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| UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson refuses to condemn father for apparent breach of guidance on flying to Greece | UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson refuses to condemn father for apparent breach of guidance on flying to Greece |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Prime minister will give televised press conference as government struggles to balance protecting jobs and preventing second wave | Prime minister will give televised press conference as government struggles to balance protecting jobs and preventing second wave |
| Here are the key points from this afternoon’s Downing Street briefing to lobby journalists, as reported by PA Media. | |
| Coronavirus regulations will not limit the amount of time people can spend in pubs and restaurants. | |
| The PM’s official spokesman said: | |
| The new regulations will put a 30-person limit on gatherings at home and in outdoor spaces that are not deemed Covid-secure. | |
| Health protection regulations were signed by the health secretary Matt Hancock this morning and will be laid before Parliament and published later today, No 10 said. | |
| They also prevent pubs and bars rushing to serve pints immediately after midnight, with reopening banned until 6am on Saturday. | |
| The spokesman said: | |
| The two-household limit on meetings is also to remain in place, the spokesman added. | |
| Televised daily press briefings with Westminster journalists will not be introduced until at least the autumn. | |
| The PM’s spokesman also said that “nobody has been recruited yet” to front the briefings. | |
| The spokesman said the previous daily coronavirus press conferences showed “there is a significant public appetite for information about what the government is doing and why, and we feel that daily on-camera press briefings will help to increase government accountability and transparency”. | |
| Eligibility for the flu vaccine will be expanded as the government increases its stocks during the coronavirus crisis. | |
| The prime minister’s official spokesman said it was particularly important this year to protect as many people as possible in risk groups: | |
| The prime minister Boris Johnson will work from his Chequers retreat on Saturday, the first time he has been there since his convalescence from Covid-19. | |
| Nicola Sturgeon has accused UK ministers of behaving in a “shambolic” fashion over their attempts to get UK-wide agreement on relaxing quarantine rules for foreign travel. | |
| The first minister faces intense pressure from Scottish airport owners after refusing to immediately adopt proposals from the UK government to lift quarantine rules for travellers from Spain, Italy, France and Germany, and relax them for up to 60 others from 10 July. | |
| Grant Shapps, the UK transport secretary, insisted the UK government had sought a UK-wide or “four nations” agreement first through the joint biosecurity centre, which includes all four chief medical officers; so far, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolved governments have refused to agree it. | |
| Humza Yousaf, the Scottish justice secretary, said on BBC Radio Scotland on Friday morning they had only had 30 minutes notice of the list of countries; Sturgeon said the first list of countries they saw was different from the list the UK government is due to publish today, and it had changed repeatedly yesterday. | |
| She said: | |
| She said the Scottish government was very likely to agree early next week to lift quarantine for low risk countries but remained worried about doing so for medium-risk countries. Scotland’s coronavirus prevalence rate was five times lower than in England, Sturgeon added. | |
| Gordon Dewar, the chief executive of Edinburgh airport, said he told Sturgeon earlier this week it would damage the economy, weaken confidence amongst airlines about Scottish airports and lead to job losses. | |
| Sturgeon insisted Scotland’s quarantine rules applied to everyone but Dewar implied foreign travellers could easily avoid Scotland’s stricter quarantine rules by travelling via English airports. | |
| He said: | |
| This is from Sky’s Alan McGuinness | |
| This is from the BBC’s Scotland editor Sarah Smith | |
| We have more on this coming shortly. | |
| The Welsh government has urged people to respect the places and communities they will be allowed to visit from Monday when the country’s stay-local regulations are lifted. | The Welsh government has urged people to respect the places and communities they will be allowed to visit from Monday when the country’s stay-local regulations are lifted. |
| From Monday the requirement for people to stay local in Wales will be lifted, which will give people the change to travel widely – and begin to open up tourist spots to all for the first time since lockdown. | From Monday the requirement for people to stay local in Wales will be lifted, which will give people the change to travel widely – and begin to open up tourist spots to all for the first time since lockdown. |
| Changes are also being made to allow families to be reunited as the concept of extended households is introduced. People from two separate households will be able to join to form one larger but exclusive household. | Changes are also being made to allow families to be reunited as the concept of extended households is introduced. People from two separate households will be able to join to form one larger but exclusive household. |
| The government called on people to remember the importance of social distancing, good hand hygiene and the need for respect. | The government called on people to remember the importance of social distancing, good hand hygiene and the need for respect. |
| Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford said: | Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford said: |
| Boris Johnson has refused to condemn his father for flying to Greece in apparent breach of Foreign Office guidance to avoid non-essential travel. | Boris Johnson has refused to condemn his father for flying to Greece in apparent breach of Foreign Office guidance to avoid non-essential travel. |
| Stanley Johnson was widely criticised after reportedly travelling via Bulgaria - in order to avoid the ban on direct flights from the UK - to visit his Greek villa. | Stanley Johnson was widely criticised after reportedly travelling via Bulgaria - in order to avoid the ban on direct flights from the UK - to visit his Greek villa. |
| During an LBC radio phone-in, the prime minister repeatedly refused to say whether he was “disappointed” with his father’s actions. | During an LBC radio phone-in, the prime minister repeatedly refused to say whether he was “disappointed” with his father’s actions. |
| Earlier this week, Johnson senior posted a picture on Instagram of himself apparently arriving at Athens airport wearing a face mask. | Earlier this week, Johnson senior posted a picture on Instagram of himself apparently arriving at Athens airport wearing a face mask. |
| The 79-year-old told the Daily Mail that he was visiting on “essential business” because he needed to “Covid-proof my property” ahead of the letting season. | The 79-year-old told the Daily Mail that he was visiting on “essential business” because he needed to “Covid-proof my property” ahead of the letting season. |
| His actions drew comparisons with the notorious visit by the prime minister’s top adviser Dominic Cummings to Barnard Castle during the height of lockdown, supposedly to test his eyesight after recovering from Covid-19. | His actions drew comparisons with the notorious visit by the prime minister’s top adviser Dominic Cummings to Barnard Castle during the height of lockdown, supposedly to test his eyesight after recovering from Covid-19. |
| Boris Johnson said he understood the anger that had been caused by that visit but insisted the government was “very much on people’s side”. | Boris Johnson said he understood the anger that had been caused by that visit but insisted the government was “very much on people’s side”. |
| Earlier, the transport secretary Grant Shapps disclosed that Greece was not on the initial list of countries from which travellers to England would no longer be required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. | Earlier, the transport secretary Grant Shapps disclosed that Greece was not on the initial list of countries from which travellers to England would no longer be required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. |
| Shapps said a decision on whether to add Greece to the list would have to wait until at least 15 July when the government in Athens will decide whether to lift its restrictions on travellers from the UK. | Shapps said a decision on whether to add Greece to the list would have to wait until at least 15 July when the government in Athens will decide whether to lift its restrictions on travellers from the UK. |
| He said that if Johnson senior returned to the UK before that date he would have to self-isolate for a fortnight “which he will be happy to do”. | He said that if Johnson senior returned to the UK before that date he would have to self-isolate for a fortnight “which he will be happy to do”. |
| Asked whether is visit to his villa constituted “essential business”, Shapps said it was “up to an individual to decide”. He told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme: | Asked whether is visit to his villa constituted “essential business”, Shapps said it was “up to an individual to decide”. He told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme: |
| While we wait for the government to publish a list of countries and territories English holidaymakers will be able to visit without quarantining on return, the UK is set to be upgraded into category B from 1 August by Cyprus, according to the Cyprus Mail. | While we wait for the government to publish a list of countries and territories English holidaymakers will be able to visit without quarantining on return, the UK is set to be upgraded into category B from 1 August by Cyprus, according to the Cyprus Mail. |
| This means flights will be allowed, but travellers from the UK - the island’s biggest tourism market - will need to provide the Cypriot authorities with a negative coronavirus test upon arrival. Cyprus’ second largest market, Russia, remains in category C. | This means flights will be allowed, but travellers from the UK - the island’s biggest tourism market - will need to provide the Cypriot authorities with a negative coronavirus test upon arrival. Cyprus’ second largest market, Russia, remains in category C. |
| The negative test will need to have been taken in the country of origin 72 hours before travelling. | The negative test will need to have been taken in the country of origin 72 hours before travelling. |
| The Cypriot minister of health, Constantinos Ioannou, said that while Russia’s epidemiological profile was currently not good enough, | The Cypriot minister of health, Constantinos Ioannou, said that while Russia’s epidemiological profile was currently not good enough, |
| I’m really grateful to reader Roger for flagging this! | I’m really grateful to reader Roger for flagging this! |
| Downing Street has revealed plans to televise daily press briefings with Westminster journalists in a major change to its communications strategy. | Downing Street has revealed plans to televise daily press briefings with Westminster journalists in a major change to its communications strategy. |
| Lobby correspondents currently have twice daily briefings with the prime minister’s spokesman or deputy, who are both civil servants. The briefings are on the record, meaning they can be quoted and attributed to No 10, but are not broadcast. | Lobby correspondents currently have twice daily briefings with the prime minister’s spokesman or deputy, who are both civil servants. The briefings are on the record, meaning they can be quoted and attributed to No 10, but are not broadcast. |
| Under the new plans, the afternoon session will be filmed at 9 Downing Street, while the morning briefing will continue to be held behind closed doors. | Under the new plans, the afternoon session will be filmed at 9 Downing Street, while the morning briefing will continue to be held behind closed doors. |
| An experienced broadcaster is reportedly being sought to lead the White House-style briefings on behalf of the government. | An experienced broadcaster is reportedly being sought to lead the White House-style briefings on behalf of the government. |
| Boris Johnson confirmed the changes in an interview with LBC Radio, suggesting the public had liked having more direct information from ministers during the coronavirus press conferences. | Boris Johnson confirmed the changes in an interview with LBC Radio, suggesting the public had liked having more direct information from ministers during the coronavirus press conferences. |
| He said: | He said: |
| The prime minister said he would “pop up from time to time” at the briefings. | The prime minister said he would “pop up from time to time” at the briefings. |
| The full LBC interview is here. | The full LBC interview is here. |
| Just one in three pubs, bars and restaurants in Newcastle city centre will reopen for business on Saturday, a council spokesman said. | Just one in three pubs, bars and restaurants in Newcastle city centre will reopen for business on Saturday, a council spokesman said. |
| A number of pubs on Tyneside have already stated they do not want to join the rush to reopen on so-called “Super Saturday”, fearing “total chaos” as drinkers head out to enjoy their first poured pint in months. | A number of pubs on Tyneside have already stated they do not want to join the rush to reopen on so-called “Super Saturday”, fearing “total chaos” as drinkers head out to enjoy their first poured pint in months. |
| Council figures show around 30% of licensees in the city centre have stated they will definitely welcome patrons once again on Saturday. | Council figures show around 30% of licensees in the city centre have stated they will definitely welcome patrons once again on Saturday. |
| A further 10% said they plan to open later in the month, once the initial rush has passed, and another 35% said they have not yet decided whether to open this month, with the remainder not stating their plans to licensing officials. | A further 10% said they plan to open later in the month, once the initial rush has passed, and another 35% said they have not yet decided whether to open this month, with the remainder not stating their plans to licensing officials. |
| Earlier this week, bosses of the popular Tyne Bar which overlooks the river said it will not be opening on 4 July, along with other venues in the trendy Ouseburn, and would instead reopen on 6 July to allow more time to implement safety measures bar. | Earlier this week, bosses of the popular Tyne Bar which overlooks the river said it will not be opening on 4 July, along with other venues in the trendy Ouseburn, and would instead reopen on 6 July to allow more time to implement safety measures bar. |
| Superintendent Karl Wilson, of Northumbria police, urged people to show restraint. | Superintendent Karl Wilson, of Northumbria police, urged people to show restraint. |
| Northumbria police and crime commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said although pubs reopening seemed like a return to normality, this was not the case yet. | Northumbria police and crime commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said although pubs reopening seemed like a return to normality, this was not the case yet. |
| She added: | She added: |
| English holidaymakers will be able to visit Spain, Italy, France and Germany without having to quarantine for 14 days on their return and travel restrictions on up to 60 other countries and territories are also set to be lifted, our Kate Proctor reports. | English holidaymakers will be able to visit Spain, Italy, France and Germany without having to quarantine for 14 days on their return and travel restrictions on up to 60 other countries and territories are also set to be lifted, our Kate Proctor reports. |
| The government’s rule change will come into effect on 10 July with the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, describing it as a major step in “reopening the nation”. | The government’s rule change will come into effect on 10 July with the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, describing it as a major step in “reopening the nation”. |
| We’re expecting a full list around around lunchtime. | We’re expecting a full list around around lunchtime. |