unless it is a very political decision which is why simon mcdonald upon spots answer was very importantwith peoples lives, clearly lived is something that they have to be held up on. but there are things going on about ordering things going on about ordering things that are clearly not intentional or whether it is the nhs whether it is public health england or whether the civil servants, i do feel a little bit of leeway should be given. i totally answered your question. and actually katie, something that we keep hearing and the standing street briefings is that yes, there may be criticisms of the government but the important thing is to get on with it now and make the right decisions now whatever it might of been done on lock down in the last few weeks. yes andl lock down in the last few weeks. yes and i think the general steps of government given the current circumstances, we think people and perhaps the media should cut them a bit of slack concerning their parts of general crisis and that is what they're pushing for. and certainly i think attempts to try and start the inquiry now is n

this issue it's simon mcdonald saying that katie was talking about was an absolute dogs dinner as far as communication was concerned. now, i don't think it has made a big difference whether or not i believe matt hancock when they said it doesn't make any difference whether we are not in this procurement, but they haven't got anything we need at they haven't got anything we need at the moment. as far as trusting what they are saying and having one message come out of the civil servants and politicians, with that didn't happen at all. public trust is so important at the moment. it if two very important figures or sing totally different things and one is having to come back and do this really embarrassing apology, it's not good, and it's not good for the government. the problem with the ppe isa government. the problem with the ppe is a different one. the ventilators, at the moment, we have enough ventilators, so we're 0k. at the moment, we have enough ventilators, so we're ok. we clearly don't have enough ppe, have health workers dying, it looks like we have more health workers dying, is

this issue it's simon mcdonald saying that katie was talking about was an absolute dogs dinner as fars concerned. now, i don't think it has made a big difference whether or not i believe matt hancock when they said it doesn't make any difference whether we are not in this procurement, but they haven't got anything we need at they haven't got anything we need at the moment. as far as trusting what they are saying and having one message come out of the civil servants and politicians, with that didn't happen at all. public

the head of the foreign office, simon mcdonald, said the government took a political decision not tohe also told the foreign affairs committee that britain is travelling abroad have been helped to travel back to the uk. why, oh why, oh why are we not involved in eu procurement? we left the european union on the 315t ofjanuary. no, we had every right to take part. we were invited to take part. apparently we missed the e—mails or forgot the e—mails or didn't ask for e—mails. five of the meetings we didn't attend but lots of the other meetings we did attend. it is not about leaving the european union. all i can say is that it is a matter of fact that we have not taken part. maybe i can ask sir simon, what was the advice on it or was it a political decision? it was a political decision. ministers were briefed about what was available, what was on offer and the decision is known. later, so simon offered a correction saying it was not a political decision. he was also asked about returning britons from overseas. yes, we acknowledge there have been problems. one reason for that is that this

the head of the foreign office, sir simon mcdonald, told mps the government took a "political decisione coronavirus. previously, ministers have insisted the uk didn't originallyjoin because of a communications mix—up. why oh why oh why were we not involved in the eu procurement? we left the european union on 31 january... no, we had every right to take part, we were invited to take part, and apparently we missed the e—mails or forgot the e—mails, or didn't ask for e—mails. at five of the meetings we didn't attend, lots of other meetings we did attend. it's not about leaving the european union. erm, all i can say is, as a matter of fact, we have not taken part. maybe i could ask, sir simon, what was your policy advice on it? or was it a political decision? erm, it was a political decision. brussels briefed ministers about what was available, what was on offer, and the decision is known. i don't think i could ask another question after that. well later, sir simon issued a correction, saying it had not been a political decision. earlier in the week, the equalities minister faced questions

but in today's sir simon mcdonald, who was just about as senior as you can get in a civil service, said he said there had been a political decision but then was almost immediately contradicted by the health secretary, matt hancock, who said that was not the case, and tonight is very unusual retraction from someone like that official, saying there had been a misunderstanding and he was wrong. now, it is more than a matter of just he said, she said, and it is quite hard to get to the bottom of what happened in the specific issue, but it is another reminder that, on this specific question of making sure that medics and people working in care homes have the right kit, vital to dealing with this crisis, the government is encountering lots and lots of rocks in the road. and i am sure that this is something, when the first prime minister's questions in this strange new parliament that is gradually returning, will be something that will certainly come up something that will certainly come up from something that will certainly come upfrom mps, something that will certainly come up from mps, perh

the head of the foreign office, sir simon mcdonald, told mps the government took a "political decisiont the coronavirus. previously, ministers have insisted the uk didn't originallyjoin because of a communications mix—up. why oh why oh why were we not involved in the eu procurement? erm, we left the european union on 31 january... no, we had every right to take part, we were invited to take part, and apparently we missed the e—mails or forgot the e—mails, or didn't ask for e—mails. we led five of the meetings we didn't attend, lots of other meetings we did attend. it's not about leaving the european union. erm, all i can say is, as a matter of fact, we have not taken part. maybe i could ask, sir simon, what was your policy advice on it? or was it a political decision? erm, it was a political decision. brussels briefed ministers about what was available, what was on offer, and the decision is known. i don't think i could ask another question after that. well, later sir simon issued a correction, saying it had not been a political decision. earlier in the week, the equalities minister fa

but yesterday we saw the permanent undersecretary for the foreign and commonwealth office the simon mcdonald made the claim to the health select committee that the decision not to join the e.u. scheme was a political one well today he's written a letter to that same committee claiming that what he said yesterday wasn't correct and that he had virtually and wrongly told the committee it was a political decision he said it's not a political decision and that ministers weren't briefed by the u.k.'s mission in brussels and so for that reason they didn't know about the scheme and that he also put it down to an initial communication problem we know that ministers of course when this 1st happened said that they didn't receive the emails that would have instructed them inform them about this. p.v. retention scheme or this separate unit scheme now the e.u. commission they've hit back and said the government the u.k. government others knew perfectly well about the scheme that they made sure to tell the british government about it they've also been claims that society mcdonald has perhaps been pressure

leaving it to others to decide whether it was indeed a political decision or not and whether simon mcdonald has perhaps been strong armed into changing what he said yesterday. thank you very much indeed for all of that. dozens of countries could experience one spread firmin as a result of the pandemic if rich nations don't hack soon that's according to the un's world food programme. it warns at least 30 countries in the developing world are risk of famine if urgent action isn't taken of those 10 already have at least $1000000.00 experiencing acute food shortages it was asian says more than one of the half 1000000000 pounds of pledged aid needs to be released so it reaches where it is needed most urgently but hundreds of millions more is needed for logistics including air lifts to get food and medical supplies to remote areas head of the world food program david beasley said that if action isn't taken the results will be catastrophic we are not talking about people going to bed hungry we're talking about extreme conditions emergency status people literally marching to the brink of starvation

the only one who genuinely knows that is sir simon mcdonald himself is the only way you look at it, itquence of events. first he made explosive claims, in effect accusing the government of putting brexit ideology and purity before taking advantage of an eu scheme to get those desperately needed bits of ppe kit. we then had an extraordinary equally astonishing retract and where he renounced everything he said. what makes it extraordinary as this is the top man in the foreign 0ffice this is the top man in the foreign office and diplomats are normally ever so precise in the language they use. so the idea he blundered into a select committee and blurted out stuff he didn't really mean to say seems odd. i put it no stronger than that. indeed, many members of the committee were surprised he even gave direct answers to those questions because everyone knew this was a hugely controversial political issue. it had been in the papers in january. be that as it may come at the end result is we have not been able to take advantage of this eu scheme and although ministers say it hasn't delivered any

office of simon macdonald made the quite astounding claim in committee that the decision for the u.k. not to take part in the e.u.'s procurement scheme was a political decision well mr mcdonald has now done a u. turn and has said that he's written a letter actually to outline that he had made a wrong inadvertently and wrongly told the committee that ministers were briefed by the u.k. m.i.a.'s on the scheme and that he was mistaken in saying that the situation not to join that scheme was a political one he also said that ministers weren't briefed by the u.k.'s mission in brussels about the scheme owing to communication problems the u.k. didn't receive an invitation in time to join that scheme now of course initially ministers that claimed it was a communication mix up they had received the emails the e.u. commission has hit back today claiming that the british government knew perfectly well a more informed about this acumen scheme and that there wasn't any mix up with communications with the costs of that so there might be some who claim that mr mcdonald has possibly been pressured to change his mind and to turn back on what he said yesterday but number 10 deny putting any pr