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Customers may require Covid-19 certificates or vaccine passports to enter entertainment venues in England from autumn, according to reports.The government is said to be considering making the documentation mandatory in venues such as pubs, bars and restaurants, where it would be used by customers to prove they have had either both doses of a coronavirus vaccine or a negative test the day before in a bid to tackle the fourth wave of the coronavirus.It is hoped the move will increase vaccine uptake among the younger demographics, The Times newspaper has reported.Currently, 86.8 per cent of people in England have had a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and 65.5 per cent have had both, according to official figures from Public Health England.However, vaccine uptake has slowed, recent figures show, with first doses halving in two weeks. The average number of doses given out per day is at the lowest since April.The prime minister, Boris Johnson, this week announced that the majority of social distancing measures will be lifted on 19 July, including enforced mask-wearing, despite a rise in cases related to the Delta variant.Capacity restrictions on pubs, restaurants and other public events are also expected to be lifted.The number of coronavirus infections linked to the dominant Delta variant have increased by 54,268 in the past week, a rise of 34 per cent, Public Health England has said. The variant now counts for 99 per cent of all cases that have been genetically sequenced.In total 216,249 confirmed and probable cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant have been identified in the UK, up from 161,981 cases in the previous week.Hospital admissions for 9 July are at 509, totalling 2,672 in the last week – a jump of 55.9 per cent.Britons are growing wary of the relaxation of rules: a poll by Ipsos MORI for The Economist on Thursday shows that nearly 70 per cent want to see face masks made compulsory in shops and on public transport for a certain period after 19 July, when the government plans to lift all restrictions in England and 64 per cent would like them to remain in place until coronavirus is controlled worldwide. More

The Home Office spent more than £370,000 to settle a top civil servant’s tribunal claim after he quit amid allegations of Priti Patel’s bullying, departmental accounts confirm.Former permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutnam accepted the six-figure sum earlier this year after launching legal action against the Home Secretary.He dramatically resigned in February last year, accusing Ms Patel of a “vicious and orchestrated” briefing campaign against him, claiming constructive dismissal and accusing her of bullying subordinates. An employment tribunal was due to hear his case in September.The Home Office’s annual report and accounts for 2020-21 confirm he received a payout of £340,000 plus legal costs – taking the spend to at least £370,000 plus VAT of an anticipated £6,000.Although the figures were previously reported, neither Sir Philip’s representatives nor the department would publicly disclose the amount at the time.The document, published on Thursday, said: “Sir Philip Rutnam resigned from his post as Permanent Secretary of the Home Office on 29 February 2020 and subsequently began legal proceedings against the department.“On 4 March 2021, the Home Office and Sir Philip signed an agreement to settle these proceedings. As part of this settlement, the Home Office made a special payment of £340,000. A contribution to his legal costs was also made of £30,000 plus VAT.”By Press Association More

An MP has accused the Metropolitan Police of racial profiling after officers stopped her and her family as they headed to a restaurant in central London last month.Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said that she, her son and his friend – both black men in their 30s – and their two wives were all surrounded as they enjoyed an evening out in Covent Garden.Officers told the group that one of the men matched a description of someone they were looking for but “turned on their heels” after Ms Johnson informed them she was an MP.She said: “We were getting out of a taxi to go to a restaurant… which was just a few feet away. All of a sudden there were all these police officers around us.“They wanted to know what we were doing. My son’s friend is a black man and he was wearing a bright yellow jacket. They said they had received reports of a man wearing a yellow jacket.“I said to them, ‘Why are you stopping us? We have just got out of a taxi. I am an MP and I want to know why you’re stopping us?’ They turned on their heels then.”The incident happened on 18 June, the day England played Scotland in the Euro 2020 football tournament and Ms Johnson raised the question of why “rowdy fans” were left unbothered by officers, while her family was targeted.Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Ms Johnson – who became the first black MP to represent Liverpool when she was elected in 2019 – added: “You are still three times more likely to be stopped and searched as a black male.”She said that “racial profiling and stop and search” remained prevalent issues that needed to be addressed.The Metropolitan Police force said it was “unable to comment on this specific incident” but added that if a person matched the description of someone involved in a suspected crime, “we would expect officers to pursue all lines of enquiry, including speaking to individuals who match the description”. It added: “The Met remains committed to ensuring that every encounter is conducted professionally with respect and courtesy.” More

Tennis star Andy Murray has joined condemnation of the government for the “pathetic” 1% pay rise given to NHS workers, moments after winning an exhausting five-set second-round win at Wimbledon.Answering questions after the game, he said it was “fantastic” many frontline health workers and other key figures of the pandemic had been recognised by being invited to the championships.“I think the whole country kind of realised how important they all are, and maybe hadn’t got the recognition that they probably deserve up until now,” Murray said.“So, yeah, it’s fantastic that they have been able to come along and watch some of the tennis. Hopefully they can enjoy it and, yeah, hopefully the politicians can realise that they deserve more than what they are getting paid just now.“I think, what is it, they got something like a 1% pay rise? It was pathetic. So, yeah, they obviously deserve a lot more than that. They have done an amazing job getting us through the pandemic.”Prime Minister Boris Johnson in March insisted the 1% payrise allocated to NHS staff was as much as the Government could afford amid the financially tight times of the pandemic, although Labour said it went against a Government promise made last year for a 2.1% pay rise.With Wimbledon resuming this summer after being cancelled last year, tournament officials have been applauded for inviting various people who have been at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic.Inside centre court on Monday, Oxford University’s Dame Sarah Gilbert – co-creator of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine – was given a standing ovation by the crowd when her attendance was announced. Oxford colleague Sir Andrew Pollard, another co-creator of the vaccine, was also present on Monday.An ovation was also given for Hannah Ingram, daughter of Captain Sir Tom Moore, who last year raised £33 million of pounds for the NHS.The centre court announcer said NHS critical care staff were also in attendance, along with key workers at Transport for London and other “inspirational workers” who have contributed to Britain’s pandemic battle, while more figures would be recognised through the Wimbledon fortnight.Murray, the injury-plagued dual champion of the tournament, reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in four years through his five-set win over Germany’s Oscar Otte.Asked about the nation’s other current obsession – Euro 2020 – the 34-year-old Surrey-dwelling Murray put his Scottish roots aside to wishEngland well.“It’s a great opportunity for England to win a major competition for the first time in a while,” he said. “Hopefully they can do it.” More

Both Boris Johnson and Prince George watched England’s victory over Germany in suits, while Rishi Sunak shared a photo of himself putting on a three lions shirt.The prime minister tweeted a picture of himself cheering on the team with his wife Carrie Symonds as they watched on TV.Mr Johnson later posted another image that showed him celebrating as Harry Kane scored to put England 2-0 up in the Euro 2020 quarter-final qualifier.“We’re all behind you – bring it home!” he tweeted, apparently from a different location than his earlier post.Joining the prime minister in formal attire for the game was seven-year-old Prince George, who in the stands at Wembley alongside his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, wearing a navy blue suit and striped tie.However, the chancellor shared a photo of himself appearing to put on an England shirt. The photo, which showed Mr Sunak’s face covered by the shirt as he pulled it over his head, was met with some confusion on social media.“Are you stuck?” one userasked, while another replied: “You’re wearing a shirt and tie under a football top?”Other politicians also tweeted about the football, with Priti Patel, the home secretary, sharing a GIF of an England flag with a roaring lion after full-time.Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, posted a photo of himself holding an England shirt next to his German counterpart, who was holding his own national team’s shirt. More

Police are investigating an incident in which “thugs” grabbed Professor Chris Whitty in a London park and jeered, after video of the episode circulated online.A clip of the chief medical officer for England being put into a headlock was posted to Twitter on Monday night and was quickly condemned.At least two young men are seen grabbing the scientist as they ask him to stop for a photo in the park, near Westminster.Another voice can be heard saying: “Leave the gentleman alone.”It was not immediately clear when the incident took place or who had made the video.Prof Whitty was verbally abused in a London street in a similar video in February.The Metropolitan Police said it was aware of the footage and is investigating the circumstances.Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi tweeted: “This is disgusting and these thugs must be found and charged. Zero tolerance for harassing a public servant.”A Met Police spokesperson said: “We’re aware of a video being shared online showing an incident in St James’ Park.“Officers spoke to all those involved at the time and their details were taken. We are in contact with the victim and the circumstances continue to be investigated.” More

Tens of thousands of children and babies in the UK could be left in limbo within weeks amid mounting delays in the processing of their EU settlement scheme applications, lawyers and charities have warned.Experts warn of a “disaster waiting to happen” as over 80,000 youngsters are still waiting for a decision, while many others are said to have not yet applied due to difficulties meeting “rigid” evidential requirements or parents simply being unaware they need to apply for their children.All EU nationals and their family members in the UK, including children of all ages, must apply to the EU settlement scheme by 30 June, with those who do not automatically becoming undocumented.The only exception is babies born after their parents have been granted EU settled status. But those born to parents with pre-settled status must still apply, and they must do so within three months of the baby’s birth.Charities have reported a surge in requests for help from parents having difficulty applying for EU settlement for children and newborn babies or those waiting long periods for an outcome for their child’s application.Campaign group the3million has written to immigration minister Kevin Foster expressing “concern” that many parents with EU settled status have not realised their children are not automatically covered under the scheme, or are finding it difficult to prove their children’s residence.An analysis of government figures, seen by The Independent, shows that as of March 2021 children made up 26 per cent of the current backlog of applications, despite only accounting for 15 per cent of applicants overall. More than 84,700 children were still waiting for a decision in March.While the overall backlog reduced between December 2020 and March 2021, the proportion of children crept up from 22 per cent to 26 per cent – indicating that these claims are taking longer than average to process.

This is putting tens of thousands of children at risk. That they run up such a backlog for a group they recognise as vulnerable, and that they made it harder to clear such cases, is a scandalDr Kuba Jablonowski, research fellowAnd more recent figures published by the Home Office this week, which provide no breakdown of children, show the overall backlog has risen again since March, from 323,730 to 334,500 – suggesting that the number of children waiting will have also increased.Lawyers say the delays are likely to be due in part to the Home Office’s requirement, introduced on 1 January, that children must show evidence they were in the UK prior to the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December.Caseworkers are said to be requesting this evidence after a child’s application has been submitted, creating further delays, as it is often difficult for parents or guardians to obtain the relevant documents, such as school or employment records, for a young child or a baby.Luke Piper, head of policy at the3million, accused the Home Office of focusing too heavily on “rigid requirements” on proof of residency rather than applying discretion on a case-by-case basis. “If an applicant is the child of people with settled status the caseworkers should just pick up the phone and talk to the parents. They shouldn’t refuse the child or cause delays,” he said.Dr Kuba Jablonowski, research fellow at Exeter University, who carried out the analysis, said: “This is putting tens of thousands of children at risk. That they run up such a backlog for a group they recognise as vulnerable, and that they made it harder to clear such cases, is a scandal.”The Home Office has said that any applicant who has not received a decision by 30 June will continue to have their rights protected until their application is concluded.However, charities are concerned that agencies required to check immigration status, such as the NHS and employers, will not be aware of this and could deny people access to basic services while they are waiting for a decision.Marianne Lagrue, of Coram Children’s Legal Centre, said a verbal assurance was “not enough” to ensure that one’s rights would be protected.“Their access to education, healthcare and services that they need in crisis are dependent on these services understanding those individuals’ rights. There’s so much scope for human error,” she added.Marieke Widmann, of the Children’s Society said the charity had seen a “huge rise” in enquiries about EU settlement over the past few weeks, with most asking for help with children’s applications.“We are getting emails and calls from parents confused as to whether their children need to apply to the scheme, some asking how to make an application from the start. Others who have applied, but have not yet had a decision, are worried about the impending deadline,” she said.“We are concerned that support services are at full capacity and so many parents have no idea where to turn for help. Even worse, there are no doubt many out there who haven’t yet realised they need to apply for their child.”

The government needs to, urgently, improve the backlog and make sure cast iron guarantees are in place to guarantee eligible citizen won’t lose their rightsBambos Charalambous, shadow immigration ministerMs Lagrue warned that many children were likely to end up not receiving EU settlement either because their parents or guardians were not able to complete the application process or did not apply at all.“For newborn babies it often it won’t be felt until years later. It will come as a shock. It feels like a disaster waiting to happen,” she said.“Children will suffer needlessly and there might not be an obvious route for support for them to rectify the situation. They’re totally at the mercy of the adults in their lives taking the responsible action, but they are the ones who will feel the full force of any consequences.”She called for faster decision-making and “clear and unequivocal” information to be provided to agencies such as the NHS and employers about the rules.Shadow immigration minister Bambos Charalambous warned that children were being “left behind” due to the Home Office “failing to have control of the scheme”.“The government needs to, urgently, improve the backlog and make sure cast iron guarantees are in place to guarantee eligible citizen won’t lose their rights,” he said.Mr Foster said: “It is completely inaccurate to suggest children who have applied to the EU settlement scheme will be left in limbo.“Through our targeted campaigns to encourage parents to apply for their children, we have seen a rise in applications from under 18s, which accounts for higher numbers of applications being processed.“Since the scheme launched in March 2019, there have been more than 5.6 million applications and more than 5 million grants of status and I would encourage anyone eligible who hasn’t applied, or has not done so on behalf of their children, to apply now.” More

Scotland is “unlikely” to ease coronavirus restrictions further at the end of the month as had been planned, Nicola Sturgeon has said.Speaking in Holyrood, the first minister did not rule out the further relaxation of rules – moving to Level 0 – on 28 June but said the Scottish government wanted to “buy ourselves sufficient time” to allow the vaccination programme to continue its work.She suggested that Scotland would not return to “much greater normality” until later in July at the earliest. “Given the current situation – and the need to get more people fully vaccinated before we ease up further – it is reasonable to indicate now that I think it unlikely that any part of the country will move down a level from 28 June,” Ms Sturgeon said.“Instead, it is likely that we will opt to maintain restrictions for a further three weeks from 28 June and use that time to – with both doses – as many more people as possible.“Doing that will give us the best chance, later in July, of getting back on track and restoring the much greater normality that we all crave.”Ms Sturgeon said it was a “difficult and frustrating” development but “while this setback is not easy, it is worth remembering that we are living under far fewer restrictions now than was the case a few weeks ago”.She added: “The current situation is not what any of us want – but equally it is not lockdown. And vaccination is – with every day that – helping us change the game.”Level 0 is described as “near normal” but a number of restrictions still exist, including limits on the number of people individuals can meet socially in groups, and people are still advised to work from home where possible.Earlier, government figures indicated Scotland has recorded two coronavirus deaths and 974 new cases in the past 24 hours.The daily positivity rate was 5 per cent, down from 5.2 per cent the previous day, according to figures published on Tuesday.There were 137 people in hospital on Monday with recently confirmed Covid-19, up from 128 on Sunday.Seventeen people were in intensive care, no change on the day before.The Scottish government’s announcement follows confirmation on Monday by Boris Johnson that England would see a four-week delay to Covid rules easing, buying more time for people to receive vaccinations.Additional reporting by PA More