Tory MPs to scrutinise UK’s relationship with China amid anger over Covid-19 response April 25, 2020 Top Tory MPs have today launched a new research group aimed at reassessing the UK’s relationship with China amid concerns over the country’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. The China Research Group will gather and share information on Chinese foreign and industrial policy, as well as its ownership and development of new technologies. MPs said [...]
How and when will the UK coronavirus lockdown end? April 24, 2020 This week health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the coronavirus outbreak has passed its peak, sparking speculation about an exit strategy from the UK lockdown. However, officials have poured cold water on the idea that Britain could return to normal soon. Last week the government said the UK coronavirus lockdown would continue for at least another [...]
Progress on post-Brexit talks ‘disappointing’, says Barnier April 24, 2020 The EU’s chief negotiator has said that progress between the bloc and the UK in the post-Brexit trade talks has thus far been “disappointing”. Michel Barnier said that despite having set such a tight timeline for the talks, the UK had failed to move on a number of key issues. Speaking at a press conference [...]
Coronavirus: Dettol maker issues alert after Trump’s injection disinfectant comments April 24, 2020 Dettol and Lysol maker Reckitt Benckiser has issued advice telling people not to ingest its products “under any circumstances” after President Donald Trump suggested injecting disinfectants to treat coronavirus. Reckitt Benckiser said: “As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered [...]
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson ‘plans to return to work on Monday’ April 24, 2020 Boris Johnson is intent on returning to work as soon as Monday to continue tackling the coronavirus crisis, it is reported. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister was discharged from St Thomas’ Hospital following his own battle with coronavirus. He has since been recovering at Chequers, his countryside residence. But Johnson – who spent three [...]
Government’s coronavirus website runs out of tests within minutes April 24, 2020 The government’s online coronavirus testing scheme for essential workers was closed within minutes of opening this morning. At Thursday’s daily Downing Street briefing, health secretary Matt Hancock announced the expansion of the testing programme to include key workers and people from their households. He said millions of people could book an appointment for a drive-through [...]
Brexit trade talks: Will the deadline be extended over coronavirus? April 23, 2020 Despite coronavirus, the UK’s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost, Boris Johnson’s so-called sherpa, and his Brussels counterpart Michel Barnier recommenced trade negotiations on Monday via video conference. The week-long negotiating round is the first of three to be held over the next six weeks. The ultimate aim is to thrash out and ratify a UK-EU [...]
Coronavirus testing expanded to all essential workers April 23, 2020 All the UK’s essential workers will be able to request a coronavirus test from tomorrow as the government tries to hit its target of administering 100,000 tests by next Thursday. Health secretary Matt Hancock said at today’s press briefing that essential workers “will be able to book an appointment for themselves directly” on a government [...]
Daily UK coronavirus deaths drop to 616 April 23, 2020 The daily UK coronavirus death toll has dropped to 616, according to the latest figures. The figures mark a decrease from the 759 deaths reported yesterday, and take the total to 18,738. Daily deaths have gradually fallen over the last couple of days, with 823 announced on Tuesday. It comes after health secretary Matt Hancock [...]
UK less than a quarter of the way to 100,000 coronavirus tests target April 23, 2020 The government has reached less than a quarter of target of 100,000 daily coronavirus tests target with just one week to go until the deadline. There were 22,814 Covid-19 tests administered in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, which is well short of health secretary Matt Hancock’s target of 100,000 tests a day by the [...]