Sunday shows

Robert Jenrick – Staying at home still ‘very important’ Sophy Ridge began this morning interviewing Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick. The Prime Minister will address the nation at 7pm tonight, updating the government’s Covid-19 strategy, and it is anticipated that he will outline a vision for the end of the lockdown. The official message will change from ‘stay at home’ to the more open-ended ‘stay alert’. Jenrick said that this did not mean the public should expect to see enormous changes in the near future: Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick says 'staying at home will still be a very important part' of the governments message to the public. #RidgeWatch live: https://t.co/Gxj8isAWre pic.twitter.com/qbCz7bCvf1—

Grant Shapps – Raw mortality figures don’t tell the whole story Sophy Ridge’s first guest this morning was the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. There have been over 28,000 deaths attributed to Covid-19, now that the government is including figures from care homes and the wider community. Ridge confronted Shapps with comparisons of known mortality figures in other countries, pointing out that the UK was poised to become second only to the United States in the total number of deaths. Shapps argued that there is not enough data available at this stage to say whether the UK is faring objectively worse than other countries: 'On your own metric, haven't you failed

Michael Gove – Government is not thinking about lifting lockdown restrictions yet Sophy Ridge began the morning interviewing the Cabinet Office Minister, Michael Gove. On Thursday, the government announced it would be extending the UK’s lockdown for a further three weeks to best tackle Covid-19. Gove downplayed reports that the government had drawn up a three-stage plan to end the lockdown, and explicitly quashed the idea that schools could be open again from mid-May. Instead, he told Ridge that the government’s efforts would continue to be guided by the science, and would not be drawn on a timescale: "We should not be thinking of lifting these restrictions yet."Michael Gove tells

Matt Hancock – 100,000 tests a day target is achievable Once again, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock was tasked with doing the rounds of television studios, updating the public on the government’s coronavirus strategy. Concerns have been mounting that the government has not made enough provisions to test people for the virus, especially NHS staff. The government has since announced a target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April. Sophy Ridge challenged him on these figures, but Hancock insisted the goal was realistic: 'It's going to be hard and people need to put their shoulders to the wheel to achieve it' - Health Secretary, Matt Hancock on

Robert Jenrick – We will do ‘whatever it takes’ to support those at risk Sophy Ridge was first joined this morning by the Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick. With the threat from coronavirus still looming large, Jenrick told Ridge that the Chief Medical Officer was now officially advising around 1.5 million people at particular risk from the virus to remain indoors for potentially as long as three months. He pledged that the government would do its utmost to support them: "We're going to do whatever it takes to support you."Housing Sec @RobertJenrick says letters will be sent to around 1.5m people across England who are "particularly at risk" to #coronavirus asking

Rishi Sunak – We will give the NHS whatever it needs The Chancellor Rishi Sunak was the government’s representative across the TV studios today, ahead of his first Budget on Wednesday. Sunak remained tight lipped when asked about many of the specific measures he would be taking, but told Sky’s Sophy Ridge that the NHS could expect more cash to help with the strains caused by the coronavirus: "We stand ready to give the NHS whatever it needs"Chancellor @RishiSunak says the government is prepared to give more funding to the NHS in response to #coronavirus#RidgeRead more here: https://t.co/Bl59HuRUSw pic.twitter.com/2DZEbL7oRd— Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge (@SkyPoliticsHub) March 8, 2020 SR: Are

Dawn Butler: ‘I’m the most experienced candidate’… Sophy Ridge started her show by speaking to Dawn Butler, one of Labour’s five deputy leadership contenders. Butler, who was first elected in 2005, argued her case for being chosen: “I am the most experienced candidate.”@DawnButlerBrent MP explains her strategy to become deputy Labour leader, claiming that she is the “unity candidate”.#Ridge "I am the most experienced candidate."@DawnButlerBrent MP explains her strategy to become deputy Labour leader, claiming that she is the "unity candidate".#RidgeFollow live politics here: https://t.co/BE3hGR36Ua pic.twitter.com/HEsJuE69te— Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge (@SkyPoliticsHub) February 9, 2020 DB: I am the most experienced candidate. I’ve served under two Labour Prime Ministers and