tv BBC News BBC News September 2, 2020 2:00pm-5:01pm BST
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this is bbc news. the headlines: hours after lifting them the government u—turns and reimposes coronavirus restrictions in two parts of manchester. i can't understand that this meeting was held with the powers that be yesterday but last night they didn't know what they were doing and suddenly they changed this morning. back to school with a difference — millions of pupils in england return after the coronavirus lockdown. and for some, it's their first time in months. it isa it is a mixture of emotions and stuff. i feel really nervous, it is a mixture of emotions and stuff. ifeel really nervous, but really excited as well. i can't wait to get in and get started.
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we wanted exams to go ahead, but were overruled — the head of quual launches a robust defence of the regulator's role in the a—level and gcse fiasco. bbc u—turn — the broadcaster says there will now be singing of rule britannia and land of hope and glory at the last night of the proms — after a chorus of criticism scientists detect the largest black hole, or collapsed star, in the universe — billions of light years from earth. and, making history — boxer nicola adams becomes the first contestant to be part of a same—sex pairing in strictly come dancing. good afternoon.
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parts of greater manchester will not have lockdown restrictions eased as planned following a government u—turn. measures in bolton and trafford were due to be eased overnight after a fall in cases earlier in august. but the government say they will "now remain under existing restrictions" following "a significant change in the level of infection rates over the last few days". earlier, the mayor of greater manchester, andy burnham, called the decision to loosen the restrictions in the areas concerned "illogical." the most recent data from the department shows. there were 66.6 cases of the virus per 100,000 people in bolton on the 30th august. that's up from 18.9 cases per 100,000 people between the 17th and 23rd of august. it's a similar story in trafford — 36.8 cases per 100,000 on 30th august. up from 17.8 cases per 100,000 between the 17th 23rd of august. our health correspondent dominic hughes is in trafford and gave us this update. simon, it was a brief respite for residents from bolton and trafford
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from these restrictions that were put in over two households are meeting in homes or gardens. they we re meeting in homes or gardens. they were put in place towards the end of july. those restrictions were lifted at midnightand july. those restrictions were lifted at midnight and a little over 12 hours later, they were put back in place. when the announcement was made these restrictions were going to be lifted on friday, councillors at trafford town hall wrote to the government and said, we don't want to have our restrictions lifted because infection rates are rising. yesterday, councillors and bolton did the same and pointed out the infection rate had risen three times. the government at that stage showed no sign on rowing back on their decision and this morning at lunchtime, less than an hour ago, they decided that given the evidence, infection rates were rising and those restrictions would be reimposed. that has left people across greater manchester, not just in trafford and bolton, very confused about exactly where they
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stand. earlier i spoke to catalina sastre, who runs the party and play funhouse in bolton, she says she's incredibly frustrated by the handling of the situation. soft play, the government admitted isa soft play, the government admitted is a sector that has slipped through the net. very often are rateable values have been above any grants permitted, we have had no support from our local authority through means of grants. 0ur savings are depleting and these savings have taken in depleting and these savings have ta ken in excess depleting and these savings have taken in excess of ten years to accumulate. so, it is difficult to make any financial decisions, you don't know what you are telling your customers. you're telling them wanting yesterday and i cannot understand this meeting was held with the powers that be yesterday and last night they did know what they were doing and then suddenly they were doing and then suddenly they have changed this morning. you know, is the track and trace still
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working? are they analysing the data ona working? are they analysing the data on a daily basis? you know, questions need to be asked, but equally, the government need to provide answers and evidence on how they are making these decisions. let's speak to the labour leader of trafford council, andrew western. what is your reaction to this change of mind? i understand the frustrations people have, it has been a very confusing few days for us been a very confusing few days for us in trafford. clearly, we want these restrictions lifted as quickly as possible, when it is safe to do so as possible, when it is safe to do so and we had recommended we left the restrictions in place for another week or two in trafford if we could see evidence of a downward trend in positive cases, but we have not seen that over the past week and we have more than doubled in our rate of positive cases. so really,
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in terms of where we are at now, i feel the government had probably made the right decision. i am not a fan of the restrictions and i am not necessarily saying they should be in place, what we needed was an effective track and trace system up and running in the locality some time ago. we have seen it in other countries and we need funding for interventions which we have not had. that is the pathway out of this. but a change of mind in government can bea a change of mind in government can be a good thing? i think we have to welcome the fact that the government have looked at the data and recognised that to lift the restrictions would be premature. as i say, i absolutely appreciate the frustration of residents, many of whom would be excited, and businesses, excited at the lifting of the restrictions today. this is a
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problem, but ultimately now, whilst ido problem, but ultimately now, whilst i do think the messaging around this has been undermined by the suggestion it was ok to lift and then the reversal of that, it is right the restrictions stay in place for now. the problem is, there is so much confusion out there at the moment. you must be able to sympathise with people who say there is no sign of any enforcement, we are not sure what the rules are so we will go on as we are. are not sure what the rules are so we will go on as we arelj absolutely we will go on as we are.|j absolutely accept that and when the local lockdown restrictions were first announced at the end ofjuly, in fact the messaging was very confusing and therefore, i have had local people saying to me, they struggle to understand the restrictions throughout as a result of the confused messaging. but the advice is to be the restrictions stay in place for the moment, avoid mixing households, keep washing your hands and follow public guidance on
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social distancing because the cases in trafford and over in bolton are increasing. at the heart of this, andrew, is public health. we are in the middle of a pandemic. if anybody is watching you now, what is the message about how they should be behaving? safety first and trying to behaving? safety first and trying to be sensible. i am the first to admit the decision made last week on trafford was a judgment call. we have a different view to the government and it is the position changing since then that has led to this change in terms of leaving the restrictions in place. but it is just about being sensible and as i said, socially distancing wherever possible and follow the local national restrictions in taking care of each other. thank you very much for your time this afternoon. thank you. let's speak to jessica parker our political correspondent. this u turn during prime minister's
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questions, a difficult time for borisjohnson questions, a difficult time for boris johnson anyway, questions, a difficult time for borisjohnson anyway, but it has the impression of being a bit of ms? borisjohnson anyway, but it has the impression of being a bit of m57m is not the best luck that during prime minister's questions when xi keir starmer was suggesting that the government had said and done up to a dozen u—turns in his calculation, another one drops in the inboxes of journalists around the country in terms of a reversal of the easing of restrictions in parts of greater manchester. now, they had a wide—ranging and at times, slightly feisty discussion around what had happened during the summer in terms of, for example, exam grading, the government u turn on that issue and reverting to teach is great. boris johnson hit back: keir starmer captain hindsight, suggesting that he had been on board with the plans until things had turned problematic and then changed his mind on the issue. he also suggested sir keir
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starmer hadn't done enough to encourage people into schools to say they were safe. he said that they we re they were safe. he said that they were safe, his own children have been at school. but you would expect the labour leader to come in after the labour leader to come in after the summer that has just passed and grill the prime minister on the matter of u—turns, but we know it is also something that is of concern to conservative back benches. i have spoken to a number of backbenchers who are worried about how things have gone over the summer. yes, there is a level of understanding amongst them that during a pandemic, amongst them that during a pandemic, a government is never going to be easy, but some worry about the communications. that goes back to this issue are plans to reverse the easing of lockdown in two areas of greater manchester. whether it does cause confusion on a vital public health message. the prime minister is meeting his backbenchers in a series of meetings today. he's meeting some of those mps who are elected in 2019, and he will also
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face the 1922 committee, the entire gi’oup face the 1922 committee, the entire group of conservative backbenchers, where i think at least some of them may give him something of a little bit of a hard time. jessica parker, thank you. it's a huge day for many families in england and wales, as millions of pupils return to the classroom after almost six months. schools look very different from how they did back in march — with one—way systems and staggered start times helping to keep students safe. but there are still many questions over how easy it will be for children to catch up on learning and the impact on next years exams. schools in scotland and northern ireland have already reopened. 0ur education correspondent dan johnson reports from a secondary school in nottinghamshire. put yourself in amy's new school shoes, that strange first day in the uncertain world of secondary school. i am a bit nervous, because i don't really know anyone and it is a big day. then throw in the added baggage of coronavirus, weighing on 11—year—old shoulders. it is a mixture of emotions and stuff.
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ifeel, like, really, really excited but really nervous as well. i just really can't wait to get in and start learning and stuff. good morning, year seven, and welcome to portland! and here are 300 more fresh faces. masked for the bus ride but eager to learn after months of lockdown. a bit nervous, but i'm feeling good.
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