Top story: Teachers speak of ‘systemic racism’
Hello, Warren Murray with this morning’s essential reading.
Exclusion rates for black Caribbean students in English schools are up to six times higher than those of their white peers in some local authorities, Guardian analysis has found, highlighting what experts have called an “incredible injustice” for schoolchildren from minority ethnic backgrounds. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children were also excluded at much higher rates. In response to a callout, many children and teens have shared stories about racism in schools today. They include a 15-year-old boy from Bradford who says he was likened to Osama bin Laden; a 14-year-old girl from Greater Manchester forced to move schools after her hijab was ripped off and she was pushed into a road; and a 15-year-old boy, who described being called the N-word by his peers, before having to give an assembly to explain why it was considered a racial slur.
Teachers have also spoken of the systemic and at times overt racism they have suffered in the UK education system. In Bedfordshire, 37-year-old mixed-race teacher Anne said racism forced her out of her position. “It started with the things that teachers would say about black students. A teacher once referred to a black male student as a ‘gorilla’ and another blurted out that ‘all of those black girls look the same. I can never tell the difference.’” Her own race was continually noted and made the butt of inappropriate jokes or racial slurs.
The Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who commissioned House of Commons Library research into racial disparities in school exclusions, said the figures highlighted an “incredible injustice” for schoolchildren from an ethnic minority background. “I believe we need a universal code with clear criteria setting out the grounds for exclusions, to prevent any forms of bias and discrimination,” she said. “With coronavirus looking likely to lead to a rise in exclusions, this is more important than ever.”
Cameron ‘faces lobbying inquiry’ – A formal investigation has been launched into whether David Cameron breached lobbying laws through his work on behalf of Greensill Capital, according to reports. However, the Guardian understands the former prime minister will say he was acting as an employee for the firm. According to guidance by the Register of Consultant Lobbyists, people who lobby on behalf of their own organisation do not need to declare themselves on the register. Cameron has come under growing pressure to explain himself amid allegations he contacted the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, on his private phone last April, while working as an adviser for Greensill. At the time the firm, which collapsed earlier this month, was trying to secure access to hundreds of thousands of pounds of emergency Covid loans.
Passport to jostle for a pint – Pubs could be allowed to ditch social distancing rules if they check customers’ Covid status on entry, the Guardian understands. The government’s review into social distancing measures, due to report in June, is considering whether to allow venues that demand Covid status on entry – either a recent test or proof of vaccination – to relax all rules on social distancing. Boris Johnson has told MPs he believes Covid certification has the backing of the British people who understood the need for protective measures, and suggested he backed a more wide-ranging use for vaccine passports, which a committee led by Michael Gove is investigating. Meanwhile in the row over vaccine shipments, the EU’s 27 country heads will today discuss possible export rule changes that Boris Johnson has characterised as potentially damaging to the bloc’s trade and business standing.
Leadsom’s ‘Start for life’ – All prospective parents should be able to access a “Start for Life” package of support services in their area, says the government adviser Andrea Leadsom, as she highlights that babies from more deprived backgrounds tend to suffer worse health outcomes. Leadsom, the former Commons leader, is chairing a review of the experience of families during the crucial first 1,001 days of their babies’ lives. She would like the new family hubs the government is creating to have a particular focus on the parents of the youngest children, allowing them to access midwives, health visitors, social workers and other experts. Leadsom would also like families to be given the chance to register their child’s birth at the hubs so they can access services at the same time. She has also laid out plans to digitise the “red books” parents are given to record each child’s developmental milestones.
Turing test – GCHQ has released its “most difficult puzzle ever”, a set of 12 riddles linked to design elements of the new £50 note featuring the mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing. The questions begin with a relatively straightforward crossword-style puzzle that starts by asking where GCHQ’s predecessor agency, where Turing worked, was based during the second world war. A two-word answer, nine letters then four, is required. The spy agency, which believes setting puzzles gives the public an insight into its surveillance work, said it thought the multi-part “Turing challenge” would take an experienced puzzler seven hours to complete.
A drone on Mars – We are launching an occasional Marswatch column and Stuart Clark has touched down today with news about the Perseverance rover and its Ingenuity drone helicopter.
Perseverance has dropped the debris shield covering Ingenuity and is heading towards some flat, clear ground. “Once there, it will place Ingenuity to the ground and drive away. Once on the ground, Ingenuity will begin its series of test flights. If it succeeds, it will be humankind’s first powered, controlled flight on another planet. The attempts will begin no earlier than 8 April.”
Today in Focus podcast: The third wave
As a deadly third wave of Covid infections sweeps across the continent, Jon Henley reports on how EU leaders are considering restricting exports of vaccines in a move that could inflame tensions with the UK.
The third wave
Lunchtime read: Battle for the streets
Radical new plans to reduce traffic and limit our dependence on cars have sparked bitter conflict. As legal challenges escalate, will Britain’s great traffic experiment be shut down before we have time to see the benefits?
Sport
Wales came away with another magical moment against Belgium but Harry Wilson’s wonderful strike was rendered redundant as they slipped to defeat in their opening World Cup qualifier in Leuven. The Republic of Ireland ended their epic goal drought and were on course for a bright start to their campaign until Aleksandar Mitrovic came off the bench and scored twice in a 3-2 win for Serbia. Gareth Southgate has talked up the romance of international football and its ability to create lifelong memories and hopes his England team can give the nation a lift at the beginning of their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Norway stepped up their protests about human rights violations in Qatar on Wednesday night as they lined up for their game against Gibraltar with T-shirts bearing the slogan “Human rights – on and off the pitch”. Emma Hayes said Chelsea had “closed the gap” on Europe’s elite after a 2-1 defeat of Wolfsburg in their Champions League quarter-final first leg – their first win in seven attempts against the German champions. Formula One has been urged to carry out an independent inquiry into allegations of human rights abuses associated with the Bahrain Grand Prix. After failing to get a game all winter, England’s man of last summer Chris Woakes heads for the IPL with the Ashes on his mind. And Eddie Jones has identified Marcus Smith and Joe Simmonds among a number of potential England debutants this summer, with the head coach set to cast his eye over a dozen prospects in the coming weeks as the Rugby Football Union mulls over his future. And the official countdown to the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games has begun as the first group of runners carried the Olympic torch through Fukushima.
Business
Asian equities have bounced between gains and losses amid a selloff in Chinese technology shares due to concerns they will be delisted in the US and worries about a semiconductor shortage. US regulators are rolling out measures requiring companies to comply with US auditing standards and disclose any government affiliations – which is expected to hit Chinese companies. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.1%. Hong Kong shares plunged at the open but then trimmed their losses to a 0.18% decline. Shares in China rose 0.08% while Japanese stocks rose 0.71% and Australian shares rose 0.24% as bargain hunters bought shares of consumer goods, real estate and financial firms. The FTSE is trending lower ahead of the open. A pound is worth $1.370 and €1.158 at time of writing.
The papers
The Guardian print edition leads with our school exclusions investigation – the picture slot pokes fun at the edict for government buildings to fly the flag. The Mirror has “EU vaccine peace deal” after the UK government and the European commission said they were working on a “win-win” solution to expand vaccine supply (“peace deal” might yet be shown to be putting it a bit high). “Believe it or not … EU sees sense in jab row” says the Express.
The i says Britain and the EU are in “late talks” to avoid a blockade. The Financial Times says both sides are trying to calm the situation after “trading barbs”, but things sound less clement in the Metro: “PM jabs back at EU ban”. Johnson said global investors wouldn’t want to deal with countries that mount “arbitrary blockades”.
“Pubs could ask for jab passports” – that’s the Telegraph, which also carries a large picture of the container ship still blocking the Suez canal (not much movement in that story, although the meme-makers have been having fun with it). The Times’ version is “Covid jabs needed to enter pubs” and the Sun says “No jab no pint” in what it calls a “Covid boozer shock”.
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