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Labour’s Angela Rayner falls for unofficial schools advice after being duped by leftie shadow SAGE group


LABOUR'S Angela Rayner tweeted unofficial school advice from the leftie shadow SAGE group to more than 200,000 followers today.

The deputy Labour leader was duped when she tweeted saying the SAGE group said June 1 was "too soon" to reopen schools.

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 The deputy Labour leader has since deleted that tweet
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The deputy Labour leader has since deleted that tweetCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 Angela Rayner tweeted this thinking it was advice from the official SAGE group
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Angela Rayner tweeted this thinking it was advice from the official SAGE groupCredit: Twitter

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne's blunder came hours ahead of when the Government's official report on reopening schools was due to be published.

This morning, she tweeted an article published by the Times Educational Supplement that reported findings of the 'Independent SAGE Group'.

The now-deleted tweet read: "SAGE concludes June 1st “too soon” to open schools. Teacher unions have been absolutely correct in asking for safety measures to be in place before re-opening.

"Daily attacks from right wing newspapers who attack teachers and their unions, should take note."

The article referred to the non-official Independent Sage group, which was set up by the former chief scientific adviser Sir David King to challenge the Government.

They have slammed the Government for failing to bring in contact tracing faster - saying it could have curbed new infections in just three weeks.

The row between ministers and teaching unions over if schools should reopen has continued to escalate.

Today, the Government's official SAGE group of top scientists published their official findings on reopening schools in an effort to reassure worried parents and teachers.

The documents - which also confirmed the risk of children catching coronavirus was "much lower" than adults, were released as militant teaching unions and councils prepared to defy the government and refuse to go back.

Only a handful of councils plan to reopen schools on June 1, leaving parents across the country in the dark over their children's education.

The final decision on whether or not to open up classrooms will fall to headteachers and teaching unions.


Now new documents warn children will be affected forever by missing out on lessons, with the most vulnerable hit hardest.

The documents also support going back to schools, in a blow to the hardline union bosses – who have claimed it could cost lives.

The advice will pile pressure on the army of councils rebelling against the date to drop their opposition and let kids back to class.

According to a survey of 151 local authorities in England by The Times, only a small minority were willing to abide by Government advice.

Almost two thirds of local authorities responded but only 17 of them said they would be planning a return for June 1.

Another 47 said they were leaving it up to individual schools and headteachers and they would not lay out directions.

Nine councils said they hadn't yet decided or did not provide a clear response.

It comes as parents were being told to make their minds up by today if they intend to send their primary school-aged children back to school after half term.

The state schools that are opening have sent letters to parents asking whether they intend to keep their children at home or not, and say they need to know today what their decision is.

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