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UK coronavirus live: calls for tougher distancing measures amid concerns over people ignoring two-metre rule in parks UK coronavirus live: calls for tougher distancing measures amid concerns over people ignoring two-metre rule in parks
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of all the UK developments in the coronavirus crisisRolling coverage of all the UK developments in the coronavirus crisis
Jeremy Corbyn’s son is self-isolating in line with government advice for anyone with symptoms of Covid-19, Sky News understands.
Sources told Sky that Seb Corbyn – who works for the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell – has not recently been in contact with McDonnell or his father.
A powerful video from frontline medics from Belfast Health and Social care trust urging people to stay at home has gone viral, racking up more than 1.4m views since it was uploaded last night.
One of the 20 healthcare workers (who stand two metres apart from each other in the video), a respiratory consultant called Angela, says:
Later today MPs will debate all stages of the coronavirus emergency powers bill. It gives extensive powers to ministers – there is a good summary here – and in a normal circumstances it would be hugely controversial. Instead it is expected to be passed with cross-party support.
Controversy has focused on the sunset clause in the bill, which says its provisions will lapse after two years. Opposition MPs, as well as the Tory libertarian David Davis, have tabled amendments saying the sunset clause should kick in after six months, or a year, not two years. According to the BBC’s Norman Smith, the government is going to address these concerns by including a six-month renewal clause in the legislation.
As many people with children around the country take to homeschooling from today, NewsWise have created a set of activities, links, tips and advice to help families learn more about the news together. You can access all the resources here.
The news literacy project for nine-11-year-olds set up by the Guardian Foundation, National Literacy Trust and PSHE Association, would normally be delivering workshops in schools around the country, so instead they are helping parents re-create some of that learning at home.
A few useful purposes, much needed at the moment, include helping kids not be afraid of the news, helping families learn how to identify fake news and also keeping kids entertained in an educational way.
And the Labour party is appealing to people working in PR and advertising to work on a pro bono basis (ie, for free) producing adverts designed to stop people panic buying. And advertisers should use some of their advertising budgets to pay for these to go out, Labour says. This is from Luke Pollard, the shadow environment secretary.And the Labour party is appealing to people working in PR and advertising to work on a pro bono basis (ie, for free) producing adverts designed to stop people panic buying. And advertisers should use some of their advertising budgets to pay for these to go out, Labour says. This is from Luke Pollard, the shadow environment secretary.
The jury in the Old Bailey trial of three teenagers for the murder of PC Andrew Harper has been discharged due to the coronavirus pandemic.The jury in the Old Bailey trial of three teenagers for the murder of PC Andrew Harper has been discharged due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, the jury dropped from 12 men and women to 10 due to jurors going into self-isolation.Last week, the jury dropped from 12 men and women to 10 due to jurors going into self-isolation.
This morning, Mr Justice Edis made a statement in court that the remaining jurors were discharged and the trial adjourned. He said he had made the decision with a “heavy heart” after a third juror went into isolation over the weekend. He said:This morning, Mr Justice Edis made a statement in court that the remaining jurors were discharged and the trial adjourned. He said he had made the decision with a “heavy heart” after a third juror went into isolation over the weekend. He said:
The judge set a review hearing on 1 June to set a date for the trial to start again. The defendants remain custody until the fresh trial on a date to be fixed.The judge set a review hearing on 1 June to set a date for the trial to start again. The defendants remain custody until the fresh trial on a date to be fixed.
More than a dozen high-profile Old Bailey trials had already been postponed following measures to delay the spread of Covid-19. Last Tuesday, it was announced that upcoming criminal trials lasting more than three days would be put off.More than a dozen high-profile Old Bailey trials had already been postponed following measures to delay the spread of Covid-19. Last Tuesday, it was announced that upcoming criminal trials lasting more than three days would be put off.
Sir Keir Starmer, the favourite in the Labour leadership contest, is urging the government to imposed tougher social distancing restrictions. In a statement he said:Sir Keir Starmer, the favourite in the Labour leadership contest, is urging the government to imposed tougher social distancing restrictions. In a statement he said:
Time Out magazine is to cease printing for the first time since 1968 and hopes to return after the pandemic, our media editor, Jim Waterson, reports. The magazine has temporarily rebranded as “Time In” as it focuses on online content.Time Out magazine is to cease printing for the first time since 1968 and hopes to return after the pandemic, our media editor, Jim Waterson, reports. The magazine has temporarily rebranded as “Time In” as it focuses on online content.
All children’s play areas in Cardiff have been closed to the public, the council announced. Parks in the city will remain open but could be closed if people do not observe social distancing.All children’s play areas in Cardiff have been closed to the public, the council announced. Parks in the city will remain open but could be closed if people do not observe social distancing.
A spokesman for the council said:A spokesman for the council said:
The Times has published a lengthy leader column today (paywall) criticising Boris Johnson’s handling of the coronavirus so far. There is nothing particularly surprising about its arguments – you will have read many of them in the Guardian, where our leader today says “as we career into highly dangerous and uncharted waters, it is right to ask whether our ship’s captain is up to the job” - but Johnson expects to be criticised by the Guardian. If the Times is having a go at him too, that will cause more concern in No 10.The Times has published a lengthy leader column today (paywall) criticising Boris Johnson’s handling of the coronavirus so far. There is nothing particularly surprising about its arguments – you will have read many of them in the Guardian, where our leader today says “as we career into highly dangerous and uncharted waters, it is right to ask whether our ship’s captain is up to the job” - but Johnson expects to be criticised by the Guardian. If the Times is having a go at him too, that will cause more concern in No 10.
On the plus side for Johnson, the Times leader is qualified. The general thrust of it is more “must do better” than “completely useless”. Here is an extract.On the plus side for Johnson, the Times leader is qualified. The general thrust of it is more “must do better” than “completely useless”. Here is an extract.
Health minister Nadine Dorries is returning to work in Westminster after recovering from Covid-19.Health minister Nadine Dorries is returning to work in Westminster after recovering from Covid-19.
She said on Twitter:She said on Twitter:
Laura Ashley is the latest retail casualty of the coronavirus outbreak. After the fashion and furnishings retailer went into administration earlier this month, the impact of the pandemic has been blamed for tipping it over the edge.Laura Ashley is the latest retail casualty of the coronavirus outbreak. After the fashion and furnishings retailer went into administration earlier this month, the impact of the pandemic has been blamed for tipping it over the edge.
It has announced the permanent closure of 70 stores, with 721 employees set to lose their jobs, and has said it will continue to trade from its remaining 77 UK stores, which will remain open while online operations also continue to trade.It has announced the permanent closure of 70 stores, with 721 employees set to lose their jobs, and has said it will continue to trade from its remaining 77 UK stores, which will remain open while online operations also continue to trade.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is holding a live Q&A on coronavirus with Young Scot, a Scottish youth charity.
People should not be visiting holiday or second homes and should remain in their primary residence, the government has said.
Adding to its guidance on instructing people to avoid all non-essential travel and to practise social distancing, the government said:
Two NHS consultants have proposed a system of mass population testing for Covid-19, with 500,000 frontline NHS staff to be tested every week, followed by the vulnerable, the contagious and those who have recovered from the disease.
Nick Morris, a London-based obstetrician, and Sanjeev Silva, an ENT surgeon, are seeking government approval to import thousands of testing kits from China. They say they are concerned that “highly exposed” NHS staff are currently not being tested as the pandemic takes hold and the UK hurtles towards Italy-style levels of infection.
In a letter sent to the former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who chairs the Commons health committee, they estimate that the real number of infected cases in the UK is likely to be 15 times higher than “recorded” cases of those tested so far, which only takes place in hospitals. On current numbers this would mean around 150,000 people currently have the virus in the UK, with the vast majority undiagnosed. Morris writes:
The consultants argue that mass testing in line with their proposals will save more than 70% of deaths estimated over the next six months, mostly patients over 60. They have written to Boris Johnson and spoken to Hunt and to Labour’s Keir Starmer. They suggest air-freighting medically certified kits from China and immediately setting up a network of testing centres “right across the country”. These could be administered in drive-through locations and sent as postal kits, to avoid the virus spreading.
Nando’s, Costa Coffee and Subway are the latest restaurant chains to close all of their UK outlets due to the coronavirus outbreak. It comes after the prime minister ordered all restaurants, pubs and clubs to close on Friday as soon as possible, after he came under significant pressure to put in place more stringent measures to enforce social distancing.
All 420 Nando’s outlets will shut “until further notice”, with takeaway and delivery services also suspended.
Similarly, Costa Coffee announced that it will temporarily close all its cafes from this evening. In a Twitter statement, it said it would try to keep cafes open in hospitals, with NHS staff to receive free coffee for the next two weeks.
All of Subway’s stores in the UK and Ireland will close from 5pm today.
These developments come after fast-food giant McDonald’s announced all of its restaurants in the UK and Ireland would close by 7pm this evening.
KFC and Burger King remain open for takeaways, with seating areas temporarily closed.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has given a series of interviews this morning. Here are the main points he has been making.
Hancock confirmed that the government was considering moving towards a European-style near-curfew, which would involve people being told not to leave home unless they had a specific reason for doing so. Asked if this was an option, he replied:
He said that parks, where people did not observe the two-metre rule, were a particular problem. Asked if there could be stricter enforcement of these rules, he said:
He did not rule out the government using the police to enforce social distancing rules. Asked if the government might have to use the police, he replied:
The Daily Mail’s Jason Groves says he thought Hancock sounded like someone arguing behind the scenes for a full lockdown.
Hancock rejected claims that Boris Johnson had been too slow to introduce restrictive measures. When this suggestion was put to him, he replied:
He also rejected the suggestion that Johnson did not deliver a clear message about social distancing at his press conference yesterday. When this was put to him, Hancock said:
Hancock said that people who were ignoring the two-metre distance rule in parks yesterday were “very selfish” and were putting lives at risk. Asked why people were ignoring the guidance, he replied:
The first words of that answer were also interesting, because Hancock claimed not to know why people were ignoring the two-metre rule. Others have argued that people are ignoring this rule because Johnson and his government have not spelled it out with sufficient clarity. This is what Rosena Allin-Khan, a candidate for the Labour deputy leadership and an A&E doctor told the Today programme this morning, having spent the weekend working in her local hospital. She said:
The Labour MP Yvette Cooper has also posted a detailed critique of the government’s messaging in a Twitter thread starting here.
Hancock said that he hoped that the testing of medical staff for coronavirus would take place “as soon as possible”. He said:
He said he was looking at making parking free for NHS staff.
Nicola Sturgeon has appeared on BBC Radio Scotland this morning to answer listeners’ questions, and press home her plea to Scots to stay at home. She said:
Sturgeon acknowledged that there are “big mental health implications of what we’re asking people to do right now”, adding:
Ten people have now died in Scotland, and Sturgeon said that the country was moving into surveillance testing to give a more accurate picture of infections.
Addressing listeners’ concerns on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, she responded to many questions about a variety of roles where workers are still on the job, including postal workers, those on building sites.
Asked about workers in rural areas, especially those returning to islands to help with lambing, she said that the rules applied across the country, and continued to urge people not to flock to the remote Scottish countryside
Sturgeon was also praised for maintaining a sense of humour after she retweeted a clip from the voice-over comic Janey Godley offered a more robust interpretation of her ‘stay at home’ advice.
All jury trials in England and Wales will be put on hold as part of the ongoing efforts to halt the spread of Covid-19. We’ve got more details in a story here.
Here is the full guidance issued this morning to courts by the lord chief justice, Lord Burnett. And here is an extract from what he is saying:
This is from Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC’s political editor.
The government is effectively nationalising the state’s railways for a temporary period, it has been announced, my colleague Ben Quinn reports. He has more details here.
This is from the BBC’s Faisal Islam, whose tweet contains a link to the government press release giving details of the announcement.
And this is from Grant Shapps, the transport secretary.
Good morning. There is a common theme on today’s newspaper front pages, which largely splash on what Boris Johnson said at his coronavirus press conference yesterday and which sum up his message like this:
Here is my colleague Peter Walker’s story with the full details.
Johnson, who has been accused of muddling the government’s messaging over social distancing (more on that soon) was reluctant yesterday to sound too critical of people who had gone to parks and outdoor spaces at the weekend and ignored the advice to say at least two metres away from other people. But this morning, in an interview on the Today programme, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, was much blunter. They were being “very selfish”, he said. Asked why people were ignoring the guidance, he replied:
I will post more from his interview soon.
Here is the agenda for the day.
11am: Downing Street lobby briefing.
2.30pm: Priti Patel, the home secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
After 3.30pm: MPs debate the coronavirus emergency powers bill. It is due to pass all its Commons stages by the end of the day.
Afternoon: The government is expected to hold its daily coronavirus press conference.
We will be covering all UK coronavirus developments, as well as any non-coronavirus political developments (if there are any). You can read all the latest Guardian coronavirus articles here, you can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here and here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow Lucy is on @lucy_campbell_.
I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.
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