UK’s top civil servant Sir Mark Sedwill resigns June 28, 2020 The UK’s top civil servant Sir Mark Sedwill has resigned from his three-pronged role as cabinet secretary, national security adviser and head of the civil service. Sedwill announced his resignation today and will step down from his role in September, after 30 years in the civil service. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has nominated Sedwill for [...]
Sir Keir Starmer overtakes Boris Johnson as preferred PM June 28, 2020 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has overtaken Boris Johnson in polling as the UK’s preferred prime minister for the first time. An Opinium Poll out last night showed 37 per cent of people thought Starmer would do a better job as prime minister, compared to 35 per cent for Johnson. Starmer has a +27 per [...]
Robert Jenrick warned by civil service about £1bn development before approving it June 28, 2020 Under fire housing secretary Robert Jenrick was urged by civil servants to block a controversial £1bn East London housing development by Tory donor Richard Desmond before he approved it. Jenrick went on to ignore the advice of his mandarins and instead reversed the Tower Hamlets Council’s decision to reject the planning application. The Sunday Times [...]
Boris Johnson prepares spending splurge for ‘thunderclap’ economic downturn June 28, 2020 Boris Johnson has pledged to spend tens of billions of pounds on a raft of infrastructure projects and jobs programmes to help the UK economy bounce back from the coronavirus crisis. Johnson said he would “double down” on his election commitment to “level up” the country and would fast track a swathe of infrastructure projects. [...]
Priti Patel confirms likely Leicester lockdown June 28, 2020 Leicester could become the first city to be placed into a local coronavirus lockdown, home secretary Priti Patel has confirmed. Patel said today that there had been a coronavirus flare up in a hospital and that “there will be support going into Leicester”. Speaking to the BBC, she said: “The health secretary [Matt Hancock] was in [...]
The failure of the track and trace app is the least-worst thing about it June 27, 2020 Last week, the UK government announced a radical change in direction in its track and trace programme. Its contact-tracing app, first announced in early May and once promised as a “world beating” solution, was pulled from development. The NHSX app was abandoned because Apple and Google refused to yield on personal privacy restrictions that are [...]
Three people ‘believed dead’ in Glasgow stabbing June 26, 2020 Three people are believed to have been killed in a stabbing attack in Glasgow city centre this afternoon, the BBC reported. The attacker, who was shot dead by police, was one of the fatalities, and there are reports that two others were killed. A total of six people are being treated in hospital for their [...]
UK coronavirus deaths jump by 186 to hit 43,414 June 26, 2020 UK coronavirus deaths increased by 186 overnight days before England is set to ease its lockdown, official data showed today. That took the official UK death toll to 43,414, according to Department of Health data. However, including suspected cases, UK coronavirus deaths are believed to have exceeded 50,000. Today’s figure is the third day running [...]
France and UK offer concessions on digital tax after US tariff threat June 26, 2020 The Treasury is offering to reduce the scope of its digital services tax if the US promises to come back to the negotiating table on a global proposal, it has emerged. Alongside the finance ministers of France, Italy and Spain, the UK said in a letter to US Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin it would “considerably [...]
Police attacked again at illegal Notting Hill party June 26, 2020 Police officers have been attacked for the second night in a row while trying to disperse an illegal party in Notting Hill. Writing on Twitter, the Met Police said that objects had been thrown at police at an unlicensed music event near Colville Gardens in west London. The situation arose after 22 police officers were [...]