Selasa, 30 November 2021

COVID-19: PM says plan is to offer booster jabs to everyone eligible by end of January to deal with new Omicron variant - Sky News

The government plans to offer booster vaccines to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of January, Boris Johnson has said.

Speaking at a Downing Street news briefing on Tuesday, the PM said the rollout of booster programme will go in age order, and that there will be more than 1,500 community pharmacy sites in England offering the jabs.

Mr Johnson said "temporary vaccine centres will be popping up like Christmas trees", adding that some 400 military personnel and the "jabs army of volunteers" will also help with the rollout.

Extra jabs offered to vulnerable UK adults
Image: Boris Johnson urged people not to try and book until the NHS says it is your turn

The PM added that the chance of another lockdown being enforced is "extremely unlikely", but that ministers will keep "everything under review".

It comes a day after Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that all adults will be offered a COVID-19 booster vaccine as part of a reaching expansion of the jabs programme to deal with the potential impact of the new Omicron variant.

The UK's vaccine advisory body - the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation (JCVI) - recommended:

• Booster jabs for everybody over the age of 18

• Shortening the gap between a second jab and a booster from six months to three months

• Giving a second jab to children aged between 12 and 15 - again after no less than three months

• Severely immunosuppressed people given access to another booster - meaning for some, a fourth dose this winter

• Boosters consisting of either a Pfizer vaccine or a half dose of the Moderna jab

Mr Javid said the government will be taking on board all of the recommendations "in full".

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Sajid Javid says the initial vaccine rollout was one of the 'greatest endeavours' undertaken in the UK in peacetime

The move will see millions more people in the UK become eligible for a third booster dose and has come in the wake of growing international concern about the new variant.

More than 20 cases of the Omicron variant have so far been identified across the UK, though experts expect this number to rise in the coming days.

Explaining the government's plan to expand the booster coronavirus vaccine programme, the PM said: "The target that we've set ourselves is to offer a booster to everyone eligible by the end of January.

"As with the first jabs, we will be working through people by age group going down in five-year bands, because it is vital that the older and the more clinically vulnerable get that added protection first.

"So, even if you have had your second jab over three months ago and you are now eligible, please don't try and book until the NHS says it is your turn."

Analysis by Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

Well, that’s clear then! Boris Johnson says carry on partying at Christmas, while the top NHS medic Dr Jenny Harries says don’t socialise if you don’t need to. What a muddle!

During the Commons debate on masks and self-isolation, which saw dozens of Tory MPs rebel once again, the hapless Health Minister Maggie Throup was challenged repeatedly about the doc’s Scrooge-like warning.

And facing similar questions at his Downing Street news conference later, the PM was determined to deliver a "Carry on Christmas" message. Over and over again, he kept saying COVID rules must be "balanced and proportionate".

Asked if people should cancel Christmas parties and nativity plays, Santa Boris declared: "We don’t want people to cancel such events."

We’ll see if that pledge holds, given his record on COVID U-turns and cancelling Christmas last year.

Read more here

He continued: "I know the frustration that we all feel with this Omicron variant, the sense of exhaustion that we could be going through all this all over again.

"But today I want to stress this, today that's the wrong thing to feel because today our position is and always will be immeasurably better than it was a year ago.

"What we're doing is taking some proportionate precautionary measures while our scientists crack the Omicron code and while we get the added protection of those boosters into the arms of those who need them most."

The PM added that Christmas parties or nativity plays should not be axed because of the new variant, telling reporters: "We don't want people to cancel such events."

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PM: Another lockdown 'extremely unlikely'

Mr Johnson also revealed he will be getting his booster jab on Thursday after 18 million Britons have already received theirs.

"It's time for another great British vaccination effort. We've done it before and we're going to do it again - and let's not give this virus a second chance," the PM said.

Mr Javid said people should get vaccinated to "give ourselves the best chance of a Christmas with our loved ones" and that the booster rollout is a "national mission".

Speaking alongside the PM at the news briefing, the health secretary added: "What we're seeing recently has brought back memories of the strain of the last winter.

"But although we can't say with certainty what lies ahead, we have one huge advantage that we didn't have back then: our vaccination programme, which has already done so much to keep this virus at bay."

Mr Javid also urged the "five million people" who have not had any coronavirus vaccines to come forward and accept the offer to protect themselves.

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Watch as Health Secretary Sajid Javid persuades Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig to get his booster jab while the pair were preparing for an interview at St Thomas' Hospital vaccination centre

Meanwhile, Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said healthcare staff are working at "breakneck speed" to expand the booster jab rollout.

The Downing Street news conference came as MPs voted by 434 votes to 23 to make mask-wearing compulsory in shops and on public transport.

MPs later approved regulations linked to self-isolation requirements by 431 votes to 36.

The division list showed 19 Conservatives rebelled by voting against the face covering regulations, excluding the two MPs who acted as tellers for the noes.

It also showed that 32 Conservative MPs voted against the self-isolation regulations, again excluding the two tellers.

Later that evening, Tory Andrew Bridgen wrote a letter to the PM's parliamentary private secretary Sarah Dines to say it would be "inappropriate" for him to attend a planned drinks at No 10 after voting against the government's implementation of further restrictions.

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2021-11-30 21:18:01Z
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What are the new mask rules for England and when do they start? - ITV News

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  1. What are the new mask rules for England and when do they start?  ITV News
  2. Covid: as rules on mask wearing in England return, what exactly is the law?  The Guardian
  3. Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough tells customers they must wear face masks  Cambridgeshire Live
  4. Boris Johnson’s case for mask-wearing is undermined by a divided Parliament  iNews
  5. New omicron rules must be temporary  Telegraph.co.uk
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2021-11-30 18:56:36Z
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Nicola Sturgeon says all Omicron cases in Scotland linked to 'single private event' - Scottish Daily Record

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed the nine cases of the omicron covid variant found in Scotland so far are all linked to a "single private event".

The First Minister said the people identified are all self-isolating at home and have not required hospital treatment.

In a statement to MSPs today, the SNP leader announced she expected more cases of the variant linked to the event to be found soon.

Sturgeon did not share details of the nature of the event but did reveal those attending had not recently travelled overseas - which suggests there is some level of community transmission.

The omicron variant was discovered in South Africa last week but it is not yet known if it poses more of a health risk to individuals.

Scientists are currently working round the clock to establish whether it is more transmissible than other known covid variants and whether it will prove more resistant to vaccines.

Sturgeon said: "We have preliminary information on all nine cases however, health protection teams are continuing their investigations

"None of the people who have tested positive have so far required hospital care.

"All nine were tested on and around November 23 and because they had tested positive they have all been self-isolating."

She added: "None of these individuals - as far as we know - has recent travel history to or known links with others who have travelled to the countries in Southern Africa where the variant was originally detected.

"However, while the contact tracing exercise is still ongoing, health protection teams have established that all nine cases are linked.

"They all trace back to a single private event on November 20. Indeed, we fully expect that there will be more cases identified over the coming days that are also linked to this event.

"The lack of any known travel or overseas connection to these cases suggests that there is community transmission of Omicron in Scotland.

"However, the fact that all known cases are so far linked to a single event suggests that this may still be limited. Indeed, there is so far nothing in the wider look back exercise that Public Health Scotland has under taken to suggest that community transmission of the new variant is either sustained or widespread."

Scottish politics

The First Minister also told MSPs the overall number of covid cases being reported in Scotland was dropping - from an average of 3,000 per day to just over 2,500.

Sturgeon said: "In my statement last week, I expressed the view that our overall situation was much stronger than I had dared hope.

"Case numbers – although still too high – had stabilised, and indeed started to decline.

"Since then the data has become, if anything, even more encouraging.

"However, while case numbers here have continued to fall, the world has received the deeply worrying news of the new Omicron variant."

No changes to covid restrictions were announced by the First Minister but she made a fresh appeal for Scots to wear face masks in public and to undertake regular lateral flow tests.

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.

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2021-11-30 14:29:10Z
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Omicron variant: Boris Johnson dismisses health chief's call to stop socialising - The Times

Boris Johnson has dismissed a call by the head of the UK’s public health watchdog for people to reduce the number of social contacts they have in the run-up to Christmas.

Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said the potential risks posed by the Omicron strain meant the public should “decrease” their contacts “a little bit” to help “keep the variant at bay”.

Downing Street rejected Harries’s suggestion, pointedly saying that her role was to advise the government rather than speak for it.

“She gives advice to government, she is not a government minister,” the prime minister’s spokesman said.

Johnson said that he did not think it was “necessary” to alter the government’s existing guidelines. “We’re not going to change

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2021-11-30 13:30:00Z
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London Playbook: Booster boosterism — Rayn checked — Cabinet rankings - POLITICO.eu

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Presented by Goldman Sachs.

POLITICO London Playbook

By ALEX WICKHAM

PRESENTED BY

Goldman Sachs

Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser

Good Tuesday morning.

DRIVING THE DAY

BOOSTER BOOSTERISM: Boris Johnson will hold a press conference this afternoon where he will present the government’s plan to roll out coronavirus booster vaccines to all adults in the coming weeks. After Monday’s decision to expand the booster campaign, the question tens of millions of Britons are asking is when can they get their third jab — the prime minister will be giving details later on. From this morning you now have to wear a face mask in shops and on public transport, and isolate if NHS Test and Trace says you’ve been in contact with an Omicron case. New arrivals into the country have to stay at home until they’re cleared by a Day 2 test. Health Secretary Sajid Javid is speaking in the Commons ahead of today’s vote on the new measures, with a relatively minor Tory rebellion expected. There’s plenty going on on the corona front — and that’s before we even get to the fallout from another bumpy Labour reshuffle.

PM presser: Johnson will give a press conference on boosters from Downing Street this afternoon, timing still to be confirmed. The Sun’s Harry Cole and Natasha Clark and the Times’ Chris Smyth say the PM will set the new target at 3.5 million boosters per week. (Currently around 2.5 million per week are being handed out.) A senior government insider confirms to Playbook that is correct and that the aim is to broadly get the booster campaign firing at the rate the original vaccine rollout was achieving at its peak. Though they cautioned that 3.5 million is an ambitious figure and stressed the usual caveats that the numbers may well bounce around a bit as they did last time. Expect Johnson to talk today about the logistics of how exactly the government plans to move as quickly as possible to increase the vaccination rate in the coming days.

When can you get your booster? The NHS website was inundated with Lobby hacks and possibly some members of the public trying to book their boosters following yesterday’s announcement, only to be disappointed when the site said they weren’t yet eligible. NHS England is expected to confirm when people will be called forward for their jabs today. Playbook is told it won’t be a case of all over-18s simply being allowed to book at the same time. Instead, as with before, the rollout will be staggered to target those most at risk — so those nearer 40 will be getting theirs before those who’ve just turned 18, and so on — a senior government insider said.

Frontline Saj: The other key news yesterday was that the time people have to wait between their second and third jabs will be slashed from six months to three. The Mail’s John Stevens reckons this means faster booster appointments for 25.1 million people, so it is a major change to the policy. In the U.S., the gap was yesterday set at six months for people vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna. While filming with Sky News outside a vaccination center last night, Javid informed 64-year-old correspondent Jon Craig he was now eligible for his booster and walked him in to get it done. It’s a pretty strong spontaneous PR move for the booster campaign by Javid that you can watch here.

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Mask rules confirmed: The government last night confirmed all the places where you now have to wear masks: shops and supermarkets … shopping centers … takeaways … auction houses and retail galleries … post offices … banks … building societies … high-street solicitors and accountants … credit unions … short-term loan providers … savings clubs and money service businesses … estate and lettings agents and retail travel agents … personal care and beauty premises … pharmacists … and vets.

And on public transport: Airplanes, trains, trams, buses, coaches and ferries (obviously) … taxis and private hire vehicles … and transport hubs like airports and stations. And face coverings will be required during driving lessons and tests, including for HGV drivers.

Go mask free … in restaurants, pubs, bars, theaters, cinemas and other hospitality settings.

Vote today: Javid will be up in the Commons from around 1 p.m. leading the debate on these new measures, with a vote coming at around 4 p.m. Johnson said in words briefed by Downing Street last night that the restrictions will “buy us time in the face of this new variant” while scientists determine the severity of the threat. Javid attempted to reassure Tory MPs yesterday: “If it emerges that this variant is no more dangerous than the Delta variant, then we won’t keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary.” The government stressed the regulations would be reviewed after three weeks.

Pingdemic latest: Leading the restriction-skeptic charge is Tory backbencher Mark Harper, who notes that the rules on face masks are set to expire on December 20, but the new regulations on self-isolation are indefinite. Harper tells the Times’ Chris Smyth: “The regulations setting out the new self-isolation rules do not have an expiry date, which means they will apply for the foreseeable future. My concern is that if this strain is quite transmissible we will be very quickly back to a pingdemic, where very large numbers of people will have to self-isolate despite having been double-vaccinated and boosted. It will lead to great damage to people’s lives, the economy and education.” One government insider tried to allay concerns about a Pingdemic 2.0 by arguing people are no longer checking into restaurants or pubs so are not going to be contacted by NHS Test and Trace. Contact tracers would be more interested in catching contacts of cases coming into the country on planes, they said.

What if it gets worse? Should the data from the scientists come back worse than feared, the FT’s Sebastian Payne, Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe and team have more details of the contingency plans being drawn up to quickly require masks in indoor settings, with a possible work-from-home order over Christmas. Government insiders insisted these were very much contingency measures worked on by officials rather than ministers. Or as one put it to Harry Cole: “I have no doubt that somewhere not far away some f**ker and his team are thinking of ways to ruin Christmas.”

Expect questions today … about this great story from the FT’s Donato Mancini, Hannah Kuchler, Jim Pickard and Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe revealing that the U.K.’s flagship vaccine manufacturing center has been put up for sale. The paper has been briefed that Britain no longer needs surge capacity for vaccine manufacture as pharmaceutical companies have met demand. Let’s hope so.

Cause for optimism: As we all wait the two weeks scientists are asking for to assess the Omicron data, there is some good news doing the rounds today. Former vaccine task force chief Clive Dix tells the BBC: “I don’t think [Omicron] will evade immune systems so that we get a huge number of increases in death and serious illness … If we boost and also make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated, we will be OK with this particular variant.” He did however warn that the government was not ready for a more dangerous strain. My POLITICO colleague Helen Collis has more on existing vaccines and Omicron.

Whipplepedia returns: No offense to him but it’s usually a bad day when the Times’ Science Editor Tom Whipple has an analysis piece in the paper (excellent though they always are). Today’s, however, is something to reassure readers over breakfast. Outlining why Omicron is worrying but people should be “cautiously optimistic,” he notes: “Even if the virus establishes a beach head here, even if it does hit immunity, all is not lost — far from it. The booster program is going well, and we have antivirals on the way that we know are highly effective at keeping the most vulnerable out of hospital, and which will not be affected by mutations. We can buy time.” Whipple concludes: “It is still perfectly plausible that when it arrives we might yet discover that the world has indeed overreacted and — happily — merely ended up looking a bit silly.” Fingers crossed.

YESTERDAY’S UK COVID STATS: 42,583 positive cases, ⬆️ 4,902 on Sunday. In the last week there have been 303,322 positive cases, ⬆️ 10,905 on the previous week … 35 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, ⬇️ 16 on Sunday. In the last week 838 deaths have been reported, ⬇️ 189 on the previous week. As of the latest data 7,530 COVID patients are in hospital.

OMICRON VARIANT: 11 cases detected in the U.K.

VAX STATS: A total 50,941,327 people or 88.6 percent of the population aged 12+ have received a first dose, ⬆️ 21,493 … A total 46,341,057 people or 80.6 percent of the population aged 12+ have received a second dose, ⬆️ 29,445 … A total 17,896,864 people or 31.1 percent of the population aged 12+ have received a booster/third dose, ⬆️ 285,335.

LABOURLAND

RAYN CHECKED: Labour leader Keir Starmer completed a wide-ranging reshuffle of his shadow Cabinet last night, making significant changes across the board as he installed more prominent names and experienced politicians in the opposition’s top jobs. Monday morning was overshadowed by a chaotic row with Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, after Starmer curiously decided to carry out the reshuffle during her long-planned speech on sleaze. The evening went a lot better, with the Leader of the Opposition’s Office managing to successfully shuffle the pack without any further public drama. By close of play Labour had in place a shadow Cabinet that has more battle-hardened veterans in key positions, with some lower profile and more left-wing figures making way — and a leader feeling emboldened by his show of force. The next question is whether Rayner will seek to exact some form of revenge on LOTO for stealing her thunder.

Here’s your run through … 🔼 means promoted, 🔽 means demoted, ➡️ means a sideways move, no emoji means no change.

New ShadCab in full: Deputy Leader, Shadow First Secretary of State, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work (aaaand breathe) Angela Rayner … Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves … Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper 🔼 … Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy 🔼 … Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting 🔼 … Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds 🔼 … Shadow Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband 🔽 … Shadow Leveling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy 🔽 … Shadow Defense Secretary John Healey

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson 🔼 … Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell ➡️ … Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon ➡️ … Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds 🔽 … Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jenny Chapman … Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed ➡️ … Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh 🔼 … Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Party Chair and Chair of Labour Policy Review Anneliese Dodds … Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth 🔽 … Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry 🔽 …

Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health Rosena Allin-Khan … Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development Preet Gill … Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Pat McFadden 🔼 … Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens 🔽 … Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray … Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Kyle 🔼 … National Campaign Coordinator Shabana Mahmood … Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Thangam Debbonaire … Shadow Chief Whip Alan Campbell … Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Angela Smith … Opposition Chief Whip in the House Roy Kennedy.

On the way up: Cooper is the big draw, making a belated return to the frontbench and vacating her position as chair of the home affairs select committee. Her battle with Home Secretary Priti Patel on small boats and borders will be immense … Lammy at shadow FCDO is an eye-catcher and promises fireworks … Streeting’s major promotion to the vital health beat earmarks him as a Starmer protege and potential next Labour leader … the same can be said for rising star Phillipson’s promotion to education … Nandy’s technical demotion could really be a win for her and the party as she seems an ideal fit on the leveling up brief as one of the Labour politicians who most scares the Tories … and there’s a good move to biz for the well-liked Reynolds.

Going down: Thomas-Symonds loses the Home Office beat after criticism he wasn’t cutting through to the public … Miliband is a major loser after clashing with Starmer on energy nationalization … Ashworth is an experienced and popular figure so his demotion is something of a surprise … Thornberry’s move takes her out of the frontline … she replaces Charlie Falconer who really had to leave the ShadCab due to his unfortunate outside legal work … Kate Green and Cat Smith leave the frontbench in another clearout of the left.

Miliband 2.0: The Times’ Eleni Courea — who scooped everyone (including Labour’s deputy leader) when she revealed the plan for a reshuffle in Monday’s paper — has the definitive piece today. “For months Sir Keir Starmer has faced accusations of failing to cut through with voters and land political blows against the government. Last night’s shadow cabinet reshuffle was a tacit acknowledgement that those accusations were true,” Courea writes. She says the row with Rayner and the decision to change the majority of his shadow Cabinet jobs showed Starmer was “ruthless” and “determined to assert his authority” as he tried “to do more to move the public polls in his favour.” Courea concludes: “One cause for concern is how reliant Labour’s operation appears to be on Miliband-era talent. What Starmer needs to avoid is suffering Miliband’s fate.”

Team Keir feeling bullish: A LOTO source told Playbook last night: “Today was Keir’s confidence as leader played out. He knew exactly the team he wanted to assemble and was able to announce it in full. With fresh hungry effective message-carriers in key briefs — the outcome is a triumph.” While a Labour source loyal to Starmer seemed to criticize Team Rayner for the morning’s blow up: “Any attempts to derail things earlier in the day were quickly swept aside. Keir is in charge of this party and the strength of the team he’s now got, proves why.”

How did it nearly go wrong? Playbook is told Starmer and Rayner had previously discussed a coming reshuffle in “theoretical” terms, with Rayner expressing her desire to sit down with the leader with a “big piece of paper” to thrash it out. Starmer was evidently not so keen on that idea. Rayner’s corruption speech had been slated for Monday at 11 a.m. in Labour’s communications grid for at least a week. When she went out on her morning broadcast round yesterday, she had no idea the reshuffle was coming that day, a source close to her says. She was contacted by LOTO after telling Times Radio at 8.35 a.m. that she was not aware of any plans for a reshuffle. Starmer then informed her that he would in fact be conducting a reshuffle — with Rayner’s allies accusing the leader of blindsiding her. At 11 a.m, Rayner gave her speech with the reshuffle underway — her team member Cat Smith announced her departure while Rayner was on stage.

Who’s right? Starmer is of course well within his rights to carry out a reshuffle without consulting his deputy. Though it’s fair to conclude that deliberately timing it to coincide with her speech was a bold and provocative move to say the least. His supporters say it showed his strength and his willingness to be uncompromising with the party’s left. But as the chaos and briefing war unfolded on Lobby hacks’ Twitter feeds, it had been some time since Playbook had heard any senior Tories in as good a mood as they were at 11 a.m. yesterday.

Rayner’s revenge: Rayner told Labour MPs and friends last night she was surprised by LOTO’s actions as she felt the two teams had been working well in recent weeks following the falling out during the last reshuffle. She also told friends she was angry with briefings she said had taken place against her staff members. Rayner’s allies on the left of the party claimed Labour grandee and Dark Lord Peter Mandelson had been involved in the hiring and firing decisions. They said they doubted whether the rift between the leader and deputy caused by yesterday’s events could be healed. All eyes on Rayner’s next public appearance.

**Do not miss the opportunity to join our stellar panel discussion at POLITICO Live’s event “Europe’s energy price surge: what it means for the bloc’s energy and climate policies?” on December 3. Last chance to register here**

TODAY IN WESTMINSTER

HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 11.30 a.m. with FCDO questions, followed by any statements or UQs … After that it’s opposition day, with business in the hands of the SNP. The mischief-making nationalists will take the chance to call for the house to censure Boris Johnson, triggering a three-hour debate about sleaze and the prime minister’s honesty.

CABINET RANKINGS: Playbook has a first look at the latest Conservative Home Cabinet League Table as chosen by Tory members, and it’s grim reading for Downing Street as the Owen Paterson scandal takes effect. Johnson is back into negative ratings, for the second time since the last election. The PM was fourth from bottom last time round on plus 20 points. Now he’s second from bottom on minus 17. Chief Whip Mark Spencer is down from mid-table to bottom on minus 27. Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg is also down. Small boats is also clearly concerning Tory members: Home Secretary Priti Patel has gone from ninth from bottom on plus 25 points last time out, to third from bottom on zero. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is top of the league again — she’s now been there for a year. Head over to the Conservative Home website this morning for the full rankings.

M. BEAUNE RIDES AGAIN: French Europe Minister Clément Beaune has blamed the Channel migrant crisis on what he calls the U.K.’s “quasi-modern slavery” economic model, as he urged the government to change the labor laws to deter migrants. Beaune’s colleague Gérald Darmanin also said the crisis was “first and foremost an English issue,” in charming comments that are definitely likely to reduce the heat between London and Paris. POLITICO’s Jules Darmanin has the full story.

MOORE, RICHARD MOORE: MI6 chief Richard Moore will set out how AI and being more open can help the next generation of spies, in his first major public speech since taking on the role last year. In his address to the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank today, Moore will name China, Iran, Russia and international terrorism as the “big four” priorities for the intelligence world, and pointedly indicate that intelligence agencies will need help from the private sector to combat them. The BBC’s Frank Gardner has a good write-up.

Sleaze reforms: The standards committee yesterday published its proposals to clean up Westminster, including a ban on outside consultancy or strategy work, requiring MPs to seek advice before taking second jobs, banning MPs from making “unreasonable and excessive personal attacks” on social media, and adding an eighth principle of “respect” to the Seven Principles of Public Life. The proposals will now go out for public consultation before the committee makes its final recommendations in the new year. Politics.co.uk has the story.

HACKS TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM: The Chinese province of Henan is building a surveillance system with facial-recognition technology that classifies journalists into a “traffic-light” system, according to documents seen by the BBC’s James Clayton. The documents say any hacks classified as “red” would be “dealt with accordingly” — which sounds alarming. Other “people of concern” would also be surveilled under the system, including migrant women and foreign students.

ICYMI: Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon used her much-overshadowed SNP conference speech yesterday morning to reaffirm her commitment to pushing for IndyRef2 by the end of 2023 — more from Playbook’s Andrew McDonald here.

COMMITTEE CORRIDOR: The DCMS committee will hear from Olympic and Paralympic royalty in Adam PeatyLauren Rowles and Ellie Robinson on the future of National Lottery funding (10 a.m.) … The BEIS committee will look at the post-Brexit competition policy with former Office of Fair Trading Chair John Vickers (10.30 a.m.) … The Lords science and tech committee will quiz Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith (11 a.m.) … National Security Adviser Stephen Lovegrove‘s birthday treat is a couple of hours in front of the defense committee (2.30 p.m.) … Justice Secretary Dominic Raab will make his first appearance before the justice committee (2.30 p.m.) … The women and equalities committee will quiz Equalities Minister Mike Freer on the government’s conversion therapy consultation (3.15 p.m.) … and the public accounts committee will audit the National Audit Office (4.30 p.m.).

LORDS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with questions on the outsourcing of telephone services by the DWP, domestic abuse in older people and preparations for next year’s Qatar World Cup … The main business will be a lengthy second reading of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill.

**A message from Goldman Sachs: Five themes will shape the path towards net-zero, according to Goldman Sachs Research. 1. National commitments and further cuts to emissions by 2030 are critical to reaching net-zero by 2050. 2. Carbon pricing and offset schemes are a key instrument for high-cost de-carbonization, but require tighter standards, stronger supervision and better global liquidity. 3. Carbon labelling could empower consumers to choose low carbon goods and manage their carbon budgets. 4. The rise of ESG is driving capital towards de-carbonization, but regulatory uncertainty and a lack of global coordination are generating structural underinvestment in key materials, energy and heavy transport sectors, raising price inflation and affordability concerns. 5. A complex ecosystem of low carbon technologies will be needed to reach net-zero. To keep global warming below 1.5°C and reach net-zero by 2050, we expect a cumulative US $56 tn of green infrastructure investments. Learn more.**

MEDIA ROUND

Care Minister Gillian Keegan broadcast round: Sky News (7.05 a.m.) … Times Radio (7.20 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … Today program (8.30 a.m.) … ITV GMB (8.30 a.m.) … talkRADIO (9.05 a.m.).

Shadow Leveling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy broadcast round: BBC Breakfast (6.40 a.m.) … Times Radio (7.35 a.m.) … Sky News (8.05 a.m.) … LBC (8.50 a.m.) … talkRADIO (9.05 a.m.).

Also on the Today program: U.K. Health Security Agency chief Jenny Harries (7.50 a.m.).

Also on BBC Breakfast: JCVI member Adam Finn (7.10 a.m.) … U.K. Health Security Agency chief Jenny Harries (8.20 a.m.) … Scotland’s National Clinical Director Jason Leitch (8.45 a.m.).

Also on Good Morning Britain (ITV): Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (8.15 a.m.).

Also on Kay Burley at Breakfast (Sky News): London Mayor Sadiq Khan (8.20 a.m.).

Also on Times Radio breakfast: SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford (8.35 a.m.) … London Mayor Sadiq Khan (8.45 a.m.) … Tory MP Mark Harper (9.05 a.m.).

Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast (LBC): Former Chair of the Vaccine Taskforce Clive Dix (8.05 a.m.).

Also on Julia Hartley-Brewer breakfast show (talkRADIO): Tory MP Mark Harper (8.05 a.m.) … NERVTAG member Robert Dingwall (9.20 a.m.).

Good Morning Scotland: Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf (7.15 a.m.).

Politics Live (BBC Two 12.15 p.m.): Shadow Brexit Minister Jenny Chapman … Tory MP Ben Bradley … Former Labour adviser Andrew Fisher … GB News presenter Inaya Folarin Iman.

Iain Dale (LBC): Cross Question panel with Tory MP Damian Green … U.K. in a Changing Europe Director Anand Menon … Comedian Francis Foster (8 p.m.) … Phone-in with Tracey Crouch, chair of the fan led review of football governance (9 p.m.).

Reviewing the papers tonight: Sky News (10.30 and 11.30 p.m.): The Observer’s Sonia Sodha and the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope … Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): Former Labour/Lib Dem MP Luciana Berger and former Tory SpAd Mo Hussein.

TODAY’S FRONT PAGES

(Click on the publication’s name to see its front page.)

Daily Express: Let’s go for it! Booster rollout to save Xmas.

Daily Mail: Ghislaine, ‘predator who served up young girls to be abused.’

Daily Mirror: Rush jab.

Daily Star: Jesus, Mary & Joseph & the wee donkey.

Financial Times: Booster jabs drive widened to all adults in battle to quell Omicron.

HuffPost UK: COVID boosters for all aged 18 and over.

i: Boosters for every adult in U.K. to fight Omicron.

Metro: Booster drive to beat Omi.

POLITICO UK: Vaccines vs. Omicron — The next big test in the coronavirus pandemic.

The Daily Telegraph: Biden — No cause for panic.

The Independent: NHS’s race to deliver 20m booster vaccines.

The Guardian: Race to return to 500,000 U.K. jabs a day as Omicron concern grows.

The Sun: Sheri smash horror.

The Times: Scramble to get jabs in arms.

LONDON CALLING

WESTMINSTER WEATHER: ☁️☁️☁️ Thick cloud and a gentle breeze. Highs of 11C.

SPOTTED … At the Conservative Friends of Israel annual business lunch: PM Boris Johnson … Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis … Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely … Former PM Theresa May … Cabinet Ministers Liz Truss Kwasi Kwarteng … Alok Sharma … Priti Patel … Grant Shapps … Oliver Dowden … Nadine Dorries … No. 10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield and SpAd Chloe Westley … Junior Ministers Michael Ellis … Stephen Greenhalgh … Conor Burns … Paul Scully … MPs Robert Jenrick Robert Halfon … Stephen Crabb … Andrew Bridgen … Andrew Bowie … Damian Green … Jacob Young … Christian Wakeford … Ben EverittMatt Hancock

Still going: Chris Grayling … Tobias Ellwood … Caroline Nokes … Sara Britcliffe … Jill Mortimer … Richard Holden … Mark Fletcher Damien Moore … Stephen Hammond … Mark Jenkinson … Sheryll Murray … Tom Randall … Peter Gibson … Miriam Cates … Siobhan Baillie … Jane Stevenson … Mark Francois … Guy Opperman … Andrew Percy … Alex Burnett … Andrew Rosindell and his aide Elliot Keck … Peer Kevin Shinkwin … Hacks Julia Hartley-Brewer and Sabrina Miller … Activist Nimco Ali … British Museum Chair George Osborne … and ACOBA Chair Eric Pickles.

BIRTHDAYS: Minister without portfolio Nigel Adams … South Yorkshire Mayor Dan Jarvis … Former Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire … Tory peer Patrick McLoughlin … Former Schools Minister David Laws … National Security Adviser Stephen Lovegrove … No. 10 SpAd Meg Powell-Chandler … Senior communication officer in the lord speaker’s office Lucy Dargahi … Labour peer Hilary Armstrong … Lib Dem peer Graham Tope … Labour peer David Evans … Lib Dem peer Phil Willis … Natural England Chairman Andrew Sells … The New Statesman’s Anoosh Chakelian … and former UKIP leader Paul Nuttall.

PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editor Zoya Sheftalovich, reporter Andrew McDonald producer Grace Stranger.

SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | Playbook Paris | EU Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | AI: Decoded | Digital Bridge | China Direct | D.C. Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters

More from ... Alex Wickham

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2021-11-30 07:12:04Z
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Senin, 29 November 2021

Sir Keir Starmer blindsides deputy Angela Rayner with surprise Labour reshuffle - The Times

Sir Keir Starmer conducted an extensive reshuffle of his top team yesterday, moving the majority of his shadow cabinet ministers and returning Yvette Cooper to the front bench.

Cooper, the home affairs committee chairwoman and former Brownite rising star, was appointed shadow home secretary. David Lammy, the New Labour-era minister, was made shadow foreign secretary. Lisa Nandy, who had been shadow foreign secretary, was appointed to shadow Michael Gove at the new Department for Levelling Up.

Wes Streeting was promoted to shadow health secretary, replacing Jonathan Ashworth, who was moved to shadow work and pensions.

The Labour leader announced the shake-up following concerns that he was failing to cut through to voters. The reshuffle blindsided Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, who was informed of it

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2021-11-30 00:41:00Z
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Labour reshuffle: Yvette Cooper promoted to shadow home secretary and Lisa Nandy to shadow Michael Gove on levelling up brief - Sky News

Yvette Cooper is elevated to shadow home secretary while Lisa Nandy will move from shadow foreign secretary to the levelling up brief as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reshuffles his cabinet.

Ms Cooper, who held the home affairs brief previously from 2011 to 2015 under former Labour leader Ed Miliband, will depart her current role as chair of the influential Commons home affairs select committee in returning to the shadow cabinet.

She will go head to head with Home Secretary Priti Patel on the issue of migrant crossings.

Ms Nandy will now shadow Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, while David Lammy has been promoted into her former shadow foreign secretary role from the justice brief.

New shadow cabinet roles revealed in Starmer's surprise Labour shake-up - live updates

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy speaks during Britain's Labour Party annual conference, in Brighton, Britain
Image: Lisa Nandy is moving from shadow foreign secretary to shadow levelling up secretary against Michael Gove, Sky News understands

Others who have been boosted to more prominent positions in Sir Keir's top team include Wes Streeting who moves to shadow health secretary and Bridget Phillipson who will transfer from shadow chief secretary to the Treasury to shadow education secretary.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Ashworth, who has had the health brief through the pandemic, moves to shadow work and pensions secretary and said he was "excited" about the new role.

More on Keir Starmer

Former holder of the education brief Kate Green has been removed from the shadow cabinet alongside the previous shadow Wales secretary Nia Griffith and former shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard.

Earlier on Monday, former shadow minister for young people and democracy Cat Smith and former shadow attorney general Lord Falconer said announced that they were also stepping down from Labour's frontbench.

Sir Keir's top team now includes:

• Angela Rayner as deputy leader, shadow first secretary of state, shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster and shadow secretary of state for the future of work

• Rachel Reeves as shadow chancellor

• David Lammy as shadow foreign secretary

• Yvette Cooper as shadow home secretary

• Wes Streeting as shadow health secretary

• Lisa Nandy as shadow levelling up, housing, communities and local government secretary

• Jonathan Reynolds as shadow business secretary

• Ed Miliband as shadow climate change and net zero secretary

• John Healey as shadow defence secretary

• Lucy Powell as shadow digital, culture, media and sport secretary

• Bridget Phillipson as shadow education secretary

• Jim McMahon as shadow environment secretary

• Nick Thomas-Symonds as shadow international trade secretary

• Steve Reed as shadow justice secretary

• Louise Haigh as shadow transport secretary

• Jenny Chapman as shadow cabinet office minister

• Louise Haigh as shadow transport secretary

• Anneliese Dodds as women and equalities secretary and Labour Party chair

• Jonathan Ashworth as shadow work and pensions secretary

• Emily Thornberry as shadow attorney general

• Jo Stevens as shadow Wales secretary

• Ian Murray as shadow Scotland secretary

• Peter Kyle as shadow Northern Ireland secretary

• Thangam Debbonaire as shadow Commons leader

• Dr Rosena Allin-Khan as shadow mental health minister

• Preet Gill as shadow international development minister

• Pat McFadden as chief secretary to the Treasury

• Alan Campbell as shadow chief whip

• Angela Smith as shadow leader of the House of Lords

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer speaking at the Mailbox in Birmingham during the CBI annual conference
Image: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is carrying out a reshuffle for the first time in six months

In a statement, Sir Keir said: "With this reshuffle, we are a smaller, more focused shadow cabinet that mirrors the shape of the government we are shadowing.

"We must hold the Conservative government to account on behalf of the public and demonstrate that we are the right choice to form the next government."

The Labour leader said he is "delighted" to have appointed Ms Nandy to the foreign affairs brief, adding that "there will be nobody better than Lisa to lead this work".

Ed Miliband says the government is not taking COP26 seriously enough
Image: Ed Miliband will take on the climate brief

Meanwhile, Mr Miliband "will lead in the shadow cabinet to develop Labour's extensive plans for net zero in a first term Labour government, and hold the government to account for its failure to take action", Sir Keir said.

The reshuffle comes six months after Sir Keir's last refresh of his shadow cabinet, in the wake of a mixed night for Labour in May's elections across the UK.

Analysis, Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

Yvette Cooper, back in the political front line as shadow home secretary – again - in the headline appointment in the Starmer shuffle, is viewed by many MPs as Labour’s lost leader.

Not any more, though. After giving up the £15,000-a-year chair of the home affairs select committee after five years, she’s almost certainly back as a leading contender for Labour’s crown once again.

And that means that all the leading candidates to succeed Sir Keir Starmer if he stumbles before the next general election or performs dismally when the election comes are all women.

Ms Cooper joins a highly able trio of deputy leader Angela Rayner, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and the new shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy as the Labour leadership front runners.

In a tweet, Ms Cooper said: "Looking forward to getting to work as Labour shadow home secretary working with Keir Starmer and building on the work done by Nick Thomas-Symonds.

"We want our communities and country to be strong, safe and secure. The Home Office is badly letting people down. Much to do."

Also posting on social media, Mr Lammy said he was "honoured" to be appointed shadow foreign secretary and praised his predecessor Ms Nandy for "holding the Tories' feet to the fire".

"Honoured to be appointed shadow secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs. At a time when Britain is recasting itself on the world stage, I look forward to setting out Labour's vision for a values-led foreign policy based on cooperation & internationalism," Mr Lammy said.

Britain's Shadow Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy speaks during Britain's Labour Party annual conference, in Brighton, Britain, September 28, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Image: David Lammy has been promoted to the foreign affairs brief

Newly-appointed shadow health secretary Mr Streeting tweeted: "Delighted to have been appointed as shadow health and social care secretary.

"This year the NHS saved my life and staff across health and social care are getting us through the worst pandemic in living memory. Labour created the NHS. We'll make it fit for the future."

Earlier this year, Mr Streeting was diagnosed with kidney cancer and had a kidney removed.

Some have suggested the shake-up came about quite abruptly.

Speaking earlier on Monday morning at an event in Westminster amid swirling reshuffle rumours, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "I don't know the details of the reshuffle or the timing of it, I've been here concentrating on my role now.

Wes Streeting
Image: Wes Streeting will take over as shadow health secretary

"But six months ago I said again we need some consistency in how we're approaching things as an opposition. I want us to see us as a government in waiting, I want us to do that job."

Sky's political correspondent Kate McCann reported that Ms Rayner did get a call from Sir Keir on Monday morning to say she would keep her role, but was not given any detail or consulted about the reshuffle itself.

Posting on social media, Mr Lammy said he was "honoured" to be appointed shadow foreign secretary and praised his predecessor Ms Nandy for "holding the Tories' feet to the fire".

"Honoured to be appointed shadow secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth & development affairs. At a time when Britain is recasting itself on the world stage, I look forward to setting out Labour's vision for a values-led foreign policy based on cooperation & internationalism," Mr Lammy said.

Cat Smith
Image: Cat Smith was the first person to depart the shadow cabinet on Monday

While announcing her departure from Sir Keir's shadow cabinet, Ms Smith tweeted out a copy of a letter she had sent to the Labour leader, warning Sir Keir of the "damage" being done by Jeremy Corbyn remaining suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Sir Keir's previous reshuffle provoked controversy within the party when he sacked Ms Rayner as Labour Party chair.

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2021-11-29 20:43:01Z
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COVID-19: Booster jabs for all adults, children over 12 can get second dose and most vulnerable eligible for fourth shot - Sky News

All adults will be offered a COVID-19 booster vaccine as the government backed a far reaching expansion of the jabs programme to deal with the potential impact of the Omicron variant.

On Monday afternoon, the UK's vaccine advisory body - the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation (JCVI) - recommended:

• Booster jabs for everybody over the age of 18

• Shortening the gap between a second jab and a booster from six months to three months

• Giving a second jab to children aged between 12 and 15 - again after no less than three months

• Severely immunosuppressed people given access to another booster - meaning for some, a fourth dose this winter

• Boosters consisting of either a Pfizer vaccine or a half dose of the Moderna jab

More on this story

Delivering a statement in the Commons shortly afterwards, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that the government will be taking on board all of the recommendations "in full".

COVID news live: UK calls 'urgent' G7 meeting to discuss Omicron variant

The move, which will see millions more people in the UK become eligible for a third booster dose, has come in the wake of growing international concern about the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.

Analysis: Thomas Moore, science correspondent

The race is on to top up the immunity of the population as fast as possible.

That means boosters for all adults and second doses for secondary school-age children.

It seems counterintuitive at first to be giving yet more doses of the vaccine when Omicron is so heavily mutated that it would almost certainly reduce its effectiveness.

Remember, this vaccine was designed for the original virus from Wuhan.

But senior health officials believe raising antibody levels would broaden the immune response so that there is protection against the new variant.

They really want that to happen before Omicron gets a foothold and starts spreading widely. Boosting immunity is more effective if it’s done in advance, they say. And that’s why adults will be offered a booster in the coming weeks.

Mr Javid told MPs: "In this race between the vaccines and the virus, the new variant may have given the virus extra legs."

Deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said "scientists around the world" agree that the Omicron variant is "of increased concern", but stressed that there remains a "high degree of current uncertainty" about it.

Speaking at a televised data briefing, Prof Van-Tam said: "I want to be clear that this is not all doom and gloom at this stage and I do not want people to panic at this stage.

"If vaccine effectiveness is reduced as seems pretty likely to some extent, the biggest effects are likely to be in preventing infections and hopefully there will be smaller effects on preventing severe disease.

"But that is something that is there for scientists to work out in the next few weeks."

He added that the booster campaign "has never been more vital than at this point in time".

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Booster shots bring festive spirit

"To me - and as you know, I love football - we started with 11 players in the team with the Wuhan vaccine and you could say that we kind of picked up a couple of injuries when Alpha came along and then Delta came along, those variants that are different from the Wuhan original strain," Prof Van-Tam said.

"And we've had to use our subs off the bench to keep us in the game. But we are well in the game, and you can see that with the current epidemiology in relation to Delta, that the vaccines are holding up very well and largely keeping us out of trouble.

"Now Omicron is like now picking up a couple of yellow cards to key players on top. We may be okay, but we are kind of starting to feel at risk that we might go down to 10 players.

"And if that happens, or if it is a risk that that is going to happen, then we need everyone on the pitch to up their game in the meantime. And that is really upping their game in terms of boosters and in terms of antibody responses.

A woman receives an Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine
Image: Anyone aged over 18 can now receive a third coronavirus jab

"We are not going to wait for the red card to happen, we are going to act decisively now and we are asking everyone to up their game.

"We are asking everyone to play their part in the urgency now of the booster programme - coming forward the moment you are called by the NHS."

Speaking at the data briefing, Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said a "thorough review" and monitoring had found it was safe for those aged 12 to 15 to have a second vaccine dose as there are "no new safety issues".

"Our message to people aged 12-15 is that it is safe to have a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and if you're called to receive your second dose, please go and take that offer. It will ensure that you're further protected from COVID-19," Dr Raine said.

She added that it was "very likely" that an assessment of whether to approve the Pfizer jab for children as young as five would be concluded before Christmas.

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WHO says 'vaccines are key'

Meanwhile, Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of the JCVI, said: "Having a booster dose of the vaccine will help to increase our level of protection against the Omicron variant."

"This is an important way for us to reduce the impact of this variant on our lives, especially in the coming months," he added.

The move has come in the wake of growing international concern about the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.

Six cases of Omicron have been found in Scotland and five have been detected in England.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) identified two further cases of the Omicron variant in England on Monday, in Camden and Wandsworth in London.

The agency said both cases have travel links to South Africa.

Delivering a statement on the Omicron variant to the Commons, Mr Javid said: "We expect cases to rise over the coming days."

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Booster jabs offered to all adults

The UK called an "urgent" meeting of G7 health ministers today to discuss the variant, and a number of countries have reimposed travel restrictions.

In a statement released after the meeting, the G7 health ministers indicated that they will continue to work closely together in the coming weeks to share information and monitor Omicron and agreed to meet again in December.

JCVI deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden had previously said extending the age range for boosters and reducing the gap between second and third doses was "a sensible strategy".

The expansion of the vaccination programme is just one part of a host of new measures aimed at preventing the spread of the B.1.1.529.

Not much is known about the new strain, first detected by researchers in southern Africa, but there are fears it could be more contagious and more resistant to vaccines.

It is hoped measures - including the reintroduction of mask-wearing in some settings in the UK - could buy more time for scientists to gain a greater understanding of the virus.

This measure will be brought back on Tuesday, while PCR tests will be reintroduced for travellers returning to the UK.

Close contacts of anyone who tests positive for the new strain have also been ordered to isolate for 10 days.

"If it emerges that this variant is no more dangerous than the Delta variant, then we won't keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary," the health secretary told MPs.

But also speaking in the Commons on Monday, shadow health minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan called for pre-departure testing to also be implemented.

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker.

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2021-11-29 16:12:30Z
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