Top story: Tiered restrictions loom for north
Hello, Warren Murray with a small but highly recommended part of your morning routine.
Scientists advising the government have warned that further Covid restrictions do not go far enough and “fringe” anti-lockdown epidemiologists are gaining too much attention. The shutdown of pubs and restaurants in the north and Midlands expected next week is unlikely to bring cases down sufficiently, members of the Sage committee have told the Guardian, and the “circuit breaker” imposed in Scotland from today should have been enacted in England two or three weeks ago.
The Guardian understands most of northern England – from Barrow in Cumbria to Merseyside, Greater Manchester, much of Lancashire and Yorkshire and most of the north-east, as well as Nottinghamshire in the Midlands – will be put under a new three-tier alert system. It will be announced on Monday to come into force on Wednesday, a government source has said.
Writing in the Telegraph, the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, has accused the government of a “Whitehall knows best” attitude and failing to consult local leadership on coronavirus measures. Leaders in northern England have been in open revolt over imminent lockdown plans. But some scientists believe more should have been done already. There is worry about the influence of a relatively small number of public health academics and their Great Barrington declaration promoting a “herd immunity” strategy of protecting the vulnerable while letting the virus spread among the healthy. “I can’t see where the evidence is to back it up,” one Sage scientist said. The UK recorded more than 17,500 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday, up almost 25% on the day before. Get the latest from around the world at our live blog.
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Pelosi: Trump’s ‘disassociation from reality’ – The speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and Democrats will meet to consider whether the president should be removed for incapacity to carry out his duties under the 25th amendment to the constitution. Pelosi said Donald Trump’s rambling statements after contracting Covid-19 indicated a “disassociation from reality”. But removal would require approval of the vice-president, Mike Pence, and members of the cabinet, which seems impossible. Trump’s doctors have cleared him to return to public events from Saturday but there has been no indication that he has yet tested negative – he said on Fox News overnight that he would be tested on Friday and “I think I’m going to try doing a rally on Saturday night” in Florida. Organisers of the presidential debates have ruled that the next one must be virtual for Covid safety reasons but Trump is refusing to take part, claiming they might cut off his microphone. Joe Biden has said he will abide by what the independent commission decides.
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New face of Boris Johnson – The former ITV, Guardian and BBC journalist Allegra Stratton is expected to be announced as the talking head at Downing Street’s new daily televised press briefings. The 39-year-old former broadcaster has most recently been adviser to the chancellor, Rishi Sunak.
Heather Stewart and Simon Murphy write this morning: “Westminster insiders on both sides of the aisle were in rare unanimity on Thursday: Allegra Stratton is taking on one of the toughest roles in government.” There are currently two daily lobby briefings for political journalists, which are on the record but take place behind closed doors. One of these will be replaced by the new televised briefing.
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Bianca Williams case goes to IOPC – Five police officers are under disciplinary investigation after they stopped and handcuffed the British athlete Bianca Williams and her partner, the Independent Office for Police Conduct has announced. Williams, 26, and Ricardo dos Santos, a Portuguese sprinter, were stopped by Met officers on 4 July as they drove home in their Mercedes. It was one of a series of cases publicised on social media that raised concerns about police treatment of black people. The IOPC said the five officers were under investigation for misconduct but this did not mean disciplinary charges would follow. Video showed Williams, apparently distressed, telling officers: “My son is in the car.”
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Governor kidnap plot – Joe Biden has condemned Donald Trump for failing to condemn alleged kidnap conspirators who are said to have plotted to abduct the Michigan governor and subject her to a fake trial. Seven men, all now in custody and facing possible life sentences, are linked to the militia group Wolverine Watchmen. Gretchen Whitmer, the governor, said the president had “rallied” groups such as the ones that plotted her kidnap when he called during the first presidential debate for the Proud Boys armed extremist group to “stand back and stand by”. Whitmer said: “Hate groups heard the president’s words not as a rebuke but as a rallying cry, as a call to action.”
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Call for arms – A senior aide to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said the UK is willing to provide a large lethal weapons contract to Ukraine and a £1bn loan to build new navy ships for use in the Black Sea. As Zelensky met Boris Johnson to sign a post-Brext trade, political and security agreement, Andriy Yermak warned the suppression of post-election unrest in neighbouring Belarus posed a potential direct threat to Ukraine and it needed assurances from the EU and the UK about helping to safeguard its security. An EU or Nato centre to combat Russian disinformation and counter propaganda based in Ukraine was also being proposed, Yermak said in a speech. Ukraine has been fighting Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country since 2014 in a war that has killed 13,000 people.
Today in Focus podcast: The fight for trans rights pt 2
In September the equalities minister, Liz Truss, announced that some reforms to the Gender Recognition Act would go ahead but one key aspect – allowing trans people to self-identify without a medical diagnosis - would not be adopted. The issue has divided “gender critical” feminists from those who are more trans-inclusive. Is there a route to reconciliation?
Lunchtime read: New ways with well-aged Bacon
He broke through off Broadway with Sean Penn and Val Kilmer – now in his 60s but wearing it well, Kevin Bacon still strives to put being a teen idol behind him. “I’m drawn to dark things,” he tells Ryan Gilbey, as his latest venture, the horror film You Should Have Left, is released.
Sport
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored on his international debut to set up England’s 3-0 win over Wales in a low-key friendly. In the Euro 2020 play-offs, there was shootout joy for Scotland against Israel and for Northern Ireland against Bosnia-Herzegovina, but agony for the Republic of Ireland as they lost on the dreaded tiebreakers after a 0-0 draw with Slovakia. England rugby supporters will not be banned from singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot when allowed back into Twickenham but it is understood the lyrics will no longer be emblazoned around the stadium. Polish teenager Iga Swiatek has moved into the final of the French Open against Sofia Kenin with the familiar ease of reserving a table at the Ritz - she knows she belongs. The former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor, Richard Freeman, has admitted abusing his position by persuading an office worker to cover his tracks after he ordered banned testosterone. Lewis Hamilton has insisted there can be no relaxation of precautions against Covid-19 after one of his Mercedes team tested positive before this weekend’s Eifel Grand Prix.
Business
Labour has criticised Rishi Sunak’s job support scheme as inadequate and a throwback to the Thatcher era. It comes amid speculation that the chancellor will announce another package of support for businesses affected by the new coronavirus restrictions due to come into force next week in large parts of England. The FTSE100 is expected to rise by around a quarter of a percentage point this morning, while the pound is on $1.296 and €1.010.
The papers
Allegra Stratton smiles from the pages of the Guardian, the Times and the Telegraph this morning ahead of her anticipated announcement as the PM’s spokeswoman at new daily televised press briefings. The Guardian splashes with “New Covid-19 rules don’t go far enough, say experts” while the Telegraph reports on “NHS drive to ensure non-Covid sick get help” hitting on the much-rehearsed theme of what happens to everyone else who’s not a coronavirus patient. The Times says shielding is coming back and “Vulnerable face months of having to stay indoors”.
The Mirror expresses “Northern fury” ahead of lockdown restrictions that “angry pub and restuarant bosses” fear will kill their businesses. “It’s all ending in tiers” says the Metro playing on the staged restrictions that will come into play. The Sun says the north are headed for “Locky horror” – though a relevant hook for the Rocky Horror reference eludes detection.
The i highlights “Chief medic’s warning to the north” that ICUs could be swamped within three weeks. The Mail laments the “Crippling toll of Covid rules” as “figures show more than 110,000 people have been waiting over a year for treatment”. But the Express is tearing its hair out: “Listen to us! Majority support tougher lockdown” as it reports the results of its own poll of readers. And we’ll conclude as we often do with the FT: “EasyJet pleads for help to ride out first annual loss in 25-year history” – our own Nils Pratley says the airline shouldn’t bet on it.
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