Michael Gove apologises for WRONGLY saying children of separated parents cannot travel between homes

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Michael Gove forced to apologise after WRONGLY telling GMB viewers that children of separated parents cannot travel between their homes during coronavirus clampdown when the rules say they CAN

By David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent and Henry Martin For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Michael Gove was forced to apologise this morning after telling separated parents their children cannot travel between their homes during the coronavirus lockdown – because they are allowed to.

What is the guidance on the movement of children? 

The rules on whether children of separated or divorced parents can visit them were clearly laid out last night.

As Boris ordered the UK’s entire population to stay at home unless absolutely necessary, the Government issued guidance to deal with this very issue, one which will worry parents across the UK.

It says: ‘Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes.’

The Cabinet Office Minister appeared on GMB after Boris Johnson’s momentous decision last night to bring in the most stringent peacetime restrictions on the UK’s way of life.

The Prime Minister ordered all but essential workers to remain at home and cease all non-essential travel to combat the spread of the virus, which has so far killed 335 Britons.

But questioned by Susannah Reid Mr Gove told GMBs audience, which includes a high number of anxious mothers and fathers, that youngsters would not be allowed out of one parent’s home to go to the other, if they lives apart.

He said: ‘Children should stay in the household they are currently in, we should not have children moving between households.

‘I know this is incredibly difficult, this is a time of – an emotionally fraught time and a difficult one. 

uestioned by Susannah Reid Mr Gove told GMBs audience, which includes a high number of anxious mothers and fathers, that youngsters would not be allowed out of one parent’s home to go to the other, if they lives apart.

‘Wherever possible, if there can be contact through social media or non-physical contact then that should carry on.’

But this caused an uproar, as official advice issued by the Government last night said that under-18s are among those allowed out of homes if they need to go to their other parent.

Mr Gove swiftly took to Twitter after his interview to say: ‘I wasn’t clear enough earlier, apologies.

‘To confirm – while children should not normally be moving between households, we recognise that this may be necessary when children who are under 18 move between separated parents. 

‘This is permissible and has been made clear in the guidance.’

Ms Reid’s GMB co-host Piers Morgan was among those who attacked mr Give, tweeting: ‘We need urgent clarity from the Govt. about Michael Gove’s announcement on GMB re children moving between separated parents’ homes as it directly contradicts current Govt. advice post-speech last night.’

Britain’s 66million people are today beginning a new life in coronavirus lockdown after Boris Johnson ordered the immediate closure of all non-essential shops and threatened people with fines or even arrest if they do not ‘stay at home’.

The Prime Minister’s shutdown will last for a minimum of three weeks and the UK’s new state of emergency is unprecedented in modern history.

Gatherings of more than two people will be banned in the most dramatic curbs on freedom ever seen in Britain in time of peace or war, as the government goes all out to stop the spread of the killer disease, which has claimed 335 lives.

In a grim address to the nation from Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: ‘Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses’, adding: ‘I must give the British people a very simple instruction – you must stay at home’.

He said any family reunions, weddings, baptisms and other social events must be cancelled to stop the NHS collapsing under the strain. Funerals can go ahead attended by just a handful of closest relatives.

People must only leave their homes for essential supplies, medical help, or to travel to work if it is ‘absolutely’ unavoidable. Going out for exercise will be allowed once a day, but parks will be patrolled to make sure there is no abuse of the rules.

Police will have powers to fine those who do not fall into line, and disperse any public gatherings, in measures to curb movement only seen during the Second World War. Historians have claimed you have to go back to 1666 to find when people were last forced to stay at home en masse, when Britons had to stay at home for 40 days to halt the spread of the Great Plague.