£37bn on test and trace, yet “no clear evidence” to judge its effectiveness

£37bn has been allocated to test and trace in England, yet there is no clear evidence that the system is effective at reducing coronavirus infection levels, a cross-party group of MPs has found. The House of Commons public accounts committee has highlighted many of the points at which Labour has been hammering away for months. The huge cost of T&T was partly justified by the government on the basis that it would help avoid further lockdowns, “but since its creation we have had two more lockdowns”, the report published today points out.

Crucially, while everyone appreciates that it had to be set up and staffed quickly, test and trace “now needs to wean itself off its persistent reliance on consultants and temporary staff”, it adds. The average cost per consultant is around “£1,100 a day, up to a maximum of £6,624 for some”, the Department of Health told the committee. The government, let us not forget, has recommended that NHS workers receive a 1% pay rise, which is a real terms cut, because apparently that is all we can afford. Recollections may vary on whether there is a magic money tree and when it chooses to bear fruit.

In Labour news, one of the party’s Holyrood candidates has been removed ahead of the May elections after commenting on the timing of a fresh independence referendum. Hollie Cameron told a journalist that her view on a vote being held in the next parliamentary term was “why not?”, and LabourList understands that the party is not satisfied she would follow the whip if elected as an MSP. The local party executive that selected Cameron has called for her instatement, as have Richard Leonard, John McDonnell and others in an open letter.

We also have an exclusive report detailing the steps being taken by the Labour leadership to put pressure on the government over Brexit. Lucy Powell and Jack Dromey, from Labour’s business and shadow Cabinet Office teams respectively, wrote to Labour MPs yesterday asking for local examples of businesses and workers experiencing post-Brexit “challenges or opportunities”, as they search for “powerful case studies” that will help hold the government to account. While Rachel Reeves pushes on the economic impact of the deal, she and Dromey have also been working to strengthen the party’s ties with European socialists. Full details here.