Politics

Reuters NHS workers must be given priority for accessing lateral flow Covid-19 tests, professional health bodies say. The British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing said health staff should come first for the rapid tests to ease staffing issues. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said ministers expect they will need to “constrain” supply for two

Getty Images Teenagers taken into care in England to safeguard them from exploitation are being put at more serious risk in the care system itself, a report warns. The Commission on Young Lives report said children were moved from their local areas to live in unregulated accommodation targeted by criminals. It said the system was

Former Labour MP for Burnley Peter Pike has died at the age of 84. Political figures said he was a “true gentleman” and “campaigner for social justice” after his death was announced on Monday night. Mr Pike served as the the town’s MP from 1983 to 2005 after joining the Labour party in 1956. Commons

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. There will be no further Covid restrictions in England before the new year, Sajid Javid has said. But the health secretary said people should “remain cautious” and celebrate outside on New Year’s Eve if possible. Meanwhile, both

Getty Images Pubs, clubs and bars could be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours over next year’s bank holiday weekend marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Home Secretary Priti Patel is seeking to extend licensing hours in England and Wales from the usual 11pm to 1am on Thursday 2 June to Saturday 4

Getty Images Immigration rules are to be temporarily relaxed for overseas care workers in a bid to recruit and keep staff, the government has announced. Social care workers, care assistants and home care workers are to become eligible for a health and care visa for a 12-month period. The government said this would make it

PA Media Getting a Covid vaccine is a “wonderful thing” people can do for their families this Christmas, Boris Johnson has said in his annual seasonal message. In a video clip, the prime minister said that getting the jab showed “that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves”. He thanked those helping the

Getty Images The capitals of the Falkland Islands, Cayman Islands and Gibraltar are among 39 places vying to win official UK city status in a new competition. The first-time applicants join regular contenders for the title, such as Milton Keynes, in a contest held to mark the Queen’s 70-year reign next year. It is the

EPA Daily Covid-19 cases in the UK have exceeded 100,000 for the first time, the latest government figures show. Some 106,122 cases were announced on Wednesday – the latest in a series of record-breaking days for infections. The eight highest daily case figures since the pandemic began have all come since 15 December. A total

Getty Images No new Covid restrictions will be brought in for England before Christmas, the prime minister has said. But Boris Johnson said “we can’t rule out any further measures after Christmas” – and that Omicron was spreading at a speed never seen before. “The government will continue to monitor the data closely and will

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The government “won’t hesitate” to introduce further Covid rules in England as cases of the Omicron variant continue to surge ahead of Christmas, the prime minister has said. Boris Johnson did not announce any new measures but

PA Media Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will replace Lord Frost as the UK’s lead negotiator with the EU in post-Brexit talks. She will retain her role as foreign minister alongside the new post leading negotiations over the Northern Ireland Protocol. It follows the resignation of Lord Frost as Brexit minister on Saturday. MP Chris Heaton-Harris

PA Media The UK’s top civil servant is expected to step aside from his role leading an inquiry into Downing Street lockdown parties, after it emerged an event was held in his own office. Simon Case had been due to report on claims Covid rules were broken at events for staff last year. But his

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Articulate, passionate and showing not a trace of doubt, she reminded me of Margaret Thatcher in her pomp. Yet Katharine Birbalsingh, the new chair of the Social Mobility Commission, couldn’t be more different – at least in

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Boris Johnson has insisted England is not being put into lockdown by stealth, despite accusations from some of his own MPs. The prime minister said he was not telling the public to cancel events, but urging them

Daily Mirror A party held at Conservative headquarters in London last year in breach of Covid rules was “unacceptable”, a minister has said. Grant Shapps said the Tories had disciplined four staff members and warned further action could be taken. The party was organised by the team of Shaun Bailey, who at the time was