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UK coronavirus live: Johnson criticised for missing four-nation Christmas talks; 1 in 10 pupils missing school over Covid UK coronavirus live: three households to be allowed to mix for up to five days over Christmas, ministers agree
(32 minutes later)
Latest updates: No 10 unable to say whether agreement could be reached today; more than 870,000 children not in school last Thursday Latest updates: three households will be allowed to mix for up to five days in a plan to allow families to reunite at Christmas, government sources said
From Tom Newton Dunn from Times Radio This is from PA Media.
From my colleague Jessica Elgot
In Northern Ireland just 79 further coronavirus cases have been recorded. But that may be because of a problem with the data, the local Department of Health says. A week ago today the figure was 549.In Northern Ireland just 79 further coronavirus cases have been recorded. But that may be because of a problem with the data, the local Department of Health says. A week ago today the figure was 549.
And 11 further deaths have been recorded - up from nine a week ago today.And 11 further deaths have been recorded - up from nine a week ago today.
Public Health Wales has recorded 595 further coronavirus cases. That is down from 892 yesterday and down from 705 a week ago today.Public Health Wales has recorded 595 further coronavirus cases. That is down from 892 yesterday and down from 705 a week ago today.
And it has recorded 21 further deaths - down from 34 a week ago today.And it has recorded 21 further deaths - down from 34 a week ago today.
Tomorrow Rishi Sunak will deliver the his spending review. The Treasury has posted various pictures of him rehearsing his speech on Flickr.Tomorrow Rishi Sunak will deliver the his spending review. The Treasury has posted various pictures of him rehearsing his speech on Flickr.
The UK government has updated its coronavirus dashboard. Here are the key figures.The UK government has updated its coronavirus dashboard. Here are the key figures.
The UK has recorded 11,299 new coronavirus cases - the lowest daily total for more than seven weeks. Yesterday the figure was 15,450 and a week ago today the figure was 20,051. Daily figures can fluctuate widely, because they are dependent on how much testing is being carried out, and today’s fall is probably partly explained by the fact that the number of tests being carried out fell significantly over the weekend and on Monday. But today’s figure is also in line with a trend showing the number of positive cases falling sharply since mid-November. There have been 128,062 positive cases in the past seven days - down 28% on the total for the previous week.The UK has recorded 11,299 new coronavirus cases - the lowest daily total for more than seven weeks. Yesterday the figure was 15,450 and a week ago today the figure was 20,051. Daily figures can fluctuate widely, because they are dependent on how much testing is being carried out, and today’s fall is probably partly explained by the fact that the number of tests being carried out fell significantly over the weekend and on Monday. But today’s figure is also in line with a trend showing the number of positive cases falling sharply since mid-November. There have been 128,062 positive cases in the past seven days - down 28% on the total for the previous week.
The UK has recorded 608 further coronavirus deaths. These are people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus. This is the highest daily death total in this wave of the pandemic, and the first time daily deaths have passed 600. A week ago today the equivalent figure was 598, and two weeks ago it was 532. The daily figure has not been this high since early May.The UK has recorded 608 further coronavirus deaths. These are people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus. This is the highest daily death total in this wave of the pandemic, and the first time daily deaths have passed 600. A week ago today the equivalent figure was 598, and two weeks ago it was 532. The daily figure has not been this high since early May.
The Cobra meeting to discuss a joint, four-nations approach to easing the Covid restrictions at Christmas, was scheduled to start at 4pm, so it should just be getting under way now. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, is chairing it.The Cobra meeting to discuss a joint, four-nations approach to easing the Covid restrictions at Christmas, was scheduled to start at 4pm, so it should just be getting under way now. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, is chairing it.
A salon owner in West Yorkshire faces £17,000 in fines for repeatedly opening during the national lockdown.A salon owner in West Yorkshire faces £17,000 in fines for repeatedly opening during the national lockdown.
Sinead Quinn was found working at Quinn Blakey Hairdressers by Kirklees council officers yesterday and issued a £10,000 fine. She was previously issued fines of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 for breaches of the Covid-19 lockdown rules.Sinead Quinn was found working at Quinn Blakey Hairdressers by Kirklees council officers yesterday and issued a £10,000 fine. She was previously issued fines of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 for breaches of the Covid-19 lockdown rules.
Footage posted to the salon’s Instagram account by Quinn shows her talking to council and police officers, saying she did “not consent” to the fines and that she was able to open her salon under common law.Footage posted to the salon’s Instagram account by Quinn shows her talking to council and police officers, saying she did “not consent” to the fines and that she was able to open her salon under common law.
One video also shows both Quinn, and a client having her hair done, while not wearing face coverings.One video also shows both Quinn, and a client having her hair done, while not wearing face coverings.
A laminated poster displayed on the salon’s door, which references the Magna Carter, says the shop is “under jurisdiction of the common law”. A laminated poster displayed on the salon’s door, which references Magna Carta, says the shop is “under jurisdiction of the common law”.
Under England’s current national lockdown restrictions, non-essential shops including hairdressers must close.Under England’s current national lockdown restrictions, non-essential shops including hairdressers must close.
Following the salon’s first breach more than two weeks ago, when Quinn was issued a prohibition notice to close by the council as well as an initial fixed penalty notice of £1,000, Kirklees councillor Rob Walker described her actions as “selfish and irresponsible”.Following the salon’s first breach more than two weeks ago, when Quinn was issued a prohibition notice to close by the council as well as an initial fixed penalty notice of £1,000, Kirklees councillor Rob Walker described her actions as “selfish and irresponsible”.
West Yorkshire police have said the matter is to be dealt with by the council.West Yorkshire police have said the matter is to be dealt with by the council.
According to a poll for Ipsos MORI, only 50% of people think the lockdown in England will be “effective” in “significantly” reducing the spread of coronavirus. Some 41% think it will be “ineffective”.According to a poll for Ipsos MORI, only 50% of people think the lockdown in England will be “effective” in “significantly” reducing the spread of coronavirus. Some 41% think it will be “ineffective”.
Who’s right? Well, it probably depends on how you define “effective” and “significantly”.Who’s right? Well, it probably depends on how you define “effective” and “significantly”.
The 50% can point to the fact that Covid case rates are now falling in most regions in England, in some cases quite dramatically. But the 41% can point to the fact that, even though hospital admissions are stabilising or starting to fall too, the overall threat is still high enough to require the government to replace lockdown with a new three-tier system even stricter than the one in place before.The 50% can point to the fact that Covid case rates are now falling in most regions in England, in some cases quite dramatically. But the 41% can point to the fact that, even though hospital admissions are stabilising or starting to fall too, the overall threat is still high enough to require the government to replace lockdown with a new three-tier system even stricter than the one in place before.
Scotland has recorded 771 further coronavirus cases. That is down from 949 yesterday and down from 1,248 a week ago today.
There are 1,197 coronavirus patients in hospital - down from 1,208 yesterday and down from 1,249 a week ago today.
And there have been 41 further deaths - up from 37 a week ago today.
According to Newsnight’s Katie Razzall, although the government is offering everyone in Liverpool a coronavirus test under its mass testing pilot, in some of the poorer areas of the city only 4% of people have had a test. She has summarised her report in a Twitter thread starting here.
Dan Carden, the Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, said:
NHS England has recorded 353 further coronavirus hospital deaths. There were 101 in the Midlands, 80 in the north-east and Yorkshire, 71 in the north-west, 35 in in the south-east, 24 in the south-west, 21 in London and 21 in the east of England. The details are here.
This is the second highest daily figure for coronavirus hospital deaths in England this month, passed only by the total for 11 November (361). Yesterday the figure was 178 and a week ago today the figure was 330.
Some of the “gains” made in Wales during its 17-day firebreak are already being reversed, the first minister, Mark Drakeford, has warned.
After the Welsh firebreak lockdown, the all-Wales coronavirus figures fell for two weeks but Drakeford said there had now been three days in a row where the numbers have risen.
He said 17 of the 22 local authorities have reported rises in infections in the under-25 age range – while it was the falling in the over-60s. The first minister said rapid rises in September and the start of October began in young people before spreading to older men and women.
Conservative MPs are openly arguing with each other on Twitter about the case for Covid restrictions. Yesterday Steve Baker, deputy chair of the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group, posted this.
His Tory colleague Neil O’Brien has this afternoon posted a chart on Twitter that he says shows Baker to be “just wrong”.
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed to MSPs that a four-nations Christmas framework should be agreed later today, with potential differences in what constitutes a household across the UK.
As she announced the weekly review of Scotland’s five-level tier system of Covid controls, with only one change, East Lothian moving into level two, she told the Holyrood chamber:
She added that these concerns were “especially acute when we know we might be within weeks of being able to vaccinate a significant proportion of the population”.
This is from the New Statesman’s George Eaton, picking up on what Matt Hancock told a joint health/science committee hearing this morning. (See 12.24pm.)
The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has expressed frustration that Boris Johnson will not attend this afternoon’s Cobra meeting on a four-nation approach to Christmas.
Addressing the Welsh parliament, he said:
Drakeford warned that an easing of rules at Christmas was bound to lead to an increase in the spread of Covid.
He called for a four-nation approach not just for Christmas but for before and after. Drakeford said:
Here are two more lines from the Downing Street lobby briefing.
The prime minister’s spokesman said that councils in England will be given new powers to close businesses for up to a week if they fail to make their premises Covid-secure. He explained:
The spokesman said premises will be fined £2,000 for breaching an improvement notice and £4,000 for breaching a restriction notice. The new powers will become law through secondary legislation being introduced next week. Councils have been asking for the ability to use measures like this for some time.
The prime minister’s spokesman said the joint biosecurity centre would make recommendations to the government as to which areas of England should be in which of the new tiers.
Around one in 10 children were absent from state schools in England last week for Covid-related reasons, according to official statistics which revealed yet another jump in the number of children sent home to self-isolate.
More than 870,000 children were not in school last Thursday, with secondary schools the most severely affected. Nearly three-quarters (73%) reported at least one pupil off self-isolating - up from 64% a week earlier - and more than one in five secondary pupils were absent (22%).
Figures published by the Department for Education showed that 82.9% of pupils were at school last week, down from 86.5% a week earlier. The impact on primary schools is also growing, with three in every 10 (29%) sending children home to self-isolate, up from 22% a week earlier.
More than a third of schools (36%) now have one or more children self isolating - up from 29% last week - and the impact on affected schools is growing, with a quarter reporting more than 30 pupils off isolating, up from 9% at the start of the month.
While the number of schools forced to close remains relatively small, numbers have doubled in the space of a week.
The National Education Union said the collapse in school attendance was the direct result of government negligence. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said:
A Department for Education spokesperson said that it remained a national priority to keep education settings open full-time and that “at least 99% of schools have been open each week since the start of term”.