‘Don’t cancel Christmas’: Boris Johnson increasingly under fire as Omicron Covid variant spreads across UK December 1, 2021 A senior health official has suggested that festive gatherings should be shelved as Boris Johnson will face further questions about the Government’s approach to halting the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant amid criticism from Tory MPs. The Prime Minister urged people not to cancel Christmas parties or school nativity plays during a press conference [...]
Shortages and price hikes: Brexit bravado risks ripping up retailers’ Christmas stockings September 3, 2021 The festive season may be months away, but major retailers usually start stocking up for Christmas in September. This year, however, the government’s “Brexit hubris” means it is refusing to allow EU-based drivers to return and end Britain’s HGV driver shortage, according to David Jinks, head of consumer research at international delivery firm ParcelHero. He told [...]
‘Glimmer of Christmas hope’ as mild Omicron variant leads to less severely ill Covid patients, says relieved UK health chief December 25, 2021 It seems increasingly the case that the Omicron variant may be less likely to result in serious illness than the Delta strain of coronavirus, thereby offering a “glimmer of Christmas hope”, according to UK Health Security Agency chief Jenny Harries yesterday morning. Dr Harries told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday: “There is a glimmer [...]
Turkey farmers blame Brexit for labour shortage that would ruin Christmas – CityAM : CityAM September 26, 2021 Brits face the threat of no turkey this Christmas as a result of Brexit and subsequent lack of labour, the Traditional Farm Fresh Turkey Association (TFTA) has warned. While small local farms are unlikely to be impacted, the UK’s supermarkets could see a ‘national shortage’ of turkeys in the run-up to the festive season due [...]
Johnson to unveil temporary visa scheme to ease Christmas-period shortages – CityAM : CityAM September 25, 2021 Prime minister Boris Johnson is set to unveil a temporary visa scheme to allow overseas workers into the UK in a bid to ease the country’s shortages in the lead up to Christmas. Following months of pressure from businesses, with supermarkets and fuel giants alike reporting issues, the new programme will cover up to 10,000 [...]
Christmas in Canary Wharf: UK’s largest banks face £8.5bn HMRC bill with £35.8bn of tax under consideration December 22, 2021 Large banks face a potential £8.5bn tax liability from the UK tax authority, according to new figures obtained by Freedom of Information (FOI). The FOI to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), carried out by City law firm DLA Piper, showed that, at the end of March 2021, additional tax liability under investigation had increased by [...]
Ex British Airways boss slams tougher Omicron travel rules as ‘knee-jerk decision’ as UK firms worry about Christmas November 29, 2021 Former British Airways boss Willie Walsh has dubbed countries’ tighter quarantine and testing rules as a “knee-jerk decision”, after concerns over the new Omicron Covid variant. Walsh, who used to head the airline group International Airlines Group, said the new rules imposed “a massive financial damage to the tourism and airline industry.” “It’s clear that [...]
More Christmas No.1s than The Beatles? LadBaby shoot for top spot yet again with the help of Ed Sheeran and Elton John December 10, 2021 LadBaby are going for UK Christmas number once again this year with Sausage Rolls For Everyone, a spin off from Ed Sheeran and Elton John's new festive hit.
Looming turkey shortage and Covid spike: Cancelling Christmas again is ‘very much not the plan’, says Boris Johnson September 21, 2021 Cancelling Christmas is “very much not the plan”, Boris Johnson has said, in the face of prospects of a turkey shortage and a spike in coronavirus cases during the festive season. The Prime Minister said the Government does not “expect to have to do anything like last Christmas” when spiralling infection rates forced him to [...]
Covid researchers ecstatic: Christmas comes early as multiple studies confirm Omicron is mildest coronavirus variant so far and rapidly replaces deadly Delta December 23, 2021 Researchers in the UK are increasingly convinced the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus is much milder than the previous Delta mutation, and most likely the least lethal strain so far, thereby confirming earlier findings in South Africa. According to research by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA(, people who get infected with the Omicron variant [...]