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| UK coronavirus live: teachers and children will be safe at school, says Michael Gove | UK coronavirus live: teachers and children will be safe at school, says Michael Gove |
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| Death rate rises in England and Scotland; Crown court jury trials to start on Monday; Boris Johnson acknowledges frustration over lockdown rules | Death rate rises in England and Scotland; Crown court jury trials to start on Monday; Boris Johnson acknowledges frustration over lockdown rules |
| A further 12 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of deaths there to 1,203. | |
| Public Health Wales said 162 more people had tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 12,304. | |
| A further nine people have died after testing positive for coronavirus, the Scottish government has said, taking the country’s total number of fatalities to 2,103. | A further nine people have died after testing positive for coronavirus, the Scottish government has said, taking the country’s total number of fatalities to 2,103. |
| Best-selling author Neil Gaiman has caused outrage after admitting on his personal blog that he travelled 11,000 miles from New Zealand to his holiday home on Skye to isolate, after finding lockdown with his wife and son “rough”. | Best-selling author Neil Gaiman has caused outrage after admitting on his personal blog that he travelled 11,000 miles from New Zealand to his holiday home on Skye to isolate, after finding lockdown with his wife and son “rough”. |
| After weeks of entreaties from Scotland’s politicians that people should not travel to Highland or island boltholes, as they underlined the risks this causes to local communities, local MP and the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “To come from the other end of the planet is gobsmacking. We will welcome all to the Highlands when it is safe to do so. For now stay away.” | After weeks of entreaties from Scotland’s politicians that people should not travel to Highland or island boltholes, as they underlined the risks this causes to local communities, local MP and the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “To come from the other end of the planet is gobsmacking. We will welcome all to the Highlands when it is safe to do so. For now stay away.” |
| Gaiman wrote: “I needed to be somewhere I could talk to people in the UK while they and I were awake, not just before breakfast and after dinner. And I needed to be somewhere I could continue to isolate easily.” He went on to describe being “masked and gloved” on empty flights to London, and then the “surreal” drive north. | Gaiman wrote: “I needed to be somewhere I could talk to people in the UK while they and I were awake, not just before breakfast and after dinner. And I needed to be somewhere I could continue to isolate easily.” He went on to describe being “masked and gloved” on empty flights to London, and then the “surreal” drive north. |
| It’s fair to say that locals have found his arrival similarly surreal, with much online criticism of the author’s selfishness, and pleas that there should be no exemptions from lockdown guidance, while Gaiman insists that he has not put anyone at risk. | It’s fair to say that locals have found his arrival similarly surreal, with much online criticism of the author’s selfishness, and pleas that there should be no exemptions from lockdown guidance, while Gaiman insists that he has not put anyone at risk. |
| The Sunday Times has published its annual ‘rich list’, which finds that British billionaires have lost more than £54bn in the past two months amid the coronavirus pandemic. | The Sunday Times has published its annual ‘rich list’, which finds that British billionaires have lost more than £54bn in the past two months amid the coronavirus pandemic. |
| The combined wealth of the UK’s 1,000 richest people has plummeted for the first time since the financial crash, the research finds, with some billionaires counting losses of up to £6bn since last year. Inventor Sir James Dyson is ranked as the richest person in the UK for the first time. The Brexit-backing business man saw his wealth grow by £3.6bn over the past year, climbing to £16.2bn. | The combined wealth of the UK’s 1,000 richest people has plummeted for the first time since the financial crash, the research finds, with some billionaires counting losses of up to £6bn since last year. Inventor Sir James Dyson is ranked as the richest person in the UK for the first time. The Brexit-backing business man saw his wealth grow by £3.6bn over the past year, climbing to £16.2bn. |
| According to the paper’s calculations, the richest people in the UK are: | According to the paper’s calculations, the richest people in the UK are: |
| Sir James Dyson and family, household goods and technology, £16.2bn. | Sir James Dyson and family, household goods and technology, £16.2bn. |
| Sri and Gopi Hinduja and family, industry and finance, £16bn. | Sri and Gopi Hinduja and family, industry and finance, £16bn. |
| David and Simon Reuben, property and internet, £16bn. | David and Simon Reuben, property and internet, £16bn. |
| Sir Leonard Blavatnik, investment, music and media, £15.78bn. | Sir Leonard Blavatnik, investment, music and media, £15.78bn. |
| Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos chemical giant, £12.15bn. | Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos chemical giant, £12.15bn. |
| Kirsten and Jorn Rausing, inheritance and investment, £12.1bn. | Kirsten and Jorn Rausing, inheritance and investment, £12.1bn. |
| Alisher Usmanov, mining and investment, £11.68bn. | Alisher Usmanov, mining and investment, £11.68bn. |
| Guy, George and Galen Jr Weston and family, retail, £10.53bn. | Guy, George and Galen Jr Weston and family, retail, £10.53bn. |
| Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho, inheritance, brewing and banking, £10.3bn. | Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho, inheritance, brewing and banking, £10.3bn. |
| The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family, property, £10.29bn. | The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family, property, £10.29bn. |
| NHS England has announced that a further 90 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in England, a sharp drop from yesterday’s figure of 181. | NHS England has announced that a further 90 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in England, a sharp drop from yesterday’s figure of 181. |
| However, they said: “The Covid Patient Notification System did not operate for a period of time on Saturday 16 May. The consequences of this situation may therefore be reflected in the number of deaths reported today by NHS England and NHS Improvement.” | However, they said: “The Covid Patient Notification System did not operate for a period of time on Saturday 16 May. The consequences of this situation may therefore be reflected in the number of deaths reported today by NHS England and NHS Improvement.” |
| It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 24,617. The patients whose deaths were reported on Saturday were aged between 45 and 100 years old, and one had no known underlying health condition. | It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 24,617. The patients whose deaths were reported on Saturday were aged between 45 and 100 years old, and one had no known underlying health condition. |
| While the vast majority of people appear to have heeded the pleas to stay away from beauty spots this weekend, it seems a few were tempted to breach the lockdown.Police in Telford, Shropshire, broke up a group of about 70 people who had gathered in a park for a rave – complete with their own DJ set – on Saturday night. | While the vast majority of people appear to have heeded the pleas to stay away from beauty spots this weekend, it seems a few were tempted to breach the lockdown.Police in Telford, Shropshire, broke up a group of about 70 people who had gathered in a park for a rave – complete with their own DJ set – on Saturday night. |
| In Wales, a family from Birmingham were fined and sent home after they were caught by police climbing Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons on Sunday morning.Officers from the Brecon Roads Policing Unit said the saw the family walking down the mountain on a closed footpath in the national park, presumably after making the 100-mile cross-border journey from the Midlands.A force spokesman said: “Wales is still closed. Our national parks are still closed.” | In Wales, a family from Birmingham were fined and sent home after they were caught by police climbing Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons on Sunday morning.Officers from the Brecon Roads Policing Unit said the saw the family walking down the mountain on a closed footpath in the national park, presumably after making the 100-mile cross-border journey from the Midlands.A force spokesman said: “Wales is still closed. Our national parks are still closed.” |
| Michael Gove has told local authorities refusing to reopen their schools on 1 June to “look to their responsibilities”, saying: “If you really care about children, you’ll want them in schools.” Appearing on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, the Cabinet Office minister said: “We are confident that children and teachers will be safe.” | Michael Gove has told local authorities refusing to reopen their schools on 1 June to “look to their responsibilities”, saying: “If you really care about children, you’ll want them in schools.” Appearing on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, the Cabinet Office minister said: “We are confident that children and teachers will be safe.” |
| Gove also said the government had now recruited 17,000 contact tracers for its coronavirus test, track and trace programme – bringing it close to its target. Health secretary Matt Hancock said on 23 April that the government wanted to recruit 18,000 contact tracers by mid-May. But speaking on Friday, northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said only 1,500 had been recruited. | Gove also said the government had now recruited 17,000 contact tracers for its coronavirus test, track and trace programme – bringing it close to its target. Health secretary Matt Hancock said on 23 April that the government wanted to recruit 18,000 contact tracers by mid-May. But speaking on Friday, northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said only 1,500 had been recruited. |
| The latest Opinium poll for the Observer shows that approval for the government over its handling of the pandemic has plummeted by nine points in the last week. Whereas net approval of its performance – the figure reached when the percentage who disapprove is subtracted from percentage who approve – stood at +42% on 26 March, it has now fallen to -3%. | The latest Opinium poll for the Observer shows that approval for the government over its handling of the pandemic has plummeted by nine points in the last week. Whereas net approval of its performance – the figure reached when the percentage who disapprove is subtracted from percentage who approve – stood at +42% on 26 March, it has now fallen to -3%. |
| Overall data from the few countries that have reopened schools has been “very reassuring” but governments need to consider what checks are needed to avoid a spread of Covid-19, the chief scientist at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. Dr Soumya Swaminathan said she believes that “society has to restart” but that there will be a new normal. | Overall data from the few countries that have reopened schools has been “very reassuring” but governments need to consider what checks are needed to avoid a spread of Covid-19, the chief scientist at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. Dr Soumya Swaminathan said she believes that “society has to restart” but that there will be a new normal. |
| Boris Johnson has acknowledged “frustration” over the new lockdown rules, which have been criticised for being complicated and unclear, and admitted that there may never be a vaccine for coronavirus. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the prime minister announced a £93m investment to open the new Vaccine Manufacturing And Innovation Centre, 12 months ahead of schedule. He said: | Boris Johnson has acknowledged “frustration” over the new lockdown rules, which have been criticised for being complicated and unclear, and admitted that there may never be a vaccine for coronavirus. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the prime minister announced a £93m investment to open the new Vaccine Manufacturing And Innovation Centre, 12 months ahead of schedule. He said: |
| There remains a very long way to go, and I must be frank that a vaccine might not come to fruition. But we are leading the global effort. | There remains a very long way to go, and I must be frank that a vaccine might not come to fruition. But we are leading the global effort. |
| Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw has described as “deeply concerning” media reports on Sunday morning that the Scottish government has yet to recruit a single Covid-19 contact tracer, despite the fact that almost 8500 people have applied online for the 2000 roles as call handlers, data analysts and health protection nurses. | Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw has described as “deeply concerning” media reports on Sunday morning that the Scottish government has yet to recruit a single Covid-19 contact tracer, despite the fact that almost 8500 people have applied online for the 2000 roles as call handlers, data analysts and health protection nurses. |
| Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland, Carlaw said that the key to giving people the confidence to return to workplaces was the ability to properly test and identify outbreaks, and that until then “we are not going to be able to give people the reassurance they need”. | Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland, Carlaw said that the key to giving people the confidence to return to workplaces was the ability to properly test and identify outbreaks, and that until then “we are not going to be able to give people the reassurance they need”. |
| This week Nicola Sturgeon is expected to set out plans for further relaxing of lockdown restrictions, with outdoor activities such as golf, tennis and angling expected to be included. But it is also anticipated that she will continue to exercise more caution around mixing of different households, which of course has implications for a return to workplaces as well as social life. | This week Nicola Sturgeon is expected to set out plans for further relaxing of lockdown restrictions, with outdoor activities such as golf, tennis and angling expected to be included. But it is also anticipated that she will continue to exercise more caution around mixing of different households, which of course has implications for a return to workplaces as well as social life. |
| Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organisation (WHO), spoke to the BBC’s Andrew Marr show earlier. The PA news agency has her comments. | Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organisation (WHO), spoke to the BBC’s Andrew Marr show earlier. The PA news agency has her comments. |
| Asked about the reopening of schools, and evidence from countries that have done so, Dr Swaminathan said: | Asked about the reopening of schools, and evidence from countries that have done so, Dr Swaminathan said: |
| Dr Swaminathan said evidence from countries where schools have remained open suggests this has not led to large outbreaks of Covid-19. | Dr Swaminathan said evidence from countries where schools have remained open suggests this has not led to large outbreaks of Covid-19. |
| Four crown court jury trials are scheduled to start on Monday using socially distanced courtrooms in Bristol, Manchester, Cardiff and at the Old Bailey in London. | Four crown court jury trials are scheduled to start on Monday using socially distanced courtrooms in Bristol, Manchester, Cardiff and at the Old Bailey in London. |
| New jury trials were suspended on March 23rd due to the coronavirus crisis. A judiciary-led working group, under Mr Justice Edis, has been devising methods since then to ensure a safe resumption of criminal justice once lockdown is eased. | New jury trials were suspended on March 23rd due to the coronavirus crisis. A judiciary-led working group, under Mr Justice Edis, has been devising methods since then to ensure a safe resumption of criminal justice once lockdown is eased. |
| Juries will be spread out using seats normally occupied by barristers. The proceedings will be live-streamed to an adjacent courtroom where journalists will have space allocated to allow them to sit two metres apart. | Juries will be spread out using seats normally occupied by barristers. The proceedings will be live-streamed to an adjacent courtroom where journalists will have space allocated to allow them to sit two metres apart. |
| Normally around 1,000 jury trials are heard every month in England and Wales. The next three crown courts expected to restart fresh jury trials are Reading, Warwick and Winchester. | Normally around 1,000 jury trials are heard every month in England and Wales. The next three crown courts expected to restart fresh jury trials are Reading, Warwick and Winchester. |
| Most of the initial cases are expected to be relatively short, lasting less than two weeks. Public Health England and Public Health Wales have been involved in the jury trials working group. The recommendations are detailed in a public information leaflet. | Most of the initial cases are expected to be relatively short, lasting less than two weeks. Public Health England and Public Health Wales have been involved in the jury trials working group. The recommendations are detailed in a public information leaflet. |
| Jurors are instructed to: “Bring your own refreshments as cafes and canteens will not be open in our court buildings. Please provide your own drinking vessel, but do not bring metal cutlery.” | Jurors are instructed to: “Bring your own refreshments as cafes and canteens will not be open in our court buildings. Please provide your own drinking vessel, but do not bring metal cutlery.” |
| Two trials, which had been suspended in March, resumed with social distancing at the Old Bailey last week with the same jurors. | Two trials, which had been suspended in March, resumed with social distancing at the Old Bailey last week with the same jurors. |
| The chief executive of Heathrow Airport John Holland-Kaye has warned the government that quarantine measures should not extend beyond “a relatively short amount of time” to save the economy. | The chief executive of Heathrow Airport John Holland-Kaye has warned the government that quarantine measures should not extend beyond “a relatively short amount of time” to save the economy. |
| The government announced plans last Sunday for a two-week quarantine for travellers arriving in the UK from abroad, though the exact details haven’t yet been announced. | The government announced plans last Sunday for a two-week quarantine for travellers arriving in the UK from abroad, though the exact details haven’t yet been announced. |
| Holland-Kaye told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that Heathrow’s passenger numbers had dropped by 97% – from an average of 250,000 passengers a day to between 5,000 and 6,000. He said most of these passengers were either repatriating to the UK or going home to other countries. | Holland-Kaye told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that Heathrow’s passenger numbers had dropped by 97% – from an average of 250,000 passengers a day to between 5,000 and 6,000. He said most of these passengers were either repatriating to the UK or going home to other countries. |
| Speaking to the same programme, Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI, said she’d heard from businesses in aerospace and manufacturing who were very worried about the government’s quarantine plans. “We would like to see an international standard,” she said. “At the moment you’ve got different countries doing different things and that is very bad for global trade.” | Speaking to the same programme, Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI, said she’d heard from businesses in aerospace and manufacturing who were very worried about the government’s quarantine plans. “We would like to see an international standard,” she said. “At the moment you’ve got different countries doing different things and that is very bad for global trade.” |
| The Scottish government is seeking the power to take over the running of private care homes, after the tenth death was confirmed yesterday at Home Farm on Skye, which is being stripped of its licence to operate after serious shortcomings in its management was found by the Care Inspectorate. | The Scottish government is seeking the power to take over the running of private care homes, after the tenth death was confirmed yesterday at Home Farm on Skye, which is being stripped of its licence to operate after serious shortcomings in its management was found by the Care Inspectorate. |
| On Wednesday, Holyrood is expected to pass emergency powers that will allow care homes to be taken into public sector control in the event of similar failings. | On Wednesday, Holyrood is expected to pass emergency powers that will allow care homes to be taken into public sector control in the event of similar failings. |
| NHS Highland has stepped in to help run the facility in Portree, Skye, where 30 residents and 29 staff have tested positive for coronavirus. | NHS Highland has stepped in to help run the facility in Portree, Skye, where 30 residents and 29 staff have tested positive for coronavirus. |
| Last week, the Sunday Times revealed that some workers had been moved hundreds of miles to help plug staff shortages at the home, which has had long-running recruitment problems amid concerns about low pay. | Last week, the Sunday Times revealed that some workers had been moved hundreds of miles to help plug staff shortages at the home, which has had long-running recruitment problems amid concerns about low pay. |
| Gove also defended the government’s plans to begin reopening primary schools in England from next month. He told Sky News: | Gove also defended the government’s plans to begin reopening primary schools in England from next month. He told Sky News: |
| Gove told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that the government were confident that teachers and students would be safe if they returned to school. | Gove told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that the government were confident that teachers and students would be safe if they returned to school. |
| He said that pupils may have to sit at separate desks, that class sizes should be capped at 15 and arrival times should be staggered. | He said that pupils may have to sit at separate desks, that class sizes should be capped at 15 and arrival times should be staggered. |