The government’s worst-case scenario sees up to twenty per cent of the workforce staying at home either because they are sick or to self-isolate. But will they get paid? Businesses, employer groups and unions have pointed out that many workers may not be entitled to any sick pay. As a result, Labour has called for […]
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Boris Johnson has said the army is on standby as part of the government’s “battle plan” to fight the coronavirus, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the UK rises to 51. Health secretary Matt Hancock warned the virus poses an “increasingly serious” threat and told MPs it was “becoming more likely that we will […]
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The government’s objectives for the UK’s post-Brexit trade deal with the United States are evidence it is “living in cloud-cuckoo land” because it is “risking our standards for a mere 0.07%-0.16% of GDP” growth. The Department for International Trade (DIT) expects trade talks with the US to begin this month (March) and has vowed to […]
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Heath secretary Matt Hancock said “nothing is off the table” when asked if UK cities could be closed down as Britain battles to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Hancock’s comments come as the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in the UK climbed to 35 after 12 new patients were diagnosed. The government is considering all options […]
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Sir Philip Rutnam, the top civil servant at the Home Office has quit his post citing a “vicious and orchestrated campaign” against him by the home secretary Priti Patel. The Home Office permanent secretary – who has 33 years experience working in Whitehall –announced his resignation today (Saturday) and said he intends to sue the […]
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Ruling out a no-deal Brexit was a top priority of a majority of MPs during long-running debates. The Benn Act appeared to prevent such an outcome, but those voices who warned that the Withdrawal Agreement mounts to a no-deal by the backdoor may prove to be right. One year is a short time when it […]
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The Court of Appeal has ruled expansion plans for Heathrow airport are “unlawful” because they do not take into account the UK’s climate change commitments. Friends of the Earth hailed the ruling as “an absolutely ground-breaking result for climate justice” with their head of legal, Will Rundle saying the “judgment has exciting wider implications for […]
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Three London based companies have sent staff home to reduce their “risk of exposure” to the coronavirus. Media firm OMD UK joined Crossrail and Chevron in temporarily closing its offices and asking staff to work from home. OMD UK closed its Fitzrovia Office today (Wednesday) when an employee, recently returned from Singapore and Australia, started […]
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The FTSE 100 has recorded its biggest fall in four years as concerns about the economic impact of the coronavirus hit global markets, wiping billions off the value of the world’s biggest companies. In London, the UK’s FTSE 100 saw £62 billion lost as the share index plummeted 3.3% – the steepest drop since January […]
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The Home Office has confirmed the UK’s new blue passport will be issued from next month, replacing the burgundy coloured passport used by European Union countries since 1988. It will also be the “greenest British passport ever”, according to a government spokesperson, who said: “The carbon footprint produced through manufacture will be reduced to net […]
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