Downing Street is forced to deny bizarre claim Boris Johnson was wearing an EARPIECE at PMQs - Daily Mail

Downing Street is forced to deny claim Boris Johnson was wearing an EARPIECE and was 'being fed answers by Dominic Cummings' during bruising PMQs - so what is going on with PM's ear?

• Labour MPs were among those who suggested he was receiving help today
• Social media wags suggested images showed communications device in his ear
• Downing Street said the claim was not true 

By David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 15:26 BST, 3 June 2020 | Updated: 17:44 BST, 3 June 2020

He has struggled in recent Prime Ministers Questions against a resurgent Labour under Sir Keir Starmer.

But Downing Street was forced to deny a  bizarre claim that Boris Johnson received help at the Despatch Box this afternoon via an earpiece.

Labour MPs were among those who suggested he was receiving help in his confrontation the Leader of the Opposition after a shadowy image of his head circulated online.

Social media wags suggested the image showed a communications device in his ear, nestled below his increasingly unkempt lockdown mop.

It was picked up by MPs including Labour's Bill Esterson, who said: 'If he was receiving help, it didn't show. 

'He was as useless as ever in response to calm, sensible scrutiny from Keir Starmer.'

But the Prime Minister's official spokesman this afternoon said: 'It is fair to say the Prime Minister was not wearing an earpiece.' 

Online wags suggested the image showed a communications device in his ear, nestled below his increasingly unkept lockdown mop

Labour MPs were among those who suggested he was receiving help in his confrontation the Leader of the Opposition after a shadowy image of his head circulated online

The Rachel Swindon account, which was closely linked to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour leadership, was among those who shared the claim this afternoon

SO WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE BORIS JOHNSON IS WEARING AN EARPIECE? 

The Prime Minister was also forced to deny he was wearing an earpiece back in November, after eagle-eyed viewers noticed a dark patch in his ear when he took part in a BBC debate ahead of the General Election.

He dismissed the claims, saying that he had a 'weird flap of skin in his right ear that sometimes gets picked up by lights and camera flashes'.

It is not clear what flap of skin he was referring to - but other pictures taken of the PM show he has a prominent crus helix, a thin chunk of cartilage that tends to stretch halfway across the concha, the hollow part next to the ear canal. 

Mr Johnson was dear until the age of eight because of 'glue ear', a condition where the ear canal fills with fluid that can cause temporary hearing loss.  

Advertisement

It is not the first time Mr Johnson has been accused of wearing an earpiece at an important event.

Allegations swept Twitter in November when he took part in a BBC Question Time leaders' debate ahead of the General Election.

But that was dismissed after it was revealed that he has 'a weird flap of skin in his right ear that sometimes gets picked up by lights and camera flashes'.    

Today's claim came as Sir Keir today took the gloves off in his battle against Mr Johnson as he battered the Prime Minister over the Government's test and trace programme, decision to reopen schools and transparency.

Sir Keir tried to use PMQs this lunchtime to score body blows on the PM over key parts of the Government's coronavirus response.

But a furious Mr Johnson hit back and accused the Labour leader of delivering 'endless attacks on public trust and confidence'.

Labour had adopted a largely constructive approach to the crisis to date, with the shadow cabinet seemingly reluctant to blast the Government in public.

Today marked a dramatic shift in approach as Sir Keir told Mr Johnson: 'The Prime Minister is confusing scrutiny for attacks.'

Sir Keir also looked to capitalise on reports that the PM has now decided to take more control of the Government's coronavirus strategy.

In an apparent reference to Mr Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings, the Labour leader said: 'The Telegraph is reporting this morning that the Prime Minister has decided to take direct control of the Government's response to the virus.

It follows a similar claim that was made after his performance in a leadership debate last November that was widely discredited

Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden was among those who took up the meme this afternoon. She later accepted it was not true

Other Twitter users who believed the claim demanded a parliamentary investigation and suggested he was receiving information from Dominic Cummings

Others compared the apparent 'object' to a scene from a film where a cockroach enters the ear

Another compared the 'ear piece' to a Jack Douglas comedy routine, advising Johnson to improve his commons performance

Another claimed he knew who had been giving Boris Johnson instructions, TV hosts Ant and Dec 

Others joked that Jeremy Corbyn had been feeding Boris Johnson lines via the 'earpiece'

'So an obvious question for the Prime Minister, who's been in direct control up until now?'

Mr Johnson replied: 'I take full responsibility for everything this Government has been doing in tackling coronavirus and I'm very proud of our record'.

Despite the bruising exchanges, Tory spirits were likely to have been lifted by Mr Johnson's robust responses after a number of performances in recent weeks in which pundits suggested Sir Keir had got the better of the PM.

The clashes at PMQs came as the Government faced growing pressure over the roll out of the NHS Test and Trace programme.

Reports suggest that the system is failing to trace the contacts of approximately 60 per cent of people who have tested positive for the disease.

What are the rules on electronic devices in the Commons? 

Using an earpiece to take instructions from outside the Commons would break rules on the use of electronics in the chamber.

Under guidelines introduced in 2011, MPs are allowed to use handheld devices like phones and tablets -  but not laptops - 'provided that they are silent and used in a way which does not impair decorum'

They can be used during speeches in place of paper notes.

But they must be set to silent, and an earpiece that transmits vocal instructions would appear to fall foul of this restriction.

The official guide to Parliamentary rules and etiquette, Erskine May, notes:  'The Speaker has regularly deprecated the failure of Members to turn off mobile phones or other devices which may give rise to disturbance, and listening to a message is unacceptable.' 

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiggFodHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTgzODQ1MDcvRG93bmluZy1TdHJlZXQtZm9yY2VkLWRlbnktYml6YXJyZS1jbGFpbS1Cb3Jpcy1Kb2huc29uLXdlYXJpbmctRUFSUElFQ0UtUE1Rcy5odG1s0gGGAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODM4NDUwNy9hbXAvRG93bmluZy1TdHJlZXQtZm9yY2VkLWRlbnktYml6YXJyZS1jbGFpbS1Cb3Jpcy1Kb2huc29uLXdlYXJpbmctRUFSUElFQ0UtUE1Rcy5odG1s?oc=5

2020-06-03 16:51:15Z
52780828538250

Downing Street is forced to deny bizarre claim Boris Johnson was wearing an EARPIECE at PMQs - Daily Mail

Downing Street is forced to deny claim Boris Johnson was wearing an EARPIECE and was 'being fed answers by Dominic Cummings' during bruising PMQs - so what is going on with PM's ear?

• Labour MPs were among those who suggested he was receiving help today
• Social media wags suggested images showed communications device in his ear
• Downing Street said the claim was not true 

By David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 15:26 BST, 3 June 2020 | Updated: 16:58 BST, 3 June 2020

He has struggled in recent Prime Ministers Questions against a resurgent Labour under Sir Keir Starmer.

But Downing Street was forced to deny a  bizarre claim that Boris Johnson received help at the Despatch Box this afternoon via an earpiece.

Labour MPs were among those who suggested he was receiving help in his confrontation the Leader of the Opposition after a shadowy image of his head circulated online.

Social media wags suggested the image showed a communications device in his ear, nestled below his increasingly unkempt lockdown mop.

It was picked up by MPs including Labour's Bill Esterson, who said: 'If he was receiving help, it didn't show. 

'He was as useless as ever in response to calm, sensible scrutiny from Keir Starmer.'

But the Prime Minister's official spokesman this afternoon said: 'It is fair to say the Prime Minister was not wearing an earpiece.' 

Online wags suggested the image showed a communications device in his ear, nestled below his increasingly unkept lockdown mop

Labour MPs were among those who suggested he was receiving help in his confrontation the Leader of the Opposition after a shadowy image of his head circulated online

The Rachel Swindon account, which was closely linked to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour leadership, was among those who shared the claim this afternoon

SO WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE BORIS JOHNSON IS WEARING AN EARPIECE? 

The Prime Minister was also forced to deny he was wearing an earpiece back in November, after eagle-eyed viewers noticed a dark patch in his ear when he took part in a BBC debate ahead of the General Election.

He dismissed the claims, saying that he had a 'weird flap of skin in his right ear that sometimes gets picked up by lights and camera flashes'.

It is not clear what flap of skin he was referring to - but other pictures taken of the PM show he has a prominent crus helix, a thin chunk of cartilage that tends to stretch halfway across the concha, the hollow part next to the ear canal. 

Mr Johnson was dear until the age of eight because of 'glue ear', a condition where the ear canal fills with fluid that can cause temporary hearing loss.  

Advertisement

It is not the first time Mr Johnson has been accused of wearing an earpiece at an important event.

Allegations swept Twitter in November when he took part in a BBC Question Time leaders' debate ahead of the General Election.

But that was dismissed after it was revealed that he has 'a weird flap of skin in his right ear that sometimes gets picked up by lights and camera flashes'.    

Today's claim came as Sir Keir today took the gloves off in his battle against Mr Johnson as he battered the Prime Minister over the Government's test and trace programme, decision to reopen schools and transparency.

Sir Keir tried to use PMQs this lunchtime to score body blows on the PM over key parts of the Government's coronavirus response.

But a furious Mr Johnson hit back and accused the Labour leader of delivering 'endless attacks on public trust and confidence'.

Labour had adopted a largely constructive approach to the crisis to date, with the shadow cabinet seemingly reluctant to blast the Government in public.

Today marked a dramatic shift in approach as Sir Keir told Mr Johnson: 'The Prime Minister is confusing scrutiny for attacks.'

Sir Keir also looked to capitalise on reports that the PM has now decided to take more control of the Government's coronavirus strategy.

In an apparent reference to Mr Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings, the Labour leader said: 'The Telegraph is reporting this morning that the Prime Minister has decided to take direct control of the Government's response to the virus.

It follows a similar claim that was made after his performance in a leadership debate last November that was widely discredited

Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden was among those who took up the meme this afternoon. She later accepted it was not true

Other Twitter users who believed the claim demanded a parliamentary investigation and suggested he was receiving information from Dominic Cummings

'So an obvious question for the Prime Minister, who's been in direct control up until now?'

Mr Johnson replied: 'I take full responsibility for everything this Government has been doing in tackling coronavirus and I'm very proud of our record'.

Despite the bruising exchanges, Tory spirits were likely to have been lifted by Mr Johnson's robust responses after a number of performances in recent weeks in which pundits suggested Sir Keir had got the better of the PM.

The clashes at PMQs came as the Government faced growing pressure over the roll out of the NHS Test and Trace programme.

Reports suggest that the system is failing to trace the contacts of approximately 60 per cent of people who have tested positive for the disease.

What are the rules on electronic devices in the Commons? 

Using an earpiece to take instructions from outside the Commons would break rules on the use of electronics in the chamber.

Under guidelines introduced in 2011, MPs are allowed to use handheld devices like phones and tablets -  but not laptops - 'provided that they are silent and used in a way which does not impair decorum'

They can be used during speeches in place of paper notes.

But they must be set to silent, and an earpiece that transmits vocal instructions would appear to fall foul of this restriction.

The official guide to Parliamentary rules and etiquette, Erskine May, notes:  'The Speaker has regularly deprecated the failure of Members to turn off mobile phones or other devices which may give rise to disturbance, and listening to a message is unacceptable.' 

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiggFodHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTgzODQ1MDcvRG93bmluZy1TdHJlZXQtZm9yY2VkLWRlbnktYml6YXJyZS1jbGFpbS1Cb3Jpcy1Kb2huc29uLXdlYXJpbmctRUFSUElFQ0UtUE1Rcy5odG1s0gGGAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODM4NDUwNy9hbXAvRG93bmluZy1TdHJlZXQtZm9yY2VkLWRlbnktYml6YXJyZS1jbGFpbS1Cb3Jpcy1Kb2huc29uLXdlYXJpbmctRUFSUElFQ0UtUE1Rcy5odG1s?oc=5

2020-06-03 16:14:28Z
52780828538250

UK coronavirus death toll hits 39,728 after 359 more deaths including girl, 12 - The Sun

CORONAVIRUS fatalities in the UK have risen to 39,728 after 359 more deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

A 12-year-old girl, with underlying health conditions, is among the latest coronavirus victims.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

4

Britain's death toll continues to riseCredit: PA:Press Association

4

4

A total of 279,856 people have now tested positive for Covid-19 across Britain - up 1,871 cases from yesterday.

Today's death toll refers to those who have died in all settings - including care homes, hospices and the wider community.

The latest rise in deaths confirmed by the Department of Health is bigger than it was yesterday, when 324 more deaths were logged.

Today's figures are a slight decrease from last Wednesday's 434.

It comes as more than 50,000 people in the UK have died from coronavirus – 11,000 more the official figure, according to a new analysis published today.

In England, the total number of Covid-19 deaths rose to  27,044 today - up 179 from yesterday.

NHS England confirmed the patients were aged between 12 and 97 years old and four had no known underlying health conditions.  

In Scotland, a total of 2,386 patients have died after testing positive for coronavirus - up by 11 from yesterday.

In Wales, 17 more deaths were recorded overnight, bringing the overall tally there to 1,371.

While in Northern Ireland, eight more people have died - bringing the total to 534.  

---

It comes as:

• Official data shows that the UK's hardest hit by Covid-19 has seen twice as many deaths this spring compared to normal

• Scientists claim blood tests could help identify patients who are morelikely to die from Covid-19

---

Yesterday, an alarming new report has found black and ethnic minorities are more than twice as likely to die from Covid-19 than white people.

The findings published yesterday also show men of working class age are twice as likely to die than women.

Seperate analysis has found 64 per cent of NHS and social care workers who died were from a BAME background.

Ministers ordered the review after several studies suggested that those from BAME backgrounds were more likely to catch the bug.

Figures published yesterday also show that the number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has today fallen to their lowest levels in seven weeks.

ONS revealed the number of fatalities in England and Wales hospitals are now 24 deaths lower than the five-year average.

HIT-AND-RUN HORROR

Two injured after car 'mounts pavement and hits pedestrians' in London

COVID IS COMING

Coronavirus ‘is a seasonal disease - winter time will become Covid time’

BLOODBATH

Two girls cried 'he's cut mummy' after dad 'slit wife & teen daughter's throats'

hols hope

Priti sticks to her guns over 14-day quarantine but leaves door open for holidays

FINAL PIC

Son sends haunting selfie to mum just minutes before he & pals die in plane crash

In a sign the tide is slowly turning against coronavirus, the percentage of deaths involving the deadly bug continued to decrease across all English regions.

Out of all deaths involving the deadly bug in England and Wales, 64 per cent - 28,159 deaths - occurred in hospital, the ONS said.

The figures yesterday showed there were 2,589 deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales registered in the week ending May 22 - the lowest weekly number recorded in the last seven weeks.

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW

Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiQ2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZXN1bi5jby51ay9uZXdzLzExNzcyNjA5L3VrLWRlYXRoLXRvbGwtbGF0ZXN0LWhpZ2hlci_SAUdodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVzdW4uY28udWsvbmV3cy8xMTc3MjYwOS91ay1kZWF0aC10b2xsLWxhdGVzdC1oaWdoZXIvYW1wLw?oc=5

2020-06-03 15:40:45Z
52780826608190

Coronavirus: UK quarantine plans and £1,000 penalties confirmed - BBC News

Plans to force almost all arrivals to the UK to isolate for 14 days have been confirmed by the home secretary.

Priti Patel told the Commons that Border Force will check that travellers fill out a form with their contact details and location for isolation.

Leaving isolation prematurely in England could result in a fine of up to £1,000 or prosecution, she said.

"We will not allow a reckless minority to put our domestic recovery at risk," she said.

Ms Patel told MPs that scientific advisers had said quarantine would not have been effective earlier in the pandemic when infection rates in the UK were higher.

But now, imported cases of the virus posed a more significant threat, she said, so it was now important to "protect our hard-won progress as we move in the right direction".

She said the "proportionate and time-limited measures" would come into force on Monday, with "limited exemptions" intended to ensure supplies of essential items such as food and protective equipment were not disrupted.

The regulations apply to England, and Ms Patel said devolved administrations would set out their own rules for enforcing the quarantine.

Ms Patel said the measures would be reviewed after three weeks and the government would aim to ensure greater freedom in the long term, including establishing safe "international travel corridors" with countries deemed to be safe.

'Completely useless'

Ryanair said the proposals were "utterly ineffective", with arrivals travelling from the airport before they isolate, potentially spreading infection, while the government would phone "less than 1%" of them to check they were complying.

"This 14-day UK quarantine is ineffective, completely useless, and will have no effect on British passengers who will largely ignore it," a spokeswoman said.

The Confederation of British Industry said it needed more detail on how the policy would be reviewed, who would be exempt and how the international travel corridors with key trading partners could be created.

"Businesses and government urgently need to draw up an internationally coordinated plan to get people safely moving across borders as soon as possible," said CBI president John Allen.

Sources at the French and Italian foreign ministries told the BBC there had been no bilateral talks yet about lifting the quarantine plans and establishing travel corridors or "air bridges" with the UK.

"If the UK imposes a quarantine period, we will apply it too," a French official said.

The plan has sparked concern among several Tory MPs, with former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers calling for it to be suspended while travel corridors are set up, to "save jobs in aviation and let families go on their summer breaks in the sun".

Speaking at an earlier debate about the aviation industry, former prime minister Theresa May said quarantine would "close Britain off from the rest of the world".

Deportation 'a last resort'

Labour's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said people needed reassurance that this was not "a three-week fudge to try to spare the government embarrassment for failing to grip this issue at the right time".

He said only 273 people had been quarantined in the early stages of the pandemic as 18 million visitors arrived in the UK, with the government's own advisers saying many cases came not from China but from places in Europe.

Under the new rules, most arrivals to the UK will have to fill out a "contact locator form" with details of where they will isolate for two weeks and how they can be contacted.

Anyone failing to remain in isolation will face a £1,000 fixed penalty in England, with prosecution and an unlimited fine potentially to follow, the Home Office said.

Failure to fill in the form can also be punished with a £100 fine.

Border Force can refuse entry to non-residents who do not comply, and the Home Office also said that deportation would be considered "as a last resort" for foreign nationals who fail to isolate.

• MISSING FOOTBALL? Watch The First Team
• COVID-19 VACCINE: How long will it take to make?

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTUyOTA3MjI50gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLTUyOTA3MjI5?oc=5

2020-06-03 14:24:39Z
52780829315038

Priti Patel outlines 14-day quarantine travel rules for people coming to UK but “travel corridors” could save - The Sun

PRITI Patel has revealed the quarantine travel rules which will force travellers coming to the UK from Monday to stay home for 14 days - but said that "travel corridors" gave hope for holidays.

The Home Secretary has laid out her plans this lunchtime, despite a backlash from Tory MPs and tourism bosses that the moves will harm the economy and cost jobs.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

5

Priti Patel has revealed the travel quarantine measures todayCredit: PA:Press Association

5

The Home Secretary said that Britain was still open for business

5

Heathrow's boss begged ministers to publish an exit to the quarantine rules as soon as possible or jobs would goCredit: Dan Charity - The Sun

But she stressed that the measures - which will be in place for at least the next three weeks - will be "time-limited" and "temporary".

And she said the Foreign Office was in discussions about "international travel corridors" which could save the nation's summer holidays.

Fast-testing of passengers at airports could be one idea for how to tear down the 14-day quarantine, she admitted.

Ms Patel said today: "The scientific advice is that imported cases of the virus pose more of a threat to our recovery.

"We are now more vulnerable to infections being brought in from abroad.

"The priority is to protect people’s health and keep those in the UK safe.

"These measures are backed by science and are supported by the public, and are essential to save lives.

"Let us not throw away out hard won progress."

Ministers say it will stop new cases being brought in from abroad and prevent a second wave of the virus.

But travel industry experts say quarantine will cost Britain’s tourism sector as much as £15billion if it goes on through the summer.

Ms Patel confirmed the Government is looking at "international travel corridors" to see if there can be "bilateral" deals between "those countries which are deemed safe".

The plan - also known as "air bridges" could mean there will be hope for a summer holiday, if the number of cases can continue to drop.

"We will require bilateral agreements with countries as well, which is exactly what the FCO are working on," she said.

However, at the moment Britain has a relatively high rate, and it's not yet certain which countries would do deals with the UK.

The Home Secretary said tey were loking at a range of options for how to help the industry set up a plan to recover.

She said: "This is just one component. We are speaking about track, trace and isolate, potential fast testing for passengers, there are many other aspects to how we can make aviation travel safe going forward to protect passengers and their health.

The plan includes:

• Travellers to the UK from Monday will have to quarantine in one specific address for 14 days when they come into the UK
• They will face spot checks and could face £1000 fines if they break them
• But they will be allowed to break the two-week coronavirus quarantine to pop out for food, attend funerals and can use public transport, Downing Street said yesterday
• Those from the Common Travel Area  - Ireland, the Channel Islands and The Isle of Man - will be exempt, and the measures will be reviewed every three weeks
• Posties, lorry drivers and diplomats will be exempt from having to isolate

The Home Secretary was keen to stress that no freight or trade would be damaged by the measures.

"We are global Britain, our borders are not shut," she promised.

She also said the Government were looking at a "range of measures" which could include travel "gates" to block people coming to the country from rates of high transmission.

"I should just emphasis, this is part of our ongoing dialogue with the industry," she said.

"We will have to innovate together and look at new international aviation health screening.

"We want to be at the forefront of that, and we want to urge our industry to do that as well."

Minister Kelly Tolhurst said this afternoon: "I have been working hard with the sector to find solutions to make sure that we can get planes in the air and people on their holidays as soon as possible."

The Government confirmed there was a list of exemptions to the controversial rules after a backlash from Tory MPs - but said these were only in case of an emergency.

All arrivals from Monday - except a short list of exemptions - will have to hand over contact details and an address of where they will self-isolate for 14-days.

But angry MPs including former PM Theresa May stood up to attack the Government over the plan before it was even revealed.

Mrs May blasted: "Instead of bringing in measures to close Britain off from the rest of the world, why is the Government not taking a lead in developing international aviation health screening standard to save jobs and ensure Brittain is open for businesses?"

And MP Huw Merriman described it as the "wrong policy at the worst possible time".

Labour's Chris Bryant said the Government was acting after "the horse has bolted".

He blasted: "I don’t know why she doesn’t get this. She can’t enforce the quarantine when people get to their homes. She can’t even ensure that these people can’t take public transport on their way.

"She is not going to be protecting anybody.

"Can she name a single country in Europe which has a higher rate of transmission than the UK?"

And Labour's John Spellar said the measures were throwing key workers "under the bus" and thousands of workers would be "thrown on the dole in the next few weeks."

Also MPs have demanded the measures be scrapped in favour of a system where people get tested at the border - either coming in or out of the country.

If a quick coronavirus test can be rolled out at scale in the coming weeks, this could be possible and see visitors flood back into the country, but safely.

It's been reported that air-bridge deals could be sealed by as soon as the end of the month.

5

Today the Portuguese foreign minister has said an agreement could be in place in weeks.

Augusto Santos Silva said Brits were "most welcome" with hopes for the agreement to be confirmed by the end of June.

Mr Santos Silva told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "quarantine is an enemy of tourism".

Earlier today Heathrow's boss John Holland Kaye lashed out at the "warm words" from Government and stressed they could not allow a "health pandemic to turn into an economic pandemic".

He urged ministers to "save people's holidays" as he warned he'll have to cut jobs in weeks if there's no plan to exit the 14-day quarantine plan.

Mr Holland-Kaye told Radio 4's Today programme that passenger numbers would remain low until the Government publishes a plan for how to ditch the quarantine.

He said: "We know how quarantine will work, but there has to be an exit plan.

"We have seen warm words, we haven't seen action.

"Unless we can see that, that gives us confidence, we wont be able to take the measures that are needed to get the UK economy moving and to save people’s holidays."

The coronavirus pandemic has been "devastating" for the aviation sector and hit millions of jobs in tourism and hospitality too.

5

PUSH BACK

Lockdown rules will be reviewed every 28 days - an extra week's wait for changes

STOP THE SPREAD

PM reveals 1000s have been ordered to stay home under test & trace scheme

Breaking

BACK TO SCHOOL

Schools in Wales will open to all from June 29 - and holidays pushed back

BAD SCIENCE

Downing Street ‘don’t have SAGE science backing for quarantine travel rules’

BORDER FARCE

Quarantine rules 'full of loopholes' letting travellers shop & go to funerals

PLOT THICKENS

Remainer peer passed on info to help expose Dominic Cummings' lockdown visit

NO FLY ZONE

Heathrow boss urges ministers to 'save holidays' & warns he'll have to cut jobs

BACK IN BUSINESS

All shops could reopen in 12 days even if virus alert state is not lowered

'WISHFUL THINKING'

PM rebuffs Michel Barnier's plea for compromise as Brexit talks resume

He added: "If we don't get a plan from the Government in the next few days on how we are going to reopen the economy, those jobs are at risk.

"As chief executive, I am going to have to make that decision in the next few weeks about jobs in my own company.

"We need to stop this health pandemic becoming an unemployment pandemic."

A YouGov poll this week showed 63 per cent of people in favour of a blanket quarantine for people coming into the UK, while 24 per cent supported it but wanted it limited to arrivals from high-risk destinations.

Only 4 per cent opposed it completely.

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW

Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.

To receive The Sun's Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply 'Like' our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain's best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day - find out more.

Heathrow boss urges ministers to 'save people's holidays' & warns he'll cut jobs if no plan to exit quarantine

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiS2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZXN1bi5jby51ay9uZXdzLzExNzcyODc0L3F1YXJhbnRpbmUtdHJhdmVsLXJ1bGVzLXByaXRpLXBhdGVsL9IBT2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZXN1bi5jby51ay9uZXdzLzExNzcyODc0L3F1YXJhbnRpbmUtdHJhdmVsLXJ1bGVzLXByaXRpLXBhdGVsL2FtcC8?oc=5

2020-06-03 13:49:32Z
CAIiEFvVjNsV_WuGf8D3gwLuzhwqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow0Ij8CjCRwIgDMMCBzAU

Coronavirus: 'Excess deaths' in England and Wales revealed - Daily Mail

Revealed: The areas of England and Wales that have recorded the highest rate of 'excess deaths' during the coronavirus pandemic

• The London borough of Brent saw a 108 per cent increase in deaths of any cause between January and May
• A total 17 out of the 20 worst-hit areas were boroughs of London, with others in Hertfordshire and Surrey
• The data counts the number of people who have died between January and May whether with Covid-19 or not
• In some rural areas, including Devon, Lincolnshire and Wales, deaths had fallen from what would be expected
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Sam Blanchard Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline

Published: 10:51 BST, 3 June 2020 | Updated: 14:05 BST, 3 June 2020

Advertisement

The coronavirus pandemic has driven up death rates in some parts of London to double what they are in a usual year, a shocking analysis of data has revealed.

Official statistics show the number of Britons who died during the first five months of 2020 was massively higher than average because of the Covid-19 crisis. 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) yesterday revealed at least 56,000 'excess deaths' have been recorded in England and Wales alone, while the figure for the entirety of the UK is in the region of 62,000.

And while not all of these people have been direct victims of the coronavirus, many have died because of indirect impacts of the outbreak, such as reduced NHS services.

The London borough of Brent is the worst affected part of England and Wales by this measure, with the number of deaths soaring from 447 in January-May in an average year to 925 in 2020 - an increase of 108 per cent.

Data analysed by The Telegraph shows that 17 out of the 20 worst affected places across the two countries are all boroughs of the capital.

Other parts of London that witnessed their death tolls approximately double were Harrow (99.7 per cent increase), Newham (95.4 per cent) and Enfield (90.3 per cent).

The highest increase in deaths outside of London was seen in Hertsmere in Hertfordshire, where fatalities rose by 86.2 per cent from 236 to 439.

Separate data published by the ONS yesterday showed that Birmingham has seen the highest number of deaths directly caused by the coronavirus, with 1,082 victims. 

This was followed by Leeds (605), County Durham (567) and Liverpool (529). The overall deaths statistics suggest smaller proportions of those populations were affected by the epidemic.

In other coronavirus news today:

• McDonald's will open another 497 drive-thru restaurants today and is aiming to have more than 1,000 back in business by next week. Monstrous queues have been pictured outside those that have reopened;
• The Government is doubling down on its 14-day quarantine rule for travellers entering Britain. Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was necessary to prevent more coronavirus outbreaks and deaths;
• West London - Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow - is the area of the capital where people have received the most police fines for breaking lockdown rules. 165 fines were issued there between March 27 and May 14;
• Labour leader Keir Starmer has warned Boris Johnson to 'get a grip' on the coronavirus crisis and accused him of 'winging it';
• UK charity the Health Foundation has warned of a 'digital divide' that could be caused by the NHS's contact tracing app because elderly people, the unemployed and manual workers are less likely to download it. 

The number of excess deaths in England and Wales spiked dramatically during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak. Professor Carl Heneghan, an Oxford University epidemiologist, predicted that the number of people dying would fall to average levels again by July

Separate data published yesterday showed that Birmingham has recorded the most deaths of diagnosed coronavirus patients, with 1,082 victims

The data includes people who died of any cause between January 1 and May 22 in each of the local authorities in England and Wales. 

More than a dozen areas across the two countries actually appeared to be unaffected by the outbreak and saw the numbers of people dying fall to lower-than average levels.  

In North East Lincolnshire the death rate dropped by 8.8 per cent, while it fell by 8.2 per cent in Conwy, Wales, and by five per cent on Anglesey, off the Welsh coast.

Excess deaths are considered to be an accurate measure of the number of people killed by the pandemic because they include a broader spectrum of victims.

As well as including people who may have died with Covid-19 without ever being tested, the data also shows how many more people died because their medical treatment was postponed, for example, or who didn't or couldn't get to hospital when they were seriously ill.

WHICH AREAS RECORDED THE MOST EXCESS DEATHS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK? (Data January-May. Source: The Telegraph) 

PLACE NAME	AVERAGE DEATHS	2020 DEATHS	EXCESS DEATHS	% CHANGE
Brent	445	925	480	108%
Harrow	388	775	387	100%
Newham	338	661	323	96%
Enfield	516	981	465	90%
Hertsmere	236	439	203	86%
Ealing	503	918	415	83%
Haringey	311	564	253	81%
Barnet	613	1,101	488	80%
Hackney	283	508	225	80%
Westminster	272	486	214	79%
Croydon	625	1,106	481	77%
Southwark	332	583	251	76%
Merton	318	550	232	73%
Hammersmith	236	409	173	73%
Waltham Forest	355	614	259	73%
Mole Valley	217	374	157	72%
Lambeth	374	642	268	72%
Redbridge	455	780	325	71%
Greenwich	383	649	266	69%
Surrey Heath	202	340	138	68%

Experts are divided, however, on how accurate excess deaths are as a measure.

Oxford University's Professor Carl Heneghan yesterday said that comparing deaths this year to an average taken from the past five years overlooked population growth.

He said the average could have been expected to be higher because there are more people, and more elderly people, in the UK than there were in 2015. 

If true, this could mean the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic was overestimated.

WEEKLY CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ARE LOWEST SINCE LOCKDOWN

The weekly coronavirus death toll in England and Wales has dropped to its lowest levels since the lockdown began in March, promising statistics today revealed. 

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed 1,983 people died across the two counties in the week ending May 22, down from 2,766 a week earlier and the lowest figure for two months.

Every week since March 27 has recorded more fatalities from the virus, showing that Britain is now en route to how it was before the unprecedented lockdown was imposed on March 23.

At the peak of the outbreak, a staggering 16,000 people in England and Wales died of the coronavirus in just two weeks in April. 

But the sobering statistics also show that there have now almost certainly been more than 50,000 people killed by Covid-19 across the UK this year.  

The coronavirus was listed as a contributing factor on the death certificates of at least 47,871 people by May 22, cementing Britain's position as one of the worst-hit countries in the world.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, the University of Cambridge's Professor David Spiegelhalter, argued the measure is still useful.

He said: 'Deaths this year were tracking pretty close to, but below, the five year average. There is no perfect baseline.

'I still think [the five-year average] is useful to give an idea of trends, peaks and spikes, but it is not a precise measure.'

Professor Heneghan yesterday said he expects the number of deaths to have returned to normal by next week. 

He said: 'If the trends continue, the deaths look like they will be back to where they should be normally by next week.

'There's been a continued reduction in hospital deaths, care home outbreaks are coming down so the "all deaths" by (week) 22 I'm expecting will be back to where we should be.'

Professor Heneghan said there may be no Covid-19 deaths by the end of June - which would follow Spain yesterday. Italy is still reporting between 50 and 100 deaths per day, and France around 30.

'But it also depends on what happens next, within sporadic outbreaks,' Professor Heneghan said.

Experts say that unless care home and hospital outbreaks cannot be stopped, deaths caused by the coronavirus will continue at low levels. 

Data published in The Telegraph showed that the top five worst affected areas were Brent, Harrow, Newham, Enfield and Hertsmere, which all had total death increases of more than 86 per cent.

These were followed by Ealing (83 per cent), Haringey (81 per cent), Barnet (80 per cent), Hackney (80 per cent) and Westminster (79 per cent).

Others in the 20 worst-affected areas, most of which were in London, were Croydon, Southwark, Merton, Hammersmith & Fulham, Waltham Forest, Mole Valley (Surrey), Lambeth, Redbridge, Greenwich and Surrey Heath. 

At the other end of the scale, some more rural areas of the country saw the number of people dying drop from its usual level.

This may have been because those areas were relatively untouched by the coronavirus but the lockdown had other health benefits - reducing the transmission of flu, for example, which kills older people, or fewer car crashes.

Or it may simply have been because fewer people were dying anyway and the rate wasn't increased by the virus as it was in other areas of the country.

The list of areas where the coronavirus appears to have had the least impact on the number of people dying is topped by North East Lincolnshire, where fatalities dropped by 8.8 per cent, and Conwy in Wales, where they fell by 8.2 per cent.

The number of people dying also dropped in Anglesey (-5 per cent), Hastings (-4.9 per cent), Torridge (-4.6 per cent), Mendip (-2.4 per cent) and Rother (-1.5 per cent).

Other areas recording slightly lower than usual numbers of deaths in January to May were Gwynedd, Isle of Wight, Ceredigion, Mid Devon, North Devon and East Devon. 

IN WHICH AREAS HAVE DEATHS BEEN LOWER THAN AVERAGE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC? (Data January-May. Source: The Telegraph) 

PLACE NAME	AVERAGE DEATHS	2020 DEATHS	EXCESS DEATHS	% CHANGE
North East Lincolnshire	445	406	-39	-8.8%
Conwy	405	372	-33	-8.1%
Isle of Anglesey	212	201	-11	-5.2%
Hastings	260	247	-13	-5.0%
Torridge	214	204	-10	-4.7%
Mendip	297	290	-7	-2.4%
Rother	357	352	-5	-1.4%
Gwynedd	354	351	-3	-0.8%
Isle of Wight	457	454	-3	-0.7%
Ceredigion	204	203	-1	-0.5%
Mid Devon	205	204	-1	-0.5%
North Devon	300	299	-1	-0.3%
East Devon	477	476	-1	-0.2%

Read more:

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMigAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTgzODM0NDEvQ29yb25hdmlydXMtb3V0YnJlYWstRE9VQkxFRC1udW1iZXItZGVhdGhzLWNhdXNlcy1oYXJkZXN0LWhpdC1hcmVhcy1Mb25kb24uaHRtbNIBhAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTgzODM0NDEvYW1wL0Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLW91dGJyZWFrLURPVUJMRUQtbnVtYmVyLWRlYXRocy1jYXVzZXMtaGFyZGVzdC1oaXQtYXJlYXMtTG9uZG9uLmh0bWw?oc=5

2020-06-03 13:17:12Z
52780826608190