Politics

The coronavirus variation first identified in South Africa might lower the effectiveness of vaccines by half, the health secretary has actually said. Matt Hancock made the remark during a webinar with business leaders and take a trip representatives on Tuesday. Initially reported by Mail Online, a recording of the meeting …

There are “no plans” to provide everybody who checks positive for coronavirus a one-off payment of ₤ 500, Downing Street has stated. The dramatic proposition, which would cost the federal government a massive ₤ 453m a week or ₤ 2bn a month, was exposed in a dripped 16-page policy file …

Public sector net loaning reached ₤ 34.1 bn in December – the third-highest month-to-month figure considering that records started in 1993. The figure from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) means that: – Borrowing considering that the start of the fiscal year in April has reached ₤ 270.8 bn. – …

The federal government has “considered” the full closure of the UK’s borders in the middle of concerns about new COVID versions being imported from abroad, a cabinet minister has exposed. This week, the federal government closed all UK travel passages – which had permitted arrivals from some nations to avoid …

The BBC has actually admitted it spent over ₤ 1m on legal charges battling equal pay and race discrimination cases brought by staff. It did not state how much in-house attorneys dealing with the accusations had cost, however approximated they had actually spent 2,452 hours dealing with the claims. Tory …

Everybody who tests favorable for coronavirus could soon get a one-off payment of ₤ 500, in a government relocate to convince more individuals to get a test and self-isolate after a favorable result. The remarkable strategy being considered by ministers follows research study that recommended only 17% of people with …

Ministers have actually been branded “petty” and alerted security cooperation might be impacted by a reported strategy to withhold complete diplomatic status from the EU’s ambassador in London. Downing Street has not denied it is withholding specific advantages from Joao Vale de Almeida that are afforded to other countries’ ambassadors. …

Downing Street has actually declined to criticise US President Joe Biden for removing a bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office – despite Boris Johnson having previously criticised “part-Kenyan” Barack Obama for not showing it. As is popular for new presidents, Mr Biden has put his own stamp on …

Nearly two-thirds of senior care house residents have actually had a COVID-19 vaccine – with vaccinations amongst all groups occurring at 200 jabs per minute, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told MPs. ” I’m pleased to state 63% of homeowners in senior care houses have now gotten a vaccination, that …

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has actually signified students might be told in a week’s time if they will be going back to classrooms after the February half-term. Appearing on Sky News, Mr Williamson said his Department for Education would “wish to offer all schools a clear two weeks’ notification period” …