Kwarteng: Businesses “can’t have it both ways” with self-isolation rules July 7, 2021 Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has defended the government’s decision to keep self-isolation rules while other restrictions are dropped from 19 July. It comes after Conservative MPs and business leaders – especially in the hospitality industry – slammed the decision for the effect it would have on staff operating capacity. Kwarteng told Sky News: “You can’t [...]
Covid 19: Kilkeel seafood factory closes due to outbreak July 7, 2021 Kilkeel Seafoods in County Down has temporarily shut down as a result of a Coronavirus outbreak. The factory closed last Thursday following 42 confirmed positive cases. The tests were taken as a preventive measure as a small number of staff began to test positive last week. The factory employs 250 people. Management stressed it had [...]
Airlines begin checking vaccination status as end to quarantine beckons July 7, 2021 Heathrow trial with BA and Virgin readies staff and travellers ahead of end to quarantine rules
Greensill Covid loan accreditation in line with ‘streamlined’ approval process July 7, 2021 The decision to grant collapsed Greensill Capital the ability to hand out Covid loans was in line with the approved accreditation process, but a stricter set of criteria could have identified the firm’s issues, a new report has found. The National Audit Office (NAO) also said that the British Business Bank (BBB), which administers the [...]
Euro 2020: Over 9m pints expected to be sold in lead up to England’s semi-final July 7, 2021 Football fans are predicted to buy 6.8m pints during England’s Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark tonight, with 9.7m expected to be sold throughout the day overall. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said it expects today’s game to draw more crowds into pubs than England’s previous quarter-final match against Ukraine. Pint half empty While [...]
Half of the total UK population is now double-vaxxed July 6, 2021 More than 33m people have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest government figures, but the number of deaths from Covid is slowly edging up too. The number of people who have now received full vaccine protection in the UK equates to 50.5 per cent of the total UK population of [...]
Pupil isolation and school ‘bubble’ restrictions in England to end July 6, 2021 Gavin Williamson has confirmed that key restrictions on education and childcare will come to an end when the UK is expected to reach its fourth and final step out of lockdown on 19 July. The secretary of state for education said that the current system of “bubbles” and isolation in schools will end when England [...]
‘Incredibly disturbing’: BMA chair slams Boris Johnson’s decision to ease Covid restrictions July 6, 2021 The chair of the British Medical Assocation, Dr. Chaand Nagpaul has slammed Prime minister Boris Johnson’s decision to ease Covid-related restrictions on 19 July. ”There is a clear disconnect with the actions the Government are planning to take and the data and views of the scientific community and medical profession,” Dr. Nagpaul said. Yesterday, Boris [...]
Sadiq Khan: Londoners who get their first Covid vaccine can win Euro 2020 final tickets July 6, 2021 The Mayor of London is putting up tickets to the Euro 2020 final that Londoners have a chance to win if they sign up for their first vaccine. As part of a drive to get more Londoners vaccinated, Sadiq Khan is putting up one pair of tickets for Sunday’s final at Wembley and 50 pairs [...]
Sajid Javid says carrying a face mask after 19 July is ‘responsible thing to do’ July 6, 2021 The new health secretary said he would be carrying a face covering with him “for the forseeable future”, after the PM last night announced masks would become voluntary after 19 July. “For the foreseeable future I will be carrying a face mask with me, I think that’s a very responsible thing for anyone to do. [...]