Government mulls plans to introduce Tier 4 when lockdown lifts November 11, 2020 Ministers are mulling plans to add Tier 4 to regionalised coronavirus rules when England exits the nationwide lockdown on 2 December. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted England will return to a local lockdown approach when current measures automatically expire in three weeks. However, reports that a fourth tier could be rolled out in virus [...]
Coronavirus: Phase one vaccine rollout will protect ‘99 per cent’ of UK’s at-risk population November 11, 2020 The UK’s top health officials today announced the priority list for vaccination against coronavirus, after health secretary Matt Hancock yesterday said the NHS is preparing to roll out Pfizer’s Covid vaccine from December. Speaking at a Downing Street Covid briefing this morning led by deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, the Joint Committee on Vaccination [...]
Former Vote Leave spokesperson tipped as Number 10’s new chief of staff November 11, 2020 Boris Johnson is poised to appoint his current head of communications and former Vote Leave spokesperson as Number 10’s chief of staff, according to reports. Lee Cain, who headed up the Vote Leave campaign alongside Johnson’s aide Dominic Cummings during the Brexit referendum is set to be promoted to one of Downing Street’s top jobs, [...]
Fifty rebel Tory MPs form anti-lockdown Covid Recovery Group November 11, 2020 Dozens of rebel Conservative MPs have formed a new backbench group to protest the imposition of new lockdown restrictions across the country. Former chief whip Mark Harper and ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker will head up the new Covid Recovery Group (CRG) as chairman and deputy chairman. Harper has also recruited prominent senior backbenchers including Sir [...]
FA chairman Greg Clarke resigns after using racial slur in diversity meeting November 10, 2020 Greg Clarke has resigned as Football Association chairman after using the term “coloured” to refer to black football players when talking to MPs about diversity. Clarke described black players as “coloured footballers” when talking to members of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee via video link this afternoon. The FA chairman [...]
British chemicals firm strikes $100m deal with Pfizer to produce Covid vaccine November 10, 2020 A British chemicals firm has inked an agreement with Pfizer to supply additives for the company’s breakthrough coronavirus vaccine, in a deal that could be worth as much as $100m (£75.5m). Yorkshire-based Croda International today announced it has reached a five-year agreement with the US pharmaceuticals giant to produce four components in the production of [...]
Rapid Covid tests to be rolled out across majority of London boroughs November 10, 2020 Rapid coronavirus tests are set to be rolled out across the bulk of London boroughs, as part of government plans to step up asymptomatic testing across the country. Lateral flow tests, which have a turnaround time of as little as 15 minutes, will be sent to 21 out of London’s 32 boroughs this week. The [...]
Dido Harding slammed for ‘three per cent’ Test and Trace success rate November 10, 2020 Baroness Dido Harding has been slammed by MPs for the “three per cent” success rate of England’s contact tracing programme, as the Test and Trace chair faced her first formal grilling in the Commons. Health and social care committee chair Jeremy Hunt pressured Harding to explain why only “three per cent of the total theoretical [...]
TfL launches new scheme to curb London bike theft November 10, 2020 TfL will today launch a partnership with British cycling retailer Halfords to encourage Londoners to safely and securely lock up their bikes and reduce the risk of theft.
Schroders to raise £250m for investment in Covid winners November 10, 2020 Schroders is set to raise £250m for a new investment trust preparing to float in London that will plug cash into companies that have prospered during the pandemic. Schroders British Opportunities Trust has earmarked 22 listed and private companies for fresh equity, including technology and healthcare firms that have fared well throughout the coronavirus crisis. [...]
