Swathes of Britain including cities and towns could be put on lockdown to try to stop the spread of coronavirus as Boris Johnson vowed to take charge of the Government response after being accused of acting like a ‘part-time Prime Minister’. After UK cases hit 36 yesterday – an increase of 23 since Friday – Mr Johnson will … Read more
Propping up the bar at the Brewery Tap pub in the Hertfordshire village of Furneux Pelham, I see that a quiet revolution is taking place. After handing over my debit card, I am presented with a foaming pint of the local Mad Squirrel Sapling ale – along with four crisp £20 notes. I am raising … Read more
Parliament could be suspended under secret plan for worst-case coronavirus scenario with Boris Johnson running Britain ‘from a war bunker’ Boris Johnson and his Cabinet would use emergency powers to battle pandemic MPs and peers would be told to stay at home in secret contingency plans One MP feared such a scenario would leave the … Read more
A cancer patient who cashed in his pension and planned his own funeral after being told his illness was terminal has now discovered he will live. Peter Hinds, 51, from Warrington, was diagnosed with inoperable intestinal cancer in January 2017 and doctors told him he could have just six months left to live. Having lost … Read more
‘I just remember I was in a taxi, with a fishing rod and some chicken’: Paul Gascoigne breaks his silence on his ‘mad’ plan to befriend Raoul Moat at the height of the killer’s stand-off with police Paul Gascoigne made a taxi driver take him to Rothbury where Moat was Didn’t know Moat but thought … Read more
Emergency plans are being drawn up by health officials to contain the coronavirus which could see schools closed for at least two months. Football matches, concerts and other mass gatherings may also need to be suspended, the chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said. Professor Whitty has refused to rule out anything, but is understood … Read more
MoD’s equipment plan has £13bn funding black hole meaning military may not be able to expand its F-35 fighter jet fleet, watchdog warns MoD’s predicts £183.6b spending between 2019 and 2029, an overrun of £2.9b However in the ‘worst-case scenario’ this extra spending could rise to £13 billion NAO warned reluctance on ‘difficult decisions’ means … Read more
Tokyo Olympic organisers may not have planned for what to do in the case of a global disease outbreak, the man behind five successful bids has warned. Terrence Burns, who worked on winning bids for two summer and three winter Olympics, said the bid committees are not typically asked to explain what they would do … Read more
Two mile tunnel underneath Stonehenge is set to be scrapped over funding problems after survey uncovered issues that could send costs soaring to £2billion Controversial plans to tunnel under Stonehenge are set to be scrapped The A303 upgrade in Wiltshire involves work around the World Heritage Site Planners wanted to dig a £2bn 1.8 mile … Read more
What happens next in Brexit trade wrangling? Today: EU ministers signed off the negotiating mandate for Michel Barnier in Brussels. It will be published this afternoon. The Brexit inner Cabinet finalised the UK’s approach in Westminster. Thursday: The UK’s negotiating proposals will be put before Parliament. Monday: Talks on the trade deal are due to … Read more