Day: September 11, 2020

    Birmingham is being put in a local lockdown with a ban on households mixing after a worrying spike in coronavirus cases. New restrictions will come into effect on Tuesday in Birmingham and the neighbouring boroughs of Sandwell and Solihull, affecting more than 1.5 million people. They were confirmed after UK Government and regional health and council leaders held discussions over two days. The Health Secretary has said guidance that residents cannot socialise outside of their households in the city will become law. Birmingham's local lockdown restrictions were announced on Friday as new figures revealed the city has the highest rate of Covid-19 infection in England behind Bolton. According to the latest data, the city seven-day infection rate was 85.4 cases per 10...

    Boris Johnson is to plead with fractious Tory MPs to back him in his bust-up with Brussels, amid Downing Street fears of a backbench rebellion against measures which ministers admit break international law. In a Friday evening video conference call, the prime minister will try to answer deep anxieties over provisions in his UK Internal Market Bill which have been condemned by three former prime ministers and provoked Brussels to threaten legal action. Senior and normally loyal Tories have vowed to vote against the government when the bill is rushed through the Commons next week, and while privately some were doubtful of mustering the 40 or more rebels needed to block the legislation it then faces likely defeat in the House of Lords. Mr Johnson decision to give UK m...