Border Force reveal people smugglers took advantage of three-day heatwave to get 1542 across - Daily Mail

'Are the British going to shoot migrants?' Anglo-French war of words over Channel grows as RNLI brings 104 people into the UK after rescue and people smugglers take advantage of three-day heatwave to get 1,542 across

• In just three days 1,542 people came across the English Channel from Calais to the UK in small boats
• It takes the total of intercepted migrants in just this year so far to 14,127 and has prompted a backlash
• There have been suggestions maritime law could be changed to allow them to be turned round in waters 

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline and Dan Sales For Mailonline

Published: 11:10 BST, 10 September 2021 | Updated: 13:39 BST, 10 September 2021

The war of words over migrant Channel crossings escalated again today as French politicians suggested the UK might 'shoot' at boats.

Home Secretary Priti Patel was accused of 'irresponsible' behaviour over the threat to 'push back' small vessels attempting the journey - after it emerged smugglers spirited more than 1,500 people across during the three-day heatwave.

Senior French figures also blamed generous benefits and easy availability of jobs for fuelling the growing problems. 

The salvo is the latest evidence of deteriorating relations, with the former head of the Royal Navy having swiped yesterday that Inspector Clouseau appeared to be running France's border patrols.  

The Mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart vented fury this morning at the idea UK authorities will try to turn around boats and send them back to France.

'Are they going to shoot at the boats and at the passengers in the small boats?' she told her local newspaper Voix du Nord.

'It's not like that that we're going to have serious relations about the migration problems that we manage...

'The British should, for the sake of humanity and to prevent any risk of dying at sea, pick up migrants who are in a hot spot on their territory.' 

Ms Bouchard suggested that the British always had the option of 'sending them back alive to their country of origin.' 

Xavier Bertrand, President of the regional council that covers Calais, said: 'The British must stop being hypocritical.

'They welcome migrants, give them jobs, and pay them very little. As long as there is this UK attraction, there will be unfortunate people trying to get through, exploited by the criminal people smugglers.'  

In just three days 1,542 people came across the English Channel from Calais to the UK in small boats, including on Tuesday

It takes the total of intercepted migrants in just this year so far to 14,127, pictured Tuesday, and has prompted a backlash

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover following a small boat incident in the Channel on Thursday

Home Office data show that in a three day window this week a staggering 1,542 people were detained by Border Force officers after making the treacherous 21 mile crossing. 

On Monday 785 migrants were picked up in boats and on beaches across the Kent and Sussex coastline in 27 incidents.

The following day 456 people in 17 incidents were detained and on Wednesday the Home Office says 301 people were picked up in nine small boats. In 2020 there were 8,410 migrants detained.

So far this year a total of 14,127 arrivals have been officially recorded.

Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: 'This unacceptable rise in dangerous crossings is being driven by criminal gangs and a surge in illegal migration across Europe..

'We're determined to target the criminals at every level, so far, we have secured nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions and prevented more than 10,000 migrant attempts.

'But there is more to do. The Government's New Plan for Immigration is the only credible way to fix the broken asylum system, breaking the business model of criminal gangs and welcoming people through safe and legal routes.' 

Weather conditions in the Channel have deteriorated overnight with stronger winds expected today (THURS) making crossings more difficult.

The Border Force vessel Seeker has been patrolling off the Kent Coast this morning.

Natalie Elphicke, MP for Dover and Deal said earlier this week: 'People who are perfectly safe in France brazenly break into Britain day after day. First it was a few, then hundreds and now over a thousand in a single day. The French just waving them through with a cheery Bon Voyage.

'If the French won't stop the small boats then we need to. By turning boats back, making returns and taking firm control of our borders.

'I fully support emergency legislation to do that, if that is needed. This needs a fresh approach urgently.' 

But Oliver Dowden said the UK would do nothing to infringe international law.

Asked whether he could confirm the tactic had been approved, the Culture Secretary told Sky News: 'Firstly, in relation to these migrants, it is worth remembering they are coming from a safe country, which is France.

They included 104 rescued by the RNLI off Eastbourne on Thursday and bring the total this year to a tally that dwarfed 2020

Migrants are brought into Dover docks by Border Force staff on September 9, in Dover, England as the crossings continued

the British government has authorised its Border Force to turn back boats while at sea, in some circumstances

'This has been a persistent problem for a long period of time. The Home Secretary is rightly exploring every possible avenue to stop that.

'We have said that that will include looking at turning migrants back, but that will only be done in accordance with international law and clearly the safety of migrants is absolutely paramount.

'We would not do anything to endanger lives, clearly, but I think the public at large would expect us to be taking measures to prevent people from travelling from the safe country of France to England, and I think it is right to consider all measures.

'The most important thing about this is the real beneficiaries of this are these criminal gangs who are organising this transport - this is really not in the interest of people who of course have their reasons for wanting to come here.'

A Cabinet minister has confirmed that the UK Government has spoken to counterparts in Paris about how French authorities are using British money that is earmarked for preventing migrants from embarking on trips across the Channel.

Asked if the UK was looking to revise the financial contributions it gives France to help stem the flow of Channel crossings, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told LBC radio: 'That's precisely the point that the Home Secretary raised with her opposite number about what exactly the French were doing in return for this money.'  

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Five-point Tory poll slump gives Labour its first lead since January - Daily Mail

Five-point Tory poll slump gives Labour its first lead since January as voters desert Boris Johnson after his £12bn National Insurance raid

• Tory support slumped by five points to lowest level since 2019 General Election 
• Labour support increased by one to 35 per cent to highest level since January
• Tory MPs lined up to support Boris Johnson's staggering £12billion tax raid
• Six in ten said they did not believe Mr Johnson cares about keeping taxes low 

By Jack Wright For Mailonline

Published: 00:00 BST, 10 September 2021 | Updated: 00:09 BST, 10 September 2021

Backing for the Tories among voters has fallen to its lowest level since the 2019 General Election after MPs lined up to support Boris Johnson's manifesto-busting £12billion tax raid, according to a YouGov poll.

Conservative support plummeted five points to 33 per cent while Labour's share increased by one point to 35 per cent, putting Sir Keir Starmer's party ahead of the Tories for the first time since January.

Six in ten voters said they did not believe Mr Johnson or the Conservatives cared about keeping taxes low compared with around two in ten who believed that they do care, The Times reported. 

The poll also found that more than three-quarters of all Tory voters believe the party does not support low taxation, while one per cent voters think the plans to fund an overhaul of social care will leave them better off.

The YouGov survey suggests the Government's plans to hike National Insurance and increase dividend taxes, apparently to plug a funding shortfall in the NHS and properly finance social care, has backfired among voters.   

The result are likely to set alarm bells off among Tory MPs and in Downing Street ahead of the party conference next month.  

Anthony Wells, political research director at YouGov, said: 'It looks as if the Government may have sacrificed their reputation for low taxes amongst Tory voters without actually getting much credit for helping the NHS.'

Conservative support plummeted five points to 33 per cent while Labour's share increased by one point to 35 per cent, putting Sir Keir Starmer's party ahead of the Tories for the first time since January

Backing for the Tories among voters has fallen to its lowest level since the 2019 General Election while support for Sir Keir Starmer's Labour rose after MPs lined up to support Boris Johnson's manifesto-busting £12billion tax raid, according to a YouGov poll 

Mr Johnson's dramatic move to bail out the NHS and overhaul social care with an eye-watering hike in national insurance sailed through the Commons by 319 to 248. Threats of a major Conservative revolt melted away after Downing Street hinted at a reshuffle and made some minor tweaks to the policy

HOW TORY OPPOSITION MELTED AWAY 

Voted against:

1. Sir Christopher Chope
2. Philip Davies
3. Dr Neil Hudson
4. Esther McVey
5. John Redwood

No vote recorded:

1. Lee Anderson
2. Stuart Anderson
3. Steve Baker
4. John Baron
5. Jake Berry
6. Peter Bone
7. Sir Peter Bottomley
8. Andrew Bridgen
9. Sir William Cash
10. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
11. David Davis
12. Dehenna Davison
13. Richard Drax
14. Philip Dunne
15. Dr Luke Evans
16. Marcus Fysh
17. Sir Roger Gale
18. Richard Graham
19. Adam Holloway
20. Julian Knight
21. Sir Greg Knight
22. Kwasi Kwarteng
23. Ian Liddell-Grainger
24. Tim Loughton
25. Craig Mackinlay
26. Stephen McPartland
27. Johnny Mercer
28. Annie Marie Morris
29. Dr Matthew Offord
30. Andrew Percy
31. Mark Pritchard
32. Andrew Rosindell
33. Henry Smith
34. John Stevenson
35. Julian Sturdy
36. Tom Tugendhat
37. Sir Charles Walker

Tories on the Right of the party had expressed fears that the Prime Minister's massive £12billion tax raid will simply be swallowed up after just five MPs rebelled against the plans.

Mr Johnson's dramatic move to bail out the NHS and overhaul social care with an eye-watering hike in national insurance sailed through the Commons by 319 to 248. Threats of a major Conservative revolt melted away after Downing Street hinted at a reshuffle and made some minor tweaks to the policy. 

In the end only Esther McVey, John Redwood, Christopher Chope, Philip Davies and Neil Hudson opposed the government. Another 37 Tories did not vote, including a number of 'Red Wall' MPs who have been deeply concerned about the proposals. 

The Government's working majority of more than 80 was barely trimmed to 71 even though Cabinet ministers and many MPs have been privately alarmed that Mr Johnson is abandoning a manifesto promise and taking the tax burden to record peacetime levels.

Former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood said today that he had received no satisfactory guarantees that the extra money would get results. The NHS will get £10billion a year of the revenue raised for the next three years, with an £86,000 cap on social care costs coming in from October 2023.  

'Yesterday I asked the government what reduction in waiting lists would we get for the extra tax money for the NHS?' he said.  'They said they could make no promises on reducing waits so I voted against the tax. The current NHS budget is more than the total income tax revenue.' 

Tory peer Lord Lilley told LBC: 'It was a mistake to introduce a permanent tax rise to deal with a temporary problem, the backlog, and to try and deal with some problem of potentially catastrophic costs of social care by taxation, rather than bringing in an insurance option for people if they wanted to avoid that.

'So I think it's a double mistake from that point of view'. 

Fresh doubts were raised today after it emerged that the NHS has been recruiting managers on salaries of more than £200,000 a year.  

In a round of interviews care minister Helen Whately said the Government had made 'difficult choices' and stressed it will be keeping a 'really close eye' on how extra funding is spent by the NHS, .

'People working in the NHS in those kinds of roles are taking on a lot of responsibility, they're big jobs, and they're moving from having more senior managers in the NHS to fewer through doing this, the NHS reckons that it needs to have that level of pay to have the right people in those jobs,' she told Sky News.

'But I do think the Government keeps a really close eye on making sure that NHS money is spent carefully and appropriately because we want as much of the funding as possible to go to the front line.' 

In the Commons debate, the leader of the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs, Jake Berry, warned that by listing the levy on people's payslips as a health and social care charge, it would 'never go down, it can only go up'.

'No party is ever going to stand at an election and say I've got a good idea, vote for me, I'll cut the NHS tax,' he said.

'It is fundamentally un-Conservative and in the long term it will massively damage the prospects of our party because we will never outbid the Labour Party in the arms race of an NHS tax.'

Former minister Steve Baker said the party was facing a 'generational crisis' due to its inability to fund promises dating back more than a century.

'Now the Conservative Party, at some stage in our lifetimes, is going to have to rediscover what it stands for because I have to say at the moment we keep doing things we hate, because we feel we must,' he said. 

Boris Johnson has fended off a Tory rebellion and secured MPs' backing for his controversial £12 billion National Insurance tax raid to pay for health and social care despite seeing his Commons majority cut

The Government's working majority of more than 80 was merely trimmed to 71, with a number of Conservatives choosing to abstain while others claiming they were only voting with the greatest reluctance

In the Commons debate, the leader of the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs, Jake Berry, warned that by listing the levy on people's payslips as a health and social care charge, it would 'never go down, it can only go up'

PM's £12bn tax hike 'will be swallowed by the NHS'

The £12billion a year extra for health and social care as a result of Boris Johnson's tax hike risks being swallowed up by the NHS, an economic think tank warned.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned that little might be left available for social care even once funding from the new levy is expected to shift away from the NHS.

Under the plans announced by the Prime Minister the NHS will get the bulk of the £36billion raised in the first three years, with £5.4billion for social care in England.

But that balance is expected to tip towards social care in subsequent years as the £86,000 cap on costs introduced from October 2023 starts to require funding.

The IFS suggested that the experiences of the past 40 years showed that NHS spending plans are almost always topped up, meaning that health would continue to require the bulk of the revenue raised by the new tax.

Ben Zaranko, a research economist at the IFS, said: 'The extra funding provided for the NHS in yesterday's announcement will result in spending growing at 3.9% a year between 2018/19 and 2024/25, exactly the same rate of growth as was planned between 2018/19 and 2023/24.

'That suggests little or no long-term additional costs as a result of the pandemic.

'History suggests these plans will be topped up further - they have been in almost every year for the last 40 years.

'That could leave little if any of the tax rises announced yesterday available for social care.'

Health Secretary Sajid Javid insisted that 'more and more' of the money raised by the levy would go towards social care in future years.

The IFS said that between 1982 and the start of the pandemic, keeping to initial real-terms spending plans set out by governments would have meant health spending growing at an average rate of 2.7% per year.

But on average, it grew by 4.1 per cent per year: 1.4 percentage points, or 53 per cent, faster than planned a year previously by the ministers in charge of the public finances at the time.

The IFS acknowledged that 'this time could be different' and 'with a multi-year settlement, the NHS may be able to plan and spend funds more effectively, improving health system performance and removing the need for any future top-up'.

'But the experience of the past 40 years is that this new, shiny set of NHS spending plans should be viewed as a lower bound, not a firm set of limits.'

The Health Secretary was challenged to give a clear guarantee that money would shift towards social care in a Times Radio interview.

Mr Javid said: 'It's clear that more and more after three years will shift towards social care because, not least, by that time the money over the next three years that will go to the NHS will be able to deal with so much of the challenge they are facing around the waiting list.

Mr Johnson attempted to quell the backlash at PMQs by suggesting the insurance industry could protect people from having to sell their homes to pay for the cost of care, amid claims the £86,000 cap would not be enough.

Sir Keir said that someone with assets of £186,000 - including their home - could still be forced to find £86,000 under the Government's proposals.

'Where does the Prime Minister think that they are going to get that £86,000 without selling their home?' he said.

Mr Johnson replied: 'This is the first time that the state has actually come in to deal with the threat of these catastrophic costs, thereby enabling the private sector, the financial services industry, to supply the insurance products that people need to guarantee themselves against the costs of care.'

The Government had announced that its £36 billion social care fund would be spent on innovation and new technology, with the investment paying for new treatments, diagnostic and surgical methods to help see more patients quickly and safely. 

Mr Johnson had clashed brutally with Sir Keir over the tax rises to bail out the NHS and social care.  

In bad-tempered exchanges at the first PMQs since the summer break, Mr Johnson denied that the eye-watering National Insurance rise was 'unfair'.

He also dodged as the Labour leader goaded him that despite the massive costs elderly people still face having to sell their homes to fund care.

Mr Johnson swiped that 'at least we have a plan' as he tried to turn the tables on Sir Keir for failing to come up with an alternative. The clashes came ahead of a crucial vote on the policy this evening. 

A Labour amendment calling for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to publish an impact assessment of the national insurance increase was rejected by 335 votes to 243, majority 92.

Mr Johnson spent almost an hour addressing a private meeting of Tory MPs at Westminster ahead of the vote on the health and social care levy.

The PM told the backbench 1922 Committee that the Conservatives remained the party of free enterprise, the private sector and 'low taxation'.

'We should never forget that,' he said.

At the same time, he said that he could not think of a 'better use' for public money than spending on the NHS.

Conservative MP Peter Bone called for a Social Care Bill to be placed before the Commons before agreeing to a tax rise to pay for care. 

The Wellingborough MP said: 'There should have been a Care Bill, a Social Care Bill, we should have had that Bill, we should have been able to debate the principle of that and then immediately afterwards voted on the Ways and Means. But we have got this mixed up, we are giving more money to the National Health Service.'

He added it was 'quite acceptable' to raise tax to pay for the NHS but added he was 'very unhappy with the procedure' in the Commons as MPs were 'doing it without the detail'.

Conservative MP Richard Drax told the Commons he is concerned by the 'direction of travel' the Government has taken with its proposal to raise national insurance.

The South Dorset MP said: 'Taxes are the highest for, as we have heard, 60 to 70 years, this, under a Conservative Government. For me, and I think for many of us and around the country too, the alarm bells are ringing.'

Tory backbencher Anne Marie Morris said: 'Is there a proper plan? We have a document, it's called the plan, but I think for me a plan is something which sets out very clearly not just ambition, and that is there aplenty, but sets out specifically what is going to be done, when it is going to be done by, who is going to be doing it, and how will - the Government in this case, and the NHS - be held accountable. 

'What will be the reporting mechanism? And I fear I see none of that. And if I'm asking taxpayers to pay a very substantial sum, that I think is the least that we owe them.' 

Conservative MP Dehenna Davison explained that she was abstaining from the vote on the Government's social care plans because 'I believe there are more discussions to be had to get this exact policy right for my constituents'.

The Government had announced that its new £36 billion social care fund will be spent on innovation and new technology. 

The investment, which will take place over three years, will pay for new treatments, diagnostic and surgical methods to help see more patients quickly and safely using tools such as surgical hubs, virtual wards and artificial intelligence.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the package as a way to help the NHS recover from the coronavirus pandemic and reform the adult social care system so people no longer face catastrophic care costs.

The majority of the cash is going towards the NHS, with social care receiving £5.3billion over the next three years.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the new funding will see the NHS deliver an extra nine million checks, scans, and operations for patients across the country in a bid to try and drive down waiting times.

It added the new surgical hubs, already used in hospitals such as Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, would help fast-track a number of planned operations, including cataract removal, hysterectomies and hip and knee replacements.

The hubs will be expanded across the country with more expected to be set up at existing hospital sites later on in the year.

Pop-up clinics are also going to be established while virtual wards and home assessments allow for patients to be given medical support from home. 

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2021-09-09 23:00:43Z
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COVID-19: Vaccine passports required in Scotland for entry to crowded venues from 1 October - Sky News

Vaccine passports will be introduced in Scotland for entry into venues with large crowds from 1 October.

COVID-19 certification will be required to enter events such as nightclubs, music festivals and some football grounds.

MSPs in Holyrood voted by 68 to 55 in favour of a vaccine passport scheme on Thursday - a week after Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she was intending to introduce the scheme.

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COVID: Scotland introduces vaccine passports

The new scheme is being introduced from 1 October as that is when all Scottish adults will have had the opportunity to receive both COVID-19 vaccines, with two weeks having passed to allow the vaccine to take effect.

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People aged under 18 and adults who are ineligible for the vaccine will be exempt from the scheme.

It is hoped the scheme will keep cases in Scotland down after rising by 80% in the past week.

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The Scottish government said there are currently no plans to introduce certification for the wider hospitality industry, however, this will be kept under review over the autumn and winter.

Staff at venues will be able to download a verifier app from next week, ahead of the launch, to allow digital checks on the vaccine status of attendees.

Venues will also be provided with guidance on how to use the app and how to integrate it into their own systems.

Image: People will have to show proof of vaccination at nightclubs. File pic

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said vaccine passports will "only be used in certain higher risk settings" in the hope this will allow businesses to remain open and prevent further restrictions being imposed in the autumn and winter.

He said he hopes the scheme will incentivise as many people as possible to get vaccinated, especially in the younger age cohort.

Mr Yousaf added: "We do not want to re-impose any of the restrictions that have been in place for much of this year as we all know how much harm they have caused to businesses, to education and to people's general well-being. But we must stem the rise in cases."

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2021-09-09 17:37:30Z
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UK's Covid outbreak stays flat despite fears of a school surge - Daily Mail

UK's Covid outbreak stays flat despite fears of a school surge: Country records 38,013 daily cases in 0.4% fall in a week and deaths drop 6% to 167 while hospital admissions creep up by 2%

• There 38,013 new coronavirus infections today — down 0.4 per cent on the 38,154 recorded last week 
• It was the first time Britain recorded a week-on-week fall in Covid cases since Thursday last week 
• Some 863 Covid patients were admitted on Sunday — up 1.8 per cent on the 848 admissions the week before

By Joe Davies For Mailonline

Published: 16:27 BST, 9 September 2021 | Updated: 17:30 BST, 9 September 2021

Britain's Covid outbreak remained flat today despite fears there would be a resurgence in cases after schools reopened last week, official figures show.

Department of Health bosses posted 38,013 new infections today, down 0.4 per cent on the 38,154 recorded last week.

It was the first time Britain has recorded a week-on-week fall in cases since last Thursday, with experts fearing the return to classroom had led to a resurgence in the pandemic.

Schools in Scotland reopened as early as August 18, with children in England and Northern Ireland returning on September 1, meaning any upswing in cases caused by the reopening would likely have been seen by now.

Deaths also fell today, with 167 fatalities recorded — a drop-off of 6.2 per cent on the 178 seen last week.

But the number of hospital admissions remained relatively flat. Some 863 Covid patients were admitted on Sunday — the most recent date data is available for — up 1.8 per cent  on the week before.

The daily figures come as three separate studies showed a mix bag in terms of how the return to classrooms affected case levels. 

Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and lead scientist of the ZOE Covid study, said the return of schools and summer festivals 'hasn't yet caused a spike' in infections. 

But he warned: 'However, the picture is worse in Scotland, where rates are still rising and our figures indicate that Scottish hospitals could soon be overwhelmed. 

'The Scottish situation makes it clear we can't be complacent about Covid as winter approaches. We are still producing far too many Long Covid cases and hospitalisations unnecessarily.'

‹ Slide me ›

Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England. Map shows: The percentage change in infections in regions across England in the week ending September 5 (right) and the week before (left)

Public Health England's report published today showed unvaccinated people were up to five times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid in August compared to those who had got both doses. The above graph shows the Covid hospitalisation rate among unvaccinated people (red) compared to vaccinated people (blue). The rate was worked out by dividing the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who were admitted to hospital with the virus by the total number of people in England who had and had not got their vaccines

Public Health England's report also showed Britons were up to ten times more likely to die from Covid if they were unvaccinated than if they had received both jabs. The above graph shows the Covid death rate among people who had not been jabbed (red) compared to those who had received both doses (blue). The data is for August only and England. The rate was worked out by dividing the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who died with the virus by the total number of people in England who had and had not got their vaccines

But protection from vaccines against infection wanes over time. Studies have shown that jabs are less effective against the Indian 'Delta' variant at preventing infection, although they still prevent hospitalisation and death in the vast majority of cases. The above graph shows the infection rate in England by unvaccinated people (red) and vaccinated (blue). The rate was worked out by dividing the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who caught the virus by the total number of people in England who had and had not got their vaccines

NHS pushes back against 'unnecessary' compulsory Covid jabs plan 

NHS workers have hit out against 'blunt instrument' plans to make Covid jabs for staff compulsory by winter, warning it could push out key staff 'at a time we can least afford it'. 

The Government today launched a six-week consultation into plans to make vaccination a legal requirement to work with NHS patients. 

Under the plans, around 120,000 frontline NHS staff who are still not vaccinated could be required by law to be jabbed to reduce transmission in hospitals. 

But unions have hit out at the plans today, arguing mandatory vaccination is unnecessary because of high uptake rates. 

Figures show 88 per cent of NHS staff are fully vaccinated and around 92 per cent have had a first dose, despite being first offered a jab last December. There are about 1.2million frontline staff in the health service in England. 

The numbers are slightly lower in London, where there has been more hesitancy about vaccination, with only 86 per cent have had a first jab. 

President of the hospital doctors' union the HCSA Dr Claudia Paoloni said using 'compulsion rather than persuasion' to ensure remaining unvaccinated staff take up the offer of a jab will put off hesitant key workers.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) expressed doubts over whether making jabs compulsory would increase the number of people taking up the offer of a vaccine.

And The NHS Confederation — which represents NHS trusts across England — said 'the focus must remain on increasing vaccine confidence' rather than forcing staff to take jabs. 

A member of the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) — an independent body that advises the Government on vaccine policy — today said making jabs mandatory would feel 'like an admission of failure'. 

It comes as:

• The EU's vaccine watchdog claimed AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine may trigger a nerve disorder in 'very rare' cases;
• Figures revealed one in ten people in England are stuck on the NHS waiting list for routine operations;
• A union revealed London transport staff have been warned that anti-vax 'propaganda' posters have been found with razor blades which could injure anyone trying to remove them;
• NHS workers hit out against 'blunt instrument' plans to make Covid jabs for staff compulsory by winter, warning it could push out key staff 'at a time we can least afford it'; 
• Britain's medicines watchdog today approved the AstraZeneca and Pfizer Covid jabs to be used as third doses, as the country edges closer towards green-lighting a booster vaccine programme this autumn;
• Pressure for a mass British booster vaccine programme continued to mount as figures showed Scotland's daily Covid hospital admissions rose by 50 per cent in a week. 

Figures from Public Health England today suggested Covid cases rose nine per cent last week as schools reopened with children aged 10 to 19 testing positive nearly six times more than the elderly. 

Cases in children in the age group spiked by 42 per cent in a week from 478.3 per 100,000 to 681.4 in the week ending September 5. This compared to just 114 cases per 100,000 in the over-80s — down 1.2 per cent from the week before — and 145.8 in 70- to 79-year-olds — which remained flat.

But separate data from a symptom-tracking study that uses a different methodology suggested the overall number of people falling ill with the virus fell during the same week. 

King's College London's ZOE Covid Study — which relies on people self-reporting symptoms — estimated 51,876 people suffered with the virus in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous week (57,158). 

And separate figures from NHS Test and Trace showed a total of 191,431 people tested positive for Covid in England at least once in the week to September 1, down four per cent on the previous week. The number of people testing positive has been around 200,000 in the six most-recent weeks of data.

Children returned to schools on Wednesday last week in England, meaning the data for the King's College and PHE surveillance reports only includes half a week of the start of term. 

It takes at least a week for cases to start appearing because of how long it takes for the virus to incubate but the figures show symptomatic cases were already highest in people aged 18 and younger.

Overall cases in Scotland increased during the same period, where children were back in classes as early as August 18. Prevalence was also highest in school age children. 

The PHE data shows overall the number of positive cases last week rose from 171,798 to 187,059. Case rates in England are continuing to rise in most age groups, PHE said. The exceptions are 20 to 29-year-olds, 60 to 69-year-olds and people aged 80 and over.

The highest rate is among 10 to 19-year-olds, with 681.4 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up sharply week-on-week from 478.3.

The second highest rate is among 20 to 29-year-olds, down from 412.1 to 373.2. The lowest rate is among people aged 80 and over, at 114.0, down slightly from 115.4.

But separate data from King's College London scientists suggested 51,876 people suffered with the virus in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous week (57,158)

Figures from Public Health England show cases in children aged 10 to 19 spiked by 42 per cent in a week from 478.3 per 100,000 to 681.4 in the week ending September 5. This was nearly six times higher than the 114 cases per 100,000 in over-80s — down 1.2 per cent from the week before — and 145.8 in 70- to 79-year-olds — which remained flat

Symptomatic cases were highest in people aged 18 and younger, despite children only returning to schools on Wednesday last week in England

Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England, according to the latest weekly surveillance report from Public Health England

The PHE Surveillance Report showed cases across age groups (light blue bar) rose nine per cent last week as schools reopened

The Midlands has the highest number of total new cases in England with 8,070 per day. Graph shows: Estimated active cases in each region

In the fully vaccinated population, it's estimated there are currently 17,674 new daily symptomatic cases in the UK. Cases in this group had been rising steadily but have now stabilised, with last week's figure being 17,342

Pressure mounts for boosters as Scotland's Covid hospital admissions rise 50% in a week 

Pressure for a mass British booster vaccine programme continued to mount today as figures showed Scotland's daily Covid hospital admissions rose by 50 per cent in a week. 

Data from the Government's Covid dashboard showed that on average there were 114 patients being admitted each day to hospitals in Scotland in the week to September 1, compared to 76 the week prior. 

The number seeking treatment for the virus has risen steadily since schools went back from the summer break in the middle of August, when there were about 40 Covid admissions per day.

Daily hospitalisations are now at 60 per cent of the levels seen at the peak of the second wave, but patients are presenting with milder illness and being discharged quicker than earlier phases of the pandemic.  

There were 883 Covid patients in hospital with the virus yesterday compared to more than 2,000 at the height of the winter wave in January — in a sign the vaccines are working.

Eighty-two patients were on mechanical ventilators by the most recent count on Wednesday and the country is recording seven deaths from the virus per day, on average.

The growing hospital numbers in Scotland come amid increasing calls for a more broad booster vaccine programme in the UK.

Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England, according to PHE.

North-east England has the highest rate, with 378.6 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up from 320.3. Yorkshire and the Humber has the second highest rate at 378.4, up from 343.0. London has the lowest rate at 240.0, up slightly from 237.5. 

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: 'Case rates remain high although fairly stable across the country and are currently highest in those aged 10-19 years old.

'We expect to see more cases in this age groups as schools detect cases of Covid acquired during the summer holidays. We continue to closely monitor how the start of the school year is impacting infections and will review recommendations accordingly.

'In recent days many have begun to return to the workplace. 

'It's important to keep following the simple steps to help protect yourself and others, get both doses of the vaccine, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and if you have Covid symptoms, please do not go out. 

'You should only leave home to get a PCR test, which you should get as soon as possible if you have symptoms.'

The ZOE Covid study data  — which relies on self-reporting, meaning it is often ahead of the official curve due to the time it takes to process tests — showed one in 90 people across the UK currently have symptomatic Covid.

There are currently 17,674 new daily symptomatic cases among fully vaccinated people in the UK. Cases in the group had been rising steadily but have now stabilised, with last week's figure being 17,342. 

Professor Spector said: 'For 521 days, ZOE and King's College London have demanded cold and flu-like symptoms be recognised as common Covid symptoms and communicated widely as in other countries. 

'With UK rates the highest in Europe, if the government continues with no restrictions, surely we should at least help people to recognise the symptoms early and know when to stay at home.' 

Meanwhile the NHS figures showed some 12.5 per cent of people — one in eight — who were transferred to Test and Trace in England in the week to September 1 were not reached, meaning they were not able to provide details of recent close contacts.

This is down slightly from 12.7 per cent in the previous week.

Anybody in England who tests positive for Covid, either through a rapid (LFD) test or a PCR test processed in a laboratory, is transferred to Test and Trace so their contacts can be identified and alerted.

But both King's College and NHS Tests and Trace use delayed data, with official figures from the Department of Health showing an increase in infections since September 4. 

The UK recorded 38,975 new positive tests yesterday — a jump of 9.2 per cent on the 35,693 recorded last Wednesday.

Hospital admissions with the virus also continued to increase at a similar rate, rising 10.8 per cent to 933 on September 4, the latest date data is available for. 

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2021-09-09 15:27:16Z
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What is the law on migrant crossings and what is Priti Patel trying to change? - Sky News

Home Secretary Priti Patel has said she wants the UK Border Force to be able to turn away migrant boats and send them back to France.

According to reports, border officials have already started training staff in "pushback tactics".

The Home Office is understood to have taken legal advice that turning around some boats would be allowed under maritime law.

It comes after witnesses say a record-breaking 1,000 men, women and children attempt to cross the Channel in a single day on Monday.

Here Sky News explains what the government's plans are and how they compare with existing international laws.

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What is the law now?

Border Force activity within British waters is governed by UK law, which has to comply with international maritime law - as set out by the United Nations.

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The UN Conventions of the Law at Sea says that "every state" is required to "render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost".

They must then "proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress".

But the law is not clear about what should happen "once a rescue has been effected".

The UN's High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) claims the "definition of rescue implies disembarkation" on land.

But this is not specifically referred to in international law, so this may allow boats to be legally turned around, as long as their safety on land can be guaranteed.

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Minister on turning migrant boats around

What is Priti Patel trying to do?

The Home Secretary has repeatedly said she wants to make illegal border crossings via the English Channel "unviable".

In July she brought forward a new Nationality and Borders Bill, which she claims will help tackle the rising number of crossings.

If passed, it will increase prison sentences for people entering the UK illegally and - for the first time - consider whether someone arrived in the UK legally or illegally when potentially granting them asylum.

Specifically on migrant boats, Sky News understands that Ms Patel has asked Border Force to turn away some migrant vessels from British waters towards France.

The Home Office is understood to have taken legal advice that claims such tactics are in accordance with international maritime law.

Training of Border Force workers in "pushback" tactics is nearly finished, according to reports.

What are 'pushback tactics'?

According to Oxfam, the term "pushback" refers to "the practice by authorities of preventing people from seeking protection on their territory by forcibly returning them to another country".

Priti Patel is thought to have got the idea from recent visits to Australia and Greece, which both use it in their border policies.

According to reports, it is up to individual Border Force boat captains whether to turn a boat around or not.

Under maritime law they are only allowed to do so if it is considered safe - and if they can be sure the vessel won't capsize as a result.

Several human rights groups have claimed that pushbacks are a breach of international law because they violate Article 14 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to seek asylum from persecution.

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How does the UK handle immigration?

What do the French say?

The French have repeatedly refused to intercept or take back migrant boats.

Instead French vessels have often been seen assisting migrant boats into British waters.

The French interior minister has rejected the idea of "pushbacks".

"France will not accept any practices that go against maritime laws, nor any financial blackmail," he tweeted on Thursday.

"The UK must keep to their commitments, which I said clearly to my counterpart Priti Patel.

"The friendship between our two countries deserves better than these actions that harm the cooperation of our services."

On Wednesday, French MP for Calais, Pierre Henri Dumont told the BBC: "Nothing can stop [the migrants].

"The fact is we've got 300 to 400km (186 to 248 miles) of shore to monitor every day and every night and it's quite impossible to have police officers every 100 metres because of the length of the shore."

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2020: Greece 'push back' tactic against migrants

What boats would it apply to?

According to the advice taken by the Home Office, pushbacks are only legal if they can be done safely.

Smaller dinghies with large numbers of people on them are unlikely to fit this criteria.

A source told The Daily Telegraph pushbacks are likely to be restricted to "sturdier, bigger migrant boats" and only used in "very limited circumstances".

The vast majority of the some 13,000 migrants who have attempted to enter the UK via the Channel this year have arrived in small boats.

This means that the legal use of so-called pushback tactics is likely to be very limited.

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Government's 'new plan for immigration'

What has been promised before?

Priti Patel's Nationality and Borders Bill makes a number of changes to the UK's immigration and border policy.

These include giving life sentences to people smugglers and traffickers who facilitate illegal immigration into the UK.

Unveiling the bill, she said: "People who come from France, Germany, from safe countries around the world who then cross the Channel in small boats… they will not be able to claim asylum in the UK in the way that they have been able to for so long."

Earlier this year, Ms Patel announced she was giving £54.1 million to France to help tackle spiralling migrant crossings.

She told the Home Affairs Select Committee: "We've doubled the number of patrols around French beaches and improved surveillance, technology and intelligence."

But after accusations of wasting public money, Ms Patel has now threatened to revoke it, telling The Sun: "It's payment by results and we've not seen those results, the money is conditional."

There were also reports this summer that the Home Office had asked the Royal Navy to help deal with migrants in the Channel.

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2021-09-09 13:07:30Z
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Bristol: Knife attacker forces staff at petrol station to hide in safe room - Sky News

A knife attacker has forced staff at a petrol station in Bristol to hide inside a safe room after getting into the shop.

One person has been taken to hospital after leaving the petrol station in Hengrove Way, Avon and Somerset Police said, adding armed officers and a negotiator were at the scene.

The force added: "A man armed with a knife is inside the shop of the petrol station.

One person has left the scene and gone to hospital with injuries not believed life-threatening.
Armed officers and a negotiator have been deployed to try to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
Members of the public are urged to avoid the area. 2/2

— Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) September 9, 2021

"Staff members are uninjured within a safe room and in contact with officers.

"One person has left the scene and gone to hospital with injuries not believed life-threatening.

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"Armed officers and a negotiator have been deployed to try to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.

"Members of the public are urged to avoid the area."

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Officers were called at 7:36am on Thursday and were at the scene by 7:41am, police added.

The incident has also caused major delays to bus services in the area.

First West of England tweeted that bus services are delayed and services are "terminating and starting their journey from skills centre until further notice."

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2021-09-09 08:46:00Z
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