COVID-19: Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham accuses Scottish govt of 'straightforward arrogance' over North West travel ban - Sky News

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said Scotland's imposition of a travel ban to the northwest of England is "unnecessary", accusing its government of "hypocrisy".

It comes as Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on Friday that all non-essential travel to Manchester and Salford will be banned from tomorrow.

Mr Burnham has accused Scottish officials of being discourteous by not contacting him to discuss the measure being imposed against his region, adding that Ms Sturgeon is treating the north of England with "contempt".

Image: Ms Sturgeon told people not travel from Scotland to Manchester unless essential

Announcing the new policy on Friday, Ms Sturgeon said the decision was made based on areas of England emerging as coronavirus hotspots.

"Anyone travelling elsewhere in the Greater Manchester or Lancashire area, I'd ask to think carefully about whether your journey is really necessary, because we do see cases rising across that region," the first minister said.

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But fellow Scottish politicians including Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton have pointed out that there are some communities in Scotland "with transmission rates equal to that of Manchester".

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Mr Cole-Hamilton said the ban "does not make sense" and applauded Labour's Mr Burnham for calling it out.

Sharing his frustration on social media, Mr Burnham said: "When the UK Government have made changes affecting Greater Manchester, they called us in advance to discuss.

"The Scottish Government gave us no such courtesy. Sorry, but it's straightforward arrogance to say Scottish ministers shouldn't deign to speak to English mayors."

Image: Andy Burnham says the travel ban imposed by Nicola Sturgeon is 'unnecessary'

He added: "This seems unnecessary to me and it would have been nice if Nicola Sturgeon had contacted us beforehand to discuss it.

"Maybe the Scottish Government should try living by the same standards it frequently accuses the UK Government of lacking?"

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the Greater Manchester mayor went on to accuse the SNP of "double standards" and "hypocrisy".

"That is exactly what the SNP always accuse the Westminster government of doing, riding roughshod over people. The SNP are treating the north of England with the same contempt in bringing that in without any consultation with us," he said.

Mr Burnham added that he would be writing to Ms Sturgeon seeking financial compensation from the Scottish government for his constituents who had made plans to travel north of the border.

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Nicola Sturgeon says coronavirus cases have increased since last week

The ban is "completely disproportionate", he continued.

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney also endorsed Mr Burnham's view on social media.

"Greater Manchester's Mayor Andy Burnham is right. Not only was this announcement discourteous to him and the people of Greater Manchester, the decision was made on Thursday morning - before first minister's questions, yet Nicola Sturgeon did not inform the Scottish Parliament," he said.

However, Scotland's trade minister Ivan McKee said a decision had to be made quickly.

"The virus, as we know, moves very fast, decisions are made very fast and those decisions are communicated at a four nations level," he told BBC Scotland.

"Andy Burnham... is going to write to the first minister about it, that's absolutely fine and I'm sure there will be a conversation about how we can keep him better informed in future."

The mayor's comments come as Scotland recorded 1,205 cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, with no registered deaths.

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2021-06-20 16:14:18Z
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COVID-19: UK reports another 9,284 coronavirus cases and six deaths - Sky News

Another 9,284 coronavirus cases and six more deaths have been reported in the UK, according to official daily figures.

It compares with 10,321 cases and 14 deaths yesterday, and 7,490 cases and eight deaths this time last week.

Another 280,241 people also had a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and 236,363 had a second dose.

It means 42,964,013 have had a first jab, while 31,340,507 are fully vaccinated.

Total UK deaths since the start of the pandemic - within 28 days of a positive test - stand at 127,976.

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The figures come at the end of a week when all over 18s can now book a COVID-19 vaccine.

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More than 700,000 appointments were booked on Sunday - the day that jabs became available to all adults.

Brenden Wren, a vaccine expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said on Sunday that the UK could open up sooner rather than later because of the high vaccine take-up.

He said that having over 81% of the adult population jabbed and almost 60% of adults taking both doses is "encouraging".

Asked whether the success of the vaccine programme means England will not need to wait until 19 July to fully open up, he said: "We'd still need to be vigilant - but vigilance and vaccination are the two words.

"So, I think if the numbers continue to be promising then I think there's great hope we could open up on 5 July."

Image: The NHS is braced for high demand as anyone in England over the age of 18 can now book a COVID-19 vaccination jab

The UK was meant to celebrate the complete lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions tomorrow, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed the move to 19 July because of rising cases.

The cases have risen primarily because of the spread of the Delta variant, which was first found in India.

The prime minister said on Monday that the postponement of step four will allow for more people to receive a second jab.

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2021-06-20 15:27:38Z
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Former Tory MP and Commons Speaker John Bercow says decision to join Labour 'not personal against Boris Johnson' - Sky News

Former Conservative MP and Commons speaker John Bercow has said his switching of allegiance to join the Labour Party is "not personal against Boris Johnson".

Mr Bercow told Sky News his decision to defect away from the Conservative Party is not to do with the PM, but added that Mr Johnson has "only a nodding acquaintance with the truth".

It came as Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said Mr Bercow "left the Conservative Party a long time ago".

Mr Buckland also accused the former speaker of having diminished his influence by coming out in support of Labour.

Image: Robert Buckland said John Bercow left the Conservative Party 'a long time ago'

"I think him joining a political party actually has the effect of diminishing the force of his voice in politics, however strong he wants it to be," the justice secretary told Sky News.

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Mr Bercow announced on Saturday that he had joined the Labour Party in recent weeks. He served as a Tory MP for Buckingham from 1997 until he was elected speaker in 2009.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Bercow added that he "didn't have the slightest desire" to rejoin the Conservative Party after stepping down as speaker following a decade in the chair in 2019.

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"If you're saying to me is it principally about Boris Johnson, the honest answer to that is no," he told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday.

"It is not personal against Boris Johnson.

"I do think that he is someone who has only a nodding acquaintance with the truth in a leap year and I think that the utter contempt with which he has treated Parliament is lamentable and it has exacerbated the very strong feelings of resentment towards him - because I think a lot of people feel that is not the way to behave."

Image: Boris Johnson 'has only a nodding acquaintance with the truth', according to Mr Bercow

Mr Bercow also dismissed claims that his move to the Labour Party was motivated by wanting a peerage, something he was denied by Mr Johnson's government after standing down from his position as speaker.

"I've had absolutely no discussion whatsoever, either with Keir Starmer or any other member of the Labour leadership about that matter," he said.

"There has been no barter, no trade, no deal whatsoever."

Mr Bercow added: "It isn't in my mind, it's not part of the game plan, I haven't discussed it, I'm not waiting for it.

"What I'm motivated by is a commitment to equality, social justice and internationalism."

The former Commons speaker said he now has "a left of centre view" and believes Sir Keir would be a "vastly preferable" leader than Mr Johnson.

"Now I'm a private citizen, as Robert Buckland says, I'm entitled to take a political view. And my view is a left of centre view. I identify with Labour values, Labour principles, Labour policies," he said.

"The real issue in my mind is who has the vision of a more equitable society? Who thirsts to deliver social mobility?

"Who wants to better the lot of people less fortunate than a political leader?

"And on that calculus, Keir Starmer is vastly preferable to Boris Johnson."

Image: John Bercow was Commons speaker for a decade from 2009 to 2019

Announcing his defection to the Labour Party on Saturday, Mr Bercow said he regards the Tories under Mr Johnson as "reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic".

"I am motivated by support for equality, social justice and internationalism. That is the Labour brand," he told The Observer.

"The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced.

"The reality is that the Labour Party is the only vehicle that can achieve that objective.

"There is no other credible option."

Mr Bercow's career was dogged by staff allegations of bullying, accusations he always denied.

He was also accused by Brexiteer MPs of being biased in favour of the Remain side of the Brexit debate.

The Labour leader's office declined to comment on Mr Bercow joining the party but shadow justice minister Karl Turner said he was unsurprised but "delighted" that his "friend" had joined Labour.

On the Conservative side, however, pensions minister Guy Opperman said: "Labour are welcome to Bercow."

A senior government source said: "This will surprise nobody and shows Labour is still the party of Remain."

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2021-06-20 08:33:33Z
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Matt Hancock 'sat on data that could have avoided prolonging lockdown' - Metro.co.uk

The Health Secretary has been accused of failing to do enough to highlight key findings (Picture: Getty; PA)

Matt Hancock failed to tell Boris Johnson about a major study that could have spurred the Cabinet to push ahead with reopening the country on June 21, it has been reported.

The Health Secretary is said to have known about data showing how effective vaccines are against the Delta variant – formerly known as the Indian variant – three days before the PM, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove, the cabinet minister.

The four met last Sunday to make a final call on whether to postpone the June 21 ‘Freedom Day’.

Figures familiar with the meeting claim the findings, by Public Health England (PHE), were not raised by Mr Hancock, The Telegraph reports.

They were also said to have been left out of briefing papers handed out ahead of the talks.

The results were reportedly emailed to Downing Street aides just a few hours earlier, despite PHE having sent Mr Hancock a report the day before and briefed him on the overall findings three days prior.

Public health experts cited uncertainty about the effectiveness of vaccines as a reason for pushing back the end of restrictions to July 19.

Many felt more work needed to be done on whether vaccinating people breaks, or simply weakens, the link between infection and serious illness.

Mr Hancock and Michael Gove, pictured at Wembley Stadium during the England vs Scotland match (Picture: UEFA)

The sudden rise to dominance of the Delta variant complicated the picture – scientists widely believed there was no reason to suspect it was more resistant to vaccines but were alarmed by increasing cases and signs that hospitalisations were on the rise.

Science advisers from Sage presented last Sunday’s meeting with modelling that showed reopening on June 21 would lead to a large swell in hospital admissions.

The PHE study showed both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs were in fact more effective at preventing hospitalisation with the latest strain than they were against previous variants.

It may have prompted ministers to lift restrictions on Monday anyway, although many of the fears expressed by experts were to do with the number of people who had not yet been inoculated rather than the effectiveness of jab.

Steve Baker, the deputy chairman of a faction of anti-lockdown Tory backbench MPs, told The Telegraph: ‘Either Matt Hancock thought this data was insignificant or he thought it should be withheld from the Prime Minister and other key ministers.

Leaked messages and internal briefings suggest Mr Hancock was criticised by Mr Johnson over his handling of the pandemic (Picture: PA)

‘Either way, the mind boggles at what conversation must now be necessary with the Prime Minister, and I feel confident it will be a matter of interest to my colleagues on the relevant select committees.

‘If Matt Hancock was deliberately withholding relevant information, what was he trying to gain? Was the Prime Minister bounced?’

A government source claimed ‘equivalent data’ drawn up by Sage was shown to Mr Johnson and his colleagues and included similar findings about the effectiveness of vaccines.

The source told the newspaper: ‘When the decision was made to delay, ministers knew that the vaccines work. That is why we are buying more time to get more jabs in arms.’

Some measures suggest vaccines are working better than predicted by the forecasts presented at the meeting, cases are rising at a much slower rate than in previous weeks, while hospital patients appear to be less likely to get seriously ill and die than in earlier waves as they tend to be younger

Ministers are said to be considering bringing the date forward to July 5 if the picture continues to improve.

The PM said on Friday the data ‘certainly’ indicates he would be able to lift the remaining Covid restrictions on July 19.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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2021-06-20 08:40:00Z
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Covid: Why has the Delta variant spread so quickly in UK? - BBC News

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The Delta variant of the virus causing Covid-19 has caused infections to spike in the UK once more, preventing the planned relaxation of lockdown in England. But is it really faring worse than other countries?

Where is the Delta variant?

Labs around the world that analyse the virus's genetic material have been sharing their findings to a global database. When you look at this, the UK looks like it has more cases of the Delta variant than most of the rest of the world.

A total of 75,953 cases of Delta were sequenced in the UK up to 16 June, up from 42,323 the previous week.

By the week beginning 14 June, 2,853 Delta cases had been identified in the US, 747 in Germany, 277 in Spain and 97 in Denmark, according to a global monitoring website.

But this is not a definitive record of how many cases there are - it's a record of how many are spotted, and the UK has a very good system for spotting variants.

So it's likely these figures disguise a much greater incidence of the variant in some countries that carry out less sequencing - genetic analysis - of the virus.

For example, there were 875 Delta cases identified in India in the week beginning 3 May, when the virus was raging, and just 142 in the past four weeks. That's despite the country recording between half a million and two million new cases a week since the start of May, with Delta believed to be the dominant variant.

This doesn't mean there isn't a problem in the UK though - cases have generally been falling across mainland Europe. And some countries that do a lot of sequencing, such as Denmark, have not seen the Delta variant take off.

In England, 38,000 cases of the Delta variant were recorded in the past 28 days.

The Scottish government says the variant is responsible for "the overwhelming majority" of new cases.

Northern Ireland's government has warned that it's likely to become the dominant strain and the Welsh government says the Delta variant is driving a rise in infection, with the country at the start of a third wave of coronavirus.

Why is it so bad in the UK compared with other countries?

Experts believe a major factor is the number of cases that were introduced into the UK in a short space of time, because of the volume of travel.

Public Health England figures show the variant was introduced at least 500 times by travellers.

Dr Jeffrey Barrett, from the Sanger Institute, which analyses the genetic material from Covid-test swabs to work out which mutations they contain, said he believed the true number was likely to be more than 1,000.

This is important because of the irregular way the virus spreads. We talk about the R number meaning that, with no distancing or infection control measures in place, one person might infect three others on average.

But in reality, it's not the case that every single person infects three others. Instead, one person might infect 30 others while another person infects no-one at all - whether because of differences in their biology, behaviour or living conditions.

There's an element of chance - if five people arrive in the UK carrying the variant, you could get lucky and none of them would pass it on. If 500 come in, it's just more likely at least one will pass on their infection, or even be a super-spreader.

So the difference between five and 500 travellers entering with the Delta variant won't be exactly 100 times the infections - it could be the difference between the variant fizzling out altogether and it taking off.

On top of this, the Delta variant entered the UK at a time when restrictions were being relaxed and in cold weather. The cold snap would have seen more people indoors and thus spreading infection, but also the virus surviving longer outdoors.

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Will other countries follow?

Experts believe some countries may already be heading the same way as the UK - but that they have genetic sequencing programmes which analyse fewer swabs, more slowly, meaning we can't see it in the data yet.

And in some countries like the US, the variant appears to have been introduced slightly later - perhaps due to fewer people with direct links to the Indian subcontinent - so it could begin to rise in the coming weeks.

Dr Muge Cevik, an infectious disease specialist at the University of St Andrews, said that, in time, we may see a similar trajectory in other countries, adding such a prospect was "much more worrying in countries with low vaccination rates".

It is quite likely to become the dominant variant in other countries, and possibly worldwide, she said.

The variant is considerably more transmissible and we know - including from the example of the Alpha variant first identified in Kent - that the virus eventually finds a way to spread.

Could it have been prevented?

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, 42,406 people travelled in both directions between India and the UK in April.

Less travel would have meant fewer opportunities for the variant to enter.

In January, Sage, the government's scientific body, had warned that: "No intervention, other than a complete, pre-emptive closure of borders, or the mandatory quarantine of all visitors upon arrival in designated facilities, irrespective of testing history, can get close to fully prevent the importation of cases or new variants."

The government placed India on the red list - meaning people returning would face mandatory hotel quarantine - on 23 April.

This was after the World Health Organization had classified Delta as a "variant of interest" and after it was known to be in the UK, but before it had been designated as a "variant of concern" by the UK health authorities.

• Why was India not on the red list sooner?
• Fact-checking Matt Hancock's Covid claims
• Fact-checking claims about the Delta variant
• Why hasn't the UK closed its borders?

And while it was not immediately clear which of several variants was causing problems in India, it was becoming increasingly clear the country was experiencing a devastating toll from the virus.

But Dr Cevik said "eventually it was always going to take off" in the UK, though measures could have delayed importation.

She pointed out even Australia, which has among the strictest border controls in the world, has already had Delta outbreaks, though they've been relatively small.

And, she added, the threat of "red-listing" countries may well incentivise them to stop testing and sequencing.

"We won't be able to completely stop variants coming," she said, and the best solution was to vaccinate as many people in the world as possible.

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2021-06-19 23:27:08Z
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Horse riding model, 23, and man found dead in suspected murder-suicide - Metro.co.uk

A village has been rocked by two deaths hours apart (Picture: Ashley Kirk/@padsequestrian/Instagram)

A young woman whose friends called her ‘the life of the party’ has died in what may have been a murder-suicide.

Horse riding enthusiast Gracie Spinks, 23, was found dead in a field near the Derbyshire village of Duckmanton on Friday shortly after 8am.

Later that morning the body of a 30-year-old man was discovered half a mile away on a nearby field.

Police believe the incidents are linked and are not looking for anyone else in connection with their deaths.

The shocking events have stunned locals and Gracie’s friends took to social media to share their fondest memories of her.

In a tribute on Facebook, Alicia Jordan posed: ‘Oh Gracie Spinks I don’t even know what to say. Heartbroken doesn’t even cut it.

‘You really were the life of the party, we made so many memories us four and I couldn’t be more grateful to know you.

‘Honestly sat here thinking of them is making me smile. This world is so so cruel and it’s really not fair.

Young Gracie was said to be ‘horsey mad’ (Picture: @padsequestrian/Instagram)

‘Rest in peace Gracie you will be so missed. Thinking of your family and friends.’

Another friend, Abbey Griffin, set up a GoFundMe page to help Gracie’s family.

Abbey said: ‘She was a caring and loving individual and was always happy to help. She was also so so stubborn and she’d always stand up for what was right.

‘If you knew Gracie you’d also know she was horsey mad and had the most gorgeous horse called Paddy whom she loved dearly.

‘Although no amount of money could ever bring Gracie back, I ask that you please donate whatever you can to help her family at this moment.

‘We all love you so dearly Gracie, behave up there.’

Friends said Gracie ‘had the most gorgeous horse called Paddy whom she loved dearly’ (Picture: @padsequestrian/Instagram)

Her death has left pals heartbroken (Picture: @padsequestrian/Instagram)

Gracie, a six-foot blonde who was said to have also worked as a model, was reportedly being ‘bothered by a weird man who was totally obsessed with her’.

A friend told The Sun: ‘We are aware that she had a stalker but didn’t know who he was.

‘We heard she had taken out a restraining order against him because he was becoming quite a pest.

‘She’s a beautiful young woman, very popular, and he was obsessed with her and kept turning up at the stables. He was infatuated with her.’

Gracie was described as a ‘beautiful young woman’ who loved her horse (Picture: @padsequestrian/Instagram)

Abbey said she would be organising a balloon release from the Markham Vale business park, where Gracie worked, on Monday, June 28 to allow her friends to say their goodbyes.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Police said: ‘We appreciate that what has happened in Duckmanton will have shocked and upset many people in the community and officers will carry out extra patrols in the coming days.

‘We would urge you to stop and speak to an officer if you wish to raise any concerns.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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2021-06-19 22:05:00Z
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Planning reforms are bulldozing Conservative support - Sky News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to abandon planning reforms after Conservatives at national and local level blamed them for the party's shock defeat in the Chesham and Amersham by-election.

Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Green overturned a 16,000 Conservative majority to win the seat by 8,000 votes in a contest triggered by the death of Dame Cheryl Gillan.

Local factors played a significant part in the seismic result, including the HS2 rail line that runs through the Buckinghamshire constituency, and concerns that changes to planning law could reduce green belt protection in the Chilterns.

Conservative Party co-chair Amanda Milling said the "concerns about planning and HS2 were loud and clear".

"I am in no doubt that this result is a warning shot," she wrote in the Telegraph.

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Former environment secretary Theresa Villiers urged ministers "to use this as an opportunity to rethink their approach to planning reform", while writing in the same newspaper.

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"This by-election result should pave the way for a reduction in housing targets for the London suburbs and the South East," she said.

"We need a fairer distribution of new homes across the country, rather than seeking to cram so many thousands more into the crowded South. There needs to be a stronger focus on brownfield sites in urban inner city areas."

Image: The PM's proposals would mean new developments in 'growth areas' automatically get planning permission

Mr Johnson's proposals would see the country divided up into planning zones where new developments in "growth areas", selected on the basis of need in part by an algorithm, would automatically receive permission.

Residents would also lose the ability to object to specific proposals, retaining only the right to question overall development plans.

The prime minister said his reforms had been "misunderstood" and argued that young people have the right to rates of home ownership enjoyed by their parents' generation.

Increasing home building is also seen as a way of retaining Conservative support in the northern former Labour seats that helped deliver his majority at the last election.

In the South East however, where demand for housing is acute, MPs and activists warn that Conservative voters are being alienated, and Mr Johnson risks taking them for granted.

Image: The green belt status was downgraded in 2019 for this site and now 103 homes are planned

Graham Harris, a councillor and former chairman of Chesham and Amersham Conservatives, blamed central government for failing to explain its aims.

"There's a great deal of feeling here to try and preserve the real character of the green belt, and government has not done enough to explain the need for all the extra housing," he told Sky News.

"We have got a problem here, we have limited infrastructure, the roads are overcrowded, and people also want to preserve the town centre, which the government says should also see more flats.

"People have moved here to this area because green space is open air and they don't want to see it expanded into a further suburb of London."

Susan Jamson is one of those with concerns.

Her home in Hazlemere overlooks land that was designated green belt, separating her village from the neighbouring Holmer Green.

The green belt status was downgraded in 2019 to allow development, however, and 103 homes are planned for the site.

"I know people need housing, I'm not against development," she said.

"What I'm against is where you join up villages, where you overcrowd, where there's no infrastructure; we don't have doctors, we don't have school places, we don't have roads, it takes hours to go anywhere.

"How can you possibly put in houses and then think about the infrastructure afterwards?"

Image: Susan Jamson's home in Hazlemere overlooks land that was designated green belt

Winchester in Hampshire faces similar practical and political issues.

It is a Conservative-held seat high on the Liberal Democrats' target list, where new housing developments are contested and controversial.

Former Conservative councillor Ian Tait now campaigns for social housing in the city and said the law has to shift to address the housing deficit.

"Countryside is a finite commodity, so I wouldn't want to personally just build for the sake of building," he said.

"But affordable housing is built at higher densities, so you could build quite a few houses without actually losing a great deal of open space.

"And I think there's a moral requirement on us to ensure there is adequate housing to meet our population."

There are no quick solutions to the UK's acute housing crisis, but bulldozing traditional Conservative support was never part of the government's plan.

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2021-06-19 21:05:15Z
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