UK abandons plans for full EU border checks after pressure from firms hit by coronavirus impact 

UK abandons plans for full border checks on EU goods after pressure from businesses already suffering from coronavirus impact Government has accepted firms can’t cope with leaving EU and coronavirus Light-touch regime at ports like Dover may be introduced after transition period This would happen under both a deal and no-deal scenario But the EU … Read more

Boris Johnson faces a grilling from senior MPs today with Covid questions squeezed into 20 mins

Boris Johnson will today face a 90-minute grilling from the Commons Liaison Committee over his handling of the coronavirus crisis and his top aide’s decision to travel during lockdown.  Questions on Dominic Cummings’ trip from London to Durham, along with three other coronavirus topics, will be crammed into a 20-minute slot after intervention from Committee … Read more

Families and friends could soon be allowed to meet in bigger ‘social bubbles’ of up to ten people

Friends and families could be reunited in ‘social bubbles’ of up to ten people by next month under lockdown-easing plans ‘Social bubbles’ could be the next measure introduced to help ease lockdown Britons will be allowed to socialise in groups, of up to 10 people, outside homes This could mean garden parties and barbecues are … Read more

Six Cabinet members ‘privately believe Dominic Cummings should resign’

Six Cabinet ministers are thought to have privately told colleagues Dominic Cummings should resign, with 40 Tory MPs calling on Boris Johnson to sack his top aide amid fury over his breach of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.  Cummings has faced intense criticism over his decision to drive his family 260 miles from London to Durham at … Read more

Dominic Cummings ‘broke Highway Code’ by testing eyesight with drive to Barnard Castle

Dominic Cummings’ trip to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight may have broken the Highway Code, a former police chief has warned. Ex-Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy said the PM’s adviser would have been turned back if he was caught going between London and Durham. It comes as other senior police officers … Read more

Government minister for Scotland resigns over Dominic Cummings

A Government minister has resigned over Dominic Cummings’ lockdown trip to Durham, delivering a significant blow to Boris Johnson and Downing Street.  Douglas Ross, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and a Tory whip, announced this morning he is quitting the frontbench because he was unconvinced by Mr Cummings’ defence of the 260-mile journey.  Mr … Read more

Cabinet Minister Michael Gove says HE has driven to test his eyesight after Cummings vision claim

Cabinet Minister Michael Gove says HE has driven to test his eyesight after PM’s aide Dominic Cummings claims he drove on a 60-mile round trip to Durham beauty spot with wife and child in the car ‘to check his vision’ Cummings made 60 mile round trip beauty spot with wife Mary and their son  He … Read more

Government minister for Scotland RESIGNS over Dominic Cummings row

A Government minister has resigned over Dominic Cummings’ lockdown trip to Durham, delivering a massive blow to Boris Johnson and Downing Street.  Douglas Ross, the Minister for Scotland and a Tory whip, announced this morning he is quitting the frontbench because he was unconvinced by Mr Cummings’ defence of the journey.  Mr Ross said in … Read more

Gove slams EU, wants it to treat UK as a ‘sovereign equal’

Michel Gove blasts ‘ideological’ EU as he warns Brussels that it will only get a post-Brexit free trade deal if it treats the UK as a ‘sovereign equal’ and backs down over issues including fishing and standards He said the UK is committed to a deal with a free trade agreement ‘at its core’  But … Read more

Track and trace app delayed until June after recruitment is frozen

People applying to be contact-tracers as part of the Government’s track and trace app scheme have been told hiring has been frozen due to delays with the app. Applicants were informed that hiring was paused while ministers considered an alternative app, despite there being more jobs to fill before the programme can be rolled out. … Read more