Oriel College votes to take down Cecil Rhodes statue June 17, 2020 The governing body of Oriel College at Oxford University has tonight said that it has recommended that its statue of colonialist benefactor Cecil Rhodes be taken down. It also said that it would launch an inquiry into the issues surrounding the statue, which has been the subject of student protests for five years. In recent [...]
Exclusive: Government review delays announcement that pubs can reopen June 17, 2020 Downing Street’s plan to announce earlier this week that pubs and restaurants could open on 4 July was delayed by a government review, putting hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk. City A.M. understands that Covid-19 operating guidelines for England’s hospitality sector have been drawn up by the government and are ready to distribute. However, the [...]
Health minister admits NHS coronavirus app might not be ready before winter June 17, 2020 A government minister has admitted that the NHS’ contact-tracing coronavirus app might not be ready before the winter. Speaking to the parliamentary science and technology committee this afternoon, department of health minister Lord Bethell said the app was “no longer a priority”. In answer to questions about the app, Bethell said: “We are seeking to [...]
China-India border dispute: Diplomats exchange blows as Chinese mobile firm scraps Indian launch June 17, 2020 The Indian and Chinese foreign ministers exchanged protests today in an escalation of tensions after clashes at the border yesterday left 20 Indian soldiers dead. A phone call between India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and China’s Wang Ji earlier today heard both sides disagree over which country had crossed the border first. Jaishinkar claimed China tried to [...]
Downing Street stands by pension triple lock manifesto pledge June 17, 2020 Downing Street has said it will stick by its manifesto pledge to not break the pension triple lock, despite speculation to the contrary. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said today that there were “no plans to abolish the triple lock and we will always stand by pensioners”. The triple lock, brought in by David Cameron in [...]
Coronavirus deaths in the UK rise by 184 June 17, 2020 A further 184 people died after testing positive from coronavirus, the government said today. As of 9am this morning, there have been 7,121,976 tests, with 140,359 tests carried out on 16 June. To date, 299,251 people have tested positive. As of 5pm yesterday, of those tested positive for coronavirus, 42,153 have died in hospitals, care [...]
Boris Johnson’s car involved in minor collision outside parliament June 17, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s convoy was involved in a minor collision outside the Houses of Parliament today following Prime Minister’s Questions. One of the cars in the convoy was forced to suddenly brake by a protester, meaning the vehicle behind shunted the back of the lead car. The BBC reported that a dent was visible [...]
Boris Johnson’s plane paint job to cost taxpayer £900,000 June 17, 2020 The cost of Boris Johnson’s plane’s makeover is set to cost British taxpayers £900,000. The RAF Voyager – which is painted grey currently – will have a red, white and blue repaint so it can match the colours of the Union Jack. The Prime Minister’s spokesman told journalists today that the change was needed to [...]
DEBATE: Was Boris Johnson right to merge DFID and the Foreign Office? June 17, 2020 Was Boris Johnson right to merge the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)? Lauren McEvatt, managing director of Morpeth Consulting and a former government adviser, says YES. The merger of DFID and the FCO is overdue. For too long the UK government has been operating too many strands of [...]
French President Emmanuel Macron to get Red Arrows flypast on UK visit June 17, 2020 Emmanuel Macron, the French President, will be welcomed to London tomorrow with a flypast of the Red Arrows. Macron visits the UK tomorrow, marking 80 years since Second World War French resistance leader Charles de Gaulle made a historic broadcast to occupied France from British shores. The Red Arrows, the RAF’s iconic aerobatics unit, will [...]