United Kingdom

    A furious Tory MP has attacked Boris Johnson over plans for a second national lockdown, accusing the Prime Minister of creating an "authoritative and coercive state". Mr Johnson is in the Commons this afternoon attempting to head off a fierce Tory rebellion over the impending measures, which are scheduled to come into force on Thursday. The Prime Minister insisted the plans were “time limited” and he hoped to lift the latest draconian restrictions on December 2 when the country will return to the coronavirus tier system. However, furious backbench Tory MPs have called the latest measures “evil” and warned they will “ruin lives”. Sir Charles Walker,  Conservative MP for Broxbourne, said he would not be supporting the government’s legislation and added: “As we drift...

    Sadiq Khan and Boris Johnson have struck a rescue deal worth up to £1.8bn for Transport for London to keep bus and Tube services in the capital running for another six months. The agreement, announced early on Sunday just hours ahead of a crucial deadline will prevent the collapse of TfL until the end of the financial year. But discussions will continue on a new funding package for the following year, with lockdown restrictions expected to play further havoc on the group’s main income stream. Mr Khan, the Labour mayor of London, has been locked in an acrimonious dispute with transport secretary Grant Shapps over the bailout in recent weeks. Mr Shapps had threatened to take direct control of TfL unless Mr Khan accepted a package of unpopular measures, including sig...

    Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the Government's coronavirus response, Downing Street has confirmed. The meeting will be held at 1.30pm today after plans for a second national lockdown were leaked last night. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: Cabinet will meet at 1.30pm today to discuss the Government's coronavirus response. It was understood that The Prime Minister met with his Chancellor  Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove and Health Minister Matt Hancock for crunch talks on Friday. They came to the conclusion that more severe restrictions of freedoms are necessary due to the demand being placed on hospitals by rising Covid-19 cases, according to reports. Mr Johnson is then said to have ...

    Britain's car industry had its worst September in 25 years, with a decline in the number of vehicles being exported to Europe and the US. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said 114,732 were produced during the month - 5% down when compared to September last year. Car production for the year is down 35.9% and is expected to fall below one million vehicles for the first time since 1999. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: These figures are yet more grim reading for UK automotive as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc both at home and in key overseas markets. Domestic demand, which accounted for 27,199 vehicles, was 14.5% higher than a year earlier but most of the cars made in Britain are exported. The number of cars sent to the EU was do...

    Chancellor Rishi Sunak will set out the government's one-year spending plans next month as he seeks to tackle the economic crisis caused by coronavirus. The Treasury has announced a 2021-22 Spending Review will be published on 25 November, as the government prioritises its response to COVID-19 and strives to protect jobs. The government had previously confirmed it was scrapping a proposed multi-year spending review after those plans were thrown off course by the coronavirus crisis. Mr Sunak said: In the current environment it's essential that we provide certainty. So we'll be doing that for departments and all of the nations of the UK by setting budgets for next year, with a total focus on tackling COVID and delivering our 'Plan for Jobs'. Long-term investment in ...

    Boris Johnson is under pressure from scores of Conservative MPs to detail a “road-map out of lockdown” as more people in England come under the toughest coronavirus restrictions. The Prime Minister has been warned by a group of 50 Tory backbenchers representing northern constituencies that the pandemic is threatening his election pledge to “level-up” the country. Meanwhile, Covid-19 is spreading across London with more than 13,000 cases in a week , according to official figures. They also show that six of the ten boroughs with the highest coronavirus rates are now in west London. It comes as a study revealed a decline in protective antibodies among the general population since mid-July. Research by Imperial College London estimated just 4.4 per cent of adults had s...

    Boris Johnson has admitted he hasn't spoken to Marcus Rashford since June but has praised the footballer's terrific food poverty campaign. The Manchester United forward is leading a high-profile campaign for the expansion of free school meals and also for the provision of meals during all school holidays for those in need. The government has so far refused to bow to growing pressure over the issue, despite having previously performed a U-turn prior to the summer holidays when they provided meal vouchers to around 1.3 million children in England. espite not extending the voucher scheme for this October half-term and having resisted calls to extend the scheme until Easter next year - Mr Johnson on Monday vowed that ministers will do everything in our power to make su...

    Millions of people across the UK are waking up to stricter coronavirus restrictions on Saturday as health officials battle to stem the spread of the disease. From midnight, South Yorkshire joined Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester and Lancashire on the highest Tier 3 alert level, banning mixing between households indoors and forcing many pubs and bars to close. In a letter to residents Sheffield City City Region mayor Dan Jarvis acknowledged many people would find the return stricter rules “deeply frustrating” and would fear for their futures and their livelihoods. But he added: The scientific advice is that they can help. We still have a difficult path ahead, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, he said. It came as Wales began a two-week national...

    The UK and Japan have signed a free trade agreement at a ceremony in Tokyo, hours before negotiations on a post-Brexit deal with the European Union are due to resume. The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which was agreed in principle last month, marks Britain's first deal with a major economy since Brexit. The government claims the agreement will boost trade with Japan by £15.2bn over the next 15 years and UK businesses will enjoy tariff-free trade on 99% of exports to the country. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss had struck the deal with Japan's foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi on a video call on 11 September. After the ceremony, Ms Truss said: "How fitting it is to be in the land of the rising sun to welcome in the dawn of a...

    EU trade negotiators will return to London on Thursday to restart Brexit trade talks, after both sides promised to work intensively for a deal. Downing Street had previously told chief negotiator Michel Barnier there was no point in him coming to the UK unless the EU fundamentally shifted its position. But following a telephone conversation between the EU chief negotiator and his UK counterpart Lord Frost, a Downing Street spokesperson said the UK was ready to try and bridge remaining divides and would welcome Mr Barnier’s team to London. Mr Barnier had earlier on Wednesday told the European Parliament that a deal was within reach if both sides were ready to make compromises. Lord Frost discussed the implications of this statement and the state of play with Mr Bar...