Breaking: MPs vote lockdown into law from midnight tonight November 4, 2020 England will enter a month-long lockdown from midnight tonight, after MPs approved the new shutdown. MPs supported the fresh restrictions by 516 votes to 38 in a House of Commons motion this afternoon. It means pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops will shut from midnight until 2 December. All people in England will be told [...]
How to write a lockdown novel – from a man who did just that November 4, 2020 Thierry Macquet, a Mauritian ex-at living in London, found himself stranded on the paradise island of his childhood when coronavirus rampaged across the globe. To stay sane, he decided to write a lockdown novel, Messages From an Adventurous Ancestor. Here’s how he did it, and some advice on how you can do the same as [...]
Boris Johnson promises businesses new lockdown will end on 2 December November 4, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson reassured British businesses that the new lockdown in England will end on 2 December during a speech to the CBI today, but later said it would “depend on us all doing our bit”. Johnson announced a new month-long lockdown at the weekend. It will come into place tomorrow and will see [...]
UK services sector ‘close to stalling’ as coronavirus cases surge November 4, 2020 The recovery in the UK services sector slowed sharply in October as a surge in coronavirus cases and new restrictions knocked the economy, a survey has shown. The IHS Markit/Cips services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) – a closely followed measure of the sector’s health – fell to 51.4 in October, down heavily from 56.1 a [...]
Four things to watch as the Bank of England sets interest rates November 4, 2020 The Bank of England’s group of interest rate-setters will announce their latest monetary policy decision tomorrow, albeit virtually. Since the last meeting in September, the government has announced a new month-long lockdown for England amid soaring coronavirus cases. Most analysts expect the Bank to launch more stimulus to support the economy during the winter. Here [...]
Four Italian wines to help get you through lockdown November 3, 2020 On the day we ordinarily congregate to celebrate the foiling of Guy Fawkes’ infamous gunpowder plot, we will instead be locked inside wondering how our government has Fawked things up so much. Referring to himself by Italian version of his name, Guido, Fawkes was inspired by his tour of the continent and indeed Italy. How [...]
UK jobs market weak ahead of lockdown despite rise in vacancies November 3, 2020 The number of firms looking to add to their workforces grew in the third quarter after a historic contraction in the spring, but the UK jobs market remained weak ahead of the recently announced second lockdown, a survey has shown. In the third quarter, 37 per cent of firms attempted to recruit, according to the [...]
Boris Johnson doubles support for self-employed during new lockdown November 2, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a doubling of support for the self-employed during England’s new coronavirus lockdown and an extension of the deadline for government-backed business loans. Johnson addressed the House of Commons this afternoon after announcing a month-long lockdown on Saturday. MPs will vote on the new measures on Wednesday, with both Labour [...]
West Yorkshire to enter Tier 3 from midnight on Sunday October 29, 2020 The whole of West Yorkshire will enter the highest level of lockdown from midnight on Sunday following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases. Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield will all enter Tier 3 restrictions, meaning an extra 1.5m people will be placed under the toughest restrictions in the country, Leeds City council leader Judith Blake confirmed [...]
Breaking: Cyprus and Lithuania removed from quarantine-free travel list October 29, 2020 Quarantine-free travel to Cyprus and Lithuania will end on Sunday after both countries’ travel corridors were removed today following a spike in coronavirus infections across the regions. Both countries will have their quarantine-free travel corridors removed from 4am this Sunday. From that time arrivals in the UK will have to self-isolate for 14 days, transport [...]