Coronavirus

Boris Johnson is facing a sizeable Commons Tory rebellion over the government’s coronavirus restrictions – including the 10pm curfew and “rule of six”. Leading rebel Steve Baker said he does not expect to defeat the government, but instead get ministers to shift ground. MPs will vote on Tuesday, the day the prime minister addresses the […]

MPs have approved a longer autumn recess for the House of Commons. The chamber will adjourn after business has concluded on Friday October 23 and return on Monday November 2. The motion detailing the recess was supported unopposed. MPs will be unable to challenge ministers in the Commons chamber during this period over coronavirus restrictions, […]

A comedian has taken aim at new government restrictions by releasing a hilarious chart mocking the way ministers have come up with new coronavirus rules. Belfast comedian Paddy Raff tweeted a table which asks participants to make up their own coronavirus laws. Dubbed the “government COVID-19 Law Generator”, users answer three questions, such as what your and your […]

James O’Brien has compared Dido Harding to Rodney Trotter from Only Fools and Horses after a “technical glitch” was blamed for 16,000 Covid cases going unreported. The LBC presenter laid into England’s test and trace chief after Public Health England (PHE) admitted 15,841 cases between September 25 and October 2 were left out of daily case figures. […]

Dido Harding – the Tory peer in charge of the new Test and Trace scheme  – has been urged to either resign or be sacked over coronavirus testing failures. The government is under fresh scrutiny after 16,000 Covid-19 cases went unreported and led to a delay in efforts to trace contacts of people who tested positive […]

The SNP’s Westminster leader has told one of his own MPs to stand down, urging her “to do the honourable thing” as calls for her resignation increase. Ian Blackford has called for Margaret Ferrier to resign her seat after it emerged she travelled between Glasgow and London with coronavirus. Ferrier said in a statement on Thursday […]

Wealthy seats and new Tory strongholds have evaded lockdown despite having higher infection rates than areas experiencing tighter restrictions, leaked emails have shown. Emails between health officials leaked to the Sunday Times show there is growing pressure to explain why large parts of the Midlands and the North are under local lockdowns while seats such as the prime minster’s […]

A minister has said she does not know how many people were contacted after after a technical glitch meant almost 16,000 Covid-19 cases went unreported in England. Public Health England (PHE) said a technical issue resulted in 15,841 cases between September 25 and October 2 being left out of the reported daily coronavirus cases. Senior […]

The chancellor has said he has “no regrets” over the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, despite reports it could have spread coronavirus infections. Rishi Sunak was dubbed Dishi Rishi after unveiling his August scheme of subsidised meals out to help a pub and restaurant sector badly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Treasury figures show more […]

Boris Johnson has joined the row over an SNP MP who made a “monumental” error of judgment by taking a train from London to Scotland when she knew she had tested positive for coronavirus. The prime minister was asked about Margaret Ferrier on BBC Scotland when he replied that it was vital that “everyone obeys the rules […]

The Green Party’s leadership has avoided referencing Brexit or membership of the European Union as it pitched its vision to supporters as part of this year’s virtual conference. Co-leaders Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry instead used their conference speech to focus on the pandemic response.  Bartley said the action taken in response to the crisis had […]

A new poll has found that three quarters of the British public want to see the government’s programme of mass testing – dubbed ‘Operation Moonshot – run by the NHS and public health protection teams rather than private companies. The poll, conducted by Survation, found that 78% of people want to see the logistics of […]

A Tory Brexiteer MP has told Matt Hancock he needs to “start acting like a Conservative” in the House of Commons. The comments were made in anger to the proposals from the health secretary to tackle the coronavirus. In a clash in the House of Commons, backbencher Philip Davies stood up in front of MPs […]

Tory backbenchers are plotting a new rebellion over coronavirus restrictions – this time over the 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants. Rebels are reportedly looking to force a vote on the issue, the Telegraph reports, after MPs in Boris Johnson’s own party accused him of presiding over a “nanny state”. Steve Baker, one of the […]

US president Donald Trump and first lady Melania have tested positive for coronavirus and are in quarantine, days after the politician mocked his rival for wearing face masks. Trump announced his diagnosis in a tweet in the early hours of Friday, following a positive test from one of his closest aides. Hope Hicks returned a […]

At the height of the last pandemic to hit the UK – the 1987 AIDS crisis – the government released a terrifying ad. At its conclusion it showed a huge tombstone, upon which was engraved the message: “DON’T DIE OF IGNORANCE.” The campaign was deliberately engineered to be terrifying (one TV spot featured a volcano), […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg has announced plans for a week-long Commons recess, raising concerns over how the government’s coronavirus measures can be properly scrutinised. The extra-long break has been introduced because of fears over the spread of coronavirus, but prompted criticism from social media users who claimed the government was hiding from scrutiny. It comes at a […]

Television doctor Dr Hilary Jones has criticised Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley Johnson, after he was pictured not wearing a face mask in a shop. Johnson has since apologised for his actions, claiming he wasn’t “100% up to speed” with the latest government guidelines. But face coverings have been compulsory in shops and on public transport […]

Boris Johnson is shying away from suggestions his father and Jeremy Corbyn should be fined for breaking coronavirus restrictions. The prime minister’s official spokesperson said that enforcement of the new regulations were up to the police, not ministers. The prime minister’s father, Stanley Johnson, was pictured entering a shop on Tuesday without a face mask meanwhile […]

As the UK prepares for a possible second wave of the coronavirus pandemic it appears once again divided. The unity seen during the first lockdown has been lost, explains TIMOTHY OLIVER. The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic transformed the UK political scene in the blink of an eye. At the start of 2020, the national […]

Tory ministers past and present have defended Boris Johnson’s father for not wearing a face mask in public and say he should not be fined. Environment minister George Eustice and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said penalties, which range from £200 to £10,000 for failing to follow government advice on new Covid measures, should only be reserved for […]

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has apologised after reportedly breaking coronavirus restrictions. Corbyn was pictured with his wife, Laura Alvarez, at a party of nine people, which breached the rules that state only six people can meet indoors or outside. The photograph was published in The Sun, a newspaper which also published an apology from […]

Matt Hancock has promised to work more closely with MPs on new coronavirus restrictions. The health secretary told the Commons on Wednesday: “Today I can confirm to the House (of Commons) that for significant national measures with effect in the whole of England or UK-wide we will consult parliament, wherever possible we will hold votes […]

Boris Johnson has acknowledged that some of the coronavirus restrictions around the United Kingdom appeared illogical, but rules out preventing English people currently in lockdown from travelling to Wales while restrictions are in place. The prime minister was facing calls to prevent people from locked-down areas of England travelling to Wales after first minister Mark […]

Sir Keir Starmer has slammed Boris Johnson for not understanding his own coronavirus restrictions during this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), as the prime minister called for more support from the Labour leader. On Tuesday, the prime minister contradicted government advice and told people in the North East they could continue to socialise in groups of six […]

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has blocked a rebel amendment from backbench Tory MPs which could have defeated the government over coronavirus laws. Around 50 MPs signed an amendment by Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential Tory backbench 1922 committee, demanding a vote on new coronavirus restrictions that would curb the “liberties” of Britons. Ringleaders claimed […]

A chef has been praised for his subtle dig towards Boris Johnson during a BBC News interview on new coronavirus restrictions in the North East of England. Max Gott, head of the Bistro Forty Six, remained professional about the prime minister while appearing on the rolling news channel – but viewers realised he had still […]

Piers Morgan has called Boris Johnson a “drongo” and a “bumbling fool” as he reacted to the prime minister’s confusion over the latest Covid-19 restriction rules. The Good Morning Britain presenter said Johnson was the “captain of the Titanic taking us down” as he renewed calls for him to go. He told viewers: “He not […]

Boris Johnson will be joined by his medical and scientific advisors later for a coronavirus press conference – his 21st time since the pandemic started. The prime minister will be flanked by chief medical officer for England professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance. It is not clear if anything particularly significant […]

Business secretary Alok Sharma has accused the media of engaging in a “gotcha” style of journalism when it comes to quizzing ministers about the latest regional and national coronavirus regulations. It comes after Boris Johnson and a junior minister could not properly explain what the latest restrictions are for the north east of England. Speaking […]

Council leaders have said government restrictions in the North East lack clarity. Boris Johnson issued an apology after he failed to clarify precisely what the new restrictions would mean for around two million people in Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham. Gateshead council leader Martin Gannon said, although he was […]

Boris Johnson has told a reporter he is “fitter than a butcher’s dog” after being asked if was still suffering from the effects of Covid-19. Speaking at press conference in Exeter, the prime minister brushed aside concerns by MPs in his own party that he had still not fully recovered from his bout of coronavirus in […]