School closures imminent?

Schools in Wales and Scotland to close on Friday. Nicola Sturgeon says she can’t guarantee Scottish schools will reopen before the summer. General closure including England and Northern Ireland  must surely be imminent.

Boris Johnson is due to hold a Cobra on issue of school closures this afternoon. Issues to be discussed include: * What happens to children of key workers in NHS and social care and those needed to keep supermarkets open?  What happens to vulnerable children?”

Jeffery Donaldson DUP leader at Westminster says.

“I am joining with other Parliamentary Party Leaders to press for immediate introduction of a temporary Universal Basic Income to support working families, self employed people & others. This will provide practical help to people & families and support the economy.

At PMQs Boris Johnson was sympathetic to all suggestions but committed to none – yet  Undeniable that £95 a week “ sickness” pay is not enough to feed a family

Peston says

The big outstanding question is how the Chancellor will provide big new job subsidies to discourage businesses from sacking employees as their revenues collapse. My understanding is looking at big cuts to employers national insurance and top ups to the universal credit system. The first route would subsidise employers directly, the second would be a subsidy via the employees’ pay packet. Whatever route taken, it has got to last for as long as Covid19 is massively constraining social interaction, which could be over a year.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey tells BBC that businesses thinking of firing staff because of coronavirus crisis should “stop” talk to the Bank of England and Treasury about what’s available’ to fund keeping workers in jobs.

Brian Walker

Former BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, Univ Coll. London