Test and Trace bosses ‘set out plans to rebuild public trust’ November 19, 2020 Test and Trace bosses have set out plans to “rebuild public trust” among local councils, according to reports, as the contact tracing app this week failed to identify 123,000 positive cases of coronavirus. According to leaked slides seen by Sky News, government officials heading up England’s contact tracing scheme believe they need to “reset” their [...]
China warns West on Hong Kong: ‘Their eyes will be plucked out’ November 19, 2020 China has warned the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada to stay out of its affairs after the countries accused Beijing of silencing critics in Hong Kong. The Five Eyes alliance slammed China’s introduction of new rules that allows it to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong. The countries yesterday called on Beijing to [...]
Two-thirds of London boroughs launch their own local contact tracing systems November 19, 2020 Almost two-thirds of London boroughs have launched their own contact tracing platforms as confidence in the government’s Track and Trace app continues to plummet. Redbridge and Hammersmith and Fulham today joined a list of 21 out of 32 London boroughs that have snubbed the national system in favour of localised approaches to tackling the virus. [...]
Exclusive: Sadiq Khan’s PR budget soars by 33 per cent in four years November 19, 2020 Sadiq Khan has increased City Hall spending on public relations by 33 per cent over the course of his term in office, according to newly released figures. Numbers released by City Hall through a freedom of information request show the mayor spent £977,912 on press office costs for 2019/20, compared to £732,537 in 2015/16. Spending [...]
Boris Johnson set to only warn Priti Patel over bullying claims November 19, 2020 Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to censure Priti Patel over bullying civil servants, but will stop short of sacking the home secretary. An inquiry into Patel’s conduct toward civil servants in the Home Department was launched nine months ago after a series of complaints. Included among the complainants was the department’s top civil servant Philip [...]
Covid cases in England spike as rapid testing picks up pace November 19, 2020 Coronavirus cases in England hiked 11 per cent in England last week, NHS Test and Trace said today, as the government rolled out rapid Covid tests across the country. Test and Trace reported 167,369 confirmed coronavirus cases between 5 November and 11 November, up 11 per cent on the previous week. London saw an average [...]
Boris Johnson vows to make UK Europe’s greatest naval power with new defence spending November 19, 2020 Boris Johnson has vowed the UK will return to its place as “the foremost naval power in Europe” through a landmark increase in military spending. Johnson said the country will benefit from a “renaissance of ship building”, while also focusing on space-based defence technologies that will destroy “targets with inexhaustiable lasers”. The government will increase [...]
English sports clubs granted £300m emergency funding package November 19, 2020 The government has announced a £300m emergency funding package to help sports clubs in England survive ongoing coronavirus restrictions during the winter. Rugby League and Rugby Union, horse racing and the lower tiers of National League football are among the beneficiaries of the support. The funding, which is largely made up of loans, comes as [...]
Government to set out post-lockdown plan next week November 19, 2020 The government will set out a plan for exiting England’s month-long lockdown next week, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson has said. Boris Johnson has repeatedly vowed the country will return to a “regional tiered approach” when lockdown restrictions are due to expire on 2 December. However, head of Public Health England Dr Susan Hopkins earlier this [...]
Road pricing can level up the nation and take our outdated transport system into the twenty-first century November 19, 2020 If the leaks from the Treasury this week are to be believed, Rishi Sunak has been presented a study on road pricing by his civil servants. He’d be a fool not to take it seriously. Shifting towards a comprehensive system of road pricing would help the chancellor level up the regions, drive down pollution, and [...]