Sir Patrick McLoughlin appointed as Visit Britain chairman May 26, 2020 Former Conservative Party chairman and transport secretary Sir Patrick McLoughlin has been appointed as chair of the British Tourist Authority. McLoughlin, who was MP from Derbyshire Dales between 1986 and 2019, will chair the Visit Britain tourism board for three years from 1 June, it was announced this morning. He was government chief whip from [...]
EU ‘willing to ease’ fishing demands in Brexit talks May 26, 2020 The EU is said to be willing to ease its stance on fisheries in talks with the UK next week in what would mark a significant breakthrough in post-Brexit trade negotiations. Fishing has proved a major stumbling block in Brexit talks, with the UK pushing back against Brussels’ demands for access to British waters to [...]
Boris Johnson’s approval rating plunges following Dominic Cummings scandal May 26, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus crisis has plunged following the revelations about his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, a poll published today found. A poll from Savanta found that Johnson’s approval rating for his handling of the crisis is now below zero (minus one per cent), having dropped 20 [...]
Coronavirus-related deaths in England and Wales fall to six-week low May 26, 2020 Deaths involving coronavirus fell to a six-week low in the week to 15 May, according to figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Of the deaths registered during the week to 15 May, 3,810 mentioned coronavirus, 120 fewer than in the previous week. The total number of deaths registered in England and [...]
Coronavirus: Minister resigns over Dominic Cummings lockdown row May 26, 2020 A government minister has resigned over senior adviser Dominic Cumming’s lockdown trips. Douglas Ross, MP for Moray, said that while he accepted Cummings’ justification for his trips, this was “not shared by the vast majority of people who have done as the government asked”. Ross, who also served as under-secretary of state for Scotland, said [...]
Michael Gove says he has driven to test his eyesight as he defends Dominic Cummings May 26, 2020 Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove defended his former protege Dominic Cummings today in an interview during which he said he too had taken drives to test his eyesight. Cummings yesterday defended his sighting at Barnard Castle in County Durham during the height of lockdown by saying he and his wife and child had taken a [...]
Boris Johnson sets out plans for shops and markets to reopen May 25, 2020 The Prime Minister has set out plans for the second phase of easing lockdown restrictions from next week, which includes opening non-essential shops from 15 June. Boris Johnson said there will be a formal assessment of easing the coronavirus lockdown restrictions on Thursday as part of the legal review. However, he has revealed plans to [...]
UK coronavirus death toll rises by 121 to 36,914 May 25, 2020 A further 121 people in the UK have died with coronavirus, bringing the total to 36,914. The increase in deaths is the second-lowest 24-hour increase since March, and includes deaths in hospitals, care homes and the wider community. Although UK coronavirus deaths and cases are declining, there is usually a lag in the figures reported [...]
Dominic Cummings: ‘I don’t regret what I did’ May 25, 2020 Dominic Cummings has said he does not regret breaking lockdown measures and has defended his trip to his parents’ house in Durham. Cummings has been under fire since a joint investigation by the Mirror and the Guardian revealed he, his wife and young son had travelled to his parents’ house in Durham in late March, [...]
All the Tory MPs who have called for Dominic Cummings to go May 25, 2020 The Prime Minister is facing renewed pressure from Tory MPs to sack Dominic Cummings. Boris Johnson has stood by his adviser Dominic Cummings despite growing calls for his resignation after breaking lockdown rules. Number 10 initially batted off the Guardian and Mirror investigation into Cummings’ movements during lockdown as activities of “campaigning newspapers”. However, Tory [...]