Sadiq Khan warns of ‘new restrictions’ for London September 21, 2020 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has this afternoon said that he will implement “new restrictions” on the capital in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease. “I have just met with local council leaders from all parties and public health experts to agree a new London plan to slow the spread of the virus [...]
Matt Hancock announces £500 payment for self-isolating people September 21, 2020 Matt Hancock has announced that workers on low income salaries who are forced to self-isolate will be given £500 to help them do so. The payment will be made to anyone who cannot work because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have been asked to self-isolate through NHS Test and Trace. It will apply [...]
PM calls emergency Cobra meeting amid second wave fears September 21, 2020 Boris Johnson will chair the UK’s first Cobra meeting in four months tomorrow to discuss the government’s response to a second wave of coronavirus sweeping across the country. The Prime Minister will today hold talks with devolved leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as Cabinet colleagues ahead of an emergency meeting with [...]
Third of Wales to enter lockdown following spike in infections September 21, 2020 Around a third of the Welsh population will enter lockdown from 6pm tomorrow after fresh data showed a sharp hike in the rate of infections in the country. The Welsh counties of Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent and Newport will join Rhondda Cynon Taf with local lockdowns, Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething announced today. People [...]
UK-US travel slump set to cost British economy £11bn September 21, 2020 The government is facing mounting pressure to roll out large scale coronavirus testing at airports after new research showed reduced travel between the UK and US could cost the British economy upwards of £11bn this year. A new report commissioned by Heathrow Airport, Airlines UK, British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) and aviation services [...]
Businesses voluntarily return £215m in furlough cash September 21, 2020 UK firms have voluntarily returned more than £215m of furlough money to the government either because they did not need it or they took it in error. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) figures released today showed that 80,433 employers have so far returned furlough cash totalling more than £215m handed to them to cover staff [...]
Second local lockdown could cost London more than £2bn September 21, 2020 London could face annual costs of more than £2bn if fresh curfew measures are implemented in the capital, according to a new report. Leading think tank the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) today warned that 10pm curfews introduced elsewhere in the UK could reverse the country’s economic recovery if slapped on London venues. [...]
Rail franchising ‘ended’ as government extends emergency support September 21, 2020 Ministers today announced the end of rail franchising after 24 years by extending support measures introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Department for Transport (DfT) today announced a wide scale shake-up to the UK’s rail network in a bid to create a “simpler and more effective structure” over the coming months. Train [...]
Coronavirus: Johnson faces calls for urgent action and COBRA meeting as cases rise September 19, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under pressure to take “decisive action” in the battle against coronavirus as cases rise. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has demanded a COBRA meeting within the next 48 hours and echoed the sentiments of London mayor Sadiq Khan regarding the need to learn from March’s mistakes and implement restrictions [...]
Trump predicts Covid-19 vaccine to be available to every American by April September 19, 2020 US President Donald Trump has said he expects a vaccine for coronavirus to be available for every American by April. Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Trump told reporters he was optimistic of the vaccine being available in just seven months time and that it would be distributed within 24 hours of federal approval. [...]