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      Will there be a New Year lockdown as Omicron cases rise?

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      The emergence of the Omicron variant is causing concern around the world, not least because it is thought to be highly transmissible and because the 32 mutations of its spike protein suggest it might be able to resist current vaccines.The UK has recorded 12 deaths from the new variant so far and 45,145 confirmed cases, prompting fears that further social restrictions could be imposed on the British public in the final days leading up to Christmas, dashing the festive plans of millions. However, the Prime Minister has confirmed that no further restrictions will be introduced before Christmas, explaining that “that people can go ahead with their Christmas plans”.But Boris Johnson also reiterated that he cannot rule out further measures in the following days – leaving open the possibility of new controls on pubs and nightclubs by New Year’s Eve.‘Rule nothing out’He explained: “So what I can say is that naturally we can’t rule out any further measures after Christmas – and we’re going to keep a constant eye on the data, and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect public health.”The announcement comes a day after he told reporters that the Government were still deciding whether or not to impose further restrictions.He said ministers were monitoring the data “hour by hour” and that the arguments for taking further action were “very, very finely balanced”.“Unfortunately I must say to people that we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public, to protect public health, to protect our NHS,” he added. “We are looking at all kinds of things to keep Omicron under control and we will rule nothing out.”The prime minister is understood to be waiting for more data on Omicron to become available before he makes a decision, a stance that has already seen him accused of “dithering” by scientists and his political opponents.London mayor Sadiq Khan has declared a major incident over the extent of the outbreak in the capital while NHS England has announced a return to its highest level of emergency preparedness, level four national incident, meaning that the health service’s response will be coordinated as a national effort, rather than led by individual trusts. Overall, the UK added another 90,000 infections in 24 hours on Tuesday, That compares to about 27,000 cases on 19 December 2020, the day Mr Johnson “cancelled” Christmas with “a very heavy heart.”Chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance is said to have led the call for fresh measures to drive down infection rates and ease the pressure on the NHS.Sir Patrick’s fellow advisers have been equally outspoken, with Professor Stephen Reicher, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), warning that Omicron is “coming at us like an express train” and insisting that the government must give the public a “good, clear message” about how “serious the crisis is”.The prospect of introducing a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas has been mooted – and appears likely to be broadly popular with the public – with plans made available to ministers for consideration and apparently including a ban on meeting others indoors except for work purposes and limiting pubs and restaurants to outdoor service only. It is clear the PM hopes the takeup of booster vaccines, along with the partial “Plan B” restrictions recently introduced, will be enough to see off the threat.As part of those measures, Britons are currently again being ordered to wear face masks in shops, cinemas, theatres and places of worship and on public transport, to work from home order where possible.The government has further revised its approach to boosters, planning to make them available to all over-18s by the end of December and halving the amount of time between second and third injections from six months to three, all in the hope of staving off the feared “tidal wave” of infections we are already beginning to see.Some form of “Plan C” — a circuit-breaker, or tighter restrictions — could be necessary if Omicron starts to disrupt the NHS over the festive season, but there is little political appetite for any kind of fourth national lockdown, even if it were enforceable.Sage advisers have been unambiguous in calling for stricter curbs, with the influential Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London openly entertaining the possibility for several weeks.Even before Omicron began to cast its sinister shadow across the globe, many Britons were already glancing anxiously towards the continent as Austria and the Netherlands reintroduced lockdowns in response to spiking cases of Covid-19.The World Health Organisation (WHO) had said it was “very worried” about the spread in Europe and warned 700,000 more deaths could be recorded by March unless urgent action is taken, bringing the total to 2.2 million since the pandemic began.Prior to the latest worrying developments sparked by Omicon, Mr Johnson’s government had been reluctant to reimpose restrictions at all, despite consistently high case numbers.While the vaccines have consistently kept death rates low since the spring, infection levels have remained consistently high, typically hovering around the 40,000-per-day mark but in recent days have been more than double that.Mr Johnson may also be concerned that further restrictons might lead to social disorder, having seen anti-lockdown protests – some of them violent – erupt in Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy and Croatia.Londoners were certainly unhappy about the initial return of the mask mandate, accusing the PM of hypocrisy for declining to wear one himself at several public engagements.However, in other quarters, there appeared to be a clear appetite for new restrictions even before Omicron, at least according to the polls.A recent survey of 900 managers and 1,200 employees carried out by Hack Future Lab found 53 per cent would welcome a “festive lockdown” for the sake of their own well-being after struggling to come to terms with the return to ordinary working conditions, often finding themselves forced to take on extra tasks to cover for absent colleagues.Another poll by Savanta ComRes revealed 45 per cent of adults would be in favour of a selective lockdown targeting only those who had declined to get their Covid jabs and therefore could pose an ongoing risk to othersBut, until Omicron threw a fresh spanner into the works, there was a credible case for believing that the UK was in such a strong position that it could avoid the worst of the outbreak marauding across Europe.Omicron variant shows just how ‘perilous’ Covid situation is, WHO saysAlthough Britain’s infection rate has remained high for months, it has also been highly stable, lingering at a seven-day average of around 600 daily cases per million people, whereas Austria and the Netherlands have suddenly spiked to 1,500 and 1,250 respectively from well below that starting point since the beginning of October.Part of the reason for this is that the UK was hit by the more infectious Alpha and Delta variants of the coronavirus sooner and was therefore able to tackle them ahead of its European neighbours and unlock earlier. 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      Metropolitan Police refers itself to watchdog after complaint over Downing Street Christmas party claims

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      The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over a complaint suggesting its handling of allegations of a party at Downing Street last Christmas could amount to “aiding and abetting a criminal offence”.In her letter, sent the day before leaked footage showed No 10 staff joking about potential media questions about an alleged event on 18 December last year, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb criticised Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick’s “refusal” to investigate the allegations.The Green Party peer also argued that due to the “extensive” police presence in Downing Street, there is a “case to answer” for the force “aiding and abetting a criminal offence, or deliberately failing to enforce the law in favour of government politicians and their staff”.In a letter to the Green Party on Tuesday, Scotland Yard said her complaint had been split into two parts – one of which it had referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), and the other to the London Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC).“I have referred your complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct given that you effectively allege misconduct in public office by MPS police officers,” said the Met’s directorate of professional standards, Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Tony O’Sullivan. “The IOPC will now make a determination as to whether the complaint needs to be investigated and if so, how.”The watchdog’s decision will be made by the end of the week, if not sooner, The Independent understands.Confirming that the IOPC had received the Met’s self-referral, a spokesperson said: “We are assessing it to determine what, if any, further action may be required from us.”The watchdog will likely assess to what extent Baroness Jones herself has been personally affected by the matter while considering how to respond to her complaint.A Met inspector said the second part relates to Lady Jones’s complaint regarding Dame Cressida, adding: “The Metropolitan Police Service is not the appropriate authority to handle complaints about the commissioner and, as such, this has been referred to MOPAC.”In her complaint, Lady Jones claimed Dame Cressida’s “refusal” to investigate could amount to “a conflict of interest and a potential coverup” – arguing that police “must” have known of the event if it took place due to their “extensive presence” at No 10, “including their role in controlling all access to and from” the building.Former No 10 communications director Alastair Campbell, who worked in Tony Blair’s government, has also since questioned whether it is possible that police officers – and the prime minister – would not have been aware of such an event taking place within the building.But Conservative chief whip Mark Spencer has argued that “no single person could account for what’s happening in those buildings – they are huge buildings”, with “hundreds and hundreds of offices and rooms”.It is alleged that the event last December, at a time when London was under Tier 3 Covid restrictions, saw officials and advisers make speeches, enjoy a cheese board, drink together and exchange Secret Santa gifts – although the prime minister is not thought to have attended.Shortly after the allegations were first printed in the Daily Mirror, Mr Johnson’s former press secretary Allegra Stratton quit her government role in response to leaked footage of her joking about the alleged incident with fellow aides at a mock press conference last December.In a statement the day after Ms Stratton’s resignation – and after Lady Jones’s complaint – Scotland Yard said it would not investigate the matter, but said that any evidence gathered by an internal government inquiry would be passed to the force for consideration.“The correspondence and footage does not provide evidence of a breach of the health protection regulations but restates allegations made in the media,” the statement said. “Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence investigation.”Cabinet secretary Simon Case last week “recused” himself from leading the government’s internal inquiry after The Independent and other outlets reported allegations of an impromptu drinks for 15-20 people held in and around his office in the second week in December last year.Another senior civil servant, Sue Gray, has since been appointed to lead the investigation, which now covers multiple – but not all – allegations of rule-breaking parties across Whitehall in the run-up to Christmas last year.Additional reporting by PA More

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      No new Covid restrictions before Christmas, Boris Johnson announces

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      Britain remains under the threat of tough new Covid restrictions over the New Year and into January, despite Boris Johnson giving the go-ahead to Christmas celebrations.The prime minister confirmed families can gather and venues stay open this weekend – arguing there is not “enough evidence” to impose curbs – but warned they remain on the table for “after Christmas” if needed.Ministers are waiting on crucial data on the extent to which rising Omicron infections will trigger a level of hospital cases that would swamp the NHS – figures are expected on Wednesday.Restrictions that would return England to the near-lockdown of last April – with curbs on household mixing and the return of social distancing rules – are still being considered.But Mr Johnson is also facing a fight in his own cabinet to agree any further restrictions, after a majority of his senior ministers opposed them at an emergency meeting on Monday.In a video message, Mr Johnson sought to lift the uncertainty over festive get-togethers, telling people: ‘We don’t think today that there is enough evidence to justify any tougher measures before Christmas.”However, he warned the situation remained “finely balanced” and said: “Naturally we can’t rule out any further measures after Christmas – and we’re going to keep a constant eye on the data.”The continued uncertainty came as hospitality and leisure businesses criticised a £1bn support package unveiled by Rishi Sunak as inadequate, one likening it to a “dud cracker on Christmas Day”.Some scientists were quick to attack the further delay to any decision, despite the government’s own advisers warning the NHS is at risk without stringent measures now.Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the Warwick Medical School, said: “This is a very risky approach and is very likely to result in the need for more stringent restrictions in the near future.”And Dr Peter English, a former chair of the BMA public health medicine committee, warned: “It now seems inevitable that the NHS and many other public and private services will be overwhelmed in January. Action now can reduce the harm done; but it is too late to prevent it altogether.”At a briefing for MPs, the chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said it was a “certainty” that infection rates will continue to rise, as many NHS staff are forced off work.The paralysis in Downing Street came despite Nicola Sturgeon announcing further restrictions in Scotland, where football crowds will be limited to 500 fans and pubs allowed table service only.Wales, which has already banned crowds at sporting events from Boxing Day, is poised to unveil further curbs on Wednesday, after the Welsh parliament was recalled.In contrast, Mr Johnson did not face any questions about his decisions, as he shunned a press conference in favour of the video message recorded in No 10.He pointed to “continuing uncertainty” about the severity and hospitalisation rate of the Omicron variant, amid some evidence that fast-rising infections are plateauing.“We continue to monitor Omicron very closely and if the situation deteriorates we will be ready to take action if needed,” the prime minister said.“What this means is that people can go ahead with their Christmas plans but the situation remains finely balanced.”Wes Streeting MP, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said people would be “breathing a sigh of relief that Christmas is going ahead as planned”.But he added: “Boris Johnson is too weak to get any measures to keep the country safe through his cabinet.“The prime minister is focused on clinging on to his job, half his cabinet are preparing their leadership campaigns, and the country is left with no plan to deal with the imminent threat of Omicron.” More

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      Liz Truss accused of using Article 16 threat to bolster position with Brexiteers

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      Liz Truss was today accused of using her new Brexit responsibilities to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest, after she told European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič in their first phone talks that she was ready to suspend the UK/EU agreement on the Irish border by invoking Article 16.To some observers, Boris Johnson’s appointment of the foreign secretary to lead Brexit talks is a way to broker a less belligerent approach to Brussels, after David Frost’s repeated threats to suspend the Northern Ireland Protocol at the risk of an EU trade war.She also signed up to the PM’s climbdown on the European Court of Justice, which is thought to have played a part in provoking the resignation of her predecessor, known in Brussels as Frosty the No-man for his refusal to make concessions.But she today sought to project a hardline stance, insisting that “the UK position has not changed” and telling Mr Šefčovič that Britain remains ready to trigger Article 1 if barriers to the flow of goods between Northern Ireland and the British mainland are not eased.ECJ oversight of the protocol had long been an obstacle to agreement, due to Lord Frost’s insistence on sovereignty grounds that the court’s involvement must be entirely removed.But new UK proposals would allow it to retain its role interpreting EU rules which continue to operate in the province because of Mr Johnson’s decision to create a customs border in the Irish Sea. Ms Truss echoed the language used by the UK when announcing the climbdown last week, saying that the ECJ must not be “the final arbiter of disputes between us”.Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran accused Ms Truss – who backed Remain in the 2016 referendum – of trying to use the issue to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest.“When this brief was given to the foreign secretary, we hoped it was time for a more diplomatic approach,” said Ms Moran.“Instead, it’s like Lord Frost never left. Triggering Article 16 will only lead to a ruinous trade war – harming British businesses just at the moment when they need support.“The reality is that Truss cares more about her reputation with the Tory party faithful than she does about what’s in Britain’s interest. The Conservative leadership contest psychodrama is only just beginning.”In a statement released following today’s talks, Ms Truss said that the UK is seeking a “constructive relationship with the EU, underpinned by trade and our shared belief in freedom and democracy”, adding: “Resolving the current issues is critical to unleashing that potential.”But she added: “The UK position has not changed. We need goods to flow freely between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, end the role of the ECJ as the final arbiter of disputes between us, and resolve other issues.“We must pick up the pace on talks in the New Year. Our preference remains to reach an agreed solution.“If this does not happen, we remain prepared to trigger Article 16 safeguards to deal with the very real problems faced in Northern Ireland and to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions.”In his own statement, Mr Šefčovič said he was “committed to continue working towards a conclusive understanding with the UK on practical solutions for NI stakeholders”.He added: “The EU’s position is known. Our goal: stability and predictability.” More

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      Britons self-policing on Covid rules to avoid Christmas in isolation, poll suggests

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      Millions of Britons are already taking precautionary measures to guard against catching Covid and having to self-isolate over the Christmas weekend as the omicron variant continues to sweep through the country, polling suggests.A majority plan to self-police in the absence of tighter restrictions by using lateral flow tests before meeting others, keeping their distance when doing so and washing their hands more frequently, according to an Ipsos Mori poll.The survey is published as debate continues to rage within the scientific community and government about whether harsher curbs than those set out in plan B are required to stop infections surging further and to prevent the NHS from becoming overwhelmed with patients.Prime minister Boris Johnson has defied the advice of some Sage members and his cabinet to delay a decision on introducing new measures. He said current data did not justify a fresh lockdown.New data on the severity of omicron is expected imminently.YouGov’s poll, conducted between 16 and 18 December, suggests the public is waiting for ministers’ decisions to decide how they should behave in during the pandemic. It said some 89 per cent of those surveyed plan to wear their face mask more while the same proportion are alreadyor will start sanitising or washing their hands more regularly.Meahwhile, 81 per cent are keeping or plan to keep their distance while socialising, such as not hugging or shaking hands with people. Around the same proportion (80 per cent) have followed government guidance by already having or planing to have their booster jab. Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said public views on Covid rules are still “split”. “Few expect there to be a quick return to normality, and on the restrictions themselves as throughout the pandemic most people think they are about right or not strict enough – only a small minority (although a slightly increasing one) think they are too strict,” he said.”But views are split – not quite half think the restrictions are not strict enough, and there is a clear age divide, with older people more in favour of tighter restrictions than the young.”Some 67 per cent of people Ipsos Mori spoke to said they have or plan to test themselves with lateral flow tests more regularly while the same number are shopping online rather than in store in order to avoid catching the virus.A majority of Britons are also taking matters into their own hands by avoiding public transport (58 per cent have done so or plan to), not attending social gatherings in friends or family’s houses and not going to pubs or restaurants (both 57 per cent). Just under half (45 per cent) of workers say they are or are going to work from home instead of the office, while 47 per cent that they have not/plan not to attend their work Christmas party.When asked to consider the restrictions currently in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus, just over four in ten say they are not strict enough (44 per cent) while 36 per cent say they are about right and another 16 per cent that they are too strict.The British public’s decision to reduce social contact as omicron spreads has badly hit some businesses, particularly those in the hospitality and entertainment sectors, who have had Christmas bookings cancelled and takings slump due to reduced footfall in towns and cities across the country.After coming under pressure from the MPs, lobbyists and the Labour Party Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, who is against against further lockdowns, announced on Tuesday a financial package for firms affected by the surge in cases.He has offered a £1 billion support package to businesses hit by Covid restrictions amid concerns over the “eye-wateringly high” transmission of the omicron variant.The package includes one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises for businesses in the affected sectors in England, which the Treasury expects will be administered by local authorities and to be available in the coming weeks.The government also intends to use taxpayers’ cash to cover the cost of statutory sick pay for Covid-related absences for firms with fewer than 250 employees. Cultural organisations in England can also access a further £30 million funding during the winter via the culture recovery fund, the Treasury said.Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said Labour “will be going through the details” of the new measures and claimed that the government had been “dragged kicking and screaming” to announce them.The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) welcomed the move but said that a “wider support package” could be needed if further restrictions are brought in in future.”We are pleased that the chancellor heard our call for additional grant funding for hospitality and leisure businesses, which will provide some much-needed support in the face of this increasingly difficult trading period,” said BCC director general Shevaun Haviland.”Clarity and speed will be needed to ensure that these grants are paid out swiftly to help these hard-pressed firms weather the next few weeks.”Whilst these measures are a positive starting point, if restrictions persist or are tightened further, then we would need to see a wider support package, equal to the scale of any new measures, put in place.”On Monday, a further 91,743 lab-confirmed Covid cases were recorded in the UK, and another 44 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for the disease. 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      Boris Johnson news – live: PM under fire as cabinet secretary accused of misleading officials over parties

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      Boris Johnson says he was ‘at work’ during No 10 garden gatheringBoris Johnson is facing renewed pressure after it emerged on Tuesday that Simon Case – the cabinet secretary formerly put in charge of investigating alleged government parties held during lockdown last year – may have withheld information he had about Christmas parties held in his own office.Mr Case stepped down last week as head of the inquiry amid anger over a Christmas quiz, held in the Cabinet Office on 17 December 2020, as well as a drinks event in the same month which he is said to have been seen walking around at, holding a glass in his hand. While Britain’s top civil servant provided the necessary people with assurances he had not participated in and had no knowledge of any social gatherings, he was later forced to admit he was aware of at least one such event, as reported by The Independent. The latest revelations come amid bleak figures for the prime minister, including two new polls published today. One, by YouGov, found that 71 per cent of British adults believe the PM is doing “badly” in his role as leader of the country. Show latest update

      1640097127Simon Case accused of misleading officials over lockdown partiesBritain’s top civil servant has been accused of misleading officials over what he knew about Christmas parties in his own department during lockdown.Simon Case stepped down last week as head of an investigation into claims of parties in Downing Street, after it emerged there had been a quiz – registered in work calendars as ‘Christmas party!’ – in the Cabinet Office on December 17 last year.Before being removed from the investigation, Mr Case assured colleagues that he had no knowledge of any parties or social gatherings of any kind at the Cabinet Office in the run up to Christmas 2020, The Independent understands.Our economics editor Anna Isaac has the full report:Sam Hancock21 December 2021 14:321640096527Watch: Sunak unveils £1bn of new funding for firms hit by OmicronRishi Sunak unveils £1bn of new funding for firms hit by Omicron waveSam Hancock21 December 2021 14:221640095927MSPs’ pay set to rise by 3.4% next yearOver to Scotland. The pay rate for MSPs is set to increase by 3.4 per cent next year, after it was frozen in 2021.The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, a cross-party group, set out the proposed increase on Tuesday, which will see the basic salary for MSPs go from £64,470 last year to £66,662 in April 2022.Last year, pay was due to increase by 5.1 per cent but was instead frozen at 0 per cent because of the pandemic.A report said: “After having agreed to a pay freeze for the current financial year, it is proposed that MSP and ministerial salaries will increase by 3.4 per cent in keeping with the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) index, as provided for in the Members’ Salaries Scheme.”The proposed increase in the funding provision for MSPs’ staff is 4.5 per cent.Scottish government ministers have had a voluntary pay freeze since 2008.Additional reporting by PA ScotlandSam Hancock21 December 2021 14:121640094953Energy bills set to threaten PM with cost-of-living crisisHousehold energy bills are tipped to soar to a record £2,000 a year, threatening Boris Johnson with a cost-of-living crisis just as taxes soar.The price cap – which eases the pain for families – may have to be hiked by more than 50 per cent in April, experts are warning, because of unprecedented wholesale costs.Suppliers were authorised to increase bills by 12 per cent from October, to £1,277 a year for a typical household on standard tariffs, writes our deputy political editor Rob Merrick. A further announcement is due in February for a second rise in April.Sam Hancock21 December 2021 13:551640094435Sunak support for business keeps public guessing on new Covid restrictionsRishi Sunak did nothing to lift the cloud of confusion over whether tougher Covid restrictions are on the way, has he announced a £1bn package for hospitality and entertainment firms hit by the “lockdown by stealth”.The cabinet shelved a decision on Monday – and is now awaiting fresh data on the extent to which soaring Omicron infections will trip over into a level of hospital admissions that will swamp the NHS.That data, from Professor Neil Ferguson and his team at Imperial College, is expected in the next 36 hours, possibly triggering a recall of parliament next week to approve curbs before the New Year.But the chancellor gave nothing away, repeating Boris Johnson’s plea that the government is wrestling with an enormous amount of uncertainty at the moment.Asked if harsher restrictions will be imposed before the New Year, Mr Sunak said: “I absolutely appreciate people’s frustration with all of this.“I’d refer people to the prime minister’s words yesterday and, unfortunately, we’re just dealing with an enormous amount of uncertainty at the moment.“What the prime minister said is that we’re reviewing the data day by day, hour by hour, keeping the situation under constant review, but can’t rule anything out.”Rob Merrick21 December 2021 13:471640093359Sunak ‘dragged kicking and screaming’ into announcing support, says LabourRachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, responds to Rishi Sunak’s announcement of £1bn in support for businesses.Labour were asking “Where is the chancellor?” last week as Mr Sunak was on a trip to the US while hospitality businesses suffered from cancellations as people chose to stay home to avoid the Omicron variant of coronavirus. Liam James21 December 2021 13:291640092465Rishi Sunak announces £1bn Covid support packageRishi Sunak has announced £1bn in support for hospitality and leisure businesses in England hit by recent changes to Covid guidance.Each eligible business, such as a pub or restaurant, will be able to claim £6,000 from the support package.The chancellor will also make £30m available for the culture recovery fund to help venues such as theatres, art galleries and museums.And the government will cover the cost of statutory sick pay for firms with fewer than 250 employees.Liam James21 December 2021 13:141640090979Boris Johnson poll: ‘Breaking new records everyday’Some reaction to the latest YouGov poll on Boris Johnson’s performance as prime minister. With 71 per cent of the British public saying they thought he was doing a bad job, it is the worst feedback Mr Johnson has seen from a YouGov poll since taking power in July 2019.Many reacting online have focused on the 29 per cent who did not think he was doing badly.Liam James21 December 2021 12:49164008951171% think Boris Johnson doing ‘badly’ as PMMore than two thirds of Britons think Boris Johnson is doing a bad job as prime minister, according to a new YouGov poll.On the flip side, just 23 per cent of the near 2,000 adults surveyed believe the current Tory leader is doing “well” in his post. It comes amid growing distrust in the PM due to anger over alleged lockdown-breaching parties and delayed Covid restrictions.Sam Hancock21 December 2021 12:251640088010NYE: Big Ben to have all clock faces on display for first time since works beganA Big Ben update now. The famous clock tower will ‘bong’ on New Year’s Eve and have all its faces on display for the first time in four years.The bell will be struck 12 times to mark the start of 2022, as a project to restore the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower nears its end.In the days running up to 3 December the bell will be heard chiming, as engineers test it ahead of the celebrations.Ian Westworth, one of parliament’s team of clock mechanics who will be making sure Big Ben strikes on NYE, said: “It’s iconic – it’s probably the world’s most famous clock, and to have had our hands on every single nut and bolt is a huge privilege.“It’s going to be quite emotional when it’s all over – there will be sadness that the project has finished, but happiness that we have got it back and everything’s up and running again.”The chimes on 31 December will also be the final occasion that Big Ben will be struck using a temporary mechanism. More

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      Nicola Sturgeon limits football matches and outdoor events in Scotland to 500 people

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      First minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced strict limits on football matches and all other live events in Scotland in a bid to stem the rise of Omicron.Ms Sturgeon announced that the capacity of all sports and outdoor live events would be capped at up to 500 people from 26 December for a period of three weeks.Numbers at indoor public events are to be limited to 100 standing or 200 seated, while large New Year’s Eve street parties – including the annual Hogmanay celebration in Edinburgh – will be cancelled.“This will of course make sports matches, including football, effectively spectator-free over this three-week period,” said Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament on Tuesday.“I know how disappointing this will be for those looking forward to these events,” said the SNP leader. “If we don’t stem the spread of the virus, both health and the economy will suffer.”Ms Sturgeon has made clear there will be no new restrictions on socialising before Christmas, beyond the current “strong” guidance to limit mixing to no more than three households before and after Christmas.“We are not changing the advice for Christmas I set out last week … I want to be clear to individuals that the advice I gave out last week is the advice that will take us through Christmas.”But she said more restrictions will be imposed on Scotland’s hospitality venues immediately after Boxing Day, Ms Sturgeon said.From 27 December, a requirement for table service-only will be reintroduced for venues serving alcohol. “And we will also ask indoor hospitality and leisure venues to ensure one-metre distance, not within, but between groups of people who are attending together,” she said.The Welsh government announced earlier on Tuesday that sporting events in Wales will be played behind closed doors from 26 December to help control the spread of Omicron. Nightclubs in Wales will be closed from 27 December under the new rules.Meanwhile, Scotland is to receive around £80m in extra funding after chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £1bn rescue package for the hospitality and leisure sectors, including grants of up to £6,000 for each premise for each eligible firm.Ms Sturgeon told MSPs that recent funding from the Treasury will give Scotland an extra £175m to spend now, bringing the total package for business support over the next three weeks to £375m. More

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      Brexit: Australia deal will cause £94m blow to UK farming, fishing and forestry, government admits

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      Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal with Australia will damage the UK’s agriculture and food sectors by hundreds of millions of pounds, according to the government’s own impact assessment.British farming, forestry and fishing will suffer a £94m hit from the free trade agreement, a Department for International Trade (DIT) document has revealed.The government also expects a £225m hit to the semi-processed food sector, conceding that it was another area expected to “contract” as a result of increased competition.Labour said ministers had “failed to stand up” for British interests, while the Liberal Democrats claimed farmers and others were being “sold down the river” over the deal signed with Australia last week.“This impact assessment proves what so many feared – buried in the small print is a £100m hit to our farming and fishing sectors that will hit rural communities hardest,” said the Lib Dems’ environment spokesperson Tim Farron.The MP added: “Boris Johnson has sold farmers down the river to make a quick buck in a misguided trade deal with Australia. Now the reality of what’s on the table is clear, it’s vital that parliament is given a vote on the deal.”The government predicts a reduction in gross value added (GVA) of around 0.7% (£94m) to primary agriculture and 2.65 per cent (£225m) to semi-processed foods compared with 2019.The economic blow to Britain’s agri-food businesses will be “driven by increased import competition in the beef and sheep meat” from Australia, the document stated.The DIT report also found that Britain’s agriculture and semi-processed foods sectors could see a further reduction in GVA “over the long-run” as a result of the free trade agreement.Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds, shadow international trade secretary, told The Independent that the “shocking” figures demonstrated clear ministers were “failing to stand up for UK interests in negotiations”.He added: “Ministers seem to be prioritising a press release announcing a completed deal over supporting jobs and livelihoods here in the UK. The British people deserve better from this incompetent, failing government.”The impact assessment on the deal refers to Australia as a “large, competitive producer of agricultural products” – pointing to the “potential for the deal to result in lower output for some agricultural sectors [in the UK] as a result”.Meanwhile, an independent study on the Australia and soon-to-be-finalised New Zealand trade deals found that “the losers from these deals are much more concentrated in parts of the agricultural sector”.The Resolution Foundation think tank said the government “appears to be showing a willingness to accept some losses in less productive and competitive domestic industries – even in highly politically sensitive industries such as agriculture – in order to deliver its Global Britain agenda.”The UK’s manufacturing sectors, such as motor vehicles and machinery and equipment industry, are expected to gain the most from the Australia deal, according to the impact assessment.The trade department insisted that the latest free trade agreement will deliver a boost to the economy overall.A spokesperson for the DIT said: “The deal is expected to increase trade with Australia by 53 per cent, boost the economy by £2.3bn and add £900m to household wages each year in the long-run. It will also play an important role in levelling up the UK, delivering benefits for towns, cities and rural areas throughout the country.”The department added: “Maintaining our high standards is a red line in all our trade negotiations. That is why this deal contains safeguards to support the most sensitive parts of the UK farming community, including a gradual removal of tariffs over 10 years and a safety net that allows tariffs or restrictions to be reimposed if the industry faces serious harm.” More