Licence fee could be linked to broadband bills, says BBC March 31, 2020 The licence fee could be replaced by a levy linked to existing household bills such as broadband, the BBC said today as it hit back at the government’s consultation into decriminalising non-payment of the TV charge. While the corporation insisted the existing model was the fairest, it said it was willing to explore a household [...]
Some police may have taken coronavirus powers too far, says minister March 31, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has admitted that some police officers have gone too far in enforcing the coronavirus lockdown amidst claims the UK was at risk of becoming a “police state”. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Shapps said police were doing a good job, but he was “sure there are individual examples where perhaps [...]
Competitive sectors face the hardest hit from coronavirus March 31, 2020 The package of economic support offered by the Treasury — from a standing start — is one of the most impressive among any western country. But the cascading consequences of the coronavirus crisis mean that there are all kinds of areas where the pleas for help continue to come. Small businesses, for example, are the [...]
Coronavirus: Sadiq Khan asks for more immigrants to be eligible for Universal Credit March 30, 2020 Sadiq Khan has urged the Prime Minister to allow more immigrants to access Universal Credit during the coronavirus crisis. The London mayor wrote to Boris Johnson yesterday to ask for those with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), such as most non-EU immigrants, to be allowed to claim benefits while the UK is dealing with [...]
UK government to spend £75m on charter flights for stranded Britons March 30, 2020 The government will subsidise airlines to bring home UK nationals stuck abroad in a £75m deal. Travellers stuck in countries with no commercial flight options available will have charter flights made available “at little to no cost”, according to foreign secretary Dominic Raab. Raab announced today that British Airways, Virgin, Easy Jet, Jet 2 and [...]
Coronavirus: 159 more deaths in England March 30, 2020 The National Health Service said today that a further 159 patients had died in England after testing positive for coronavirus taking the total to 1,284. A further six people have died in Scotland, taking the total to 47, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced. In Wales, 62 people have died after contracting coronavirus, an increase [...]
Michael Gove overstates number of UK coronavirus tests as government misses target March 30, 2020 Senior government minister Michael Gove has been caught out misstating the number of UK coronavirus tests carried out last week. The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said yesterday the UK had reached 10,000 coronavirus tests a day. That would be in line with the government’s weekly target. However, it has been revealed today that [...]
How small businesses can do big things for sustainability March 30, 2020 | Sponsored With the green agenda more important than ever, businesses are under pressure to ensure they are both environmentally and economically sustainable. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) is on the horizon and attention is focused on how businesses will play their part to tackle climate change. Many big corporations have big budgets for green [...]
Dominic Cummings self-isolates with coronavirus symptoms March 30, 2020 Boris Johnson’s most senior adviser Dominic Cummings is reportedly self-isolating at home with coronavirus symptoms. A Number 10 source told the MailOnline that Cummings is still “in contact” with Downing Street colleagues. A Downing Street spokesperson said they “wouldn’t expect” that Cummings had been tested. It comes after the Prime Minister tested positive for Covid-19 [...]
UK coronavirus outbreak is slowing and antibody test could be ready in days, says top scientist March 30, 2020 The coronavirus epidemic in the United Kingdom is showing signs of slowing and antibody tests for the disease could be ready in days, a top epidemiologist has said. “We think the epidemic is just about slowing in the UK right now,” Neil Ferguson, a professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London, told the BBC [...]