UK

A group of lockdown-sceptic MPs has told Boris Johnson that coronavirus restrictions must be fully lifted by the end of April. In a letter to the prime minister, the COVID Recovery Group said there will be “no justification” for restrictions to remain once all over-50s have been offered a jab. The CRG described reopening England’s

Surge testing is being introduced in more areas of England after cases of the coronavirus variant first discovered in South Africa were detected. The testing be deployed in: Middlesbrough within the TS7 postcode Areas in Walsall Specific areas in the RG26 postcode in Hampshire People in these areas are strongly encouraged to take a COVID

The families of those with substance abuse issues have spoken of the immense pressure and danger this lockdown is putting on their lives.  The isolation of lockdown is heightening the trauma and mental health issues associated with addiction. Naomi’s dad is alcohol and drug dependent. He has lived with numerous substance disorders his whole life,

The UK’s coronavirus reproduction number – or ‘R’ number – has fallen to below one for the first time since July. The figure is now between 0.7 and 0.9, according to the latest estimate. The R refers to the number of people an infected person will pass COVID-19 on to, and when the figure is

A lack of planning could affect the next phase of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, MPs have warned. The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) praised the “world-beating” effort to get the jab to the most vulnerable, but said there is “much to be done” if the UK government is to hit its next target. Ministers are

Boris Johnson is under fire for imposing tougher coronavirus rules on children than adults, amid growing unrest amongst Tory MPs about the severity of ongoing restrictions. Anger among backbenchers spilled over after a Cabinet Office statement told parents to avoid taking kids to playgrounds if they had access to a private garden, prompting Tories to

It is “too early” to say if people will be allowed to take summer holidays abroad or in the UK, Boris Johnson has said. The prime minister stopped going as far as his transport secretary, who said this morning “people shouldn’t be booking holidays right now – not domestically or internationally”. Grant Shapps’ comments had

A long awaited bailout package worth billions of pounds for homeowners affected by the cladding scandal is being announced by the government. Nearly four years after the Grenfell fire tragedy, in which 72 people died, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is unveiling a rescue plan which could benefit more than a million people. In a Commons

Princes Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have welcomed their first child – a son – Buckingham Palace has announced. The baby, weighing 8lbs 1oz, was born at 8.55am on Tuesday at The Portland Hospital in central London, the palace said. The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of York, Sarah, Duchess of York,

All travellers arriving in the UK are to face mandatory coronavirus tests from next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock is poised to announce to MPs. In a Commons statement, he will say that from next Monday, 15 February, all passengers arriving in the UK will be required take a test on days two and eight

The South African variant of COVID-19 is not expected to become the UK’s dominant strain in the next few months, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said. Professor Jonathan Van-Tam revealed only a “very small” number of cases of it have been discovered in the UK, trying to ease people’s fears given scientists think vaccines

GCSE and A-level students have been hardest hit by COVID-19, according to the UK’s biggest study into the impacts on young people. It found pupils due to sit exams this year were not engaged with their work, and have the lowest wellbeing scores. But the report, by education group ImpactEd, also says they are not

The vaccines minister has told Sky News he is “confident” the UK will hit its “tough target” of offering everybody over 50 a coronavirus jab by May. Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Nadhim Zahawi said that at one point on Saturday, the UK was administering COVID-19 jabs at a rate of almost 1,000 per

Rapid tests will be offered to workplaces with more than 50 employees in an effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The lateral flow tests can produce results in less then 30 minutes but were previously only available to firms with more than 250 staff. Officials said the move is an effort to “normalise” testing in

A total of 11,465,210 people have received a first vaccine as the UK has reported another 828 deaths associated with the virus. The number of deaths is down from the 1,014 reported on Friday, and comes after another 18,262 cases were reported on Saturday, latest government figures show. The latest number of infections is less

One man has died and nine others have been injured in stabbings around Croydon, south London, on Friday night, police have said. Metropolitan Police were called to five separate incidents but they are still investigating whether any of them are linked. They have enacted additional stop and search powers across Croydon overnight. Two of the