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12:49
Weekly Covid circumstances in UK improve by 1m, figures present
The variety of coronavirus infections throughout the UK rose by an estimated 1m circumstances in contrast with the earlier week, with figures in Scotland at a report excessive, information from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics has revealed.
In accordance with the newest info from the ONS, based mostly on swabs collected from randomly chosen households, an estimated 9% of the inhabitants in Scotland had Covid within the week ending 20 March – about one in 11 folks. The determine is the best recorded by the survey because it started wanting on the state of affairs in Scotland in October 2020.
An infection ranges additionally elevated in England and Wales, though they decreased barely in Northern Eire, with information revealing that about one in 16 folks in England had Covid in the newest week, in contrast with one in 20 the week earlier than, an increase from about 2,653,200 to three,485,700 folks.
The determine is simply shy of the all-time excessive for England, when about 1 in 15 have been estimated to have Covid within the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve final yr, on the peak of the Omicron wave.
Consultants have instructed that the current surge in an infection ranges within the UK is because of numerous elements, together with the lifting of Covid restrictions to numerous levels throughout the UK, adjustments in behaviour, waning immunity after the booster programme, and – crucially – the rise of the BA.2 variant, which seems to be extra transmissible than the sooner type of Omicron.
“The proportion of individuals with infections appropriate with the Omicron BA.2 variant elevated in England, Wales and Scotland and decreased in Northern Eire,” the ONS report states.
12:43
Conservative leaders insist they’re on monitor for sturdy ends in native elections throughout England, predicting they’ll seize management of considered one of Labour’s longest-held councils, regardless of many admitting extra must be completed to ease the “nightmare” of hovering payments.
Greater than 1,000,000 individuals are anticipated to be pushed into absolute poverty after Rishi Sunak’s mini-budget, which has attracted heavy criticism from consultants and Tory backbenchers.
Nevertheless, Tory leaders exterior London mentioned they didn’t imagine the get together can be punished on the polls on 5 Might, when native elections happen in England, Wales and Scotland. Elections for the Northern Eire meeting will happen on the identical day.
Tory strategists have set their sights on taking management of Sunderland metropolis council for the primary time in its 48-year historical past, in what would characterize a headline-grabbing victory for Boris Johnson and a critical blow for Keir Starmer.
Antony Mullen, the chief of the Conservatives in Sunderland, mentioned it was “in all probability doubtless” that Labour would lose management of the council in six weeks, regardless of conceding that the chancellor may have completed extra to guard voters from the price of dwelling disaster.
“One space the place it might be good to have seen extra can be a rise to common credit score,” he mentioned.
Any intervention he does make should be focused at those that want it most, however when that class of individuals is widening significantly it turns into an nearly unmanageable downside. I wouldn’t be shocked if in April there’s extra intervention.
Patrick Harley, the Conservative chief of Dudley council, mentioned he was assured the get together would make good points, with 24 seats up for grabs within the former “crimson wall” stronghold.
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11:44
The UK transport secretary, Grant Shapps, met the DP World boss Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem final November and informed him that he was “conscious of the problems at P&O Ferries” however recognised “you’ll need to make industrial choices”, in keeping with official minutes of the assembly.
The revelation raises additional questions on whether or not Shapps may have acted to go off the mass sackings final week on the Dubai-owned ferry operator.
On Monday, Shapps informed the Commons that “the primary I heard about it was at 8.30 within the [Wednesday] night, not by the memo, which I didn’t see, however as a substitute by communication with my personal workplace to point that P&O can be making redundancies the subsequent day”.
Shapps mentioned he anticipated P&O Ferries to seek the advice of on extra redundancies fairly than instigate mass sackings.
The Division for Transport minutes present Bin Sulayem welcomed Shapps to DP World’s pavilion on the Dubai Expo on 22 November. Throughout the face-to-face encounter, the sultan warned Shapps:
In respect of our ferry enterprise, there’s a brand new low-cost competitor from Irish Ferries. This poses challenges in respect of P&O’s operations. We stored ferries working throughout the peak of the pandemic to assist motion of individuals and items.
Shapps thanked Bin Sulayem and informed him:
I’m conscious of the problems regarding P&O. I recognise you’ll need to make industrial choices, however please do preserve us knowledgeable.
11:18
Johnson and Xi have ‘frank and candid dialogue’ about Ukraine disaster
10:55
Extra rape survivors allowed to pre-record proof in England and Wales
Extra survivors of rape and modern-day slavery in England and Wales will have the ability to give video proof pre-recorded exterior a stay trial in a step ministers hope will enhance confidence within the legal justice system.
Below the measure often known as part 28, survivors can apply to the courtroom to be cross-examined in entrance of a restricted variety of folks, to scale back the stress of giving proof. It would then be performed throughout the stay trial, eradicating the necessity for them to attend in individual.
On Friday, the federal government introduced that the availability, already obtainable in a restricted variety of crown courts, can be expanded to north-east England with the intention of introducing it countrywide as quickly as practicable.
Dame Vera Baird QC, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, mentioned: “The rollout of part 28 to extra courts is a optimistic transfer that may assist to scale back pointless stress and trauma for extra victims, and I’m happy to see this work collect momentum.”
The failure to safe extra convictions in rape circumstances has led to accusations that the offence has successfully been decriminalised. Workplace for Nationwide Statistics figures printed in January confirmed that within the 12 months to September 2021, just one.3% of the 63,136 rape offences recorded by police resulted in a suspect being charged.
The part 28 provision is already obtainable at Liverpool, Leeds, Kingston upon Thames, Harrow, Isleworth, Wooden Inexperienced and Durham crown courts. The federal government mentioned it might be prolonged to York, Grimsby, Hull, Bradford and Teesside within the coming weeks.
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Covid charges nonetheless growing in most of UK, ONS says
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PM backs requires P&O Ferries boss to resign over mass sackings
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