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| Coronavirus UK live: Rishi Sunak to announce tapering of furlough scheme | Coronavirus UK live: Rishi Sunak to announce tapering of furlough scheme |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Chancellor to say that employers will have to pay 20% of wages of furloughed staff as state subsidy scheme is wound down | Chancellor to say that employers will have to pay 20% of wages of furloughed staff as state subsidy scheme is wound down |
| Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford is holding a press conference at 12.30pm on his government’s new “stay local” guidance. We will bring you that live but here’s a flavour of what Drakeford has been saying this morning. | |
| The new rules in Wales will mean that people must not travel more than five miles to meet others. Two households will be able to meet outside from next week. | |
| Drakeford said he acknowledged that this would seem “unfair” to people in Wales, given the more relaxed restrictions in England, but that he did not want people spreading the virus from one community to another. | |
| “We have parts of Wales where there has been very little coronavirus and the last thing we want is for people to be travelling to those areas and taking the virus with them,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain. | |
| He added: | |
| On BBC Breakfast, Drakeford was asked why the Welsh Government was not following the same measures as announced by the UK Government, given the R value is similar in England and Wales. | |
| “Well I could put it the other way to you - why aren’t they following what’s been done in other parts of the United Kingdom?” he said. “England isn’t a template for the rest of the UK to follow. | |
| Drakeford said pilots of Wales’ track and trace system, which have been running for the past two weeks, indicate that each person with a positive test has around four or five contacts that need to be followed up. | |
| The boss of Britain’s largest representative group for care homes said he fears the government’s test and trace scheme will result in “many” members of staff having to self-isolate. | |
| Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said testing in care homes needs to be prioritised, and expressed fears that the test and trace scheme will result in “many” members of staff having to self-isolate. | |
| Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Green said testing in care homes was “an enormous task” and that it was a not a “one-time activity” – there needed to be a rolling programme of testing, he said, for residents as well as staff. | |
| He said: | |
| One of the standout moments of yesterday’s Downing Street briefing was Boris Johnson twice stopping his two most senior scientific advisors, Prof Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, from answering questions about Dominic Cummings. Johnson said he wanted to protect them from “any political questions”. | One of the standout moments of yesterday’s Downing Street briefing was Boris Johnson twice stopping his two most senior scientific advisors, Prof Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, from answering questions about Dominic Cummings. Johnson said he wanted to protect them from “any political questions”. |
| However, Prof Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage subcommittee advising the government on behavioural science, says that asking whether the Cummings affair has impacted public trust in the government was, in fact, a scientific question and could reasonably be posed to the government’s advisors: | However, Prof Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage subcommittee advising the government on behavioural science, says that asking whether the Cummings affair has impacted public trust in the government was, in fact, a scientific question and could reasonably be posed to the government’s advisors: |
| Reicher, of the University of St Andrews, said he believes the saga “will undermine leadership at a time when we desperately need good leadership”. | Reicher, of the University of St Andrews, said he believes the saga “will undermine leadership at a time when we desperately need good leadership”. |
| George Eustice interview with Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4 Today was beset with technical difficulties but here’s a run through. | George Eustice interview with Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4 Today was beset with technical difficulties but here’s a run through. |
| On Dominic Cummings, he said the prime minister’s aide had given a “very fair and detailed” explanation and that “it’s been dealt with and we need to move on”. He said he had received “probably over a hundred” emails from constituents about Cummings’ behaviour. | On Dominic Cummings, he said the prime minister’s aide had given a “very fair and detailed” explanation and that “it’s been dealt with and we need to move on”. He said he had received “probably over a hundred” emails from constituents about Cummings’ behaviour. |
| Asked whether the government was easing lockdown measures too early, the environment secretary said they were being very “cautious” and lifting restrictions “tentatively” in the knowledge that transmission rates outdoors are “very, very low”. | Asked whether the government was easing lockdown measures too early, the environment secretary said they were being very “cautious” and lifting restrictions “tentatively” in the knowledge that transmission rates outdoors are “very, very low”. |
| He was questioned about Boris Johnson telling people in England they can have BBQs with up to six people from Monday. Was it practical to expect people to gather in their friends’ or families’ gardens for BBQs and expect them to fully cleanse the bathroom once they have been to the toilet, especially after a couple of drinks? | He was questioned about Boris Johnson telling people in England they can have BBQs with up to six people from Monday. Was it practical to expect people to gather in their friends’ or families’ gardens for BBQs and expect them to fully cleanse the bathroom once they have been to the toilet, especially after a couple of drinks? |
| Eustice said: | Eustice said: |
| Environment secretary, George Eustice, has said he does not know how many people were contacted as part of the new NHS Test and Trace scheme on Thursday. | Environment secretary, George Eustice, has said he does not know how many people were contacted as part of the new NHS Test and Trace scheme on Thursday. |
| He told BBC Breakfast: “I don’t know that figure, I don’t have that figure to hand.” | He told BBC Breakfast: “I don’t know that figure, I don’t have that figure to hand.” |
| Asked about the chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser not being permitted to answer questions about Dominic Cummings during the Downing Street press briefing on Thursday, Eustice said: | Asked about the chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser not being permitted to answer questions about Dominic Cummings during the Downing Street press briefing on Thursday, Eustice said: |
| Labour’s shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has called on attorney general Suella Braverman to apologise for intervening in the Dominic Cummings case. | Labour’s shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has called on attorney general Suella Braverman to apologise for intervening in the Dominic Cummings case. |
| Asked whether Cummings broke the law during his trip to Durham during lockdown, Thomas-Symonds told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The guidelines that were set up, he broke them.” He added: | Asked whether Cummings broke the law during his trip to Durham during lockdown, Thomas-Symonds told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The guidelines that were set up, he broke them.” He added: |
| It follows Braverman’s tweet on 23 May: “Protecting one’s family is what any good parent does. The 10DowningStreet statement clarifies the situation and it is wholly inappropriate to politicise it.” | It follows Braverman’s tweet on 23 May: “Protecting one’s family is what any good parent does. The 10DowningStreet statement clarifies the situation and it is wholly inappropriate to politicise it.” |
| As the government’s chief legal adviser, part of attorney general’s role is to oversee the CPS which could have been asked to review Cummings’ case had it been requested to do so. Her tweet, therefore, could be perceived as placing prosecutors under undue influence over any decision they had to make. | As the government’s chief legal adviser, part of attorney general’s role is to oversee the CPS which could have been asked to review Cummings’ case had it been requested to do so. Her tweet, therefore, could be perceived as placing prosecutors under undue influence over any decision they had to make. |
| The row over Dominic Cummings’ lockdown trips is continuing, despite Boris Johnson saying at the daily Downing Street briefing last night that he intended to “draw a line” under the saga. | The row over Dominic Cummings’ lockdown trips is continuing, despite Boris Johnson saying at the daily Downing Street briefing last night that he intended to “draw a line” under the saga. |
| Almost 100 of his own MPs have now called for Cummings to be sacked. The Daily Mail reports today that Cummings is considering quitting No 10 later this year now that the UK is finally cutting ties with the EU. | Almost 100 of his own MPs have now called for Cummings to be sacked. The Daily Mail reports today that Cummings is considering quitting No 10 later this year now that the UK is finally cutting ties with the EU. |
| Most of today’s front pages carry the news that friends and family in England will be able to meet outdoors in groups of six from Monday. From today people from two different households in Scotland can meet outdoors, two metres apart, after 66 days of full lockdown. | Most of today’s front pages carry the news that friends and family in England will be able to meet outdoors in groups of six from Monday. From today people from two different households in Scotland can meet outdoors, two metres apart, after 66 days of full lockdown. |
| Please do to get in touch with me to share news tips or suggestions about our future coverage. We hugely value your contributions. You can find me below: | Please do to get in touch with me to share news tips or suggestions about our future coverage. We hugely value your contributions. You can find me below: |
| Twitter: @JoshHalliday (DMs open) | Twitter: @JoshHalliday (DMs open) |
| Email: josh.halliday@theguardian.com | Email: josh.halliday@theguardian.com |
| The environment secretary, George Eustice, is fielding questions on behalf of the government this morning. | The environment secretary, George Eustice, is fielding questions on behalf of the government this morning. |
| As the Dominic Cummings row enters its seventh day, Eustice tells Sky News he doesn’t think the controversy “should affect at all people’s approach” to the lockdown | As the Dominic Cummings row enters its seventh day, Eustice tells Sky News he doesn’t think the controversy “should affect at all people’s approach” to the lockdown |
| Asked about the furlough scheme, Eustice said the Treasury could not subsidise people’s wages “indefinitely”. He added: | Asked about the furlough scheme, Eustice said the Treasury could not subsidise people’s wages “indefinitely”. He added: |
| Eustice also confirmed that pubs with beer gardens are likely to be the first venues in the hospitality sector to reopen. Alas, he did not set a date. | Eustice also confirmed that pubs with beer gardens are likely to be the first venues in the hospitality sector to reopen. Alas, he did not set a date. |
| Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s UK liveblog on the coronavirus pandemic. This is Josh Halliday in Manchester to steer you through the news. | Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s UK liveblog on the coronavirus pandemic. This is Josh Halliday in Manchester to steer you through the news. |
| Later today the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, will announce that employers will have to pay a fifth of the wages of furloughed staff, and national insurance and pension contributions, from August as the state subsidy scheme is wound down. | Later today the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, will announce that employers will have to pay a fifth of the wages of furloughed staff, and national insurance and pension contributions, from August as the state subsidy scheme is wound down. |
| Employers have furloughed 8.4 million workers and claimed up to 80% of their wages, to a maximum £2,500 a month. Figures earlier this week revealed that the cost has reached £15bn while a separate scheme to support self-employed workers had cost almost £7bn. | Employers have furloughed 8.4 million workers and claimed up to 80% of their wages, to a maximum £2,500 a month. Figures earlier this week revealed that the cost has reached £15bn while a separate scheme to support self-employed workers had cost almost £7bn. |
| Leading our site this morning is Robert Booth’s exclusive report that officials at Public Health England proposed a radical lockdown of care homes last month to stem surging deaths – but it was rejected by the government. | Leading our site this morning is Robert Booth’s exclusive report that officials at Public Health England proposed a radical lockdown of care homes last month to stem surging deaths – but it was rejected by the government. |
| The officials submitted an 11-point plan proposing a “further lockdown of care homes” on 28 April, which included staff moving in for four weeks and deploying NHS Nightingale hospitals. However, neither of the proposals were included in a subsequent action plan announced by the health secretary, Matt Hancock, last week. | The officials submitted an 11-point plan proposing a “further lockdown of care homes” on 28 April, which included staff moving in for four weeks and deploying NHS Nightingale hospitals. However, neither of the proposals were included in a subsequent action plan announced by the health secretary, Matt Hancock, last week. |