Matt Hancock denies ministers dragged their feet over imposing lockdown

Matt Hancock today denied ministers dragged their feet over imposing national lockdown – saying that Christmas had muddied the data. The Health Secretary faced questions over the delay in bringing in the brutal curbs to control the mutant Covid strain as he gave evidence to MPs this afternoon. Health committee chair Jeremy Hunt challenged Mr … Read more

Coronavirus UK: Boris Johnson backed down from imposing Tier 3 on Manchester amid policing fears

Boris Johnson backed down from plunging Manchester into Tier Three coronavirus restrictions amid fears police would not enforce the rules without Mayor Andy Burnham’s backing.  Greater Manchester Police currently answers to the city’s Labour Mayor, while police and crime commissioners – a role filled in Manchester by Mr Burnham – have the power to set strategic … Read more

Boris Johnson backed down from imposing Tier 3 Covid rules on Manchester amid policing fears

Boris Johnson backed down from imposing Tier 3 Covid rules on Manchester because he ‘feared police won’t enforce them effectively’ without Andy Burnham’s backing Greater Manchester Police currently answers to Labour mayor Andy Burnham  Negotiation between Government and city’s leaders will continue over weekend It comes after the PM hailed agreement with Lancashire to move to … Read more

Will families be denied care home visits?Ministers consider imposing restrictions on visits

Will families be denied care home visits? New curbs on to stop spreading coronavirus between nursing centres is unveiled… as ministers consider imposing restrictions on visits by loved ones  MP’s  consider imposing restrictions, given the recent rise in infections The new plan would ‘toughen up rules’ surrounding staff movements and  impose restrictions on family visits … Read more

Britain sees worse economic slump than Sweden after imposing lockdown

The UK is suffering far graver economic damage than Sweden after Britain imposed a lockdown and the Scandinavian country did not.  Britain’s GDP has already seen a larger slump than Sweden’s this year – with only one week of lockdown included in the figures so far. The UK’s construction and retail sectors both saw their … Read more

Imposing lockdown sooner could have prevented 2,000 coronavirus deaths in Scotland, study finds

Tens of thousands of coronavirus deaths in Britain may have been avoided if officials imposed the lockdown a fortnight earlier, a study has claimed. University of Edinburgh researchers said at least 2,000 lives would have been saved in Scotland, if the measures were brought in on March 9 instead of March 23. The official COVID-19 … Read more