United Kingdom

    Of all the uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, one thing feels beyond doubt at some point, taxes are going to have to rise. Tackling the crisis has led to a massive surge in UK public spending. Combined with the impact the coming recession will have on tax receipts, the Financial Times estimates a budget deficit exceeding £337bn could be the result. The chancellor Rishi Sunak faces tough choices. Increasing government borrowing could cover much of the shortfall, but the prime minister has ruled out deep cuts to public spending seen after the 2008 financial crisis. While unpopular, increasing some taxes would send a signal that ministers are getting the deficit under control. This week, a leaked Treasury document presented a shopping list of potential tax...

    As the pound extends the deepest slump among developed-world currencies, a host of market indicators are converging to suggest the worst is yet to come. Sterling slid more than 3% in the past month, with losses accelerating this week as data showed the U.K. economy may be headed for the deepest recession in three centuries amid the coronavirus crisis. Technical charts and option pricing point to more pain for the currency as money-market bets rise that the Bank of England will cut interest rates below zero next year to revive growth. Governor Andrew Bailey said Wednesday it’s “pretty clear” investors expect more quantitative easing from the BOE, and that monetary loosening is helping the government fund the cost of economic aid amid the pandemic. Deputy Governor B...

    Households in England will only be allowed to mix from June onwards if social distancing measures are observed by the general public, a government spokesperson has said. Under prime minister Boris Johnson’s new coronavirus roadmap two separate households made up of close family members, or “bubbles”, could be allowed to socialise within weeks. Current restrictions prevent people from meeting up with more than one person outside their immediate household, and even then that encounter should remain socially distanced. However, the government is considering expanding the definition of "household" to allow people to reconnect with close family members by letting two groups mix. It is thought that allowing two households to meet one another would let families share chi...

    The UK death toll for coronavirus has risen to 32,065 after an increase of 210, the government has announced. The total number of Covid-19 infections jumped to 223,060 on Monday morning, according to Department of Health figures. This is an increase of 3,877 compared to a day earlier. Announcing the new death toll, the government said 32,065 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community as of 5pm on Sunday after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK. A total of 100,490 tests for Covid-19 were carried out on Sunday, according to the health ministry, bringing the cumulative total overall to 1,921,770. Boris Johnson used an address to the nation on Sunday evening to outline steps to ease the lockdown that has been imposed since 23 March. The ...

    Boris Johnson could lift parts of the lockdown every two weeks under plans being discussed by ministers, The Daily Telegraph has learnt. The Cabinet will meet on Sunday to agree a roadmap for lifting the lockdown which will be revealed by the Prime Minister in a televised address to the nation later that evening. He will also set out a rough timetable for when key measures will be lifted, such as schools and shops reopening, but will describe tough “milestones” that must be reached before he can give them the green light. It means it is likely to be several months before the lockdown is lifted in full, with bars, restaurants and indoor events among the last things on the list. He told Cabinet ministers on Thursday he wants to be able to show the nation “the light ...

    Boris Johnson says his health deteriorated so badly after contracting coronavirus that a strategy was drawn up in case he died. In an interview with The Sun On Sunday, the prime minister revealed he was given "litres and litres of oxygen" after going into intensive care with COVID-19 on 7 April. Mr Johnson said: "It was a tough old moment, I won't deny it. They had a strategy to deal with a 'death of Stalin'-type scenario. "I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place. "The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong. "They gave me a face mask so I got litres and litres of oxygen and for a long time I had that and the little nose jobbie." The interview comes after his partner ...

    Carrie Symonds and Boris Johnson have named their baby son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson. Announcing the name on Instagram, Ms Symonds said the baby was named after the prime minister's grandfather, Wilfred, and her grandfather, Lawrie. She added that Nicholas was chosen in honour of the two doctors who saved Mr Johnson's life while he was ill with coronavirus last month, Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart. Ms Symonds praised the maternity team at University College Hospital in London, adding: Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn't be happier. My heart is full. The baby was born on 29 April at UCLH at 9am. The birth came just weeks after Mr Johnson was discharged from intensive care where he had be...

    Death rates from coronavirus in the most deprived parts of England are more than double than in less deprived areas, according to new figures that show London is by far the worst-hit part of the country. The mortality rate for the most deprived areas for March and early April was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 population  compared with 25.3 deaths per 100,000 in the least deprived areas, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figures show London has the highest mortality rate, with 85.7 deaths per 100,000 persons. This was found to be “statistically significantly higher” than any other region – almost double the next highest rate. “By mid-April, the region with the highest proportion of deaths involving Covid-19 was London, with the virus being involve...

    The UK may end up with the worst death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, a minister has said. Environment Secretary George Eustice told Sky News it was unclear for now but it may well be the case that the UK will have the highest death toll in Europe. He said: We've been on similar trajectories to France and Italy. It may well be that we are, who knows, we don't know that at the moment. For now we just need to focus on managing this pandemic. The UK has so far recorded 161,145 positive cases of Covid-19, with 21,678 hospital deaths as of Tuesday. But the number is expected to be far higher when deaths at care homes are included. where more than 5,000 deaths have been linked to the disease. A spokeswoman for the World Health Organisation said it would n...

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have announced the birth of a son. A spokeswoman for the PM and his partner said both mother and baby are doing very well. It is understood Mr Johnson, who has just recovered from coronavirus, was present throughout the birth, at an NHS hospital in London. The PM had planned to take paternity leave but Downing Street said he would not be doing so at the moment. The couple have received messages of congratulation from across the political spectrum, and Mr Johnson's father Stanley said he was "absolutely delighted" and "thrilled" by the birth of his grandson. The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team, the PM's spokeswoman added. Mr Johnson, 55, and Ms Symonds, 32, announced...