The Cabinet
Use attributes for filter ! | |
First episode date | August 18, 2014 |
---|---|
Final episode date | 2015 |
Networks | Sky News Australia |
Presented by | Kristina Keneally |
Peter Reith | |
Helen Coonan | |
Craig Emerson | |
Genres | Current Affairs |
Criticism | |
Date of Reg. | |
Date of Upd. | |
ID | 2997040 |
About The Cabinet
The Cabinet is an Australian television program, which premiered on 18 August 2014 on Sky News Australia. The program sees two former Labor Party politicians Kristina Keneally and Craig Emerson discuss political issues of the week with two former Liberal Party politicians Peter Reith and Helen Coonan.
Alistair Darling: Steady hand in an economic crisis
... When his long-time political ally, Gordon Brown, moved to 10 Downing Street in June 2007, Mr Darling, the quiet man of The Cabinet, replaced him as chancellor...
Dominic Raab denies Dominic Cummings made key pandemic decisions
... Earlier, Mr Javid - who quit as chancellor in February 2020 after refusing to bow to a demand by Mr Johnson that he replace his senior advisers - told the inquiry that The Cabinet was designed to be " inexperienced" to give Mr Cummings more power over decisions...
Covid inquiry: Michael Gove defends Boris Johnson over lockdown decision-making
... " When asked to expand on his comments, Mr Gove said at the time he was concerned about the " ability and structure" of The Cabinet Office to deliver government s priorities...
Wilders Dutch vote: Centre-right VVD rules out role in cabinet
... By deciding not to be part of The Cabinet, Ms Yesilgöz has also increased pressure on Mr Omtzigt to join a coalition, because with 20 seats he is the only other top-four party still available...
Who is new minister without portfolio Esther McVey?
... But he wasn t the only ex-minister coming back into The Cabinet...
David Cameron to return to cabinet table after seven years
...By George WrightBBC NewsNew Foreign Secretary David Cameron will return to The Cabinet table for the first time in more than seven years this morning after his dramatic recall to government...
David Cameron vows to support Rishi Sunak after surprise cabinet comeback
... " I m a member of the team and I accept The Cabinet collective responsibility that comes with that, " Lord Cameron said...
David Cameron: How will MPs hold the foreign secretary to account?
... Until 2007, the lord chancellor was always in the Lords and a member of The Cabinet too...
Covid inquiry: Michael Gove defends Boris Johnson over lockdown decision-making
By Joshua Nevett & Hugh Pym BBC News
Cabinet minister Michael Gove has disputed claims Boris Johnson was " incapable of making decisions" about lockdowns during the pandemic in evidence to the Covid inquiry.
He Said introducing a lockdown was " difficult" for Mr Johnson because it went against his " political outlook".
But he accepted lockdowns came Too Late both in March and November 2020.
Mr Gove also apologised to victims and bereaved families for the government's " mistakes" during the pandemic.
He Said as a senior minister who was " close to many of the decisions that were made, I must take my share of responsibility for that".
Mr Gove said politicians were " human beings" who were " fallible" and " every decision was difficult and every course was bad" at The Time .
Personal responsibilityWhile some mistakes were " unique and specific to the UK government" Mr Gove said " we need to remember that governments everywhere made errors".
Mr Gove was The First senior cabinet minister at the centre of the UK government's response to the pandemic to give evidence in this part of The Inquiry .
As Cabinet Office minister he was part of a core team of key decision makers in 2020 along with Mr Johnson, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak , who was chancellor and is now Prime Minister .
His admission to errors and his own personal responsibility at the Time Was a significant moment in The Inquiry , as well as his apology to bereaved families.
More on the Covid inquiry
Much of Mr Gove's testimony focused on how decisions were made by senior ministers and civil servants in Mr Johnson's government in The First year of the pandemic.
In previous testimony, some of Mr Johnson's most senior advisers - including Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain - have characterised the former Prime Minister as indecisive and liable to change his mind.
Lee Cain , No 10's former director of communications, said Mr Johnson had been " torn" between the scientific evidence and Public Opinion , describing the pandemic as the " wrong crisis" for the former Prime Minister .
But in his testimony on Tuesday, Mr Gove was loath to criticise his former cabinet colleagues.
When asked about the lockdown announced by Mr Johnson in March 2020, Mr Gove said: " A decision to restrict freedoms in an unprecedented way went against his instincts and the principles that governed his political outlook. "
The Levelling up secretary said Mr Johnson preferred " gladiatorial decision-making" and wanted to see opposing arguments " rehearsed in front of him".
Mr Gove also said he had a " high opinion of Matt Hancock and believe many of the decisions he made displayed foresight and wisdom".
Mr Hancock is due to begin his evidence to The Inquiry on Thursday, with Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak to appear before Christmas.
Mr Gove told The Inquiry ministers like himself who believed the government should have acted earlier had a responsibility to point out to the then-Prime Minister the need for action.
" I don't think that one can single out the Prime Minister at The Time for criticism, " Mr Gove said. " We all deserve our share retrospectively of criticism. "
Admissions of failureThe senior Conservative MP said the UK was not well enough prepared for the pandemic, that testing should have been better planned and that there were errors with PPE procurement.
He acknowledged there was not enough Focus On the impact On Children .
In a foul-mouthed WhatsApp exchange with Mr Cummings at The Beginning of the pandemic, Mr Gove said the government was " missing golden opportunities" to act.
He wrote: " I will carry on doing what I can but the whole situation is Even Worse than you think and action needs to be taken or we will regret it for a long time. "
When asked to expand on his comments, Mr Gove said at The Time he was concerned about the " ability and structure" of the Cabinet Office to deliver government's priorities.
He then apologised for his language and added he feared the " weaknesses" in government would be further exposed by Covid.
At one point, the Surrey Heath MP noted there was a significant body of evidence that believes Covid was " man-made" only to be told the issue was not part of The Inquiry 's terms of reference.
Where and how the Covid virus originated is still a matter of intense scientific debate.
One controversial school of Thought - which has been described as a " likely" explanation by The Fbi - is that The Virus was accidentally leaked by a Chinese laboratory which was researching similar viruses.
When asked about Mr Gove's comments, the Prime Minister 's spokesperson said The World Health Organisation " needs to continue to examine all possibilities" about the origins of Covid.
Former deputy chief medical officer Professor Dame Jenny Harries is due to give evidence later on Tuesday.
Later This Week , The Inquiry will also take evidence from Mr Hancock and the former Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab .
The Inquiry is taking evidence as part of its second module on core UK decision-making and political governance.
Related TopicsSource of news: bbc.com