Coronavirus testing and tracing app to start Isle of Wight trial May 3, 2020 The UK’s coronavirus testing and tracing mobile app will be trialled in the Isle of Wight next week, with a full rollout expected later this month. People who download the app will be able to alert other people they have been in contact with that they have coronavirus symptoms. The person with the symptoms,and anyone [...]
Boris Johnson promises no post-coronavirus austerity April 30, 2020 Boris Johnson has promised there will not be a period of austerity after the coronavirus crisis. The Prime Minister said austerity was “not a part of our approach” when asked about how the government will deal with the hundreds of billions of pounds of debt the pandemic will have added. The Office for Budget Responsibility [...]
Boris Johnson: UK ‘past the peak’ of coronavirus outbreak April 30, 2020 Boris Johnson has announced that the UK is past the peak of its coronavirus outbreak and that he will outline the government’s plan to ease the lockdown next week. Speaking at today’s press briefing, Johnson said the country was “past the peak and we’re on the downward slope”. He said that next week’s unveiling of [...]
Boris Johnson asks British businesses to ‘keep going’ through coronavirus lockdown April 30, 2020 Boris Johnson has asked the UK’s business owners to “keep going” as he prepares to face his first press conference since March. Addressing businesses today, the Prime Minister tweeted “I share your anxiety” about the future of the economy, but that the coronavirus lockdown must continue to “protect our NHS and save lives”. Johnson, who [...]
Brexit trade deal ‘won’t happen’ unless EU changes fisheries stance by June April 30, 2020 The UK’s Brexit negotiating team does not expect a trade deal to be done before the 31 December deadline if the EU does not change its position on fisheries and the so-called level playing field by June. The two areas have become major flashpoints in the first two rounds of UK-EU talks, with negotiators from [...]
Coronavirus inquiry must not be ‘a finger-pointing exercise’ April 30, 2020 A post-coronavirus inquiry should not turn into a politicised “finger-pointing exercise”, according to the chief of the UK’s national academy for humanities and social sciences. Chief executive of the British Academy Hetan Shah told City A.M.‘s daily podcast The City View that an inquiry into the government’s response should be done on a “no-fault basis” [...]
Coronavirus: UK drawing up plans to safely re-open businesses April 30, 2020 The government is set to provide workplace-by-workplace guidance on how businesses will be able to re-open as the UK eases its coronavirus restrictions. Business secretary Alok Sharma will issue a series of instructions for how different sectors will be able to go to work, and how sectors such as hospitality, manufacturing, construction and retail can [...]
Coronavirus: UK pledges £1.65bn to international vaccine alliance April 29, 2020 The UK will donate £1.65bn over the next five years to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) to aid the search for a coronavirus vaccine. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced at today’s press briefing that the UK would give £330m a year for the next five years to Gavi. The UK had previously [...]
Brexit Steves face off: Baker slams Barclay’s Treasury committee performance April 29, 2020 Tory backbencher Steve Baker has hit out at Treasury minister Steve Barclay for avoiding questions in a fiery House of Commons committee hearing. Baker, a prominent Eurosceptic, said afterward that Barclay, a former Brexit secretary, “avoided saying anything new or noteworthy” and that the Treasury would be happy as a result of his performance. Barclay [...]
Raab rebuffs calls to release coronavirus lockdown ‘exit strategy’ April 29, 2020 Dominic Raab has said the government will not publish any plans for how the UK will ease the coronavirus lockdown until next week at the earliest. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today, Raab said the government was still waiting for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) to give its guidance on how to [...]
