Londoners avoid the office but visit parks en masse June 22, 2021 Visits to London’s central parks are back up to pre-pandemic levels but weekday commutes are far less popular, according to new data. Footfall in Regent’s Park has returned to 100 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, while Hyde park has seen 80 to 99 per cent of normal levels, according to provisional figures gathered by City [...]
Sturgeon and Burnham row over Covid travel ban compensation heats up June 21, 2021 Scottish First minister Nicola Sturgeon and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham are engaged in a war of words over the Scottish Government’s decision to impose a Covid-19 travel ban on parts of north west England. Burnham continued his criticism of the restrictions, saying he felt people in his region had been “insulted” by Sturgeon’s approach and [...]
No 10 rejects claims the G7 summit left ‘unwelcome gift’ of spike in Covid cases June 21, 2021 A spokesperson for the prime minister has dismissed claims that the G7 summit is to blame for a surge in coronavirus cases in Cornwall. “Obviously we don’t accept this claim,” the spokesperson told the Downing Street lobby briefing. “Attendees going to the G7 were tested before arriving and throughout the summit, and we’re not aware [...]
PM keen for UK workers to return to office but govt leaves decision up to businesses June 18, 2021 The Prime Minister is understood to be against large-scale working from home continuing beyond final lockdown restrictions easing, as the government hands discretion to “employers and employees”. Boris Johnson is opposed to the level of working from home seen during the pandemic becoming permanent and had hoped to ease guidance this month, The Telegraph first [...]
Biden–Putin summit: Leaders agree to resume talks after ‘constructive’ discussions June 16, 2021 US president Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin today discussed in detail steps they will take on arms control at a “positive” summit in Geneva. Putin at a press conference described the talks, lasting less than four hours, as “extremely constructive” without any hostility. Biden echoed similar remarks at a separate press conference, saying they [...]
Ex-Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins’ BlackRock-backed fintech firm raises $187m June 16, 2021 Ex-Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins' BlackRock-backed fintech firm raises $187m
Airbnb paid tourist $7m after rape at New York rental June 16, 2021 Airbnb paid an Australian tourist $7m (£5m) after she was allegedly raped at knifepoint at a rental in central New York, according to media reports. The woman received the payout after the attack took place during a visit with friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015, Bloomberg reports. The suspect had reportedly made a [...]
Prime minister calls harassment of BBC journalist Nick Watt ‘disgraceful’ June 15, 2021 Footage posted on social media showed anti-lockdown protesters verbally abusing and chasing Nick Watt, the political editor of BBC Newsnight, near Downing Street on Monday. On Twitter, the prime minister said: “Disgraceful to see the hounding of Nick Watt doing his job.” “The media must be able to report the facts without fear or favour – [...]
Michael Gove says only ‘unprecedented and remarkable’ Covid-19 change would delay 19 July ‘terminus date’ June 15, 2021 Michael Gove said 19 July is the absolute “terminus date” for ending England’s remaining coronavirus restrictions, and only an “unprecedented and remarkable” change would push it back further. The Cabinet Office minister’s comments came the morning after Boris Johnson announced a delay of four weeks to so-called “Freedom Day”, the fourth and final step of [...]
Whitehall shakeup: 22,000 roles may be moved out of London and external candidates for senior roles June 15, 2021 The government will today launch a reform programme that will see wide-scale reforms to the civil service, with jobs being moved out of Whitehall and senior jobs open to external candidates. The reforms include moving 22,000 civil servant roles outside of London by 2030, including 50 per cent of senior servant roles, and advertising all [...]