PM to publish roadmap out of lockdown as R rate falls – but death toll rises past 111,000

The coronavirus rate of infection in the UK is back below 1, figures released today reveal, confirming the epidemic is finally shrinking, a month into England’s third lockdown. Boris Johnson is set to publish the government’s roadmap for lifting the lockdown restrictions in England on February 22, as data confirmed a decrease in positive coronavirus […]

Sturgeon accused of jeopardising UK’s vaccine supply in row with EU; PM calls Scottish indy-ref ‘completely irrelevant’

Nicola Sturgeon is being accused of undermining the UK in its escalating battle with the EU over vaccine doses. The Scottish first minister is “threatening to publish details of confidential supplies” that the “UK government wants to keep secret”, the Times is reporting today (Thursday). The other pro-Conservative broadsheet, the Telegraph has also piled in, […]

Johnson takes ‘full responsibility’ for ‘appalling and tragic loss of life’ as UK passes 100,000 Covid deaths

Boris Johnson has said he takes “full responsibility” for the government’s actions that have led to the UK passing the 100,000 mark for the number of people who have died with coronavirus. A sombre prime minister insisted his government “truly did everything we could” to fight the virus and limit deaths caused by Covid, yet […]

Lifting lockdown in February will be a ‘disaster’, says Sage member, who warns Manaus variant is probably already in UK

The government has been warned by a member of its Sage panel of experts, that lifting lockdown next month would be a “disaster” that puts the “NHS under enormous pressure again.” Prof John Edmunds also said that the highly infectious Covid variant detected in Manaus, Brazil is probably already in the UK, although no cases […]