The UK’s four nations split on Christmas Covid rules December 16, 2020 The UK’s four nations will split on plans to relax coronavirus restrictions over Christmas, as the Prime Minister faces accusations of confusing the public over the government’s messaging. Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford said the country will toughen up current guidelines allowing three households to mix over Christmas, announcing that Wales will limit gatherings to [...]
Tory mayoral candidate under fire for using fake City Hall logo on campaign leaflets December 16, 2020 The Conservative party’s candidate for London mayor has drawn sharp criticism for using fake City Hall coats of arms on campaign letters sent out to voters. The letters from Shaun Bailey were branded with messages saying “Do not ignore”, alongside fake City Hall insignia with a cod Latin motto underneath. They also warned Londoners their [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for additional £24m to house homeless Londoners December 16, 2020 The Mayor of London has called for £24m funding to house homeless Londoners as a matter of urgency as temperatures drop and Covid cases in the capital rise.
Rail fares to rise above inflation for first time in eight years December 16, 2020 Rail fares will rise above inflation for the first time in eight years next year, although the hike will be delayed until March. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced that fares would be hiked 2.6 per cent next year, despite calls to freeze ticket prices in a bid to encourage people back onto trains after [...]
Michael Gove to hold Covid Christmas talks with devolved nations over ‘rethink’ December 16, 2020 Talks over the plans to relax coronavirus restrictions over the Christmas period will continue today amid concerns that doing so could lead to a surge in cases of the disease. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove will continue to lead negotiations with representatives from the UK’s devolved administrations, having failed to reach agreement yesterday. Under the [...]
‘We will lose £400k’: The cost of Tier 3 for the hospitality sector December 15, 2020 As the hospitality sector begins to count the cost of the latest Tier 3 lockdown, we spoke to one industry figure who says his company will lose £400,000. Stuart Procter, COO of Mayfair hotel and restaurant The Stafford, said the latest blow has left his company reeling in a year he’s already had to make [...]
Cold turkey: Ministers face pressure to scrap ‘rash’ Christmas relaxation of rules December 15, 2020 The government is facing mounting pressure to rethink its decision to relax coronavirus restrictions for five days over Christmas over fears it will lead to a third national lockdown. In their first joint editorial for more than 100 years, the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal today said the government should U-turn on its [...]
Greenwich council backs down in government row over school closures December 15, 2020 The leader of a London borough has said he has “no choice” but to reverse a decision to close schools following legal threats from the government. Greenwich council leader Danny Thorpe said he “cannot agree that this is the correct choice for our schools”, but added: “I cannot justify the use of public funds to [...]
Health on the high street December 15, 2020 This year has presented a new set of challenges to the high street, which have the potential to change the face of this British institution as we know it. Even before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, recent years have seen hundreds of thousands of retail jobs lost and a huge number of much-loved stores [...]
London moves into Tier 3: what does this mean for travel? December 14, 2020 The government has announced this afternoon that London will be moving from Tier 2 into Tier 3, following a substantial rise in Covid infections in the city. This announcement will have an impact on people travelling in and out of the city over Christmas. Domestic travel Domestic travel between different cities within the UK is [...]