Sadiq Khan says schools could face coronavirus closure within two weeks March 17, 2020 Sadiq Khan has advised that schools could be closed within the next two weeks as a part of increasing isolation measures to combat the coronavirus. Boris Johnson announced a swathe of new recommendations yesterday, including for people to avoid “unnecessary travel” and to stop going to pubs, restaurants and theatres. Large public gatherings have also [...]
Unaoil bribery trial suspended amid coronavirus concerns March 17, 2020 The trial of three executives accused of paying bribes to win oil contracts was suspended today amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The three Unaoil executives, Ziad Akle, Paul Bond and Stephen Whiteley, have been accused by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of conspiring to make corrupt payments in relation to oil contracts in Iraq. [...]
Coronavirus: Selfridges and Harrods cut opening hours March 17, 2020 Luxury department stores Harrods and Selfridges have scaled back their opening hours in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus. Selfridges said it will be open between 11am and 7pm Monday to Saturday at its London, Birmingham and Manchester stores. Sunday trading hours will remain the same. Meanwhile Harrods announced that from today it [...]
Coronavirus: Sadiq Khan urges government to extend business relief March 17, 2020 Sadiq Khan has asked Boris Johnson for vastly increased financial relief for London businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The mayor of London wrote to Johnson today to ask that “greater levels of assistance to businesses, large and small” is given through through tax breaks and cash handouts during the outbreak. Khan has specifically called [...]
TfL to run reduced service during coronavirus outbreak March 17, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) will run a reduced service on its network during the coronavirus outbreak, mayor Sadiq Khan has said. Weekday public transport in the capital will be cut back to a “Saturday-type service” over the next few days, Khan told Sky News today. This means weekday Tube and bus services will run at [...]
Transport department refuses to release Garden Bridge report March 16, 2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will not release a report into the failed £48m Garden Bridge so it can protect a trust that no longer operates. The Garden Bridge Trust was set up to manage the disastrous project, which was championed by Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London and former [...]
European carmakers shutting plants as coronavirus hammers demand March 16, 2020 Car makers across Europe are shutting their plants and slowing production across Europe in response to the growing coronavirus epidemic. Manufacturers including European giants Fiat Chrysler, Peugeot and Volkswagen are all implementing measures to ease output amid fears from workers about possible infection. Unions across the continent have demanded that stricter hygiene controls be put [...]
Sadiq Khan to attend coronavirus Cobra meeting March 16, 2020 Sadiq Khan will attend today’s coronavirus Cobra meeting at Downing Street, after being shut out of earlier talks. City Hall confirmed today that Khan will be at the meeting, which will see Boris Johnson and the UK’s health chiefs discuss stricter measures to combat the spread of Covid-19. The first ministers of Scotland, Wales and [...]
Coronavirus: TfL set to lose £500m from decline in passengers March 16, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) is expecting to lose up to £500m from the impact of coronavirus and will ask the government for financial support. In the past week, passenger numbers on the Tube were down by 19 per cent year-on-year, while bus passenger numbers fell by 10 per cent. The transport body said the figures [...]
Exclusive: Sadiq Khan to hold emergency economic summit March 15, 2020 City A.M. understands that London mayor Sadiq Khan has convened an emergency meeting of business leaders, being held tomorrow, to listen to the concerns of the capital’s firms. “The moves in the Budget were welcome but there’s an understanding that some of them won’t go far enough for businesses in the capital,” a source close [...]