Over 1m ‘locked out’ of coronavirus income support schemes, MPs warn June 15, 2020 The government must extend its coronavirus income support measures to cover over a million people who have “fallen through the gaps” in the schemes, MPs said. In a report published this morning, the influential Treasury Select Committee (TSC) said large numbers of people were suffering financial hardship because they are unable to benefit from the [...]
With China’s mask off, the last days of Hong Kong are upon us June 15, 2020 There is something terrifying about watching freedom die. As a historian, whether contemplating the end of Athens, the last days of the Roman Republic, or the horrors of the French Revolution devouring its children, as a well-wisher to liberty I always feel an ineffable sadness as freedom is snuffed out. And that is precisely what [...]
Coronavirus death toll in UK rises by lowest since lockdown began June 14, 2020 The death toll in the UK from confirmed cases of coronavirus has risen by 36 to 41,698, the government said today. The increase is the lowest recorded since 22 March, the day before Prime Minister Boris Johnson implemented lockdown measures. The daily tally of deaths related to Covid-19 usually dips over the weekend due to [...]
HSBC’s head of public affairs leads pro-China lobbying push June 14, 2020 A pro-China business group is urging FTSE100 companies to lobby the UK government to act more pro-Beijing as relations between the two countries begin to flounder. The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) – whose members include HSBC, BP and Standard Chartered – has spoken to a number of high-profile companies, that have connections to China, to back [...]
Rishi Sunak goes shopping as retail prepares to reopen June 14, 2020 Rishi Sunak visited a Waterstones yesterday as retail businesses across England prepare to reopen tomorrow. Sunak inspected some of the safety measures that the bookstore had implemented, such as screens between checkout workers and customers. England’s 7,000 high streets will open tomorrow as a part of the government’s easing of the lockdown. All shops that [...]
Robert Jenrick in further ties with property tycoon Richard Desmond June 14, 2020 Further links housing secretary Robert Jenrick and property tycoon Richard Desmond have been revealed in light of the government’s controversial decision to approve a £1bn housing development. The Observer reported today that Jenrick held a background briefing on his work to reform the UK’s planning system at an event hosted by public relations firm Thorncliffe, [...]
We now have a unique opportunity to end rough sleeping in London for good June 13, 2020 Where do we go from here? It’s a question many of us are asking ourselves, as lockdown measures are gradually eased and we start to move from dealing with the day-to-day impact of the pandemic to looking towards the longer-term future. For the nearly 1,400 rough sleepers who have been accommodated in London hotels, paid [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for government to support homeless Europeans June 13, 2020 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has today issued a call to the government to provide support for homeless non-UK nationals, as temporary housing plans for rough sleepers come to a close. More than 50 per cent of the homeless population currently residing in hotels organised by City Hall are from outside the UK, and will [...]
England’s coronavirus ‘R’ number rises to 0.8 to 1.0 range June 12, 2020 The reproduction rate of coronavirus infections in England has risen to 0.8 to 1.0, slightly higher than the rest of the UK. For the UK as a whole, the so-called R number remains at 0.7 to 0.9. Used by the government to inform decisions on easing lockdown, the R number represents the average number of [...]
Black Lives Matter unveils Westminster billboard to highlight ‘scale of racism’ in UK June 12, 2020 Black Lives Matter has unveiled a huge billboard in central London in an attempt to “expose the scale of UK racism”. Activists from the group’s UK operation joined anti-racism campaigners this afternoon to erect the poster on 91 Westminster Bridge Road. The billboard, which reads “I can’t breath”, echoes the last words of George Floyd, [...]