first of all, he appears in front of the liaison committee which is just a corrupt clarify is the mostery single type of committee. not all of them were included today but they tend to have the punchy is questions for the fai minister and that was the same today with dominic cummings. i thought the most important bit of it was meg hillier is question where she just asked very to the point had ec seed in any evidence that dominic cummings story was true and he hadn't broken the bull rules that we re hadn't broken the bull rules that were alleged to be broken and boris johnson said that yes he had seen evidence that he would not pass it over to an independent enquiry. did he confirm that he had seen phone records and tracking confirming what dominic cummings said? none of that was said. he said he didn't want to start an investigation because he reasoned that it would be a waste of official time at the moment which mps really pushed him on but hejust said point blank that ultimately i think the thing borisjohnson clearly prepared a lot for the dominic cummings part of this committee whic

well as promised promised to force johnson is now facing the influential companies liaison committee and we can cross live to that right now here not you can focus on the coronavirus crisis but there remain very many other policy areas such as breaks it international issues trade agreements other domestic policies that require cross departmental scrutiny so a prime minister can i just ask you for the housekeeping point. can you commit to attending regularly. and preferably before the house rises again for the summer recess well without 1st to say thank you very much to you and. committee for your invitation and i'm delighted that we're able to have this this session. if you're very kind to want to see me again more more frequently can i inspire you but even before we've completed this one we can carry possibly get back to you on that i was you know there is a a lot on the moment we have a big a national campaign to defeat the coronavirus. get a cut tree on its feet and there's a huge amount of work that we're involved in trying to sure your committee will appreciate that i have my ti

just go back to that liaison committee the daily mail today same test interface revolution.look at the faces of the government's response to this pandemic, what we are entering now is even more complicated, potentially, then the message that they were trying to get across, sonia, in the first phase, because it seems that if you have beenin because it seems that if you have been in contact, you go to your primary residence and you lockdown for 14 days, and you don't do anything, you don't leave, no ifs no buts. yes, that is right and there isa buts. yes, that is right and there is a flow chart that was put up by the government's press conference. it is not simple stuff i didn't think it was simple and lots of viewers didn't think it was simple as well. there are lots of different stages but the government has been incredibly clear but the government has been incredibly clear that if you are asked to isolate for 14 days by someone calling up by about half of the government's tracing scheme it is your civic duty to stay home andi it is your civic duty to stay home and i going t

who chairs the liaison committee he's remained silent really in the past over dominic cummings but had particular issues with him potentially particularly around the vote in the campaign so he would like to appear tough we've also got cooper she's a labor m.p. she's known for asking very difficult questions and the party line of the labor party is to be very critical of dominic cummings boris johnson will also then face all of the chairs of the scottish affairs committee northern ireland a 1st committee and also the welsh affairs committee they have different stances when it comes to dominate comings but mostly they are critical particularly over in scotland because of course over that scotland's chief medical advisor was forced to step down for potentially flouting the measures herself so really many people will be very angry indeed with dominic cummings the real problem though and what this is all bringing to light is essentially how much of this public anger translate and form a public readiness to flout the lockdown measures themselves of course many people in the public will be as

in terms of the other key issues that the liaison committee is aimed at, these are the heads of the mainan awful lot else to get through in terms of the government's overall handling of an extraordinary period in british public life, the last couple of months, the handling of the pandemic. we expect the hearing to last for around 90 minutes and as you pointed out it will be virtual so it won't be quite the same as when we have seen prime ministers before the liaison committee in a committee room facing a panel of mps and because it is a bit more complex because of the virtual nature of the meeting, for example not all of the committee chairs are taking part although a good number will get the chance to ask questions, but it won't be quite the same format. potentially this could still to discussion a little bit and this was a complaint in terms of the virtual proceedings in the house of commons —— this could stilt. there's a huge range of topics, whether it is test, trace and track or the governments plans to move to the second phase of easing the lockdown or whether it is theissues easin

we are going straight to the liaison committee. e working group of members of the committee established by the whole committee that helped set this up quickly. the working group agreed to topics to be discussed and in consequence the chairare discussed and in consequence the chair are representing the committee today. the last time we had a prime minister before this committee was 12 months ago and the committee agreed the session would focus on the coronavirus crisis but they remain other policy areas such as brexit, international issues, trade agreements, domestic issues that require cross departmental scrutiny so require cross departmental scrutiny sojust on a housekeeping point can you commit to attending regularly this year and preferably before the house rises again for summer recess? first of all let me say thank you to you and your committee for your invitation and i'm delighted we are able to have this session. you are very kind to want to see me again more frequently. even before we have committed this one can i possibly g

it was a pretty disastrous appearance varied the prime minister at the liaison committee is from thety to grow the prime minister on the government‘s agenda. he failed to turn up once and ten months and today shows us why. he was not on top of his brief and key moments came when asked about the conduct of his adviser dominic cummings. are you backing your adviser or are you allowing his actions to break government guidelines to undermine the public health advice going forward? and it was clear that borisjohnson is doubling down and protecting his adviser is so all in all i think he came across as a weak prime minister who was still reliant on one adviser he will back that adviser and put that above the integrity of the government. you spend half an hour ago that you thought he would be very prepared answering questions about dominic cummings but he did not seem quite so at ease, deity with some of the more scientific questions, some of the debates about distancing for example? the first thing to bear in mind as she said this committee as a collection of mps this committee as a collec

the prime minister will be in front of the liaison committee on wednesday, and iam liaison committee. but he needs to make himself available, not just to the press but needs a virtual meeting to make sure we get a nswe rs virtual meeting to make sure we get a nswers to virtual meeting to make sure we get answers to questions as to what the prime minister knew and when and whether or not he sanctioned his senior adviser not following the regulations he put in place. it is the most serious situation we are in. we were just talking to the former chief constable of durham, he says he believes that if dominic cummings doesn't resign it will make it harderfor the cummings doesn't resign it will make it harder for the police around the country to enforce the restrictions that are still in force, would you agree with that? i have some sympathy with that view. we have been left with the judgment of each individual as to what should be a common—sense approach. it is not good enough, the advice has to be to stay at home unless they are clear circumstances that is not the case. but stay at home

studio: so that session of the liaison committee grilling the prime minister over a whole host of things end and it ended as it started with the committee chair reminding the prime minister that this is his first appearance since becoming prime minister last summer and asking him to please return before the end of the summer to please return before the end of the summer recess. to please return before the end of the summer recess. let us run through some of the key points from his first appearance before that committee. the prime minister rejected calls for dominic cummings, his senior adviser to face an inquiry over his travel to county durham during the lockdown, saying i am not certain right now that is an inquiry isa am not certain right now that is an inquiry is a very good use official time. borisjohnson inquiry is a very good use official time. boris johnson confirmed inquiry is a very good use official time. borisjohnson confirmed a new test and trace system for england will launch tomorrow. when asked whether it will be compulsory for someone whether it will be compulsory for so

and unlike what the prime minister said in the liaison committee, "move on, move on, move on", i don't move on, so i'm going to talk about this. every time we tried to move on, we were brought back to it. and then, of course, with the people saying they were bored of it, that also included a group of people who felt that the bbc had its own agenda to keep going with it. i know it seems really obvious to say this, but yeah, public opinion isn't one thing. of course it's not. but it has changed over the last few days. and it's interesting what emma was saying there, that's kind of a reflection of the stuff, you know, the incoming. at the beginning, the vast majority of people were saying, i cannot believe this, i am appalled. and then as the sort of anatomy of the thing moves on and people start to say, yeah, all right, can you crack on now? but the political point is a real one. and i think there has been a fracture over this between the prime minister's team in number ten and the rest of the tory party. and i'm not minimising the public‘s feeling about it, but from a political point of

way of encouraging tourists to come back, something the prime minister actually floated at the liaison committeething that seems to be on the government table as they are looking at enabling tourists to travel without quarantining when they get back to people realistically do go on holiday. that something that italy will be very keen to get part of with at least some countries in europe, to make sure tourists do come back and that their economy can get going again a. it's fascinating you talk about air bridges, the way people may go back into society. george eaton, there's a paragraph here, the governor of the island of sardinia said visitors could come without quarantining as long as they carried a health passport. everyone having to make this up on the hop. absolutely. this is the new world we're living in. we all gradually realising that covid—19 will probably transform life in some ways, for instance, you will see far more people wearing masks regularly. that's a common site in asia for instance because they have been far more affected by pandemics in recent history. with italy, the economic

he's facing questions by the house of commons liaison committee, made up of commons liaison committeeior backbenchers, and that will be something of a grilling for the prime minister. they'll gather by video link and question him for 90 minutes or so on every aspect of the government response to the coronavirus crisis. problems with the supply of ppe, the delay in a test and trace regime being rolled out and also confusion over lockdown restrictions are, i'm sure, likely to come up. borisjohnson well, once again, have to put his own authority on the line and defend the actions of his senior adviser in the face of continued criticism. that's jonathan blake. president trump has accused twitter of stifling free speech after the social network labelled one of his posts as misleading. mr trump tweeted that plans to expand the use of postal ballots in november's election will lead to voter fraud. twitter urged users to fact check his comments. 0ur north america correspondent, peter bowes, reports. a twitter war about twitter. it started when mr trump, who has more than 80 million followers

cummings and that lockdown trip to durham during a heated 90 minute exchange with the powerful liaison committee which he shot it was dashed he has all the latest so shut it firstly test and trace is finally launched absolutely another key and out 6 spent just in the last few minutes coming from the house secretary and really he has announced the rollout of the test and trade system and england will be launching as of tomorrow and here's what's it's a very important milestone in date. today we formally launch n.h.s. test and trace this is an incredibly important milestone for the country and it just test and trace means we can start to replace the national lockdown with individual isolation for those who've been in contact with the virus and local action where it's necessary to respond to a flare up the concept is simple 1st through testing we hunt down the virus finding out who is infected right now and i use we very deliberately because we all have our part to play this is a national effort and we all have a role. if you have symptoms you must isolate immediately and get yourself a test yester

johnson becameder that he has appeared before the commons liaison committee.t comes amid growing revolt within his own party over the behavior of his advisor dominic cummings. mr. cummings drove from london to the northeast during the lockdown to isolate with his family in breach of the rules. despite e outcry, the prime minister -- dominic cummings has refuseto resign and the prime minister is refusing to sack him. here is what the prime minister said. >> i understand why people feel such indignation about the business, the whole pain of the lockdown. what they want now is for us to focus on them and their needs rather than a political ding dong about what one advisor may or may not have done. kasia: there was also this heated exchange with yvette cooper. >> here is the problem. reason you are not giving people your -- you are trying to protect dominic cummings. the reason you sent -- to say unclear things is because you are trying not to incriminate dominic cummings. you don't want to apologize for him. that means you are putting your political concerns ahea

prime minister boris johnson is continuing to take questions from the influential commons liaison committee with the lock down behavior of his chief adviser a top of the agenda the prime minister rejected calls for an inquiry into dominic cummings a look down trip to dublin but m.p.'s on the committee say his actions have undermined public trust i'll take a shot it was dusty has all the latest she's here with me in the studio what's the pm have to say for himself and so of course this committee is there tourists for being one of the toughest ones in westminster in fact so groaning that the prime minister has missed them twice before now since he's become the prime minister and . thing that was actually really mentioned and hounded upon boris johnson by the beginning of the committee now of course on top of the edge and out was the dominic sarka saga we know that downing street were hoping to really start this story of oxygen boris johnson ready defending his right hand man but saying that dominic cummings acted reasonably legally and with integrity so he was ready facing a grilling from m.p

time since mrjohnson became leader in july last year that he has appeared before the common‘s liaison committeeit comes amid a growing revolt within his own party over the behaviour of his top adviser, dominic cummings. mr cummings drove from london to the north east of england during the lockdown to isolate with his family, seemingly in breach of the rules. and yet despite the outcry, he has refused to resign and the prime minister is refusing to sack him. here's what mrjohnson told the committee this afternoon. i do understand why people feel such indignation about the whole business, the pain of the whole business of the lockdown. but i really also think that what they want now is for us to focus on them and their needs, rather than on a political ding—dong about what one adviser may or may not have done. and there was this heated exchange with the labour mp yvette cooper. other than that, i don't really know what i can add. no, here's the problem, prime minister. the reason you are ducking this is because, the reason you're not giving people a straight answer is because you're trying to pro

going to see a little bit later on in the day is the prime minister face his 1st grilling by the liaison committee that's a a committee of senior m.p.'s from different parties including. members of his own party he'll face questions about the government's strategy when it comes to dealing with the coronavirus to date some of those questions will undoubtedly focus on the debacle about the lack of protective equipment for frontline workers especially medics questions about why the lock down wasn't introduced sooner and why things like track and trace weren't introduce sooner when they were seen to be effective in countries like germany but also face questions about what's going to be happening next and we gather only around 20 minutes of that committee meeting will focus on the issues surrounding dominic cummings well the government wants to be talking about the rich the chivas the fact that it's. going to be giving thousands of doses of the antiviral drug does appear to people suffering from covert 19 was we talking about the return of some age groups to schools starting at the 1st of june but this

before the dentistry briefing, the prime minister appeared at the liaison committee and was asked a serieswning street briefing. there was not a lot of detail. i think the committee chairs struggled with that. you saw a prime minister who was very keen to move on from the dominic cummings matter but we know that public opinion polling is certainly come and his e—mail box a people may not be ready to do that but we have some very pertinent questions about how this testing and tracking project will work. there will be more questions in the future days, not because we are trying to trip anybody it but because we want this to work. i think you can expect to see this carry—on over the next few days. it does look as if the prime minister is very much sticking by dominic cummings. he is helping to write out all of the controversy. would you understand the desire to parkit would you understand the desire to park it and to move on? the crisis is bigger than one man. yes, of course. i've never met a politician yet who want to linger on the bad news. they want to get out the new next thing. it is not

as i said yesterday to the parliamentary liaison committee, they are not taking any action and i intend. and i know that you've asked chris and patrick but i'm going to interpose myself if i may and protect them from what i think may be an unfair and unnecessary attempt to ask a political question. it's very very important that our medical office and scientific advisers do not get dragged into what i think most people will recognise as fundamentally a political argument. if that's all right laura. can we go now to robert. got muted. some people thought that was incredibly controversial. it was a bit strange because number one a press conference is a press conference than people who are appearing at lecterns are there to answer questions? i would say obviously. number two, it's not like woody and sir patrick kind of weaklings who are perfectly able... on ggoo news. exactly. they are both highly experienced professionals who've done lots of those briefings who have very heavily i think for the public answered lots and lots of questions. also this next phase of the lockdown it is imperativ

of boys johnson must have felt like he was 19 hours in orbit after 90 minutes in front of the liaison committee that's a committee of senior m.p.'s from across the political spectrum including m.p.'s from his own party one after another they grilled him about dominic cummings and asked time and time again why he feels it's important to expend so much political capital defending a man who usually exists behind the scenes of things that go on in downing street many are raising the question well look you know how important is this man despite the fact that more than 30 m.p.'s from the governing comput conservative party is demanding coming sees resignation johnson has again reiterated that he stands by tony cummings the suggestion is that he may be more powerful than most people think that boris johnson is really dependent upon him the polls have been absolutely devastating for the conservative party in the last few days only 2 weeks ago the prime minister's personal popularity rating was in double figures according to one poll it's now in negative numbers 80 percent of people according to one pol

and i intend to draw a line under the matter, as i said i think yesterday to the parliamentary liaison committeerom what i think would be an unfairand protect them from what i think would be an unfair and unnecessary attem pts be an unfair and unnecessary atte m pts to be an unfair and unnecessary attempts to ask a political question. it is very, very important that our medical officers and scientific advisers do not get dragged into what i think most people would recognise is fundamentally a political argument. and if that is all right, laura,, and could we go now to robert preston of itv? just to be clear, i don't know this isa just to be clear, i don't know this is a wholly political question, prime minister. a us before of scientific advisers to the sage committee have said that the behaviour of your chief adviser, in not going into quarantine at home, risked more people not complying with the social distancing rules, and,| with the social distancing rules, and, ithink with the social distancing rules, and, i think it is perfectly reasonable to ask sir patrick and chris whitty whether they f

the prime minister is appearing before the commons liaison committee and will also answer questions aboutling of the coronavirus crisis. the uk has become the latest country to allow the use of the drug, remdesivir, to treat hospital patients affected with covid—i9. early indications show that the medication, first used on ebola patients, may be able to cut recovery time by around 4 days. the uk follows the us and japan who both gave emergency authorisation to use the drug earlier this month. south korea has reported its biggest spike in coronavirus cases in two months, just as over two million school children return to the classroom. a0 new cases of covid—i9 have been reported in the last 2a hours, which is the sharpest increase in daily infections in 49 days. let's speak to our correspondent laura bicker. she's in seoul. this coming after south korea became a huge success story around the world in terms of how it coped with coronavirus? south korea has become a real model, yes, and today 2.4 million students have gone back to school. we are at one of those are high schools here in seoul

now from london and leave as you know the prime minister answering questions from the commons liaison committee they'll be doing that for what hour and a half something like that and hoping to draw a line under the the comic cummings episode. yeah he's about 3 or 4 m.p.'s in to the committee meeting at the moment and every single one of them has brought up the dominic cummings scandal well the government is desperately hoping to do now is refocus the attention on what its strategy is going forward and perhaps on some of his achievements like rolling out the use of the drug disappear to help certain people with the with covert 19 recover or its plans for track and trace or indeed the hopes of easing restrictions on schools so that some children we will be able to go back thanks mountains but all of this is coming at a time when the government is desperately trying to restore confidence in its leadership from the likes of parents all businesses that are concerned about hoping that doors again but instead an awful lot of political capital is being expended on defending a mound who's used to being

going to see a little bit later on in the day is the prime minister face his 1st grilling by the liaison committee that's a committee of senior m.p.'s from different parties including. members of his own party he'll face questions about the government's strategy when it comes to dealing with the corona virus to date some of those questions will undoubtedly focus on the debacle about the lack of protective equipment for frontline workers especially medics questions about why the lockdown wasn't introduced sooner and why things like track and trace went introduce you know when they were seen to be effective in countries like germany but also face questions about what's going to be happening next and we gather only around 20 minutes of that committee meeting will focus on the issues surrounding dominic cummings well the government wants to be talking about so rich the chivas the fact that it's. going to be giving thousands of doses of the antiviral drug does appear to people suffering from covert 19 wants me talking about the return of some age groups to schools starting at the 1st of june but this i

members of the houses of commons, you will get it, but i'm not promising a world scoop to the liaison committee. >> well done, darren. thank you for your question. >> no, no, no darren. >> thank you, chair. good afternoon, prime minister. >> good afternoon. >> with regards to quarantine for those coming into the u.k., can i ask you, why now, when we're easing the lockdown and other countries are ending quarantine, why not when we entered into lockdown? >> first of all, the reason we didn't do it then was because the scientific advice was very clear that it would make no difference to the arrival of the -- little difference to the arrival of the epidemic, might delay it by a bit, but it would still come. the reason for doing it now is because across the world, we're seeing the infections come down. they're coming down here in this country. what we don't want to see is reinfection from abroad, and we think a sensible quarantine scheme can help to prevent that. that's what we're going to do from june the 8th. >> many have commented a sensible regime would look at their countries and their rate, an

iwas listening to his appearance at the liaison committee and i do not think he said a clear yes or noof the questions from any of the politicians. he has been at prime ministerfor any of the politicians. he has been at prime minister for almost a year, july last year, that he became prime minister, this is the first time he has appeared before the scrutiny of a committee which is set up to keep a committee which is set up to keep a check on his home work if you like, and when he did ask about this stuff, they were very rigorous, they showed just how important it is to do what they were doing. he did not give any clear answers. at one point he said, what can i say? when asked whether there needed to be more women involved in the decision—making. when he was asked about whether it is in the national interest to keep dominic cummings in hisjob, he accused other interest to keep dominic cummings in his job, he accused other people of a squabbling and bickering and following political lines. the trouble is, everyone who says that this issue about a dominic cummings is about politics and ga

about all of that when the prime minister will be facing the prime minister will be facing the liaison committee headline since friday and are still very much there. i think the simple truth is, borisjohnson has nailed him to his badge and said, you are not going anywhere, even if he had volunteered to quit, which he has not. because it seems mrjohnson ta kes not. because it seems mrjohnson takes the view that he is absolutely critical to his government, notjust in terms of delivering brexit policy but a broader agenda and i suspect in terms of managing coronavirus. he absolutely believes he cannot do without dominic cummings. norman, thank you. riot police in hong kong have fired pepper pellets at demonstrators as mps gather to debate a bill that would criminalise insulting china‘s national anthem. more than 200 people have been arrested by riot police as demonstrators gather in the central commercial district and in shopping areas. this was the scene in hong kong‘s commercial district a little earlier when police attempted to disperse demonstrators. pro—democracy activists have also voiced the

committees as we govern the country. he simultaneously benefited and the liaison to the who has advocated for the senate's prerogative . and skillful manager of people and logistics and has make sure their sacred state secret once they arrived here. and second, mike has been one of our top leaders on the security of the sentence itself. he helped plan for a contingency and guard every facet of our institution. , his people in and systems from and badactors intentions. so madam president, these are tall orders even for a fellow graduate of the university of louisville. consider how much it has changed in the 37 years since my first came to the senate. and in the 32 years he has held this job. major wars, terrorist strikes in the homeland, anthrax in the heart building and countless that havecal advances invaded radically more complex. imagine guarding some of the nation's most held secrets, planning for possible attacks on the institution, bending unanimously described by your colleagues, as calm, cool and even killed. and eight is a chief people pleaser, his duties don't permit it. when you see him outside of the secur

and i am the liaison to the english learners advisory committee. today by one of our members. >> i'm sorry. good afternoon, i am anna. and i'm a co-chair for the delac. and a parent of a second grader and an incoming student. >> good evening. my name is julia martin and i'm a sfusd om budsperson for special education and the liaison for the community advisory committee for special education. and i'm joined today by two of our members. >> good afternoon. my name is alita fisher and i'm the past chair of the community advisory committee, and i have been a member for nine years. i have been a member of the african american parent advisory committee for three years. and i have four sfusd current and graduate students. in elementary, middle school and high school and college. >> hello, everybody, i'm danielle, i'm the second vice chair for the community advisory committee. i have a high school student with an i.e.p. at an n.p.s. >> wonderful, thank you, everyone. so as we're nearing the end of the current school year we'd like to take this opportunity t

committees as we govern the country. he sometimes has been a diplomatic liaison to the executive branch who has been, who has advocated for the senates prerogative and as a skillful manager of people, and logistics, he has mature our secrets stay secret once they arrive here. second, mike has been one of our top leaders on the security of the senate itself. he helps plan for contingency and guard every facet of our institution, its people and its systems from outside actors and bad intentions. tall orders even for for a felw graduate of the university of louisville. consider how much a change in a 37 year since mike first came to the senate and in the 32 years he has held this job. major wars, terrorist strikes os homeland, anthrax in the hart building, countless technological advances that make hisal tasks radically more complex. imagine guarding some of the nation's most closely held secrets, planning for possible attacks on the institution, being unanimously described by your colleagues as calm cool and even keel. and mike is no cheap people pleaser. his duties don't permit it. when you see mike outside his secure faci

and i am the liaison to the english learners advisory committee. today by one of our members. >> i'm sorry. good afternoon, i am anna. and i'm a co-chair for the delac. and a parent of a second grader and an incoming student. >> good evening. my name is julia martin and i'm a sfusd om budsperson for special education and the liaison for the community advisory committee for special education. and i'm joined today by two of our members. >> good afternoon. my name is alita fisher and i'm the past chair of the community advisory committee, and i have been a member for nine years. i have been a member of the african american parent advisory committee for three years. and i have four sfusd current and graduate students. in elementary, middle school and high school and college. >> hello, everybody, i'm danielle, i'm the second vice chair for the community advisory committee. i have a high school student with an i.e.p. at an n.p.s. >> wonderful, thank you, everyone. so as we're nearing the end of the current school year we'd like to take this opportunity t

committees as we govern the country. he simultaneously has been a diplomatic liaison to the executive branch who has advocated for the senate's prerogative and a skillful manager of people and logistics who has made sure our secrets stay secret once they arrive here. second, mike has been one of our top leaders on the security of the senate itself. he helps plan for contingencies and guard every facet of our institution, its people, and its systems from outside actors and bad intentions. so, madam president, these are tall orders, even for a fellow graduate of the university of louisville. consider how much has changed in the 37 years since mike first came to the senate and in the 32 years he has held this job. major wars, terrorist strikes on the homeland, anthrax in the hart building, countless technological advances that have made his task radically more complex. imagine guarding some of the nation's most closely held secrets, planning for possible attacks on the institution, being unanimously described by your colleagues as calm, cool, and even keeled. and mike is no cheap peepal pleaser. his duties don't permit it. when