Home News

Boris Johnson has appealed for over-80s to continue observing lockdown restrictions after receiving the Covid vaccine, as a new study found that more than 40 per cent had breached them.For those who had already had their second dose of the vaccine, this figure climbed to 48 per cent.Despite the success of the vaccine rollout and the government’s announcement of its plans to ease lockdown in the coming months, it remains against the regulations to meet socially indoors or outdoors with anyone outside your household or support bubble.Asked about the findings, Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said the prime minister was urging people to remain patient after and continue observing the rules after receiving the jab.The spokesman said: “He would say that … it is important that people continue to follow the guidelines that are in place. “We are allowing some easements from Monday next week, in terms of allowing for one-on-one recreational meetings in public places.“But it is important as we move through the pandemic that people continue to follow the rules and guidelines.”The spokesman said the government had deliberately built in five-week delays between each step of England’s roadmap out of lockdown in order to be able to check whether each relaxation of restrictions has led to an upsurge in infections before moving on to the next.Although the evidence now shows the vaccines are highly effective at protecting those inoculated from becoming ill with coronavirus, current government rules do not provide any exemption to lockdown restrictions for the more than 20 million Britons who have now been vaccinated.The new figures came just days after the deputy chief medical officer for England, Jonathan Van Tam, had urged those who had been vaccinated not to let their guard down and be lulled into a false sense of security. Speaking during a Downing Street press conference on Friday, he said: “It is a bit like being 3-0 up in a game and thinking, ‘We can’t possibly lose this now’ – but how many times have we seen the other side take it 4-3?“Do not wreck this now. It is too early to relax. Just continue to maintain discipline and hang on just a few more months.”But it appears his pleas are falling on deaf ears for many. The most common group the lockdown-busting octogenarians said they had spent time with inside was their children, with 23% admitting to either going to their children’s homes or inviting them into theirs after having their jab.Nine per cent of those surveyed also said they had seen their grandchildren, and 6% their friends.However, not all of the over-80s who had been vaccinated had begun unilaterally relaxing lockdown – one in five people said they had not left home for any reason since they were given their jab.There was also evidence the vaccines were beginning to lower fears among the elderly, who have suffered the most deaths of any during the pandemic.The ONS survey, which polled 2,000 of those aged 80 and above in mid-February, showed that before vaccination just under half (49%) believed covid to be a major or significant risk to them personally.But for those who had received both doses of the vaccine, this plummeted to just 5%.A quarter of the over-80s also said they would be more likely to go to hospital if they had other medical problems after being vaccinated; and this increased to 33% for those who had already had their second jab.Despite 41% reporting they had experienced some side-effects from the vaccine, an enormous 96% said they would be likely to recommend others also come forward for the jab once it is their turn.“The rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination is, no doubt, a huge relief to many people aged over 80, as we can see that almost half of them, when asked, considered Covid-19 to be a major or significant personal risk before receiving the vaccination,” said Tim Gibbs from the ONS.“This decreases to just 5% having the same concern after hypothetically receiving both doses of the vaccine.“We hope to start to see these wider positive effects of the vaccine rollout as it continues across more age groups in the coming weeks.” More

Stripping the £20 uplift to universal credit will disproportionately impact single mothers, the government has been warned ahead of the chancellor’s final decision on the matter.Rishi Sunak rolled out the £20 weekly increase to universal credit during the initial stages of the coronavirus pandemic – a period that also saw record numbers of people apply for the financial support mechanism.However, anti-poverty groups have repeatedly warned that if the uplift is scrapped, hundreds of thousands of people will be plunged below the poverty line – with separate studies from the Legatum Institute and the Fabian society both predicting between 690,000 and 760,000 people will fall into poverty if the top up is removed.Freedom of information data obtained by Save the Children has revealed women account for almost 90 per cent of the more than 1 million single parents claiming the benefit.More than 962,000 single mothers are universal credit claimants, according to the data – with 45 per cent of them currently in work.Single mothers make up 3.5 per cent of the total UK population according to ONS data – however as a group they make up around 16 per cent of universal credit claimants.Becca Lyon, Head of Child Poverty at Save the Children, said: “Single mothers have been particularly hard hit by this crisis and taking money away from them at this time will leave them to struggle even more. “Even with the additional £20 per week in universal credit, mothers tell us they’re having to go without meals or electricity just to make sure their children have food to eat. “One mum told us she is burning candles because she cannot afford to pay for electricity. This should not be happening in 2021.”In the run-up to the Budget the chancellor has declined to comment on whether he would extend the uplift, which is due to come to a close in April.However he is expected to extend the measure in his budget for a further six months amid pressure from backbenchers – particularly conservatives in newly-won northern seats where constituents could be particularly hard hit.Ms Lyon added: “Providing support for only another six months just won’t cut it. We know the worst of the economic impact from coronavirus is yet to be felt, so we urge the UK government to use the Budget to extend the uplift to universal credit for at least a year. “Taking this lifeline away could be the difference between children having enough food to eat or having to go without meals.” More

Prime minister Boris Johnson has unveiled his “roadmap to recovery,” laying out a timeline for the easing of the social restrictions introduced in early January to quell the spread of Covid-19.Speaking in the Commons, Mr Johnson unveiled a “cautious” and “prudent” four-stage plan to lift lockdown restrictions, which will allow people to reunite with loved ones in and some sectors to reopen.From 8 March, care home residents will be allowed a single regular visitor, with visitors required to take a lateral flow test and wear personal protective equipment.The PM confirmed plans for all schools and colleges in England to reopen from 8 March, with outdoor after-school sports and activities also allowed to restart. The 8 March easing will also see socially distanced one-to-one meetings with others outdoors in a public space permitted – meaning friends and family members could sit down for a coffee or have a picnic in the park.Outdoor gatherings of up to six people or two households may then be allowed later in the month, from 29 March. Outdoor sports will also be allowed again from this date, and the strict “stay at home” guidance will be relaxed to “stay local”.The hospitality industry will have to stay closed until 12 April at the earliest. From then, it is hoped that pubs and restaurants can reopen to serve customers outdoors as long as groups adhere to the rule of six and are comprised of no more than two households.Such venues will no longer have to comply with previous restrictions such as curfews and substantial meals in order to reopen, but customers must be seated.Non-essential retail, including hairdressers, beauty salons, and tattoo parlours, as well as facilities such as libraries, zoos, museums and self-contained accommodation will also be allowed to reopen no earlier than 12 April.Up to 30 people will be allowed to attend funerals, but weddings will be limited to 15 guests.We can expect masks, two-metre distancing and hand sanitiser to be with us for some time, as the vaccine rollout continues over the coming months to take in the less “at risk” groups.We still remain a long way from the prospect of large crowds attending live events, with music festivals like Glastonbury and major sporting events like the European Championships or the Tokyo Olympic Games seemingly not viable until the majority of spectators have been vaccinated, although testing or vaccine certificates at the turnstiles could provide a way forward.It is hoped that the rule of six with two households can be scrapped outdoors from 17 May, but will be implemented indoors, including inside pubs and restaurants. Gatherings of up to 30 people will be allowed, including at weddings from this date.Hotels and bed & breakfasts will be allowed to welcome guests again, and some sporting venues will be able to permit spectators, with the largest venues allowed up to 10,000 people.The last stage of the prime minister’s plan hopes to lift legal limits to social contact no earlier than 21 June. If all goes according to plan, nightclubs may be able to reopen and the government could lift restrictions on events and performances after this date.The roadmap is subject to four tests in order for the plans to go ahead, including the success of the vaccination rollout, vaccine efficacy, the continuous dropping of infection rates and emergence of new variants.The government will conduct four reviews during the period of lifting restrictions, including on Covid status certification, pilots of large events, international travel – which will still be banned until at least 17 May – and the withdrawal of antiviral rules such as social distancing and the wearing of masks.Mr Johnson spent the early weeks of February urging extreme caution regarding the lifting of lockdown restrictions, and said today that it was “inescapable” that lifting rules will result in more infections and deaths.Mr Johnson has been placed under considerable pressure from within his own party after the Covid Recovery Group led by MPs Steve Baker and Mark Harper issued a letter signed by 63 backbenchers hailing the “tremendous pace” of the UK’s vaccine rollout – with 15m jabs already administered – and calling for the swift easing of restrictions.While Mr Johnson’s Cabinet has shrugged off demands that it make “arbitrary commitments” and reserves the right to revise its roadmap in accordance with the latest data until the last minute, here’s a look at how life in Britain could look after the lockdown is eventually lifted. More

Soldiers who drink snakes’ blood and eat live geckos and scorpions in training sessions are risking catching infectious coronavirus-type diseases and even causing a new pandemic, campaigners have warned.Thousands of troops from around the world take part each year in Cobra Gold joint military exercises in Thailand, where they are encouraged to kill and eat live creatures for “survival” drills, according to animal-rights group Peta. At last year’s event, American soldiers were filmed skinning and eating live geckos, drinking blood from a decapitated snake and biting into lizards and scorpions.They then passed the carcasses round for others to gnaw at.Some participants were also recorded killing chickens with their bare hands, and one also appeared to eat a tarantula, Peta said.The government says no UK troops take part in field training at Cobra Gold, and no UK forces were involved in last year’s drill.  But Peta has written to the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, urging him to use his influence to call on the organisers to drop the live animal exercises, replacing them with “more effective and ethical” animal-free training methods.The group says these practices pose a risk of spreading zoonotic diseases like coronavirus, endangering the troops involved and the public.Condemning the “ritualistic” and “barbaric” killing and consumption of animals, Peta also says it is driving species already under threat further towards extinction.The snakes involved last year were king cobras, listed by the IUCN as vulnerable, meaning they face “a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future”. “Shipping military personnel to Thailand to drink the blood of beheaded snakes is the kind of absurdity that could spark the next pandemic,” says Peta’s science policy manager, Julia Baines.“The crude killing of animals during this annual drill not only risks public health and endangers species vulnerable to extinction, including the king cobra, but also disgraces our troops.”Since the 1970s, it is estimated at least three dozen infectious diseases have emerged from human interference with animals, including Sars, Mers, Ebola, bird flu, swine flu and the Zika virus. Scientists suspect the virus that caused Covid-19 originated in bats and was transmitted to humans through other animals.The letter says: “The crude killing of animals during this annual drill dishonours troops, risks public health, and endangers species vulnerable to extinction.”A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The UK contributes a small number of military planners to Exercise Cobra Gold. “We do not contribute troops to the field training component of the exercise, and no UK forces were involved in the drill highlighted by the Peta campaign.” It is understood that two military planners went to last year’s exercise, and one will go to this year’s exercise, in August. More

The 133-year-old West London bridge has been closed to traffic since April 2019 when cracks appeared in its pedestals.The bridge then closed to pedestrian, cyclist and river traffic in August 2020 after a heatwave caused the faults to “significantly increase”.Frustrated residents have now projected the “UK’s biggest Valentine’s Day card” onto the bridge to mark the six-month anniversary of its full closure.Billed as the “UK’s biggest Valentine’s Day card”, the message reads: “Broken Hearts. Broken Promises. Broken Lives. Broken Bridge.”Organisers said it was addressed to a number of politicians, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, London mayor Sadiq Khan, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, and Hammersmith and Fulham Council leader Stephen Cowan.A government task force was launched in September last year with the aim of “opening the bridge as speedily as possible”, Mr Shapps said.He argued that at the time there had been a “lack of leadership in London on reopening this vital bridge”.Helen Pennant-Rea, chairwoman of the Hammersmith Bridge SOS Residents’ Group, said the “Valentine’s Day card” was intended to be a “fun and entertaining way to draw attention to what remains a serious issue”.She said: “It is a great shame that we need to raise further attention to the complete inability of politicians from all parties to find a satisfactory solution, to proceed with the funding and works to repair Hammersmith Bridge.”Also, to deliver the urgently needed temporary pedestrian crossing.”Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which owns the bridge, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in August stating the estimated cost to make it safe and “avoid a potential catastrophic failure” is £46 million. More

The government failed to learn the lessons from the first wave of coronavirus last spring, resulting in a delayed national lockdown and a higher death rate over Christmas, Professor Neil Ferguson has suggested.The senior scientific adviser, who sits on the government’s Nervtag emergency virus committee, said a “fragmented” consensus over the correct level of restrictions meant the country was in a weaker position going into the winter.“Had we learnt the lessons properly from the first wave, then we would have been in a better situation coming into Christmas and much lower infection levels and therefore fewer deaths,” he told Sky News.By the end of January, half of the UK’s then-death toll of 100,000 had died in the weeks since mid-November. The total count now stands at more than 113,000.Ministers were advised in September by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) that a nationwide “circuit breaker” lockdown was needed to curb the rapid spread of the virus but they waited until October before bringing in the tiered system and delayed a full national shutdown until the beginning of January. “We would have been in a better position for the winter had we locked down earlier in the autumn,” Professor Ferguson said. “I think the most disappointing choice – you can always go back to March and say well people were balancing very difficult considerations, but by September we knew exactly what this virus could do.“Unfortunately, because in some sense the political consensus had fragmented, governments across Europe, and this is not particularly a criticism of this government, reacted too late. “So it was only in October that we really tightened up measures, and only in November that we locked down again and then not really for long enough.”Professor Ferguson also said it was likely that despite the rollout of vaccines, people would need to continue wearing masks and observing social distancing rules for “much of this year”.”I am hoping by this time next year, it will look a lot more normal,” he said. “Maybe there will still be mask wearing for mass gatherings and things like that but I very much doubt we will be anything like where we are now.” More

A “vacuum of information” on the characteristics of grooming gangs is fuelling continued abuse and allowing extremists to exploit it, MPs have said.In a delayed debate sparked by petitions on the issue, several politicians said a report published by the Home Office had not answered the questions many hoped it would.Tom Hunt, a Conservative member of the Petitions Committee who opened Wednesday’s debate, said many victims he had spoken to “feel that the report doesn’t go far enough”.“They believe it only touches upon the issues and if it is the start of something more significant then OK, but if it is the end of it they would be very unsatisfied,” he told the House of Commons.“They feel this was an issue that was swept under the carpet … [and] if it is the case that if certain crimes are disproportionately committed by members of certain communities, we should be open and honest about that and address it. “Because actually by sweeping it under the carpet it makes tensions and divisions worse down the line.”The Home Office report said that although a number of high-profile grooming cases, including Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford mainly involved men of Pakistani ethnicity, “links between ethnicity and this form of offending” could not be proven.The Home Office report said the “existing data would not answer the question of the relationship between ethnicity and child sexual exploitation,” adding: “Based on the existing evidence, and our understanding of the flaws in the existing data, it seems most likely that the ethnicity of group-based CSE offenders is in line with child sexual abuse more generally and with the general population, with the majority of offenders being white.”It was published in December following a petition demanding its release, which was signed by more than 130,000 people – automatically triggering a parliamentary debate.Conservative MP Sir John Hayes called the report a “study in obfuscation” and called for action on known modus operandi for grooming gangs, such as the use of taxis to find and pick up victims. More

The damaging practice of burning grouse moor peatlands will be partially banned in England, ministers have announced, prompting criticism that the measure does not go far enough.Some conservationists cautiously welcomed the crackdown, which will mean shoot organisers will no longer be allowed routinely to set fire to heather on ecologically sensitive sites.
But the ban comes with exceptions, and wildlife experts say more urgency is needed to help tackle the climate crisis.  The ban will apply to blanket bogs – peat more than 40cm deep – on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that is also a Special Area of Conservation or a Special Protection Area unless a licence has been granted or the land is steep or rocky.Environmentalists have for many years condemned the practice of setting light to upland peatlands that are rich in wildlife, which is done in winter to ensure grouse have new, more nutritious shoots of heather to eat before they are shot for sport.  But the burning releases carbon into the atmosphere, adding to the climate crisis. The UK has 13 per cent of the world’s blanket bog, which store more than 3,000 million tons of carbon.Wet bogs also support a range of birds, including breeding dunlin and golden plover.
Advocates of the burning say it protects areas from wildfires, and that differently aged heathers protect threatened ground-nesting birds.
But some experts argue burning makes the land vulnerable to fires, destroys habitats and increases flood risks.
The new ban also does not apply where scree makes up half the land area. And environment secretary George Eustice may also issue burning licences for “wildfire prevention, for a conservation purpose or where land is inaccessible to cutting or mowing machinery”. These licences may last several years.Luke Steele, of Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors, said: “England’s grouse moors are woefully under-regulated so we welcome today’s announcement that burning on fragile blanket bog will no longer be routinely allowed in many areas.
“However, the legislation does not go far enough, given it fails to end burning on degraded shallow peatlands, which need restoring to their healthy, deeper state.  “In the midst of a climate emergency, there is no justification to allow fires to be set on any carbon-rich peatlands.”
More than 660 fires have been started on grouse moorlands in Yorkshire alone since 2018, according to new research by Mr Steele’s group.  The Wildlife Trusts questioned why the ban was only partial, saying: “If, in some places, the reason they are burnt is to prevent wildfires spreading over dry ground, the best way to stop fire happening is to block ditches and help the peat become wet again.
“It is deeply frustrating that it has taken so long for the government to commit to this – 14 months after it was first promised.  “It will be extremely embarrassing if we are still burning any of our peatlands when the climate conference meets at the end of the year.
“The government’s own advisers say we need to restore all upland peatlands to meet climate targets. So while it’s a tiny step forward, much greater urgency is needed across a huge range of comparably burning issues to protect our wildlife and tackle climate change.”
Natural England chairman Tony Juniper said: “This is a hugely welcome announcement that will see better protections for our globally important peatlands.”
The government says it will set out further steps to protect peatlands this year and a £640m Nature for Climate fund will launch a programme of peatland restoration. More