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Included in this issue:
The UK is at the “worst point” of the pandemic, Matt Hancock said as he addressed the nation on Monday. Government figures show that over 80,000 people have now died, while over 32,000 are currently in hospital.
Read MoreAs the UK saw in the New Year in a more subdued way than usual, with much of the country under tier 4 restrictions, fireworks and a light display illuminated the sky over London. An hour earlier, as Big Ben struck 11pm, a new era had begun for the UK, after it completed its formal […]
Read MoreAfter months of negotiations, on issues including fishing rights and business rules, an agreement between the UK and EU was finally reached on Christmas Eve, just days before the deadline.
Read MoreAs Boris Johnson took to the Downing Street podium on Saturday afternoon, his imminent announcement was a game changer for millions of people across the country. With the virus spreading more rapidly in parts of the country, driven by a new variant, new tier 4 restrictions (applicable from midnight on Saturday) were introduced in London […]
Read MoreBrexit talks have restarted after Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to an extension of their original 13 December deadline. Following a “constructive” telephone call, during which the pair discussed “major unresolved topics”, both parties agreed that talks should continue.
Read MoreAs the UK death toll surpassed 60,000 last week, the first consignment of the Pfizer/BioTech vaccine arrived in the country from Belgium. With 40 million doses on order, sufficient to vaccinate 20 million people, the first doses have been distributed to various designated hospital vaccination centres across the country. On Tuesday, the NHS embarked on […]
Read MoreOn 25 November, Chancellor Rishi Sunak stood before the House of Commons to outline the Spending Review for the year ahead. Opening his speech, he delivered a stark warning about the difficulties that lie ahead, stating, “Our health emergency is not yet over. And our economic emergency has only just begun.”
Read MoreThe International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recently released annual report, entitled ‘A year like no other’, highlights the extraordinary extent of the government fiscal support provided this year to bolster global growth. As of September 2020, $11.5trn globally has been provided by governments, to extend lifelines to businesses and people. In addition, the IMF has committed over $100bn […]
Read MoreAnother grim milestone was reached last week, as the UK became the first European country to exceed 50,000 COVID deaths. The UK is now the fifth country in the world to record this toll, after the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.
Read MoreAs lockdown 2.0 kicked off in England on 5 November, at a Downing Street press conference that afternoon, Boris Johnson confirmed his intention that the rules will expire on 2 December, at which point the tiered approach will resume.
Read MoreWith a shroud of lockdowns descending over swathes of Europe and the UK, as virus cases surge, England followed suit on 31 October, with Boris Johnson announcing national lockdown measures commencing 5 November for four weeks.
Read MoreLast week, as tighter coronavirus rules came into force for millions of people across the UK, Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled significant changes to the government’s support package with increased financial assistance for businesses and workers hit by COVID restrictions.
Read MoreLast week began with the government’s most senior science and medical advisers issuing a stark warning about the rise in coronavirus cases witnessed over recent weeks. At a Downing Street data briefing, Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty said that, without any further action, the UK could “end up with something like 50,000 cases […]
Read MoreAll over the country, people have been struggling to get tested for coronavirus, with appointments paused and the system under immense pressure as demand spikes. Some people in need of a test have reported being directed to sites located hundreds of miles from their homes. Data shows that just a third of tests conducted in […]
Read MoreWith the number of coronavirus cases rising across the UK, the Prime Minister was back on the Downing Street podium last Wednesday to announce new measures. As we enter the autumn, with the country at a critical moment and the average rate of new infection four times higher than in mid-July, the governemnt announced the introduction […]
Read MoreMillions of children in England and Wales returned to school last week. For many, it was the first time in attendance since March, due to the disruption caused by the pandemic. Pupils started adjusting to life in a class or year group bubble, with a raft of precautionary measures in place, such as one-way entrance […]
Read MoreIn March, Rishi Sunak unveiled “one of the largest and most comprehensive economic responses in the world” to protect the UK’s population against the impact of coronavirus. The £160bn plan, the Chancellor said, was just the first stage of the government’s response to the pandemic. Four months later, on 8 July, the Chancellor stepped up once again […]
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