This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/mar/26/uk-coronavirus-live-news-updates-self-employed-rishi-sunakhospital-car-parking-charges-waived-for-nhs-staff-in-england
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| UK coronavirus live: death tolls rise in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; police get new powers to enforce lockdown | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of all the latest UK coronavirus developments | Rolling coverage of all the latest UK coronavirus developments |
| Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency have confirmed 32 new positive cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of recorded cases to 241. | |
| The number of patients who have died also rose by three to 10 on Thursday. | |
| So far, 3,716 people have been tested for coronavirus in the region. | |
| Belfast has the highest number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland, at a total of 75. | |
| The government has published new powers for police to enforce the coronavirus lockdown. They will allow officers to use force to make people go back home if they are out in breach of the emergency laws. | |
| According to the Home Office, police can “instruct” people to go home, leave an area or disperse. | |
| The government says the new law makes parents ensure their children obey the lockdown, while police can issue a fixed penalty which is £30 if paid within 14 days, then rising to £60. | |
| Second-time offenders face a fine of £120. Refusal to pay will see prosecutions in magistrates courts, where unlimited fines can be imposed. | |
| A key section of the new law says that the police may use “reasonable force” to return a person home, although which physical measures may be used is not spelled out. | |
| The Home Office said: “If an individual continues to refuse to comply, they will be acting unlawfully, and the police may arrest them where deemed proportionate and necessary. | |
| “However, in the first instance the police will always apply their common sense and discretion.” | |
| In the government press release, the home secretary, Priti Patel, said: | |
| Emergency services faced a test of their ability to cope against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic as firefighters fought to contain a major blaze at a flat above a supermarket in London, Ben Quinn reports. His full story is here. | |
| Greater Manchester police have confirmed that members of the public are allowed to travel to and from allotments as part of their daily exercise set out by the government. | |
| The clarification comes after a BBC Radio Manchester listener asked the chief constable, Ian Hopkins, if they could still tend to theirs. | |
| Almost half of all childminders and early years care providers in England and Wales have closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a poll. | |
| Many have shut their doors because they are not needed while parents work from home, as well as because their staff are sick or self-isolating. | |
| The Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey), the charity which carried out the survey, said it feared the number of providers would “reduce drastically” unless finanical support was made available soon. | |
| Pacey’s chief executive, Liz Bayram, said: | |
| The poll of around 6,200 childminders, nurseries, and other early years workers, found that 46% were currently closed, while 54% were only partially open. | |
| A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting early years providers at this time – including by confirming that we will continue to fund free entitlements even if children are not attending, a business rate holiday for private providers, and the coronavirus job retention scheme to support workers.” | |
| Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, has also criticised the government’s decision not to join the EU-wide procurement effort for ventilators and other medical equipment. (See 2.33pm.) He said Labour raised this with ministers in the Commons, but did not get a satisfactory explanation. He went on: | Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, has also criticised the government’s decision not to join the EU-wide procurement effort for ventilators and other medical equipment. (See 2.33pm.) He said Labour raised this with ministers in the Commons, but did not get a satisfactory explanation. He went on: |
| Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, has joined those expressing support for the Clap for our Carers event planned for 8pm tonight. (See 11.28am.) In a statement provided to LBC, he said: | Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, has joined those expressing support for the Clap for our Carers event planned for 8pm tonight. (See 11.28am.) In a statement provided to LBC, he said: |
| At the Downing Street lobby briefing this morning the prime minister’s spokesman indicated that Boris Johnson was backing the initiative. (See 12.37pm.) Jeremy Corbyn does too, and he has given this statement to LBC. | At the Downing Street lobby briefing this morning the prime minister’s spokesman indicated that Boris Johnson was backing the initiative. (See 12.37pm.) Jeremy Corbyn does too, and he has given this statement to LBC. |
| Sir Ed Davey, the acting Lib Dem leader, has criticised the government for refusing to take part in in the EU’s joint procurement scheme for ventilators and other NHS equipment. (See 12.37pm.) Davey said: | Sir Ed Davey, the acting Lib Dem leader, has criticised the government for refusing to take part in in the EU’s joint procurement scheme for ventilators and other NHS equipment. (See 12.37pm.) Davey said: |
| There have been 113 new coronavirus cases in Wales and six new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in Wales to 28, Public Health Wales has said in a statement. | There have been 113 new coronavirus cases in Wales and six new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in Wales to 28, Public Health Wales has said in a statement. |
| A care home in Hove where around three-quarters of the residents have symptoms of Covid-19 has been refused protective equipment by the government. | A care home in Hove where around three-quarters of the residents have symptoms of Covid-19 has been refused protective equipment by the government. |
| It was only after the local MP intervened that the prime minister apparently promised to distribute protective equipment for all the care home staff by tomorrow. Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove, said he will “be watching the situation and ensure this materialises”. | It was only after the local MP intervened that the prime minister apparently promised to distribute protective equipment for all the care home staff by tomorrow. Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove, said he will “be watching the situation and ensure this materialises”. |
| About three-quarters of residents and seven members of staff at Oaklands nursing home, in Hove, East Sussex, are reportedly displaying symptoms of Covid-19, with one resident testing positive yesterday. | About three-quarters of residents and seven members of staff at Oaklands nursing home, in Hove, East Sussex, are reportedly displaying symptoms of Covid-19, with one resident testing positive yesterday. |
| Despite the symptoms first appearing 15 days ago, the government has so far failed to issue the home the proper protective equipment it has asked for. | Despite the symptoms first appearing 15 days ago, the government has so far failed to issue the home the proper protective equipment it has asked for. |
| The local newspaper, the Argus, reported that three residents were tested on Saturday. One tested positive, another negative and the last result has yet to be returned. | The local newspaper, the Argus, reported that three residents were tested on Saturday. One tested positive, another negative and the last result has yet to be returned. |
| Kyle told the Argus: | Kyle told the Argus: |
| Our North of England editor Helen Pidd has noted that Derbyshire Police are using drone surveillance to spot those flouting essential travel rules under the coronavirus lockdown. | Our North of England editor Helen Pidd has noted that Derbyshire Police are using drone surveillance to spot those flouting essential travel rules under the coronavirus lockdown. |
| The NHS nurse who posted a tearful video of herself outside a supermarket with empty shelves after she was unable to buy food, has developed coronavirus symptoms and is self-isolating. | The NHS nurse who posted a tearful video of herself outside a supermarket with empty shelves after she was unable to buy food, has developed coronavirus symptoms and is self-isolating. |
| Dawn Billbrough’s emotional plea for people to stop panic buying went viral last week, and has now been shared over 28,000 times on Facebook. | Dawn Billbrough’s emotional plea for people to stop panic buying went viral last week, and has now been shared over 28,000 times on Facebook. |
| On Monday she posted another video to say she had woken up with coronavirus symptoms so had decided to stay off work. | On Monday she posted another video to say she had woken up with coronavirus symptoms so had decided to stay off work. |
| “My chest has been quite tight, which is unusual because I don’t have any problems with my chest usually, I’ve got a really bad headache, I just feel a bit nauseous, so I’ve contacted work to say I won’t be in and I will be self-isolating,” said Billbrough, a critical care nurse in York. “I’m just feeling a little apprehensive right now.” | “My chest has been quite tight, which is unusual because I don’t have any problems with my chest usually, I’ve got a really bad headache, I just feel a bit nauseous, so I’ve contacted work to say I won’t be in and I will be self-isolating,” said Billbrough, a critical care nurse in York. “I’m just feeling a little apprehensive right now.” |
| Speaking on Good Morning Britain this morning she said doing stuff around the house makes her breathless, and she has persistent nausea and headaches. | Speaking on Good Morning Britain this morning she said doing stuff around the house makes her breathless, and she has persistent nausea and headaches. |
| “I do believe that I have Covid, but obviously I haven’t been tested so it’s hard to confirm,” she said. | “I do believe that I have Covid, but obviously I haven’t been tested so it’s hard to confirm,” she said. |
| She went on to say: “The cases are beginning to get more and more each day. | She went on to say: “The cases are beginning to get more and more each day. |
| “My colleagues, my friends, we’re all quite worried that we don’t think people in the United Kingdom are taking this seriously. | “My colleagues, my friends, we’re all quite worried that we don’t think people in the United Kingdom are taking this seriously. |
| “People are going to die. You need to stay indoors, you need to protect the NHS and you need to save lives.” | “People are going to die. You need to stay indoors, you need to protect the NHS and you need to save lives.” |
| Productions by the National Theatre are heading to YouTube after the venue was forced to close. | Productions by the National Theatre are heading to YouTube after the venue was forced to close. |
| One Man, Two Guvnors, with James Corden, will be the first play to be broadcast on the streaming site for free. | One Man, Two Guvnors, with James Corden, will be the first play to be broadcast on the streaming site for free. |
| The theatre said it “is facing a devastating impact from coronavirus” and appealed for donations. | The theatre said it “is facing a devastating impact from coronavirus” and appealed for donations. |
| Other screenings will include stage adaptions of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night featuring Tamsin Greig. | Other screenings will include stage adaptions of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night featuring Tamsin Greig. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service has put out a statement today saying that anyone using “coronavirus coughs” to threaten emergency workers could face serious criminal charges. It follows reports that police officers, shop workers and others have been coughed at by people claiming to have the disease. | The Crown Prosecution Service has put out a statement today saying that anyone using “coronavirus coughs” to threaten emergency workers could face serious criminal charges. It follows reports that police officers, shop workers and others have been coughed at by people claiming to have the disease. |
| The CPS says that using coughing in this way as a threat could lead to someone being charged with common assault. And it says that assaults specifically against emergency workers are punishable by up to two years in prison. | The CPS says that using coughing in this way as a threat could lead to someone being charged with common assault. And it says that assaults specifically against emergency workers are punishable by up to two years in prison. |
| Max Hill, the director of public prosecutions, said: | Max Hill, the director of public prosecutions, said: |