Coronavirus 1) Bid to end school chaos “The number of pupils self-isolating at home quadrupled in a fortnight to 375,000, it has been revealed, piling pressure on the government to relax Covid-19 rules. One in 20 children at schools in England were self-isolating last week. Most did not have the virus but when a pupil […]
Virus 1) Javid says July 19 is end of the line for lockdown restrictions “Sajid Javid told MPs yesterday that he views July 19 as the “end of the line” for lockdown restrictions as he said the nation must learn to live with coronavirus. The new health secretary told the Commons that he was “very […]
Javid to push for an end to lockdown ‘as soon as possible’ “The newly appointed Health Secretary, who replaced Matt Hancock after he was forced to resign for breaking lockdown rules to conduct an affair with an aide, said on Sunday it was his “most immediate priority to see that we can return to normal as soon and […]
Hancock quits over affair with Gina Coladangelo… “Matt Hancock resigned from the cabinet last night after damaging details of his conduct in the affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo were revealed. The health secretary fell on his sword after fellow cabinet ministers and MPs said his position was untenable and friends told him it was the […]
Hancock fights for job after breaking Covid rules in affair with aide “Boris Johnson stood by Matt Hancock, his health secretary, last night amid mounting political and public pressure for him to resign after breaching social distancing rules during an affair with a senior aide. The prime minister said he retained full confidence in Hancock as […]
Coronavirus 1) Restrictions eased on foreign holidays – but EU threat leaves confusion “Foreign holidays in the Balearic islands, Malta and Madeira were given the go-ahead last night despite threats from the European Union to close the door to British tourists. The government announced that its green list would be significantly expanded from Wednesday, permitting […]
Coronavirus 1) Holidays to Europe in doubt after Merkel’s ‘quarantine the British’ demand “Angela Merkel on Wednesday night threatened to scupper hopes of foreign holidays in Europe this summer by demanding that EU countries introduce mandatory quarantine for travelling Britons. The German chancellor urged countries to introduce the quarantine for vaccinated Britons just as the UK […]
Coronavirus 1) England set to drop facemasks and social distancing on July 19 “England is on track to lift all remaining lockdown restrictions including social distancing, facemasks and work-from-home guidance on July 19. Ministers have been encouraged by the “very, very” low number of deaths from coronavirus and the slowdown in infections, which has boosted […]
Policy Row 1) ‘Fury’ as Johnson axes key meeting to fix social care funding crisis “Campaigners angrily accused Boris Johnson of cowardice last night after he again put off his promise to fix the broken care system. He was supposed to have held a crunch meeting with the Chancellor and the Health Secretary today to […]
Coronavirus 1) ‘Pensions raid to pay for Covid pandemic’ “Treasury officials are drawing up plans for a pensions tax raid in the autumn to help pay for heightened public spending during the Covid pandemic, The Telegraph understands. Three different reforms to the way in which pension contributions are taxed are being considered amid pressure on the […]
Sunak plans spending squeeze which could derail Johnson’s ‘levelling up’ drive… “Rishi Sunak plans a spending squeeze which could derail the PM’s “levelling up” drive. The Chancellor wants ministers to tighten their belts to help recoup the £400billion cost of surviving the pandemic. But it puts him on collision course with Boris Johnson who wants to […]
Johnson warned homes plan is turning off Tory voters after Chesham & Amersham by-election loss “Cabinet ministers are urging Boris Johnson to rethink planning reforms that have been blamed in part for the Conservatives’ worst by-election defeat in seven years. The Liberal Democrats overturned a Tory majority of 16,000 in Chesham & Amersham to win a seat that had […]
Conservatives see 16,000 majority overturned by Lib Dems in shock by-election defeat “Tories were in shock today as they suffered a brutal by-election defeat with the Lib Dems overturning a 16,000 majority in Chesham & Amersham. In an extraordinary result, the Lib Dems defied years of electoral woe to storm the ultra-safe seat – which has […]
Sixty MPs, including 49 Tory rebels, vote against extending lockdown to July 19 “MPs have approved the extension of coronavirus restrictions in England until July 19 – but 49 Tories rebelled amid demands that Boris Johnson must not ‘shift the goalposts’ and delay Freedom Day yet again. The Prime Minister was spared a defeat as Labour […]
Coronavirus 1) Mandatory Covid vaccines for NHS and care home staff “NHS workers and care home staff will be legally required to have coronavirus vaccinations under plans that have the personal support of Boris Johnson, The Times has been told. The government will open a consultation tomorrow on requiring vaccination as a condition of employment […]