Coronavirus

Parliament has clarified its position on whether its drinking establishments are following the government’s 10pm curfew,  after it was reported the establishments on the premises had exploited a loophole that classed them as “canteens” for workers. The regulations announced by the prime minister last week include exemptions that “workplace canteens may remain open where there is […]

Social media users have expressed concerns for education secretary Gavin Williamson, who appears to have gone “missing” during a row over the government’s handling of universities. Williamson, who was criticised for his approach to A-Level and GCSE results, has not given a single interview since university students were forced to self-isolate in their halls at […]

A leading Tory Brexiteer has been branded a hypocrite after accusing the government of trying to remove people’s liberties. Steve Baker, a former chair of the hard-line Eurosceptic Westminster group the European Research Group (ERG), said it was “only fair” MPs got a vote on coronavirus laws that would take away people’s liberties before they came into effect. Brexiteer […]

The Conservatives have hit out at those trying to score “political points” by claiming that students could have to remain at university over Christmas – despite their own MPs refusing to rule it out. Reports appeared to surface after health secretary Matt Hancock himself did not deny the possibility.It followed the release of Scientific Advisory […]

Boris Johnson’s restrictions for pubs will not apply to bars in parliament. Despite requiring pubs to close at 10pm, and encouraging drinking establishments to collect data for the track and trace system, the Times reports the same rules will not apply where politicians frequent. That is because parliament is using a loophole which claims “workplace canteens […]

A senior Tory MP has claimed that Boris Johnson ruled out a second national lockdown to prevent chancellor Rishi Sunak from quitting. Number 10 has denied a rift between the prime minister and his chancellor, but there are fears the pair are at odds about how best to deal with a second wave of the […]

Former Commons speaker John Bercow has warned Boris Johnson against sidelining parliament by pushing through coronavirus laws without a vote or debate before they are enacted. Bercow told BBC Radio 4’s World This Weekend: “Parliament has been unavoidably constrained by Covid-19 but it should not now avoidably constrain or hamper itself. Debate, scrutiny and votes […]

The mayor of Liverpool has said that the 10pm closure of pubs was “making things worse not better” in the bid to tackle coronavirus. A video clip of a crowd singing and dancing in the street on Saturday was widely shared on social media and brought condemnation, including from Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson. Shut […]

Fresh off the back of claims Laurence Fox is planning to launch a new political party which will contradict the Tory stance on Covid-19, Nigel Farage has said he could also form a new party to oppose the government’s “authoritarian” measures. The Brexit Party leader has added pressure on prime minister Boris Johnson by claiming […]

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden has insisted there was “definitely science” behind the 10pm curfew for hospitality venues. Dowden was questioned on reports from a Sage scientist (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies), who claimed that the group had never talked about the impact of the policy of closing hospitality services earlier. Professor Graham Medley said: “I never […]

Anti-lockdown protesters and police have clashed at a demonstration in central London as officers tried to shut the event down. Thousands of people massed in Trafalgar Square on Saturday carrying a variety of signs, flags and placards to take part in a “we do not consent” rally, none appearing to wear face coverings or to social […]

Results of approximately 60,000 coronavirus tests carried out in an NHS hospital or Public Health England lab cannot be linked with England’s newly-launched NHS Covid-19 app. The app, which has been available for download across England and Wales since Thursday, has been hailed by health secretary Matt Hancock as an “important step forward” in the […]

Boris Johnson has called for an ‘early warning system’ to alert countries about the possibility of a pandemic – like the one the EU has in place that the UK is set to leave from the end of the year. Johnson is to make a speech on video link via the United Nations General Assembly […]

The president of Italy has hit out at Boris Johnson over remarks the UK’s Covid infection rate was worse than Italy’s because Britons loved their freedom more. Sergio Mattarella said his citizens “also love freedom” but that they “also care about seriousness”. Johnson claimed the UK’s infection rate was higher than both Italy’s and Germany’s because […]

Campaigners have staged a protest outside Matt Hancock’s health department urging the government to put the coronavirus test and trace system into public hands. The We Own It campaign group said its research showed that the public did not agree with the use of private firms, pointing out they have so far failed to get […]

Public health experts have warned Boris Johnson against pursing herd immunity or mimicking Sweden coronavirus response. Independent SAGE – an independent group of scientists who provide advice to the government – has warned Britain is in a “dangerous place”. The committee released a report in which it advised against the strategy of herd immunity or […]

A second coronavirus testing site has “disappeared overnight” to make way for a post-Brexit lorry park. The Tipner drive-through centre in Portsmouth, which is owned by Deloitte, was due to become a lorry site on October 5, but was moved to Southampton Airport ahead of schedule and without warning. Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet member for […]

A coronavirus testing centre in Kent is to close to make way for a post-Brexit lorry park. KentOnline reports that a leaked letter from Kent County Council confirmed the Ebbsfleet testing centre would close for use as a site to carry out customs checks of cross-Channel lorries after the Brexit transition period ends on December […]

I wonder what clever slogan the ‘genius superforecaster’ in Downing Street is going to come up with as the UK hits a tipping point over the pandemic?“Get Covid Done” sounds like the best. It’s short and snappy and it’s something we can all believe in. What is brilliant about this slogan is it taps into the […]

A Brexiteer MP has complained the UK is “like East Germany under the Stasi” after being spotted on London’s Underground without a face mask. DUP Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson was pictured travelling on the London Underground without a mask days after the government increased fines for failing to wear a mask on public transport to £200. Asked […]

A pub boss has called on Matt Hancock to apologise after implying the hospitality industry were in part to blame for the latest surge in coronavirus cases. Oakman Inns chief executive Peter Borg-Neal said pubs had “sweated blood” to get their venues Covid-compliant by July 4 and that suggestions they were breading grounds for the virus were […]

Rishi Sunak has defended his Eat Out To Help Out scheme after suggestions it could have contributed to the increase in the spread of Coronavirus. The chancellor said  he felt it would be “simplistic” to connect any one thing to the rise in cases, which has prompted new restrictions aimed at preventing a second national […]

In his book on Winston Churchill, Boris Johnson wrote that “one man can make all the difference”. This biographer still had faith in the “great man” theory of history. In his admiration for a charismatic and controversial figure, Johnson seemed to be hinting, or perhaps thinking, that another latter-day controversialist might also make a pretty […]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s claim that the Coronavirus crisis is “on all of us” has been met with criticism. Sunak made the remarks while announcing his winter economy plan which aims to support jobs and the economy during the pandemic. He told the commons earlier: “The government has done much to mitigate the effects of the […]

Health secretary Matt Hancock has denied there is a conflict of interest in Sir Patrick Vallance holding £600,000 worth of shares in vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Hancock said he found out from a newspaper about the UK chief scientific adviser’s shares in a drug company contracted to develop a coronavirus vaccine for the Government. The […]

Viewers have squirmed and cringed at Matt Hancock discussing how new coronavirus restrictions affect people’s sex life. The health minister was asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley how long the government had planned to stop people having “casual sex”. Burley was pointing out the restrictions allow “established couples” to meet up but bans those who […]

The government is facing imminent defeat of its bill to extend Covid-19 emergency powers, a Tory rebel has claimed. One minister and up to 50 Tory MPs are expected to withhold their support when the government’s legal extension of its lockdown powers goes to a vote in the Commons next week, The Telegraph has claimed. The paper […]

Ofcom has received 181 complaints about The Great British Bake-Off, after comedian Matt Lucas performed an impression of Boris Johnson on the opening episode of the series. The regulator says the majority of complaints made about the episode refer to Matt Lucas’ impersonation of the prime minister, which saw him wear a blonde wig and […]

Coronavirus restrictions are a “failure of government”, Labour’s Keir Starmer has claimed as he called for a ‘Plan B’ for the economic response. The Labour leader used a televised address to the nation on Wednesday to stress he supports new restrictions being brought in by the government, but that help aimed at keeping people in […]

Chauffeur-driven cars will be exempt from new laws forcing passengers to wear masks in taxis to slow the spread of coronavirus, Downing Street has said. Boris Johnson announced that passengers in licensed vehicles would have to wear coverings under new restrictions in England aimed at preventing a resurgence of Covid-19. But No 10 said the […]

The government is trying to blame the public for the imposition of new coronavirus measures, a public health export has claimed. The “punitive message” coming from Westminster around new fines for rule-breakers is the latest element and is “problematic” in terms of messaging, Professor Linda Bauld said. It comes after the public was blamed for […]

A Brexiteer commentator has claimed that it is “good” that her son has the coronavirus. Allison Pearson, a Telegraph columnist, made the claim when trying to justify her claims that the restrictions put in place by the government were hurting the young. The former Brexit Party supporter suggested there was no incentive for anyone to go to […]