2021’s lighter political moments: From Michael Gove’s dance moves and Britain’s chief mouser to the hunt for Irn-Bru December 26, 2021 From the rags-to-riches tale of Britain’s chief mouser to a hunt for Irn-Bru at COP26, even in the midst of a global pandemic there have been some lighter moments in politics during this long and challenging year. ‘Church warden overslept’ On May 6, local elections were held across England, Scotland and Wales but some voters [...]
Yamal-Europe pipeline reports reverse flows for sixth day running as Europe’s energy crisis deepens December 26, 2021 The Yamal-Europe pipeline has been sending fuel eastwards for the sixth day running as fears over energy shortages this winter continue to rise.
Think-tank: Further restrictions will put more people into poverty December 26, 2021 A think-tank boss has warned that further restrictions would put hundreds of thousands of people at risk of long-term poverty. Dame Philippa Stroud, a former highly-respected Tory adviser and now chief of the Legatum Institute, wrote today in the Sunday Telegraph that some 900,000 people slipped into poverty during previous lockdowns and that that number [...]
Former Treasury wonk slams Covid-19 restrictions methodology December 26, 2021 A former Treasury statistician has said that “sleight of hand” may have been used in internal government documents as part of efforts to strengthen Covid-19 restrictions. An internal document claimed that the lag between catching the new Omicron virus and it potentially leading to hospitalisation was 17 days, reported the Sunday Telegraph this morning. Such [...]
Trump’s golf clubs enjoy furlough benefits December 26, 2021 The former US President Donald Trump may not have reacted with too much urgency to the spread of Covid-19 but his UK golf clubs certainly did. Trump’s courses in Turnberry in Ayrshire and Balmedie in Aberdeenshire claimed around £3m in furlough cash during the pandemic. The figures were disclosed in accounts first reported by the [...]
Covid 19: First and second jabs surge as Omicron spreads across the UK December 26, 2021 Nearly a quarter of a million people came forward for their first jab in the run up to Christmas - a 46 per cent increase on the previous week.
Trust people to understand Covid risk, says Archbishop of Westminster December 25, 2021 The Archbishop of Westminster pleaded with Government last night not to bring back restrictions on church-going amid a wave of new infections. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales said people now “understand the risk” and should be left to “make good judgements themselves” about their behaviour. A drumbeat towards further [...]
Government set to launch new care home visa scheme December 25, 2021 Care staff will be added to the Government’s official shortages list in order to allow foreign workers easier access to the UK. There has been a widely reported shortage of care home staff in recent years as the UK deals with an ageing population. As a result of the move, care workers, care assistants and [...]
Covid 19: People infected with Omicron up to 70 per cent less likely to need hospital care, says UK Health Security Agency December 23, 2021 People catching Omicron are 50-70 per cent less likely to need hospital care compared to other variants, according to The UK Health Security Agency.
David Cameron: ‘Boris has always been able to get away with things’ December 23, 2021 Former prime minister David Cameron has said that Boris Johnson can often get away with things that others cannot, following a string of restriction-breaking and Tory sleaze allegations. The pair have moved in similar circles for some time, first meeting at the Bullingdon Club as young men, a private all-male dining club for Oxford University students. Cameron, [...]