Coronavirus news UK latest – Sajid Javid says lockdown WON'T be lifted early but July 19 to be 'an exciting new journey'
SAJID Javid today confirmed England WON'T unlock early on July 5 – as he urged Brits to hang on three more weeks for Freedom Day.
Making his first appearance in the Commons, the new Health Secretary said the Government will look to scrap the majority of restrictions on July 19.
The new Health Secretary ripped up the doomster handbook left by disgraced predecessor Matt Hancock, saying it was his “immediate priority” to end the restrictions.
The former Chancellor ripped up cushy consultancy jobs worth over £300,000 a year to become the people’s freedom fighter.
The business champion turned healthcare chief is well aware of the crippling effect of the pandemic restrictions on the nation’s economy.
Read our Coronavirus blog below for the latest news and updates...
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID CONFIRMS JULY 19 AS DATE FOR ENGLAND'S LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS TO END
Boris Johnson and his new Health Secretary Sajid Javid have confirmed their intention for July 19 to mark the end of England's lockdown restrictions.
Mr Javid resisted pressure from Tory MPs to bring forward the date of Step 4 of the road map, but he said there was "no reason" why the July 19 deadline would not be met.
The Prime Minister signalled that the "terminus" date would mean going "back to life as it was before Covid as far as possible".
In his first Commons statement since replacing Matt Hancock, Mr Javid told MPs: "There remains a big task ahead of us to restore our freedoms – freedoms that, save for the greatest of circumstances, no government should ever wish to curtail.
"So my task is to help return the economic and cultural life that makes this country so great while of course protecting life and our NHS."
- Joseph Gamp
MATT HANCOCK WON’T TAKE £16,000 SEVERANCE PAY OUT AFTER QUITTING IN DISGRACE OVER AIDE AFFAIR
MATT Hancock will reportedly NOT accept £16,000 in severance pay after quitting in disgrace over his fling with Gina Coladangelo.
The Health Secretary, 42, resigned amid mounting pressure over images of him kissing and cuddling the aide in breach of Covid restrictions.
And despite admitting he had "let down" millions who had made painful sacrifices during the pandemic he is, in theory, eligible for thousands of pounds.
However, the Daily Telegraph understands Mr Hancock will not take the severance payments.
Any decisions to take severance pay outs are published in annual parliamentary accounts – so the actual answer may not be known until next summer.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
NICOLA STURGEON ISSUES URGENT WARNING TO SCOTS AS COVID FIGURES LEAP TO RECORD HIGH 24-HOUR SPIKE
Nicola Sturgeon issues urgent warning to Scots as Covid figures leap to record high 24-hour spike
- Joseph Gamp
MATCHES CANCELLED AS RAIN HAMPERS FIRST DAY AT WIMBLEDON
The two-year wait for tennis at Wimbledon ended but the bad weather on Monday saw a number of matches cancelled, which included British number one Dan Evans.
Fans were back at the All England Club for the first time since 2019 after last year’s tournament did not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Play was due to start on the outside courts at 11am but more rain prompted organisers to push it back until the afternoon with several matches eventually moved to day two.
Aryna Sabalenka claimed the first win of the Championships with a 6-1 6-4 triumph over Monica Niculescu on Court One but not long after her victory 16 first-round ties were cancelled.
Evans, seeded 22, will have to wait before he can face Feliciano Lopez while fellow British player Harriet Dart saw her Court-18 battle with Elise Mertens rearranged.
- Joseph Gamp
LABOUR SLAMMED FOR PAMPHLET SHOWING BORIS JOHNSON WITH INDIAN PM WITH NOTE ‘DON’T RISK A TORY MP WHO IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE
LABOUR has been slammed for peddling "nasty divisive politics" after carpeting Batley & Spen with "dog-whistle" leaflets stoking religious tensions.
The provocative pamphlet shows Boris Johnson shaking hands with Indian PM Narenda Modi — who is Hindu — and warns: "Don’t risk a Tory MP who is not on your side".
Tensions are at boiling point in the West Yorkshire town, where many voters are of Pakistani-Muslim descent and massive critics of the Indian regime.
Far-left firebrand George Galloway, who is also running in the contest, has spent months playing on these divisions in his bid to snatch the Red Wall seat.
Fuming Tory MPs accused local Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater of descending into gutter politics with the material.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
SCHOOLS IN WALES ‘TO DECIDE ON OWN COVID RULES’
Schools in Wales will soon be able to decide on their own coronavirus rules – including facemasks and self-isolation, the country’s education minister has said.
Jeremy Miles said there was a need for a “more localised approach rather than a blanket approach”, with interventions based on the prevalence of the virus in particular communities.
A “national framework” will be published by the Welsh Government to guide education settings in easing or escalating rules depending on a low, medium, or high risk of harm to learners and staff when they return in September.
All Welsh schools, colleges and universities currently follow set national guidance, despite the number of Covid-19 cases in the country varying between regions.
Places in like Flintshire and Denbighshire in North Wales have the highest seven-day rate – with more than 100 cases per 100,000 people, while others like Newport and Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales are at 20 and 16 cases respectively.
- Joseph Gamp
MAPPED: UK AREAS ON THE COVID WATCHLIST
- Joseph Gamp
MATT HANCOCK ONLY QUIT AFTER 80 MPS TOLD HIM TO GO AND REST OF CABINET REFUSED TO BACK HIM AMID ‘GROUNDSWELL’ OF ANGER
MATT Hancock was forced forced to resign after being warned of the "groundswell" of public anger against him, a senior minister said today.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland insisted his shamed former Cabinet colleague had made the "right" choice to fall on his sword.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID CONFIRMS LOCKDOWN WON’T END ON JULY 5
SAJID Javid today confirmed England WON’T unlock early on July 5 – as he urged Brits to hang on three more weeks for Freedom Day.
Making his first appearance in the Commons, the new Health Secretary said the Government will look to scrap the majority of restrictions on July 19.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
US ADMINISTERS 324 MILLION COVID VACCINE DOSES
The United States has administered 324,414,371 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Monday morning, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday.
The figure is up from the 323,327,328 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by June 27 out of 381,282,720 doses delivered.
The agency said 179,615,165 people had received at least one dose while 153,776,118 people are fully vaccinated as of Monday.
- Joseph Gamp
WOMAD MUSIC FESTIVAL CANCELLED TO 'GUARANTEE ITS SURVIVAL'
The Womad music festival has been cancelled, organisers have announced.
The cancellation comes after Genesis musician Peter Gabriel, who co-founded the event, warned last week that the festival industry stood "on the brink of collapse".
In a statement on Monday, he said this year's festival could not go ahead without Government-backed insurance or inclusion in the pilot events scheme.
"Without the simple support of a government insurance scheme or the guarantee of Test Event status, we cannot continue and put Womad's long-term future at risk," he said.
"We feel that our audience, artists, staff, and contractors, who have been amazingly supportive throughout all this, will understand the need for us to act to guarantee our survival."
- Joseph Gamp
MATCHES CANCELLED AS RAIN HAMPERS FIRST DAY AT WIMBLEDON
The two-year wait for tennis at Wimbledon ended but the bad weather on Monday saw a number of matches cancelled, which included British number one Dan Evans.
Fans were back at the All England Club for the first time since 2019 after last year's tournament did not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Play was due to start on the outside courts at 11am but more rain prompted organisers to push it back until the afternoon with several matches eventually moved to day two.
Aryna Sabalenka claimed the first win of the Championships with a 6-1 6-4 triumph over Monica Niculescu on Court One but not long after her victory 16 first-round ties were cancelled.
Evans, seeded 22, will have to wait before he can face Feliciano Lopez while fellow British player Harriet Dart saw her Court-18 battle with Elise Mertens rearranged.
- Joseph Gamp
WATCH: COVID CASES RISE BY 70% IN A WEEK IN BIGGEST DAILY SURGE SINCE JANUARY WITH 22,868 NEW INFECTIONS
Covid cases rise by 70% in a week in biggest daily surge since January with 22,868 new infections
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: COVID VACCINATIONS IN THE UK
- Joseph Gamp
HEALTH SECRETARY JAVID ‘CONFIDENT’ OF JULY 19 FREEDOM DAY
Sajid Javid said he is “very confident” about easing restrictions in England on July 19.
The Health Secretary stressed the importance of the vaccination programme, telling MPs: “The more people that are getting vaccinated, we’re seeing clear evidence that we’re breaking the link – and this is absolutely crucial – between people getting infected by Covid-19, so the number of cases, versus those that are ending up, sadly, in hospital or even in some cases losing their lives.
“The more evidence we see of that, the more confident that can make us that we’ll put this pandemic behind us.
“That’s what gives me confidence about July 19 and all the data that I’ve seen – yesterday I sat down and discussed it with the experts, some of my colleagues – it’s very clear that we’re heading in the right direction and I am very confident about that date, July 19.”
- Joseph Gamp
SCHOOLS IN WALES 'TO DECIDE ON OWN COVID RULES'
Schools in Wales will soon be able to decide on their own coronavirus rules – including facemasks and self-isolation, the country's education minister has said.
Jeremy Miles said there was a need for a "more localised approach rather than a blanket approach", with interventions based on the prevalence of the virus in particular communities.
A "national framework" will be published by the Welsh Government to guide education settings in easing or escalating rules depending on a low, medium, or high risk of harm to learners and staff when they return in September.
All Welsh schools, colleges and universities currently follow set national guidance, despite the number of Covid-19 cases in the country varying between regions.
Places in like Flintshire and Denbighshire in North Wales have the highest seven-day rate – with more than 100 cases per 100,000 people, while others like Newport and Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales are at 20 and 16 cases respectively.
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID CONFIRMS LOCKDOWN WON’T END ON JULY 5
SAJID Javid today confirmed England WON’T unlock early on July 5 – as he urged Brits to hang on three more weeks for Freedom Day.
Making his first appearance in the Commons, the new Health Secretary said the Government will look to scrap the majority of restrictions on July 19.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
DAILY REPORTED CASES OF COVID AT HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE LATE JANUARY, FIGURES SHOW
The number of new cases of Covid-19 reported each day in the UK has risen to the highest level since late January, new figures show.
A total of 22,868 cases were reported by the Government on Monday, the highest daily rise since January 30 when there were 23,275 cases reported.
The Government also said that a further three people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday.
In comparison on January 30, during the second wave and when the vaccination uptake was a lot lower, there were 1,200 deaths reported.
The seven-day rolling average for reported cases currently stands at 16,612 – up 70% from the 9,778 a week ago and the highest since February 9. Of the 315 local authorities in England, 291 (92%) have seen a rise in rates and 24 (8%) have seen a fall.
- Joseph Gamp
MATT HANCOCK REPORTED TO POLICE OVER AFFAIR BY LABOUR MP BUT COPS REFUSE TO INVESTIGATE
Matt Hancock reported to police over affair by Labour MP but cops refuse to investigate
- Joseph Gamp
SHADOW HEALTH SECRETARY WISHES HANCOCK WELL 'IN RESOLVING HIS PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES'
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said he wished Matt Hancock well in tackling his "personal difficulties" following his resignation as health secretary on Saturday.
"Can I just say at the outset that, despite our fierce political differences, that my dealings with the previous secretary of state were always courteous, respectful and professional," said the senior Labour politician.
"I wish him well in resolving his personal difficulties."
- Joseph Gamp
HEALTH SECRETARY JAVID 'CONFIDENT' OF JULY 19 FREEDOM DAY
Sajid Javid said he is "very confident" about easing restrictions in England on July 19.
The Health Secretary stressed the importance of the vaccination programme, telling MPs: "The more people that are getting vaccinated, we're seeing clear evidence that we're breaking the link – and this is absolutely crucial – between people getting infected by Covid-19, so the number of cases, versus those that are ending up, sadly, in hospital or even in some cases losing their lives.
"The more evidence we see of that, the more confident that can make us that we'll put this pandemic behind us.
"That's what gives me confidence about July 19 and all the data that I've seen – yesterday I sat down and discussed it with the experts, some of my colleagues – it's very clear that we're heading in the right direction and I am very confident about that date, July 19."
- Joseph Gamp
BIG TASK AHEAD SAYS SAJID JAVID DURING COMMONS ADDRESS
Health Secretary Sajid Javid, making his first Commons appearance in his new role, told MPs: "There remains a big task ahead of us to restore our freedoms – freedoms that, save for the greatest of circumstances, no government should ever wish to curtail.
"So my task is to help return the economic and cultural life that makes this country so great while of course protecting life and our NHS."
- Joseph Gamp
JAVID CONFIRMS JULY 19 AS DATE FOR ENGLAND'S LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS TO END
Boris Johnson and his new Health Secretary Sajid Javid have confirmed their intention for July 19 to mark the end of England's lockdown restrictions.
Mr Javid resisted pressure from Tory MPs to bring forward the date of Step 4 of the road map, but he said there was "no reason" why the July 19 deadline would not be met.
The Prime Minister signalled that the "terminus" date would mean going "back to life as it was before Covid as far as possible".
In his first Commons statement since replacing Matt Hancock, Mr Javid told MPs: "There remains a big task ahead of us to restore our freedoms – freedoms that, save for the greatest of circumstances, no government should ever wish to curtail.
"So my task is to help return the economic and cultural life that makes this country so great while of course protecting life and our NHS."
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