Alok Sharma: Cabinet minister tested for virus after being taken ill - BBC News

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Business Secretary Alok Sharma is self-isolating at home after becoming unwell in Parliament.

Mr Sharma looked uncomfortable while taking part in a debate earlier, mopping his brow several times with his handkerchief while speaking.

A spokesman said the MP for Reading West had been tested for coronavirus and had returned home.

Mr Sharma was one of a handful of ministers to attend Tuesday's cabinet meeting in Downing Street in person.

The business secretary was in the Commons chamber for nearly an hour earlier while leading for the government on the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

Deep-cleaning

A spokesman said: "Alok Sharma began feeling unwell when in the Chamber delivering the second reading of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

"In line with guidance he has been tested for coronavirus and is returning home to self isolate."

During the debate, Mr Sharma's opposite number, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point.

It's important to highlight that we don't know for sure whether the business secretary has coronavirus.

However, a potential case is causing real anger at Westminster.

Senior opposition figures say it shows the government was wrong to scrap a hybrid model which allowed MPs to contribute and vote remotely.

There are concerns some MPs didn't maintain social distancing rules in lengthy voting queues yesterday. Others fear they could become super spreaders, taking the virus back to their constituencies if there is an outbreak.

If Mr Sharma did test positive, anyone he had spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of would have to self-isolate for two weeks.

Mr Miliband subsequently sent his best wishes to Mr Sharma for a quick recovery.

The House of Commons authorities said "additional cleaning" had taken place, following the debate.

And the BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said the MP who had sat nearest to Mr Sharma during his statement insisted that social distancing protocols had been observed throughout.

Mr Sharma was one of hundreds of MPs who queued around the building on Tuesday at two metre intervals as the Commons introduced new temporary voting procedures.

While the number of MPs permitted to sit in the chamber is still limited, many MPs are unhappy about being forced to return to Westminster, saying it poses a risk to them and their constituents.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the events of the past 48 hours had shown that effective social distancing in Parliament was "impossible".

She said the government's decision to stop the largely virtual procedures in force since the middle of April, in which MPs were able to speak and vote remotely, was "reckless".

And her colleague Karl Turner said he had asked the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an urgent risk assessment of working conditions in Parliament.

He said MPs having to "huddle together" on escalators on the parliamentary estate while lining up to vote were among a number of "unsafe practices".

The HSE has the power to take enforcement action against any employers which it believes is compelling its staff to work in unsafe conditions or ignoring guidance set out by the government earlier this month.

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2020-06-04 04:33:04Z
52780830264128

Alok Sharma: Cabinet minister tested for virus after being taken ill - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Business Secretary Alok Sharma is self-isolating at home after becoming unwell in Parliament.

Mr Sharma looked uncomfortable while taking part in a debate earlier, mopping his brow several times with his handkerchief while speaking.

A spokesman said the MP for Reading West had been tested for coronavirus and had returned home.

Mr Sharma was one of a handful of ministers to attend Tuesday's cabinet meeting in Downing Street in person.

The business secretary was in the Commons chamber for nearly an hour earlier while leading for the government on the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

Deep-cleaning

A spokesman said: "Alok Sharma began feeling unwell when in the Chamber delivering the second reading of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

"In line with guidance he has been tested for coronavirus and is returning home to self isolate."

During the debate, Mr Sharma's opposite number, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point.

It's important to highlight that we don't know for sure whether the business secretary has coronavirus.

However, a potential case is causing real anger at Westminster.

Senior opposition figures say it shows the government was wrong to scrap a hybrid model which allowed MPs to contribute and vote remotely.

There are concerns some MPs didn't maintain social distancing rules in lengthy voting queues yesterday. Others fear they could become super spreaders, taking the virus back to their constituencies if there is an outbreak.

If Mr Sharma did test positive, anyone he had spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of would have to self-isolate for two weeks.

Mr Miliband subsequently sent his best wishes to Mr Sharma for a quick recovery.

The House of Commons authorities said "additional cleaning" had taken place, following the debate.

And the BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said the MP who had sat nearest to Mr Sharma during his statement insisted that social distancing protocols had been observed throughout.

Mr Sharma was one of hundreds of MPs who queued around the building on Tuesday at two metre intervals as the Commons introduced new temporary voting procedures.

While the number of MPs permitted to sit in the chamber is still limited, many MPs are unhappy about being forced to return to Westminster, saying it poses a risk to them and their constituents.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the events of the past 48 hours had shown that effective social distancing in Parliament was "impossible".

She said the government's decision to stop the largely virtual procedures in force since the middle of April, in which MPs were able to speak and vote remotely, was "reckless".

And her colleague Karl Turner said he had asked the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an urgent risk assessment of working conditions in Parliament.

He said MPs having to "huddle together" on escalators on the parliamentary estate while lining up to vote were among a number of "unsafe practices".

The HSE has the power to take enforcement action against any employers which it believes is compelling its staff to work in unsafe conditions or ignoring guidance set out by the government earlier this month.

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2020-06-04 04:18:04Z
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Alok Sharma: Cabinet minister tested for virus after being taken ill - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Business Secretary Alok Sharma is self-isolating at home after becoming unwell in Parliament.

Mr Sharma looked uncomfortable while taking part in a debate earlier, mopping his brow several times with his handkerchief while speaking.

A spokesman said the MP for Reading West had been tested for coronavirus and had returned home.

Mr Sharma was one of a handful of ministers to attend Tuesday's cabinet meeting in Downing Street in person.

The business secretary was in the Commons chamber for nearly an hour earlier while leading for the government on the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

Deep-cleaning

A spokesman said: "Alok Sharma began feeling unwell when in the Chamber delivering the second reading of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

"In line with guidance he has been tested for coronavirus and is returning home to self isolate."

During the debate, Mr Sharma's opposite number, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point.

It's important to highlight that we don't know for sure whether the business secretary has coronavirus.

However, a potential case is causing real anger at Westminster.

Senior opposition figures say it shows the government was wrong to scrap a hybrid model which allowed MPs to contribute and vote remotely.

There are concerns some MPs didn't maintain social distancing rules in lengthy voting queues yesterday. Others fear they could become super spreaders, taking the virus back to their constituencies if there is an outbreak.

If Mr Sharma did test positive, anyone he had spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of would have to self-isolate for two weeks.

Mr Miliband subsequently sent his best wishes to Mr Sharma for a quick recovery.

The House of Commons authorities said "additional cleaning" had taken place, following the debate.

And the BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said the MP who had sat nearest to Mr Sharma during his statement insisted that social distancing protocols had been observed throughout.

Mr Sharma was one of hundreds of MPs who queued around the building on Tuesday at two metre intervals as the Commons introduced new temporary voting procedures.

While the number of MPs permitted to sit in the chamber is still limited, many MPs are unhappy about being forced to return to Westminster, saying it poses a risk to them and their constituents.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the events of the past 48 hours had shown that effective social distancing in Parliament was "impossible".

She said the government's decision to stop the largely virtual procedures in force since the middle of April, in which MPs were able to speak and vote remotely, was "reckless".

And her colleague Karl Turner said he had asked the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an urgent risk assessment of working conditions in Parliament.

He said MPs having to "huddle together" on escalators on the parliamentary estate while lining up to vote were among a number of "unsafe practices".

The HSE has the power to take enforcement action against any employers which it believes is compelling its staff to work in unsafe conditions or ignoring guidance set out by the government earlier this month.

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2020-06-04 03:34:01Z
52780830264128

The Prime Minister hit the despatch box: HENRY DEEDES watches Boris Johnson's fighting talk at PMQs - Daily Mail

The Prime Minister gave the despatch box a mighty thwack. Uh-oh! Hulk is mad: HENRY DEEDES watches Boris Johnson's fighting talk at PMQs

By Henry Deedes for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:02 BST, 3 June 2020 | Updated: 01:01 BST, 4 June 2020

PMQs is back. No, I don't mean back as in back after the recess. I mean back, back. As in back to its punchy old self. The session was rowdy, even if there were only 50-odd members in the chamber.

With the TV screens gone and the noisy SNP lot back in situ, there was a mano-a-mano feel about proceedings again.

As for our two main protagonists, Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer, the uneasy semi-truce to which they tentatively abided at first has now been firmly consigned to the dustbin.

Boris Johnson appeared to breach 2m rule when he strayed outside the marked exclusion zones in the House of Commons after PMQs

Gone is Sir Keir's pretence of cross-party co-operation. The arch prosecutor has switched to attack mode, painting the Government as a bunch of deluded bunglers.

Similarly, Boris has grown tired of his opponent's sanctimonious tones. Those phoney offers of diplomacy, the whole Mr Reasonable act.   

It is clear he regards Starmer as a shameless opportunist seeking to talk down the Government's achievements at every turn. And he wants everyone to know it.

Much is made of Sir Keir's lawyerly flourishes at the dispatch box. His little piece de resistance was to produce a letter he had sent to the PM offering to help him get schools to reopen.

'I did it confidentially because I didn't want to make a lot of it,' he announced in those peculiar staccato tones. 'He hasn't replied.'

As he put down the document, he placed it carefully, caressing it as though it were some item of vast historical significance.

Boris narrowed his eyes to imply this was an unseemly gambit. Tut, tut, tut. 

He'd had a long conversation about these matters with Starmer on the phone, apparently.

'He didn't offer any dissent. In fact he endorsed them,' he yelled, moving up a gear.   

'He's on better ground, firmer ground when he stands with the overwhelming majority of the British people.'

Sir Keir Starmer produced a letter he had sent to the PM offering to help him get schools to reopen and claimed 'he hasn't replied' during PMQs

Starmer moved on to the Government's test, track and trace operation which he claimed was still not up and running. Rubbish, replied Boris. Over 40,000 people had already taken part. 

The Leader of the Opposition was 'casting aspersions' on the efforts of all those who had made it happen.

For Starmer it was all about the PM's honesty. Could he be trusted with these numbers?

He mentioned that the statistics offices had queried some of the data the Government had recently published. Boris did not like that one bit. 

'I really do not see the purpose,' the PM thundered, 'of his endless attacks on public trust and confidence.'

With that, he gave the despatch box a mighty thwack. Uh-oh! Hulk mad.

'Woooo!' chorused the Labour benches. Sir Keir recoiled with OTT indignation. 

'The Prime Minister's confusing scrutiny for attacks,' he gasped.

Boris still rarely addresses the question but he's got more adept at dragging them in his direction.

When Sir Keir asked about the 'R' rate, the PM furiously turned it into an attack on his decision to ease the lockdown. 

At the Downing Street press briefing, the Prime Minister said he might 'explore the possibility' of 'travel corridors' with countries with low rates of coronavirus (pictured during PMQs)

Questioned about the farcical new voting system, which requires MPs to queue up for long periods, Boris made Starmer appear lofty by saying 'ordinary people' around the country were having to do the same everywhere. 

Another take-home from the session was how lively Labour's benches were. They were never that noisy under Jeremy Corbyn's tenure, even in a much fuller chamber. 

When Jezza was on his feet they would just sit like turnips fiddling with their telephones.

Later, the PM emerged at the Downing Street press briefing, where much discussion was given over to the Government's puzzling plans to quarantine people arriving at airports as of next Monday.

It should concern him that Home Secretary Priti Patel took a hefty kicking from her own side on the issue several hours earlier in the Commons.

Someone from the BBC asked whether we could expect a summer holiday this year. Boris said he might 'explore the possibility' of 'travel corridors' with countries with low rates of coronavirus.

This sounded mildly hopeful. Though judging by the doubtful looks on Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty's face, I wouldn't order those new Bermudas yet.

We were also given another reminder about new lockdown rules, including keeping outside gatherings to just six people.

As the PM said this, thousands were flooding into Westminster to protest over the murder of George Floyd in America, megaphones blaring all across Parliament Square.

Westminster has certainly got noisy again.

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2020-06-04 00:14:13Z
52780828538250

Alok Sharma: Cabinet minister tested for virus after being taken ill - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Business Secretary Alok Sharma is self-isolating at home after becoming unwell in Parliament.

Mr Sharma looked uncomfortable while taking part in a debate earlier, mopping his brow several times with his handkerchief while speaking.

A spokesman said the MP for Reading West had been tested for coronavirus and had returned home.

Mr Sharma was one of a handful of ministers to attend Tuesday's cabinet meeting in Downing Street in person.

The business secretary was in the Commons chamber for nearly an hour earlier while leading for the government on the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

Deep-cleaning

A spokesman said: "Alok Sharma began feeling unwell when in the Chamber delivering the second reading of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

"In line with guidance he has been tested for coronavirus and is returning home to self isolate."

During the debate, Mr Sharma's opposite number, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point.

It's important to highlight that we don't know for sure whether the business secretary has coronavirus.

However, a potential case is causing real anger at Westminster.

Senior opposition figures say it shows the government was wrong to scrap a hybrid model which allowed MPs to contribute and vote remotely.

There are concerns some MPs didn't maintain social distancing rules in lengthy voting queues yesterday. Others fear they could become super spreaders, taking the virus back to their constituencies if there is an outbreak.

If Mr Sharma did test positive, anyone he had spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of would have to self-isolate for two weeks.

Mr Miliband subsequently sent his best wishes to Mr Sharma for a quick recovery.

The House of Commons authorities said "additional cleaning" had taken place, following the debate.

And the BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said the MP who had sat nearest to Mr Sharma during his statement insisted that social distancing protocols had been observed throughout.

Mr Sharma was one of hundreds of MPs who queued around the building on Tuesday at two metre intervals as the Commons introduced new temporary voting procedures.

While the number of MPs permitted to sit in the chamber is still limited, many MPs are unhappy about being forced to return to Westminster, saying it poses a risk to them and their constituents.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the events of the past 48 hours had shown that effective social distancing in Parliament was "impossible".

She said the government's decision to stop the largely virtual procedures in force since the middle of April, in which MPs were able to speak and vote remotely, was "reckless".

And her colleague Karl Turner said he had asked the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an urgent risk assessment of working conditions in Parliament.

He said MPs having to "huddle together" on escalators on the parliamentary estate while lining up to vote were among a number of "unsafe practices".

The HSE has the power to take enforcement action against any employers which it believes is compelling its staff to work in unsafe conditions or ignoring guidance set out by the government earlier this month.

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2020-06-04 02:48:05Z
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14 day quarantine plan branded ineffective and damaging to tourism - BBC News - BBC News

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1. 14 day quarantine plan branded ineffective and damaging to tourism - BBC News  BBC News
2. Coronavirus: UK quarantine plans and £1,000 penalties confirmed  BBC News
3. Priti Patel's travel rules force those coming to UK to quarantine but leaves door open for holidays  The Sun
4. Pressure grows on Priti Patel after Vallance avoids full backing for UK quarantine move  The Guardian
5. UK opens talks on air bridges with Portugal, France, Greece and Spain  Telegraph.co.uk
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2020-06-03 22:14:17Z
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Coronavirus: Alok Sharma tested for COVID-19 after being visibly unwell in Commons - Sky News

Business Secretary Alok Sharma has been tested for coronavirus after becoming visibly unwell in the House of Commons chamber.

He was travelling home to self-isolate after he struggled during a speech at the despatch box during the second reading of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.

It comes a day after MPs approved the government's plan to end virtual voting in the Commons.

A spokeswoman for Mr Sharma said: "In line with guidance he has been tested for coronavirus and is returning home to self-isolate."

During the debate, he was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief several times and his opposite number in Labour's shadow cabinet, Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point.

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A House of Commons spokesperson said: "The House's priority is to ensure that those on the estate are safe while business is facilitated.

More from Covid-19

"We have closely followed guidance from PHE on action to take following a suspected case of COVID on site, including additional cleaning.

"Our risk assessment outlines the measures we have already put in place to reduce the risk of transmission in parliament."

Labour shadow minister Toby Perkins had raised concerns over Mr Sharma's appearance in the Commons earlier in the day.

"This is not okay. If he has symptoms that could be COVID-19, it's not up to him to soldier on, he is jeopardising the health of everyone who he comes across and everyone else who touches that despatch box and every door handle he touches etc," Mr Perkins tweeted.

"Maybe he's had a test and knows it's not that, but if so he should confirm that to people watching, otherwise the message again goes out that what the government says and means about what to do if you have symptoms are two different things."

Digital voting in the Commons was ended on Tuesday when MPs approved a government motion introduced by Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg despite widespread objections.

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2020-06-03 20:35:34Z
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