Inside Politics: Boris Johnson hails ‘rapid result’ testing in Liverpool

Two men in India have been arrested for allegedly conning a doctor into paying £70,000 for “Aladdin’s lamp”. Reports suggest they promised it would grant three magic wishes and pretended to conjure up a genie. If the latest polls are to be believed, Donald Trump may have to conjure up a genie to win today’s US presidential election. His friend Boris Johnson must wish he had a few magic wishes right now – though he would probably have to use them all up trying to fix test, track and trace. The PM hopes mass testing with rapid results is part of the answer, as a new city-wide trial in Liverpool begins.

Inside the bubble

Chief political commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today:

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is asking Rishi Sunak to make a statement about additional support for jobs “during and after” the lockdown. So we expect the chancellor to speak at about 12.30pm. Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has asked a question about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, likely to be answered by foreign secretary Dominic Raab. MPs then debate the Overseas Operations Bill, with some Tory MPs threatening to join Labour in voting against a time limit on allegations of torture.  

Daily briefing

TOUCH OF MASS: Boris Johnson has announced that people in Liverpool will be offered regular coronavirus tests, regardless of whether or not they symptoms, under the first city-wide trial. Some will get their diagnosis within an hour – a rapid result system which could be rolled out to “millions” if successful. “This kind of mass testing has the potential to be a powerful new weapon in our fight,” the PM said. Johnson had a tougher time trying to justify the second lockdown in the Commons – saying he hoped to “defeat this virus by spring”. Sir Keir Starmer claimed the PM’s earlier inaction meant the lockdown would be “harder, longer and more damaging than it needed to be”. Among the senior Tories complaining, Sir Charles Walker said the country was becoming an “authoritarian, coercive state”. But perhaps the most damning remark of the past 24 hours came from environment secretary George Eustice – who admitted the government’s local, tiered approach simply “didn’t work”.

CRYING OVER SPILLED BEER: Pub owners are furious with the government after it was confirmed they wouldn’t be able to sell takeaway booze during the lockdown. Brewery boss Jonathan Neame said it was “soul destroying” to “tip it all down the drain”. There was better news for the self-employed, who will have their support payments doubled from 40 per cent to 80 per cent of trading profits. It’ll cost up to £4.5bn between November and January, chancellor Rishi Sunak said. Elsewhere, Keir Starmer singled Sunak out for some special criticism during his speech at the annual CBI conference. “Make no mistake, the chancellor’s name is all over this. His decision to block a circuit breaker [in September] ... will mean businesses have to close for longer, more people will lose jobs, and the public finances will be worse than needed,” said the Labour leader. Starmer was at pains to remind business leaders he isn’t Jeremy Corbyn. “I want us to do things with business, not to business”.  

THREE’S A CROWD: Looks like protests will have to be kept small during the lockdown. Like, really small. Priti Patel wants to make sure demonstrations involving more than two people (!) will be banned this month, according to The Times. Apparently, the home secretary spoke to chief constables about it over weekend – but some of the more practical senior police officers are thought to be worried it’s too draconian to actually enforce. The government is also considering cutting the time spent in quarantine in a bid to increase the number of people who comply with self-isolation rules. Reports suggests a decision could be announce within days. Sir Lindsay Hoyle is keen to enforce his own rules. The Speaker demanded an apology if it emerges that the person leaking the lockdown news last Friday night turns out to be an MP. Michael Gove and Matt Hancock have both denied it was them.

STICK OR TWIST? Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t like to show any glimpse of weakness – but she admitted she’s struggling with a “dilemma” over whether Scotland should join England in lockdown. The first minister said she was still seeking “absolute clarity” from the Treasury as to whether furlough support would be available for Scotland. The PM appeared to confirm as much in the Commons: “If other parts of the UK decide to go into measures … then of course it is available to them.” But the SNP are not inclined to take Johnson at his word – so Ian Blackford has written a stern letter demanding confirmation. Meanwhile, in Wales, first minister Mark Drakeford said the 17-day lockdown will end on 9 November regardless of what’s happening in England. Two households in Wales will be able to form a bubble to meet inside, while non-essential business will re-open. Strangely, it still hasn’t yet made clear under what conditions pubs and restaurants might be able to open again next week.

JOBS FOR THE BOYS: Johnson and Matt Hancock are being sued for handing senior Tories and associated friends key public sector roles. The Good Law Project and Runnymede Trust have begun legal proceedings – claiming that the government’s appointment of party-connected pals without advertising the jobs or following proper employment processes breaches the Equality Act 2010. Speaking of (alleged) crooked behaviour, it doesn’t look like Donald Trump would be able to revive his political career on the other side of the Atlantic if he loses today’s US election. The Republican would lose every single constituency in the UK, if British voters were given a choice between Trump and Joe Biden, according to a new survey. The Hanbury Strategy poll shows 76 per cent of Britons would vote for the Democrat – though Trump does have relatively strong support in England’s deprived coastal towns. Maybe he could have a go at South Thanet?

JUDGEMENT DAY: The lawyers are primed. The shop fronts are boarded up. The pundits have made their final predictions. The United States of America is all set for its wildest election in decades. Donald Trump has warned that any delay in declaring tonight’s result would “put our country in danger” and also ominously stated: “As soon as that election’s over, we’re going in with our lawyers.” Joe Biden, who was joined by Lady Gaga at a rally in Pittsburgh, said it was time for Trump to “pack his bags” – and promised he would not let the Republican “steal” the election. Businesses in Washington DC and in New York City were seen boarding up premises in preparation for unrest. Biden may have a pre-election poll lead of eight points nationally, but in key states things are much tighter. He only has a five-point lead in Pennsylvania and a two-point margin in Florida – while Trump holds small leads in Ohio and Iowa.

On the record

“At every stage the prime minister has been too slow. At every stage he’s pushed away challenge … At every stage he’s over-promised and under-delivered.”

Keir Starmer makes life difficult for the PM, despite backing lockdown.

From the Twitterati

“Labour ‘should stop continually knocking test and trace’, the PM tells Keir Starmer. Presumably that applies to his own MPs as well then. And directors of public health.”

Manchester Evening News’ Jennifer Williams on the PM’s defence of test and trace…

“It is not NHS Test and Trace Boris Johnson – it is Serco Test and Trace. You have thrown £12bn at a failed testing system that is one of the fundamental reasons we are now back in lockdown.”

…and Labour’s Angela Rayner wants it renamed.

Essential reading

Sean Smith, The Independent: Britain’s elite haven’t had to overcome adversity and can’t cope in a crisis

Qais Hussain, The Independent: It is time for a report on Islamophobia in the Tory party

Stephen Bush: Nigel Farage has launched an anti-lockdown party – what are his chances of success?

Sharyl Attkisson, Real Clear Politics: Five key signals Trump could still win the election

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