmental-impacts-of-aquind/

Speaking out over owners’ donations to the Conservatives:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/name-russian-tycoon-behind-power-company-say-top-tories-0vqb0vw8g

See also: https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/business/aquind-director-alexander-temerko-says-he-has-zero-political-influence-2944874

Putting pressure on Government to act:

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/portsmouth-south-mp-demands-answers-government-over-aquind-plans-2000905?amp

Listening to constituents’ concerns over the company’s proposals:

https://www.portsmouthlabourparty.org.uk/portsmouth-labour-news/2020/03/01/have-your-say-on-aquind/

A website created by the city council, although some of the pages are out of date:

https://interconnectorportsmouth.co.uk/#about-project

 

 

 

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New job: Parliamentary Researcher to Stephen Morgan MP

New job: Parliamentary Researcher to Stephen Morgan MP

  •  Have a skill for writing and undertaking research? 
  •  Interested in working at the heart of British politics? 
  •  Want to help make a difference to peoples’ lives? 

Then an exciting opportunity has arisen to work with a Shadow Minister and the first-ever Labour Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan and his busy and dedicated team.

Stephen Morgan MP is looking for a Parliamentary Researcher to support him with his work in the new shadow defence ministerial team and as an active parliamentarian speaking up for Portsmouth in the House of Commons.

Key tasks include preparing questions, speeches and briefings; undertaking research on complex subjects; monitoring bills, motions, legislation, Hansard, petitions, and debates; and proactively engaging the media on Stephen’s work as an active local campaigner and strong national voice for Portsmouth.

The role is full-time with a salary range of up to £35,308 and is based in Westminster at the House of Commons.

Job description – Parliamentary Researcher

Got what it takes to take on this busy and exciting role? 

Application details

Applicants should send a copy of their CV (no more than two pages) and a one-page covering letter to Julie Minal, Head of Office at julie.minal@parliament.uk

Closing date: 9 October 2020, 12noon.

Interviews will take place via Zoom and involve a work-based task. It is hoped the successful candidate would be able to start as soon as possible

Please note that due to the expected high volume of responses, unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.

 

 

 

 

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