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| UK coronavirus live: EU denies UK claim mix-up was to blame for its absence from procurement scheme | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Latest on UK coronavirus crisis as part of a PPE consignment arrives and Keir Starmer quizzes Dominic Raab at PMQs | Latest on UK coronavirus crisis as part of a PPE consignment arrives and Keir Starmer quizzes Dominic Raab at PMQs |
| This is from Sky’s Kay Burley. | |
| I’m not crying, you’re crying. | |
| Nando’s has reopened the kitchens in some of its restaurants to help feed NHS workers. | |
| The chain said seven of its city centre restaurants reopened their kitchens on Monday, after closing all its sites in the face of the pandemic on 23 March. | |
| Four restaurants in London, two in Manchester and one in Dublin are firing up their grills again to make meals for NHS workers and local charities. The business said it will provide up to 1,700 free meals each day for NHS staff, key workers at local hospitals and charities. | |
| It said the restaurants will operate behind closed doors, with meals dropped off at hospitals every evening between 6pm and 9pm. Each restaurant will work under strict health and safety measures while maintaining social distancing, the chain said. | |
| The restaurants will each look to cook up to 250 meals a shift before delivering them. | |
| The European commission has said the UK was well aware of its coronavirus procurement initiative when it decided not to participate. Its account contradicts the UK government claim that a “misunderstanding” was to blame for the UK not getting involved. (See 9.37am.) These are from the Sun’s Brussels correspondent Nick Gutteridge. | |
| Almost 300 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in Northern Ireland’s nursing and residential homes, the Public Health Agency (PHA) said. | |
| Due to understaffing, NHS workers have been drafted in to bolster numbers and the tally of cases is expected to grow, other Stormont health officials added. | |
| The plight of residents and workers at under-staffed care homes which initially struggled to secure adequate supplies of protective equipment has been a major issue during the pandemic. | |
| A nursing homes representative has warned a systematic procedure needs to be put in place. Pauline Shepherd, chief executive of the Independent Health and Care Providers organisation, told the BBC’s Nolan Show, there needed to be co-ordination and planning in terms of putting nurses in to manage Covid within care homes. | |
| The whole care home sector has nurse shortages but they have been relying on agency staff, Shepherd added. Some agency workers are refusing to enter homes where coronavirus is present, and other staff are off work and self-isolating due to the infection, she said. | |
| A health department spokesman confirmed NHS-employed or bank staff have been working on the rotas in care homes for the last two to three weeks. | |
| Prof Hugo van Woerden, the director of public health at the PHA, said: | |
| He said advice specific to Covid-19 is given regarding isolation, containment and infection prevention and control practice, including cleaning, testing information, how to manage symptoms, when to request additional medical advice, and PPE. | |
| The Welsh government has announced that disadvantaged children will receive free “school meals” throughout the summer holidays, the first UK country to do so. | |
| Kirsty Williams, the education minister for Wales, said the government in Cardiff was extending funding for local authorities to provide free school meals for eligible pupils until the start of the next school year in September. Williams said: | Kirsty Williams, the education minister for Wales, said the government in Cardiff was extending funding for local authorities to provide free school meals for eligible pupils until the start of the next school year in September. Williams said: |
| While England’s use of a national voucher scheme contracted to a French company has been plagued by delays, Welsh councils and schools can choose to transfer money directly to parents’ bank accounts, or use vouchers or offer food directly.“After examining whether a national voucher scheme would work for Wales, we have decided not to proceed with that approach,” Williams noted.Complaints about the slow delivery of food vouchers in England have lessened. Headteachers say they are now receiving the £15 weekly supermarket vouchers applied for up to two weeks ago. | |
| Four men have been given fines totalling £240 after travelling 25 miles to get a takeaway. | Four men have been given fines totalling £240 after travelling 25 miles to get a takeaway. |
| Derbyshire police said the friends, who do not live together, were approached in a parked car in Normanton, Derby, on Monday evening. They had made a round trip to Burton-upon-Trent to pick up burgers, chips and soft drinks, and were parked up eating the meal, the force added. | Derbyshire police said the friends, who do not live together, were approached in a parked car in Normanton, Derby, on Monday evening. They had made a round trip to Burton-upon-Trent to pick up burgers, chips and soft drinks, and were parked up eating the meal, the force added. |
| Derby West response team said: “This burger has cost them £240 in fines for ignoring government guidelines.” | Derby West response team said: “This burger has cost them £240 in fines for ignoring government guidelines.” |
| Earlier in April Derbyshire police and crime commissioner, Hardyal Dhindsa, warned that the coronavirus lockdown could begin to crumble if “isolation fatigue” began to set in among the public. | Earlier in April Derbyshire police and crime commissioner, Hardyal Dhindsa, warned that the coronavirus lockdown could begin to crumble if “isolation fatigue” began to set in among the public. |
| A senior West Midlands police officer who contracted coronavirus has left hospital after spending 13 days on a ventilator. | A senior West Midlands police officer who contracted coronavirus has left hospital after spending 13 days on a ventilator. |
| Ch Supt Phil Dolby fell ill in late March and was later taken to hospital in an ambulance after experiencing symptoms including “breathlessness and dizziness”. | Ch Supt Phil Dolby fell ill in late March and was later taken to hospital in an ambulance after experiencing symptoms including “breathlessness and dizziness”. |
| He was discharged from intensive care on Tuesday after spending a total of 26 days in hospital. | He was discharged from intensive care on Tuesday after spending a total of 26 days in hospital. |
| After being taken off a ventilator on 11 April, Dolby had posted regular updates of his recovery to Twitter. | After being taken off a ventilator on 11 April, Dolby had posted regular updates of his recovery to Twitter. |
| On Monday he posted that he had been taken outside for an assisted walk in the hospital’s grounds. “The air in my lungs was like a special gift I can’t describe,” said Dolby. “Recovering now like I have had a heavy gym session not a 2 min walk!” | On Monday he posted that he had been taken outside for an assisted walk in the hospital’s grounds. “The air in my lungs was like a special gift I can’t describe,” said Dolby. “Recovering now like I have had a heavy gym session not a 2 min walk!” |
| The BBC’s Jessica Parker has more on the row about the UK’s non-involvement in the EU’s coronavirus procurement schemes. | The BBC’s Jessica Parker has more on the row about the UK’s non-involvement in the EU’s coronavirus procurement schemes. |
| Scottish stars including Annie Lennox, Irvine Welsh, Janey Godley, Judy Murray, James McAvoy and Lorne Balfe are taking part in a livestream fundraiser, For the Love of Scotland, organised by broadcaster Edith Bowman. | Scottish stars including Annie Lennox, Irvine Welsh, Janey Godley, Judy Murray, James McAvoy and Lorne Balfe are taking part in a livestream fundraiser, For the Love of Scotland, organised by broadcaster Edith Bowman. |
| The event, which will include music, literature, poetry and chats, aims to raise urgent funds for Masks for Scotland, a crowdfunding initiative set up by Prof Jill Belch of the University of Dundee, in response to the desperate need for PPE for community frontline medical teams across the country. | The event, which will include music, literature, poetry and chats, aims to raise urgent funds for Masks for Scotland, a crowdfunding initiative set up by Prof Jill Belch of the University of Dundee, in response to the desperate need for PPE for community frontline medical teams across the country. |
| Bowman will host the charity livestream from 6pm to 9pm on Wednesday evening, and viewers can tune into the stream on the Gigs in Scotland Facebook or YouTube. | Bowman will host the charity livestream from 6pm to 9pm on Wednesday evening, and viewers can tune into the stream on the Gigs in Scotland Facebook or YouTube. |
| According to the BBC’s Norman Smith, a survey by the National Care Forum, which represents care homes, has found that 75% of care home staff who want a coronavirus test have not been able to get one. The survey found that one problem was that people who do get offered a test have to make a round-trip of 62 miles on average to get to the nearest drive-through centre where the testing takes place. | According to the BBC’s Norman Smith, a survey by the National Care Forum, which represents care homes, has found that 75% of care home staff who want a coronavirus test have not been able to get one. The survey found that one problem was that people who do get offered a test have to make a round-trip of 62 miles on average to get to the nearest drive-through centre where the testing takes place. |
| In his Good Morning Britain interview Tony Blair also said it was important not to have “a void of decision-making” in government. While Boris Johnson continued to recover from his own coronavirus infection, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state who is deputising for him, should have the authority to take decisions, Blair said. | In his Good Morning Britain interview Tony Blair also said it was important not to have “a void of decision-making” in government. While Boris Johnson continued to recover from his own coronavirus infection, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state who is deputising for him, should have the authority to take decisions, Blair said. |
| The former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has restated his call for the government to change the way it operates as it addresses the coronavirus crisis. He believes the government needs to bring in outsiders with the right expertise and experience to take charge of the various specific challenges ahead. Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Blair said this is one of the lessons he learnt from handling the foot-and-mouth crisis. He explained: | The former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has restated his call for the government to change the way it operates as it addresses the coronavirus crisis. He believes the government needs to bring in outsiders with the right expertise and experience to take charge of the various specific challenges ahead. Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Blair said this is one of the lessons he learnt from handling the foot-and-mouth crisis. He explained: |
| The mayor of London has called on the UK government to ban evictions over arrears built up by renters as a result of the coronavirus emergency, with millions facing falling into debt with their landlords because of lost work and high rents.In an announcement today, Sadiq Khan also called for an increase to housing benefits, and an undertaking that the government would cover, for the duration of the crisis, any shortfall in payments by private renters, including those with no recourse to public funds. Demanding a “triple lock” protection for renters, Khan said: | The mayor of London has called on the UK government to ban evictions over arrears built up by renters as a result of the coronavirus emergency, with millions facing falling into debt with their landlords because of lost work and high rents.In an announcement today, Sadiq Khan also called for an increase to housing benefits, and an undertaking that the government would cover, for the duration of the crisis, any shortfall in payments by private renters, including those with no recourse to public funds. Demanding a “triple lock” protection for renters, Khan said: |
| Three million people in London rented privately, more than the number who owned a home with a mortgage in the city, Khan’s office said. Last week the Guardian reported on research suggesting millions of UK renters may already be having to choose between paying rent and buying food and other essentials. The polling by Opinium found six in 10 renters had already taken a financial hit as a result of the crisis. | Three million people in London rented privately, more than the number who owned a home with a mortgage in the city, Khan’s office said. Last week the Guardian reported on research suggesting millions of UK renters may already be having to choose between paying rent and buying food and other essentials. The polling by Opinium found six in 10 renters had already taken a financial hit as a result of the crisis. |
| Amina Gichinga from the London Renters Union said landlords were still threatening evictions, despite their halt for the duration of the crisis and official guidance urging them to “show compassion” to tenants. She said: | Amina Gichinga from the London Renters Union said landlords were still threatening evictions, despite their halt for the duration of the crisis and official guidance urging them to “show compassion” to tenants. She said: |