Politics

Wales its continuing its lockdown and will be toughening up some restrictions as the nation struggles to manage the spread of the new highly infectious coronavirus variant. People in Wales are already being told to stay at home and not mix with other households, but the lockdown measures had been due for a review. After

Hundreds of thousands of vaccines will be delivered daily by the end of next week, the prime minister has promised. Speaking at a Downing Street briefing, Boris Johnson said almost 1.5 million people across the UK have received their first dose already. And he insisted the UK has “enough” vaccines to offer a first dose

It’s often said that the first rule of politics is to be able to count. (It was Lyndon Johnson who first said it. And while it seems to have been forgotten by some in the US right now, it applies in the UK too.) The numbers will show that lockdown three in England was backed

MPs have approved England’s third coronavirus lockdown – but the government has been urged by leading Conservatives to allow further votes on the measures both this month and next month. Following a four-hour debate in the House of Commons, MPs approved the newest lockdown by 524 votes to 16, a majority of 508. Their approval

Boris Johnson says he had “no choice” but to implement another national lockdown in England as “the facts are changing” on coronavirus infections. The prime minister told MPs that the government will use “every available second” to place an “invisible shield” around elderly and vulnerable people through the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Follow live updates

More than a million people in England are currently infected with coronavirus, the prime minister has said. Boris Johnson was speaking at a Downing Street news conference on the first full day of the nation’s third lockdown, as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said one in 50 people in England have COVID-19. Figures show

Boris Johnson will hold a news conference with England’s chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser later today, Downing Street has said. The prime minister will be joined by Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance from 5pm, on the first day of England’s third national lockdown. In a national address on Monday, Mr Johnson

A nationwide lockdown will be introduced in Scotland from midnight tonight, Nicola Sturgeon has announced. The first minister told the Scottish Parliament there will be a legal requirement for people to stay at home for the rest of January, with schools remaining closed to most pupils until the start of February at the earliest. “It

Tougher measures are coming in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus, the prime minister has said. Boris Johnson said there were “tough, tough” weeks ahead in the UK’s fight against COVID-19. He added: “If you look at the numbers there’s no question we will have to take tougher measures and we will be

The government must impose a national lockdown within 24 hours, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said. Sir Keir said the virus is “clearly out of control” and national restrictions have to be “the first step”. He said: “It’s no good the prime minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week

The prime minister knew, walking into his first broadcast interview of 2021, that he would face some difficult questions. In the last 24 hours alone, teaching unions have warned their members not to take classes face-to-face because of fears over the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading, a record number of new cases has been

Labour’s shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens is being treated in hospital for COVID-19, her team has said. A statement on the 54-year-old MP’s Twitter account said: “Jo has asked us to let you know that she is being treated in hospital for Covid. “Thanks for all your good wishes we will give an update when

The smooth start to post-Brexit border operations may be the “calm before the storm”, industry bosses have warned. The first day of January marked the first day of a new trading relationship between the UK and the EU. There had been fears it would create chaotic scenes at ports, with outbound lorries now subject to

Staff at schools have a legal right not to return to classrooms due to the spread of COVID, a leading union has said – while another has started legal proceedings against the Department for Education. The National Education Union (NEU) has said all primary schools should remain closed for at least two weeks following the

As the Pride of Kent eased its way towards the port in Calais, it was making history. The first ferry to have crossed the English Channel in 2021; the first to carry lorries that were travelling under the umbrella of new rules and regulations. What happened next was exactly as you might have predicted. Image:

The UK has begun a new relationship with the European Union with the Brexit transition period coming to an end. Despite leaving the EU on 31 January last year, the UK has remained subject to the bloc’s rules as a member of the single market and customs union. However, this ended at 11pm and the