If you're clapping for the NHS at 5 o'clock tonight, Newsnight's hyper-political policy editor Lewis Goodall remains in campaigning mode and wants you to remember something else too:
If you’re planning to clap for NHS staff as part of the NHS 72 celebrations remember some of those you’re clapping are facing huge costs to pay for the privilege of caring for us. The govt’s free visa scheme hasn’t been extended to all. Nursing assistants, cleaners, porters and virtually all carers are not included. I’ve interviewed a dozen or so people, all of whom are facing costs of between £2000-7000 to get their visas extended for themselves and family. It affects tens of thousands of people. Many of these people have kids who are UK citizens. We’re unlikely to deport them. But pay they must. They’re likely to be BAME. Their more senior doctor, nurse coleleafues [sic] have been exempted (often in specialised jobs which won’t ever come into contact with Covid patients). Full information in report above and thread below. As I say, worth remembering during the pictures of clapping and the inevitable gushing tributes.
As you'd expect from him, Lewis puts Sir Keir Starmer to shame there.
Lewis, as we know, though now a BBC journalist, can never leave govt-bashing alone - not even for a day. Govt-bashing is his first, his last, his everything.
(Pub quiz question: Who had a UK number one single with You're the First, the Last, My Everything?)
I don't think Sir Keir will hold it against him though when he comes to appointing his next director of communications.
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