Covid: Boris Johnson sets new booster target over 'Omicron tidal wave' - BBC News

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Booster jabs will be offered to everyone over 18 in England from this week, the PM has announced, as he declared an "Omicron emergency".

"No one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming," Boris Johnson said on Sunday.

A new target has been set to give boosters to all adults who want one by the end of the month, he said.

Ten people in England are in hospital with Omicron, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed on Monday.

Some medical appointments are to be postponed to focus on boosters.

Mr Johnson gave his update in a TV statement on Sunday evening, just hours after the UK's Covid alert level was raised to four due to the spread of the new Omicron virus variant.

Level four means a high or rising level of transmission - the last time the UK was at this level was in May.

People have been told to work from home from Monday "if they can", as part of the UK government's introduction of Plan B measures.

• What do the Covid alert levels mean?
• When will I get my booster?
• Wales: New Covid restrictions likely 'in next few weeks'

"I'm afraid we're now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant Omicron," said Mr Johnson.

"It is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need. But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection back up."

He added: "At this point our scientists cannot say that Omicron is less severe.

"And even if that proved to be true, we already know it is so much more transmissible that a wave of Omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our NHS and lead sadly to very many deaths."

The new booster target means people aged 18 and over in England will be able to get their third jabs from this week - as long as it has been three months since their second dose.

People aged 30 and over can already book an appointment in advance using the online service from two months after their second dose and over-18s in this position will be able to book from Wednesday.

Some walk-in appointments will be available from Monday for eligible over-18s, depending on location.

Scotland is also setting the same target and aiming to offer all adults a booster by the end of the year, and Northern Ireland said it is stepping up its rollout and hopes to get as many people as possible boosted by then.

But Mr Johnson said in order to reach the new jab target, certain other medical appointments would need to be postponed to the New Year. Some GPs are already allowed to postpone routine health checks to make space for vaccinations.

The prime minister also said:

• 42 teams from the military would be deployed across every region to help the effort
• extra vaccine sites and mobile units would be set up across England
• opening hours of clinics would be extended with more appointments
• thousands more volunteer vaccinators would be trained
• the UK government would also give extra support to speed up vaccinations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday that 10 people in England were currently in hospital with Omicron, with no deaths confirmed.

However, he told BBC Breakfast that 40% of all Covid cases in London were of the variant, which was spreading at a "phenomenal rate".

Asked whether the new measures were excessive, Mr Javid said it was important to act now, given the lag in hospitalisations in deaths that follow a rise in cases - even if Omicron turns out to be milder than other variants.

"We have seen what Covid is capable of... you start seeing a rise in cases, people get ill, some enter hospital, some sadly die," he said. "It's better to act early."

Early data suggests that getting a third booster dose gives an individual around 70% to 75% protection against symptomatic infection from Omicron.

More than half a million booster jabs and third doses were given in the UK on Saturday - the second day that has happened since the booster rollout began.

For people who are clinically vulnerable to Covid, a third dose of a vaccine is considered their full course - with a fourth jab being given as their booster.

Stern words - but three challenges for PM

Boris Johnson's stern words on Sunday night may run into three different challenges.

It won't be easy to expand the booster programme at such a pace.

There's been plenty of anecdotal evidence about the availability and eligibility, and questions about why it didn't get going much more quickly, weeks ago.

Second, Boris Johnson's credibility has taken a significant knock in recent weeks. Will the public, this time, be as willing to listen to him?

And in his own party there is frustration at his decision making and scepticism about what's going on.

The prime minister can make bold and urgent promises about the booster, but keeping them is something else.

Read more from Laura.

A further 1,239 new cases of Omicron were announced in the UK on Sunday, bringing the total number of UK Omicron cases to more than 3,000 - although the real number is estimated to be much higher.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reiterated Mr Johnson's call to "get boosted" - adding: "So much has been asked of the British people, and time and again you have risen to the challenge. So let's keep our foot on the pedal and get Britain boosted to protect our families, friends and NHS."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said it was in the national interest for everyone to get a booster jab, but criticised the government's rollout for being "far too slow", adding: "And now they're having to rush it in an emergency and cause all these pressures on NHS staff."

NHS Providers, which represents NHS hospitals, mental health, community and ambulance services, said the booster campaign offered an opportunity to contain the impact of Omicron but added the NHS was already "beyond full stretch" and that there would be an impact on other care as more staff became involved in the vaccination campaign.

And the Royal College of Nursing also welcomed the expansion of the booster programme but said nurses were "already facing huge demands under existing unsustainable pressures in every part of the UK health and care system". It called for ministers to take "every step needed" to slow the spread.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have already opened up boosters to over-30s - and those aged 18 to 29 in Scotland can get their booster jabs from later in the week.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland had the highest rate of booster jabs of all the UK nations - but warned it was possible that further measures might be needed in the weeks ahead.

Pace must change

The end-of-December promise is about enabling everyone aged over 18 who is eligible to have been able to have booked their jab.

It does not mean those jabs will be in arms.

But for it to have any impact on blunting the coming Omicron wave there needs to be a significant acceleration of the booster programme.

GPs are going to be crucial to increase the speed of vaccinations. It is them in particular who will be asked to prioritise jabs ahead of routine work for the next few weeks.

The promise applies to England, but the devolved nations are expected to follow suit. There have been 23 million boosters given across the UK - with another 23 million eligible for one.

At current rates of vaccination only a third of those will have got their booster by the end of the year. The pace needs to change - and quickly.

Earlier, the rules on self-isolation were updated again in England. From Tuesday, fully-vaccinated people who come into contact with a Covid case will not need to automatically self-isolate - but instead take daily lateral flow tests for seven days.

It is the latest rule change as part of the new Plan B measures - which also include Covid passports for some crowded events from Wednesday and the updated work from home advice. Both Wales and Scotland have said new rules could come in the next few weeks.

Mr Johnson's statement comes as the row continues over gatherings at Downing Street during last year's coronavirus lockdown.

How have you been affected by the issues raised, following the announcement of an "Omicron emergency"? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

• IN THE END, ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHO BELIEVES HIM: A young man fights to prove his innocence
• WHAT NEXT FOR BARBADOS?: Life in the world's newest republic

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2021-12-13 08:19:45Z
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Gun recovered from scene of fatal shooting in west London - Sky News

A gun has been recovered from the scene of a fatal shooting in west London.

Officers were called to reports of a man with a firearm in a bank and bookmakers near Marloes Road in Kensington before the shooting on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.

Eyewitnesses saw a man being shot three times in a taxi before being "dragged out" and arrested in Kensington Road.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation.

A non-police firearm has been recovered from the scene, the watchdog said on Sunday.

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In a statement, it said: "At around 3.19pm yesterday afternoon (Saturday 12 December), police responded to reports of a man with a firearm on Marloes Road, W8.

"The man was seen to enter a car and armed police stopped the vehicle at the junction of Kensington Road and Palace Gate.

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"Shots were fired and a man sustained gunshot wounds. The London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance were called but, despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"After being notified of the incident by the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service), we sent investigators to the scene and the post-incident procedure to start gathering evidence.

"What appears to be a non-police issue firearm has been recovered from the scene. Our thoughts are with everyone affected."

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2021-12-12 16:44:09Z
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Kensington Road shooting live: Updates as 'armed' man is shot dead in stand-off with police in West London - MyLondon

An "armed" man has been shot dead this afternoon in a dramatic stand-off with police in Kensington.

The Met Police say he had entered a bank and betting shop armed with a firearm at just after 3pm.

Some 15 minutes later, armed officers stopped a vehicle at the junction of Kensington Road and Palace Gate, close to Hyde Park.

Shots were fired, with one witness telling MyLondon: "I was sitting having some coffee when I heard people yelling 'show me your hands, show me your hands' then the two or three loud bangs.

"I’m not sure how long after but they started doing compressions on the man on the ground next to what looked to be a cab.

"They continued doing compressions as the police started taping off the area saying that this was a crime scene and everyone needed to leave."

The bank and betting shop entered by the "gunman" are in Marloes Road around a mile away from where the shooting took place.

Police have refused to say whether the shots were fired by officers or if anything was stolen from the bank or betting shop.

Paramedics and an air ambulance crew were called to the scene, but the man could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 4.08pm.

Police say the incident has ben referred to the IOPC and it is not being treated as terrorism.

We're covering this incident live, follow all the latest updates below.

Are you on the scene? Did you see what happened? Get in touch sam.ormiston@reachplc.com

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2021-12-11 20:37:30Z
1212202882

Covid: Vaccine passports 'could be extended to pubs and restaurants' to slow Omicron - Metro.co.uk

Scientific advisors are said to be calling for the measure (Picture: Getty)

Ministers are reportedly considering extending vaccine passports to pubs and restaurants in a bid to tackle Omicron after new data showed boosters are crucial in beating the variant.

Under the government’s Plan B announced this week, people will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test if they want to go to large events such as nightclubs and concerts.

But according to The Times, the Government’s scientific advisors want to extend the measure to any public place amid surging Covid cases.

A number of new restrictions are said to be under consideration, including requiring people to check in at venues, mandatory face masks in secondary school classrooms and extending vaccine passports to hospitality venues.

The so-called ‘Plan C’ could also see the return of isolation for contacts of all confirmed coronavirus cases – a policy implemented in Scotland yesterday by Nicola Sturgeon.

The First Minister said the UK was facing a ‘tsunami of infections’ as daily cases reached the highest number since January.

What are the new rules for Vaccine passports in England?

Subject to approval by MPs, from Wednesday December 15, people in England will need to use the NHS Covid pass if they want to go to:

• Nightclubs
• Indoor unseated venues with more than 500 people
• Unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people
• Any venue with more than 10,000 people

People who are not fully vaccinated will be able to show proof of a recent negative lateral flow test instead.

One scientific adviser told The Times a return of isolation for contacts and a requirement for a negative test to enter public places would be an effective ‘next step’, adding: ‘There might have to be something else, but it might keep us going to January.’

But Boris Johnson, who is embroiled in a snowballing scandal about Downing Street parties during last winter’s lockdowns, is said to be reluctant for further measures.

There are fears reintroducing the 10-day isolation will lead to the ‘pingdemic’ that brought much of the country to a standstill over summer as hundreds of thousands of people had to self-isolate, leading to food shortages and transport chaos.

The possibility of tougher measures will also infuriate many Conservative backbenchers who already oppose the current ‘Plan B’.

The embattled prime minister is facing the biggest rebellion of his premiership next week over plans for vaccine passports at large events, with more than 60 Tory MPs expected to vote against the new rules.

However, scientists have warned the world faces a ‘pandemic 2.0’ if the threat of Omicron is not taken seriously.

The UK’s Health Security Agency (HSA) said yesterday that Omicron is expected to become the dominant strain in the UK within days and cases could hit one million by the end of the month.

The experts said having two doses of a Covid vaccine offers less defence against infection from the new variant than with Delta, the previous dominant strain.

Dr Susan Hopkins, the UKHSA’s chief medical adviser, said: ‘I think what we’re seeing is that if you’ve had two doses more than three months ago, then it’s not going to prevent you from getting symptomatic disease.’

More: Coronavirus

However, the HSA found that having a third dose prevents about 75% of people from getting any Covid symptoms.

The data has promoted fresh calls for those who are eligible to come forward for their booster.

But with only a third of the population having had a booster jab and infections doubling every two or three days, ministers have indicated more restrictions could come in the mean time.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove warned of a ‘deeply concerning situation’ after holding an emergency Cobra meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss the latest data and the co-ordinated response across the four nations.

He said that ministers had been ‘presented with some very challenging new information,’ adding: ‘Action is absolutely required, and as new data comes in we will consider what action we do require to take in the face of that data’.

Although he didn’t say what measures could come next, sources said the situation was ‘deeply concerning’ and ‘all options are on the table’.

It comes HAS document, leaked to the Guardian, called for ‘stringent action’ on or before December 18 to stop the NHS being overwhelmed with up to 5,000 people being admitted to hospital each day.

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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2021-12-11 08:15:00Z
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Boris Johnson: Is 'Planet Boris' finally going to implode? - BBC News

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"Planet Boris is the strangest place in the world - no rules apply," a cabinet minister told me a few days ago as they marvelled at the strangeness of the current political universe.

Events had been disastrous, they admitted, yet they seemed sure at that moment that the prime minister's ability to defy any normal political gravity would see him through.

But then, on Tuesday night, a video emerged showing aides joking about a Downing Street event last Christmas as Britain was in lockdown. The humiliating leak engulfed No 10 in a fresh crisis that shows no sign of easing.

So this weekend it is worth asking if "Planet Boris" might actually, finally implode?

One senior official summed up the state of play simply: "It's a disaster."

Day after day, for more than a month, Downing Street has been struggling to keep hold of events.

There have been miscalculations and missteps - attempts to change the rules to protect one of their own, Owen Paterson; the disastrous efforts to close down stories about Christmas parties last year, and most recently, a fine for the Conservative Party over the financing of Mr and Mrs Johnson's lavish renovation of the No 10 flat.

The mistakes have been all the worse because they were miscalculations of Downing Street's own making. Almost nothing riles MPs and ministers outside the clique at the top of government more than No 10 making mistakes for which they all have to answer.

Each incident fuelled the opposition's main argument they had been making for months - that Mr Johnson behaves as if he's exempt from following the rules.

Whether it's the Christmas parties or the cash for the flat, the mess has highlighted this prime minister's complicated relationship with the truth, which we've discussed here before.

There has been little sense that No 10 has been able to, you might say, take back control. In fact, as pressure has cranked up in recent days it's been hard sometimes to get any sense of what is going on at all.

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[L]ike a theme park of soft decision-making and avoidance

Tory MP on the Downing Street operation

The atmosphere inside is described as deadly silent, horrible, as if the lights are on, but no-one's really home.

Some ministers loyal to Boris Johnson reject the notion that anything is serious or somehow in permanent decline.

It's true that the prime minister's career has been built on proudly dismissing, and dismantling norms. It's also true that he has slipped before, but surged back, time and again. He is the campaigner of his generation, they believe, and can recover.

But it is notable that MPs who were involved in getting Boris Johnson to No 10 say privately, and increasingly colourfully, that he has to sharpen up.

One of them told me that Downing Street has become "like a theme park of soft decision-making and avoidance".

"There's the helter-skelter, there's the lost-in-space ride, there's the final ride which is the 'make a decision and see if you can stick to it by the end of the ride'."

With deep irritation they told me: "They all have to be shut down. We do not need a fairground. Downing Street has to be run like a military camp."

Resignation refused

Others talk of drift and decline. "Nothing important's discussed in our meetings," one says.

At the start of meetings the PM verbally encourages them to contribute, but the implicit message is, "Don't speak up." they feel. Ministers sometimes choose to stay silent. One jokes that they message each other instead about how bad things are.

• EXPLAINER: Which parties are being investigated?
• PROFILE: Who is Allegra Stratton and why did she quit?

After the last few torrid weeks, the trouble, according to one former cabinet minister is that the different Tory tribes, who sometimes can't stand each other, now find themselves able to agree. The problem for Mr Johnson is that the only thing they agree on is how unhappy they are.

According to this analysis, moderates who might see themselves as "internationalists" are grumpy about foreign policy and the government's cuts to foreign aid. The Brexiteer gang are cross that he's not being tough enough about Northern Ireland.

The "red wall" group, with new seats from 2019, know they owe them in large part to Mr Johnson, but they also see themselves as champions of their areas. And some of them don't feel they have much to show for that just yet. Some Northern Tories are said, increasingly, to believe that the PM is "all mouth, no trousers".

And among the right-wing of the party, there's increasing frustration that the government won't take more radical action - changing human rights law, for example - at the Channel to stop migrants crossing in small boats.

These groups shift around of course, but right now they are said to be "coagulating" - instead of spats between each other they are coming together on one thing, that the recent mess can't be allowed to go on.

Many MPs are hopeful it could end up with a new Downing Street operation. One said there needs to be a "clear-out of the 'born to rule' cabal", suggesting that the recent fiascos were inevitable given who has been around the PM.

"Frankly none of us should have been surprised when the grown-ups leave, that the children have an illegal house party," the MP said, adding that the Downing Street party fiasco should be the moment to "clear the sycophants out".

There isn't much sign yet that Mr Johnson is planning a big shake up of his team though. Allegra Stratton, who resigned on Wednesday as a senior government spokeswoman, carried the can for this week's humiliating leaked video footage.

And there's chatter that the prime minister has made a strategic decision to hold on to director of communications Jack Doyle for now, while lining him up to take the fall when the inquiry emerges.

Two sources have told the BBC Mr Doyle's resignation was offered but refused, although No 10 has denied this happened.

But as so often, while the Westminster rumour mill loves almost nothing more than speculating about who is in and who is out, the fairly desperate state of affairs is in the end, always, about the boss. Tone and culture is set by the person at the top, whoever else is up or down.

That's why what's next is, first and foremost, down to the decisions Mr Johnson makes himself. Does he acknowledge there have been problems? Will he resolve to lead in a different way? Will he "[look] in the mirror", as his friend and former minister Robert Buckland urged him publicly to do, and say "surely I can do this better"?

If not, well, Mr Johnson still has his huge majority. He still has enormous powers as the leader of the government, and as the political campaigner and celebrity.

Yet this week it feels sentiment has moved in the Tory party, with more and more of his own side imagining what life might be like under a different leader.

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Is the moment nearly upon them when he becomes less a flawed, but fundamentally sparkling, asset, than a liability?

A former minister who has analysed the party tribes even suggests "stage one" of a leadership change is complete: when the party agrees among itself privately that the PM is running out of road.

"Stage two", however, is the who next, how and when, and "that can take a very long time".

Right now, it seems far-fetched to imagine any kind of challenge soon. Don't doubt, however, that allies of potential candidates for next time round, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, are thinking hard about what's next.

There are even whispers that some MPs have been urging former cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt to put himself forward soon as a kind of safety, continuity candidate in the new year, even though right now, I'm told, "He doesn't want to play."

Imminent tests

Of course, anyone that's mentioned in connection with the leadership would publicly deny any ambition, or any plotting. Breathless conversations about replacing leaders are rarely far from the topic of conversation in Westminster.

A former minister admits they have been approached about exactly that twice in a matter of days, but cautions that to act any time soon would be "collective political suicide". With the pandemic still raging, the economy pretty fragile, and only two years on from the last election, would the public really want to indulge the Tory party tearing itself apart in public, yet again?

But the volume of discussions about replacements for the prime minister is increasing. Many MPs believe it's down to him to get a grip if that's to fade.

Mr Johnson faces two tests next week, that could deepen the sense of an impending Christmas crisis, or dial down the drama. There's a potentially huge rebellion in the Commons on Tuesday about the Covid regulations. Dozens of his backbenchers have already gone on the record to say they will vote against the plans.

With Labour support, the vote will pass, but a huge Tory vote against would display a real two fingers up to No 10. The whips and Mr Johnson, equally, have a huge opportunity to try to quell the anger in the next few days.

And there's the possibility of a different kind of rebellion next Thursday, when the by-election takes place to replace Owen Paterson as MP for North Shropshire. Many Conservatives fear doom on the ground there. A terrible result in what should be a safe seat would heighten the danger for the PM.

As we head into the last week of Parliament in 2021, there is plenty of peril. The prime minister faces risks all around.

It's madness to write him off - his biography is a living warning against that. Yet, a backer of the prime minister told me that while the situation doesn't have to be terminal, it has - they said with no pleasure - to change.

"If it doesn't, we all know where it leads. It leads to the front door."

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2021-12-11 01:43:15Z
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Covid: Sajid Javid warned 'stringent measures' needed to stop Omicron - Metro.co.uk

Health chiefs have warned that ‘stringent measures’ are needed within days (Picture: Getty)

Ministers have been warned that ‘stringent national measures’ need to be in place by the end of next week to prevent Covid hospitalisations topping last year’s winter peak, it has been reported.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is said to have been given a presentation by the UK Health and Security Agency on Tuesday warning that the spread of the Omicron variant could overwhelm the NHS with up to 5,000 people being admitted to hospital each day.

Although there are not currently any plans to go beyond the Plan B measures reintroduced this week, Cabinet minister Michael Gove has warned the UK faces a ‘deeply concerning situation’.

UKHSA advice for Mr Javid, leaked to the Guardian, points out that ‘under a range of plausible scenarios, stringent action is needed on or before December 18 if doubling times stay at 2.5 days’.

It warns that even were the doubling time to extend to nearer five days, ‘stringent action is still likely needed in December’.

The advice goes on to say: ‘The rapid spread of Omicron means that action to limit pressures on the health system might have to come earlier than intuition suggests.’

Sajid Javid is said to have received a presentation warning the NHS could be overwhelmed (Picture: Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock)

An additional 448 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant have been reported across the UK, the UKHSA said, bringing the total number to 1,265.

The agency warned on Friday that Omicron is expected to become the dominant strain in the UK in a matter of days.

It said the number of cases will exceed one million by the end of the month if current trends continue.

However, while two doses of the vaccine are much less effective against the new strain when compared with Delta, effectiveness ‘considerably increased’ after a third dose, it added.

After chairing a Cobra meeting with the first ministers of the devolved administrations, Mr Gove warned that evidence suggests Omicron is ‘more likely’ than past Covid-19 variants to ‘potentially’ lead to hospital admissions among the fully vaccinated.

The Cabinet minister said the current measures ‘absolutely’ need to be kept ‘under review’, but that he felt the approach taken was ‘proportionate’.

He added: ‘We recognise the importance of balancing people’s ability to get on with their lives with the need to protect them from this virus.’

The Government’s Plan B measures will be put to a Commons vote next week (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)

From Friday, in England the legal requirement to wear masks has been extended to more indoor spaces including museums, galleries and community centres.

There will be a return to working from home on Monday, and mandatory Covid passports for large venues from Wednesday, as the Government’s Plan B comes into force.

The new regulations will be put to a debate and vote in the Commons next week – and with Labour’s support they are certain to be approved despite the prospect of a large Conservative revolt.

More: Coronavirus

The tougher restrictions have been branded a ‘necessary evil’ by Professor John Edmunds, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).

He told a Royal Society of Medicine briefing: ‘I think it’s a necessary evil … it’s very damaging for parts of the economy, the hospitality sector, retail sector in particular – they’re going to be affected.’

The Government also said on Friday that a further 120 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 171,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

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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2021-12-10 23:08:00Z
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Julian Assange: High Court reverses decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder to the US - Sky News

The High Court has reversed a decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US, where he is wanted for publishing classified documents.

Mr Assange, 50, is wanted in America over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information after WikiLeak's publication of several hundred leaked documents relating to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

US authorities brought a High Court challenge against a January ruling by then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser, who ruled that Mr Assange should not be sent to the US, in which she cited a real and "oppressive" risk of suicide.

Image: Stella Moris, Mr Assange's fiancee, said his team will appeal the ruling

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Lord Justice Holroyde have now ruled in favour of the US.

Responding to the decision, Stella Moris, Mr Assange's fiancee, said: "We will appeal this decision at the earliest possible moment."

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Speaking outside the High Court, a visibly emotional Ms Moris said: "For the past two and a half years, Julian has remained in Belmarsh Prison and, in fact, he has been detained since 7 December 2010 in one form or another.

"For how long can this go on?"

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"How can these courts approve an extradition request under these conditions?" she added. "How can they accept an extradition to the country that plotted to kill Julian? This goes to the fundamentals of press freedom and democracy."

Ms Moris added her finance represents what it "means to live in a free society" and accused the UK of imprisoning journalists "on behalf of a foreign power".

US argued Assange would not face strict measures

The senior judges found that Ms Baraitser had based her decision on the risk of Mr Assange being held in highly restrictive prison conditions if extradited.

However, US authorities later gave assurances that he would not face those strictest measures either pre-trial or post-conviction unless he committed an act in the future that required them.

Lord Burnett said: "That risk is in our judgment excluded by the assurances which are offered. It follows that we are satisfied that, if the assurances had been before the judge, she would have answered the relevant question differently."

James Lewis QC, representing the US, said the district judge based her decision on Mr Assange's "intellectual ability to circumvent suicide preventative measures", and argued Mr Assange's health is well enough for extradition.

Image: Supporters of Julian Assange demonstrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London

Assange's lawyers oppose ruling

Lawyers representing Mr Assange had argued that the assurances over his potential treatment were "meaningless" and "vague".

Mr Assange's legal team have stated they will be seeking to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, and have 14 days to file an application.

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Julian Assange: A timeline of Wikileaks founder's case

The court also heard that Assange had faced a "menacing, threatening and frightening" situation while under surveillance when he lived at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Mr Assange has been held in Belmarsh Prison since 2019 after he was carried out of the Ecuadorian embassy by police before being arrested for breaching his bail conditions.

He had been living in the embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sex offence allegations, which he has always denied and were eventually dropped.

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2021-12-10 13:18:45Z
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