Coronavirus

The transport secretary has been criticised after claiming he was “not aware” the Brazilian strain of coronavirus was in the UK – despite scientists going public about two cases hours later. Shapps described a ban on travel from South America, which includes an exemption for British and Irish nationals, as a “precautionary” measure to ensure […]

Downing Street has insisted it “as quickly as possible” to prevent a Brazilian strain entering the UK, despite evidence it has already arrived. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds accused the Conservatives of being “far too slow to protect our borders against Covid”. He said: “It is terrible news that evidence of the highly infectious Covid variant […]

Boris Johnson has been told by a senior Tory backbencher that his leadership will be “on the table” if the government does not ease Covid restrictions. Steve Baker of the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group has written to members urging them to put pressure on the Tory chief whip over the issue. Baker, who played a […]

Countries around the world are facing remarkably similar problems, yet several different approaches have emerged in how to tackle them. This year will a crucial one in the tussle between them. JOHN KAMPFNER reports. Was there a year as bad as 2020? Not in my lifetime, but I have not lived through a war. Perhaps […]

JASON WALSH reports on Europe’s varying fortunes on vaccination roll-outs. The European Union performs many roles for its citizens. The most important – if one of the least-discussed – is to keep them safe from harm. And that is the issue causing grave concern across the continent right now, as the EU and its member states try desperately […]

A Labour MP has claimed Afghanistan was quicker and more effective at implementing restrictions at its borders to contain the coronavirus than Britain. Siobhain McDonagh said No 10’s border policy during the pandemic had been “a mess”. Panellists on BBC 2’s Politics Live were discussing a ban on flights to and from Brazil in light of a new variant originating […]

Home secretary Priti Patel appeared to spark more confusion with an appearance on This Morning alongside Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. The minister appeared confused about coronavirus rules once more as she stressed the importance of exercising alone. The guidance makes clear that in England someone is allowed to exercise outdoors with one other person from […]

The UK’s vaccination programme started well. But JAMES BALL detects some wearily and worryingly familiar signs of over-promising and under-delivering. No-one ever imagined the UK would end up in a third national coronavirus lockdown, let alone that thanks to systematic government failure it would end up with the NHS in an even more parlous position even […]

A government minister has defended Boris Johnson’s record on dealing with the emergence of coronavirus variants around the world – as fears rise over a new Brazilian mutation. Under-secretary of state for safeguarding Victoria Atkins was asked by Sky News’ Niall Paterson why the air corridor between the UK and South America remains open. Atkins […]

Boris Johnson has suggested he wants more international collaboration on coping with future pandemics after the coronavirus crisis showed they were “totally unprepared”. The prime minister will chair this year’s summit of the G7 group of major economies and wants it to focus on “building back better, together”. He wants to help shape the meeting […]

A right-wing commentator has been heavily criticised after agreeing with Nigel Farage’s claim that the UK was turning into the surveillance state that was East Germany. Isabelle Oakeshott praised Farage for highlighting the “brutal authoritarianism” committed by Westminster in the form of national lockdowns prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. In a ten-minute clip posted on his Twitter account, […]

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has withheld information about the government’s coronavirus jab roll-out programme saying he did not want to “show off” Britain’s programme. Zahawi refused to say just how many doses the UK was receiving from vaccine manufacturers such a Pfizer and AstraZeneca on a weekly basis because it was a matter of “national security”. Appearing […]

A Tory backbencher has said MPs should be vaccinated against the coronavirus before the rest of the public, arguing parliamentarians needed to “get our democracy back”. Steve Brine, who voted against the second national lockdown in November, said parliamentary staff should be included on the list because Westminster “is a shadow, at best, of itself”. Speaking […]

Home secretary Priti Patel has said that “outdoor recreation” is permitted in a “restricted and limited way” – despite it being prohibited during the lockdown. Moments after insisting the coronavirus rules are “actually very simple and clear”,  Patel apparently misspoke during a Downing Street press conference when trying to explain that exercise is permitted. She […]

The government has made a speedy u-turn on how it selects questions for ministers from the public at coronavirus press briefings, after previously updating its guidance to suggest it would now choose what was asked. Byline Times reported the government’s website was updated on Monday to state that it no longer leaves an independent polling company to decide […]

Home Secretary Priti Patel will host a Downing Street press conference at 5pm, her first since May last year. This would be the first time Patel addressed the nation since May 22. During a previous appearance in April, Patel drew criticism for refusing to apologise for reports of failure to provide PPE to frontline NHS […]

A columnist has said Boris Johnson is incapable of “denying himself any pleasures” after he was spotted cycling seven miles away from his home for daily exercise. Current official government advice says exercise should be limited to once a day and within your local area, prompting accusations Johnson had broken coronavirus rules when he cycled around […]

The government has been urged to investigate after images shared online showed “woefully inadequate” free school meal parcels sent to families. Sharing the image, Twitter user Roadside Mum said: “2 days jacket potato with beans, 8 single cheese sandwiches, 2 days carrots, 3 days apples, 2 days soreen, 3 days frubes. “Spare pasta & tomato. […]

Policing minister Kit Malthouse has denied Boris Johnson broke coronavirus restrictions over the weekend by exercising at Stratford Olympic Park. Johnson was spotted cycling at Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday, which is located seven miles away from Downing Street, prompting accusations he broke government guidance. Current official government advice says exercise should be limited to once a day […]

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has insisted that Boris Johnson did not break the law with his bike ride seven miles from his home. Johnson has been accused of hypocrisy following reports he went cycling away from his home after imposing sweeping Covid restrictions on others. The prime minister was seen at the Olympic Park in […]

Boris Johnson has been under pressure to explain why he broke coronavirus lockdown rules to exercise at a park seven miles away from Downing Street. Johnson was spotted wearing a hat and face mask at Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday. A source told the Evening Standard that Johnson was exercising and had been accompanied by his […]

James O’Brien has summed up the “hypocrisy” of people opposing lockdown in a brilliant one-and-a-half minute monologue. O’Brien said people ignoring restrictions were having a “toddler tantrum” and were usually those “who are really into law and order if they think it’s only going to be others that get on the wrong end of authoritarianism”. He said […]

The government needs the right message – and the right messenger – to ensure the UK is protected from the coronavirus. The commencement of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine roll-out is axiomatically good news. It now means Britain has two vaccines (the Pfizer-BioNTech came first) being administered to all those deemed priority groups. And there is […]

A television presenter has taken on a government minister for refusing to rule out banning support bubbles as part of a tightening of coronavirus measures. Susanna Reid criticised the reports, telling Nadhim Zahim it could have potentially catastrophic effects on people’s mental health. Appearing on Good Morning Britain, she said: “People are really suffering under lockdown and […]

Downing Street has denied there is demand for coronavirus vaccines to be delivered out-of-hours after Labour called for a ramping up of the roll-out. Number 10 said that Covid-19 vaccines could be delivered into the night but that there is currently “not a clamour for jabs after 8pm”. Boris Johnson’s press secretary Allegra Stratton was […]

Ann Widdecombe has said concerns teachers have about carrying out lessons remotely were “a load of rubbish”. The former Brexit MEP used a guest appearance on Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show to chide teachers who were concerned about parents spying on lessons over Zoom. “I’ve heard a load of rubbish talked during this pandemic and this is the biggest […]

Downing Street has defended Boris Johnson’s father receiving two coronavirus vaccines – insisting the move was made before a change in policy. The prime minister’s press secretary Allegra Stratton said: “This is a matter for the prime minister’s father. “It’s not something I’ve spoken to Stanley Johnson about. By way of explanation in the early […]

The government has not denied that it could bring in tougher restrictions over the coronavirus lockdown, following suggestions the public may not be able to leave their home more than once a week. The Mail Online reports a Whitehall source claiming that under measures being discussed the opportunities to leave home could be cut to once […]

The public has been urged to back The Big Issue after its vendors were again forced to stop selling the magazine because of the latest coronavirus lockdown. Almost 1,400 vendors are affected, are not eligible for furlough and cannot work from home. The Big Issue called on the public to support its 100 Days of Action […]

A tweet by Downing Street seeking questions from the public ahead of Boris Johnson’s press conference has backfired spectacularly. The prime minister’s Twitter account asked if anyone had questions about coronavirus that they would like to ask the government. The request did not go down well. One user asked: “Where is Dido Harding and can she […]

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will use a speech to lay out how Britain can rise up after the pandemic, using the creation of the NHS after the Second World War as inspiration. He will tell the Britons that they “can build a country worthy of the sacrifices” made during the pandemic in the same […]

England’s chief medical officer professor Chris Whitty has suggested that measures could be needed until “some time in the spring” to stem the spread of the virus. “We’ve got to make this sustainable because we got to be able to maintain this for several more weeks now,” he told BBC Breakfast. “We’re really going to […]