Summary
We’ll be wrapping this blog up in a minute, but I’ll include any UK coronavirus updates in the global blog, so please do follow along here if you’re interested.
In the meantime, here’s a round up of today’s events.
- The stabbings in Reading, in which three people were killed and at least three others were injured, have been declared a terrorist incident. Counter Terrorism Policing South East will now lead the investigation into the attack.
- A 25-year-old man who remains in police custody after he was arrested at the scene on Saturday evening has been named as Khairi Saadallah. Multiple sources have confirmed Saadallah is a Libyan refugee who had been granted asylum and had previously been in prison for a relatively minor offence.
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Saadallah was on the radar of the security services in the middle of last year, sources have told the Guardian. The intelligence agencies believe Saadallah had mental health problems, the sources said.
- The first named victim of the terrorist attack in Reading has been identified as James Furlong. He was the Head of History, Government and Politics at the Holt School in Wokingham. Furlong has been described as a “kind and gentle man” who had a “real sense of duty and cared for each and every one of our students”.
- The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has said he would make changes to the legal system to prevent other attacks from happening if “there are lessons to be learned”. The attack could be the third terrorist incident in the UK since the terror threat was downgraded last November.
- Police have launched a double murder inquiry following a shooting at a large street party in Manchester. Greater Manchester Police said two men, aged 36 and 21, had died after being taken to hospital with gunshot wounds in the early hours of Sunday morning.
- A further 43 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus. The Department of Health and Social Care figures show the total death toll across all settings now stands at 42,632.
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Co-headteachers of The Holt School, Anne Kennedy and Katie Pearce have released a statement paying tribute to James Furlong.
The statement said: “We are so very sad to report that on Saturday 20th June, James Furlong, our wonderfully talented and inspirational Head of History and Government and Politics was tragically killed in the terrorist incident at Forbury Gardens in Reading.
“James was a very kind and gentle man; he had a real sense of duty and cared for each and every one of our students. He truly inspired everyone he taught through his passion for his subject and his dedication. He was determined that our students would develop a critical awareness of global issues and in doing so, become active citizens and have a voice.
“As a Holt community, we all now need to absorb this sad news. Counsellors will be available for students and staff.
“Words cannot describe our shock and sadness at this time. Our thoughts are with his mum, dad, brother and family, and his friends and colleagues.
“He was a cherished colleague and he will be sadly missed.”
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Tributes have continued to pour in for James Furlong, the first named victim of the terrorist attack in Reading, with former pupils describing the “inspirational” teacher as “the best”.
Jade Simon, a pupil at The Holt from 2012-2017, told the PA news agency: “He really was an incredible teacher.
“He was funny and kind and always made history fun and entertaining. History was always one of my favourite subjects and Mr Furlong always encouraged it.”
Keith Power, whose daughter attends the school, said: “He was a wonderful man. He was so helpful and supportive of my daughter. He had a real passion for history and teaching and was so caring of his pupils.
“It’s so senseless. So much hatred in the world right now. I fear for my kid’s futures.”
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If you have any imagery or footage of the #ReadingAttack please do not circulate on social media but share it with our investigation team via the UK Police Image appeal website. @ThamesVP
— Counter Terrorism Policing UK (@TerrorismPolice) June 21, 2020
The Libyan refugee held over the suspected terror attack in Reading was on the radar of the security services in the middle of last year, sources have told the Guardian.
Khairi Saadallah was under investigation as a person who might travel abroad “for extremist reasons” but sources indicated the inquiry was closed relatively quickly without any action taken as no genuine threat or immediate risk was identified.
The intelligence agencies believe Saadallah had mental health problems, the sources said.
There is no immediate evidence the deadly attack was underpinned by a clear allegiance to Isis or al Qaeda, although investigations continue.
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Devastated to discover that James Furlong, one of the victims of the Reading stabbings, was a teacher at the Holt.
— Wokingham Labour (@WokinghamLabour) June 21, 2020
His loss is a devastating blow to his family, colleagues, students, the wider Holt family and our whole community.
Our thoughts are with them all.
First victim of Reading attack is named
The first named victim of the terrorist attack in Reading has been identified as James Furlong.
He was the Head of History, Government and Politics at the Holt School in Wokingham, the Guardian has learned.
Keith Power, a parent at the school said he and his family were “distraught” after they received the news in an email from the school this afternoon. Power, 54, said that Furlong taught his child GCSE history, and praised his teaching, saying her grades soared in his classes.
“Every time I had an interaction with him it was always positive,” he said. “He was so supportive of my daughter. He just went the extra mile all the time, he was very caring about all the pupils and very passionate about history and teaching and learning, and helping kids. He needs to be remembered as a great human being.”
“Living in Wokingham, it’s a very closeted community, you don’t expect people from that community to be involved in a horrific crime,” he added. “For me, this is even bigger than a terrorist attack, it’s a reflection of how much hatred we have in society.”
A letter from the school, which has been shared online, describes him as a “kind and gentle man” who had a “real sense of duty and cared for each and every one of our students”.
The letter continues: “He truly inspired everyone he taught through his passion for his subject and his dedication. He was determined that our students would develop a critical awareness of global issues and in doing so become active citizens and have a voice.”
Updated
The man suspected of carrying out the Reading attack was made known to MI5 in 2019, according to the BBC.
Security sources told the broadcaster that Khairi Saadallah was brought to the attention of the security services after they learned he had aspirations to travel abroad, “potentially for terrorism”.
But upon further investigation, services did not identify a genuine threat or immediate risk, meaning no case file was opened.
Police forces have urged people not to share footage or images of the Reading attack online out of respect for the victims’ families after a graphic clip circulated online.
Assistant commissioner for Metropolitan police, Neil Basu, instead asked for footage to be shared with police.
Basu said the risk of terror attacks remained “substantial”, but that members of the public should be “alert not alarmed” and reports anything suspicious.
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One person caught up in the Forbury Gardens attack was taken to the emergency department at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford but they were not admitted to hospital and discharged on Saturday night, a hospital spokesman has told PA Media.
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Hello, I’m Clea Skopeliti and I’ll be taking over this blog for the rest of the day. You can get in touch with me on Twitter or by email. Thanks in advance.
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The IRA’s former director of intelligence and one of Gerry Adams’ key allies in the Northern Ireland peace process has died after a long illness.
West Belfast man Bobby Storey was renowned as an “enforcer” for the IRA and Sinn Féin leadership snuffing out dissent and defending the republican movement’s evolution from armed struggle to peaceful politics.
Storey was able to “sell” the new strategy embarked on by Adams and Martin McGuinness to the IRA base because of his own credentials within the organisation. In 1983, he was one of 38 IRA inmates who broke out of the Maze/H-Block prisons in the biggest jail escape in British history.
His IRA intelligence unit was behind the theft of £26.5m from the Northern Bank in central Belfast in December 2004 – the largest cash robbery in British criminal history.
While the IRA halted its attacks on police, troops, loyalists and economic targets after its second decisive ceasefire in 1997, it maintained control of republican areas in Belfast and beyond with an iron grip. During the post-ceasefire period, under Storey and others’ direction the organisation targeted and killed drug dealers as well as young men it branded as “anti-social elements”.
Storey’s department of the IRA also gathered intelligence on those republicans opposed to the political direction Adams and McGuinness were taking.
Often seen at Adams’ side, Storey claimed that the IRA had “floated away like a butterfly” and left the stage when asked in 2015 at a press conference if the organisation still existed.
The current Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, described Storey as a “champion of the peace process”.
She said: “Bobby was extremely committed to the pursuit of a united Ireland with equality and justice for all. Today we have lost a great republican.”
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Afternoon summary
Here’s a round up of the biggest developments so far today.
- The stabbings in Reading, in which three people were killed and at least three others were injured, has been declared a terrorist incident. Counter Terrorism Policing South East will now lead the investigation into the attack.
- A 25-year-old man who remains in police custody after he was arrested at the scene on Saturday evening has been named as Khairi Saadallah. Multiple sources have confirmed Saadallah is a Libyan refugee who had been granted asylum and had previously been in prison for a relatively minor offence.
- The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has said he would make changes to the legal system to prevent other attacks from happening if “there are lessons to be learned”. The attack could be the third terrorist incident in the UK since the terror threat was downgraded last November.
- Police have launched a double murder inquiry following a shooting at a large street party in Manchester. Greater Manchester Police said two men, aged 36 and 21, had died after being taken to hospital with gunshot wounds in the early hours of Sunday morning.
- England is “on track” to reopen hospitality venues and hairdressers on July 4, according to the health secretary. Matt Hancock said the government would be setting out more details for the plans amid a falling number of new coronavirus cases.
- A further 43 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus. The Department of Health and Social Care figures show the total death toll across all settings now stands at 42,632.
That’s it from me, Amy Walker. I’ll be handing over to my colleague Clea Skopeliti, who will take you through this evening’s UK coronavirus updates.
Updated
A Deliveroo driver has said he witnessed the Reading terror suspect being tackled by police. Amir Hadyoon, 31, said he watched as the assailant was arrested outside the job centre on Friar Street, a short distance from Forbury Gardens.
He told reporters: “When he got arrested his hand was full of blood, I could see the blood on his hand. He was wasn’t resisting or anything, even though there were like four or five police officers on top of him.
“He had a very trim beard, not much on his cheeks, he was a young guy. He had like a black T-shirt or something on. He was on the ground, I couldn’t really see,” Hadyoon added.
“To me it looked very weird because he didn’t say a word. He didn’t care, he was just staring … he was just completely silent. He wasn’t even blinking, he looked really weird.”
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The triple murder in Reading could prove to be the third terrorist attack in the UK since the threat level was downgraded last November.
Counter-terrorism police are overseeing the investigation into the incident, in which three other people were injured.
The country’s terror threat level was downgraded from “severe” to “substantial” on 4 November – its lowest level since 2014.
At the time, the home secretary, Priti Patel, said terrorism was still one of the most “direct and immediate” risks to national security.
Less than a month later, Saskia Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25, were killed by the convicted terrorist Usman Khan at a prisoners’ rehabilitation event at Fishmongers’ Hall by London Bridge.
Then on 2 February, this year, Sudesh Amman – who also had terrorism convictions – stabbed two people on Streatham High Road in south London while wearing a fake suicide vest.
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Second man dies after shooting at Manchester street party
A second man has died following a shooting at a lockdown street gathering of “hundreds of people” in Manchester.
Greater Manchester police said they were investigating a double murder.
A 36-year-old man died after reports of a shooting in the Moss Side area of the city at about 1am on Sunday. A 21-year-old-man, who was also taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, died later in the day.
A cordon remains in place at a residential courtyard where footage was taken of a tightly packed crowd of revellers dancing to loud music.
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A further 43 people have died across all settings after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK.
The latest official figures from the Department of Health and Social Care show that a total of 42,632 people have died as of 5pm on Saturday.
As of 9am on Sunday, 304,331 people have tested positive for Covid-19.
As of 9am 21 June, there have been 7,890,145 tests, with 175,018 tests on 20 June.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 21, 2020
304,331 people have tested positive.
As of 5pm on 20 June, of those tested positive for coronavirus, across all settings, 42,632 have sadly died.
More info:
▶️ https://t.co/r2YbE2e3O8 pic.twitter.com/dqxWq6OHAi
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Campbell said Thames Valley police were made aware of an incident unfolding at Forbury Gardens at 6.55pm on Saturday.
“Within five minutes of the first call officers had apprehended a man and made an arrest, he remains in police custody at this time,” he said.
He reiterated that police are not looking for any other suspects at this time.
He thanked officers, as well as members of the public who assisted victims, for their response to the attack.
Campbell added that the scene had been “pretty horrific”, and that a number of people had witnessed the events.
Police officers had been in the vicinity at the time of the attack, which enabled their quick response.
Next of kin of the three people who were killed are still being contacted.
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John Campbell, the chief constable of Thames Valley police, is giving a statement in relation to the Reading terror incident.
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Similarly, no new coronavirus-related deaths were announced in Northern Ireland on Sunday, with the death toll remaining at 545, according to the Department of Health.
Four new cases have been confirmed in the region in the past 24 hours, taking the recorded total of cases to 4,870.
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Scotland has registered no new deaths of patients who had tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the latest Scottish government figures show.
A total of 2,472 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, no change on Saturday’s figure. It marks the fifth day in June when the death toll has not changed in Scotland.
The government’s daily update shows 18,156 people have tested positive for the virus in the country, up by 26 from the previous day.
Of those who have tested positive, 518 were in hospital on Saturday night, while a total of 16 patients were in intensive care with either confirmed or suspected coronavirus.
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Boris Johnson has insisted he is “sticking like glue” to his plans for easing the coronavirus lockdown for the hospitality industry from 4 July.
In a Downing Street interview, the prime minister also said he will unveil his plan for the future of the 2-metre rule this week. He said:
The disease is increasingly under control and I just want people to reflect on that important fact.
“So, of course, as we make that progress it will be possible to open up more and you will be hearing more about what we want to do with not just non-essential retail but with the hospitality sector from 4 July and we’re sticking absolutely like glue to the road map to the plan that I set out on 10 May.
“But it’s very important we don’t lose our vice-like grip on the disease; we’ve got to keep it on the floor where we’ve got it.
“On the progress on social distancing, watch this space and you won’t have much more to wait now. You’ll certainly be hearing more this week.”
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Labour leader Keir Starmer has said he is willing to work with the government to see if there are “lessons that can be learned” following the Reading attack.
He said: “It’s horrific that it happened at all wherever it happened, and across Reading, across the country there will be communities really upset and worried about this, united in their grief.
“All of our thoughts are with those who have lost someone in this.”
He added: “It’s very important that the investigation runs its course but I will want to work with the Government in response to this, to look at whether there’s lessons that can be learned, whether there need to be changes to the law.
“But I think as a constructive opposition, I will want to speak to the Prime Minister to discuss how together, we can improve the response, learn from this.
One of the people who witnessed the Reading stabbings has said the assailant was carrying a “five-inch knife”.
“I thought it was a fight or scuffle at first,” Lawrence Wort, 20, told the BBC.
He added that the attacker had “darted” between groups of people who were relaxing in the park.
“He was moving anti-clockwise round a circle of people. I saw a large knife, it must have been five inches … I started shouting ‘run’.”
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In Manchester, police are investigating a fatal shooting following a street gathering of “hundreds of people”.
A 36-year-old man died and a 21-year-old man is fighting for his life after the incident in the Moss Side area of the city.
Greater Manchester police said both men were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds at about 1am on Sunday. A cordon remains in place at a residential courtyard in the area, where a crowd of revellers were filmed dancing to loud music on Saturday night.
A primary school teacher, who lives a couple of streets away, told PA Media he heard the music from about 10pm and that it continued past midnight.
The man, who did not wish to be named, said: “I had a walk out to see what was happening and I would say there were hundreds of people around but I did see police patrols. Later, we heard an helicopter overhead.”
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More on the Reading attack suspect, who has been confirmed by multiple sources to be 25-year-old Khairi Saadallah, a Libyan refugee.
It is understood Saadallah had previously been imprisoned for offences not related to terrorism.
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The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has said he is “appalled and sickened” by the Reading terror attack.
Speaking to BBC News, Johnson said:
I’m appalled and sickened that people should lose their lives in this way and our thoughts are very much with the family and the friends of the victims today.
“I’ve obviously talked to the chief constable at Thames Valley police, thanked him and his officers for their bravery in tackling the suspect.
“We now have someone in custody. The police must get on with their job, get to the bottom of exactly what happened, and so it would be difficult really to comment in detail.
“Except to say this: if there are lessons we need to learn about how we handle such cases, how we handle the events leading up to such cases, then we will learn those lessons and we will not hesitate to take action where necessary.”
He suggested such lessons could include changes to the legal system in order to try to prevent future attacks from taking place.
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One of the patients who was admitted to the Royal Berkshire hospital after the Reading stabbings has been discharged, while another remains in a stable condition under observation, a spokeswoman has said.
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The attack in Forbury Gardens in Reading on Saturday happened near the Maiwand Lion statue. Here is a map giving more details on where the attack took place:
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Multiple sources have now confirmed that the 25-year-old man who is in police custody following the Reading terror incident is Khairi Saadallah, a Libyan refugee.
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“We will be working round the clock on this investigation to get justice for those killed and injured,” Basu said.
“I would appeal to members of the public who may have witnessed the attack or have information that might assist the investigation to contact the police.”
The Metropolitan police’s assistant commissioner said that 41 witnesses had so far come forward.
He also reiterated calls for the public to not share graphic videos on social media which show victims receiving resuscitation treatment.
“The pandemic has made very strange territory of our familiar places and I appreciate the concern this attack will obviously cause, but let me be clear, there is no specific intelligence to suggest anyone attending crowded places is at risk,” Basu added.
“I would ask the public, please continue with your daily lives but be alert not alarmed when you’re out in public.”
The live statement from Scotland Yard has now concluded.
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“Although the motivation for this horrific act is far from certain counter terrorism policing have taken responsibility for leading the investigation,” Basu added.
“However, we’re clear that it was not associated in any way with the Black Lives Matter protest which took place peacefully earlier on in the day and which had concluded some hours before this attack took place.”
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A 25-year-old man who was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder remains in police custody.
“From our enquiries so far, officers have found nothing to suggest that there was anyone else involved in this attack and presently we are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident,” said Basu.
Counter-terrorism police officers attended the scene immediately.
The incident was declared a terrorist incident at 8.30am on Sunday, following an investigation throughout the night.
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“Yesterday Saturday 20 June, a short time after 7pm, a man ran into Forbury Gardens in the centre of Reading and attacked members of the public with a knife,” said Basu.
“He left three dead and a number of people needing hospital treatment. This was an atrocity, my deepest sympathies go out to the families who will be mourning loved ones today after this horrific act and to everyone who has been affected by it.
“We’re working with a coroner to formally identified all those who have died and to inform and support their relatives.”
He praised Thames Valley police colleagues who responded to the incident and detained the attacker unarmed, as well as members of the public who provided emergency first aid at the scene.
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The head of counter terrorism policing, Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu, is about to give a live statement on the Reading terror incident.
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What we know so far
While we wait for a briefing from Scotland Yard, here’s what we know so far about the Reading terror incident:
- Three people were killed and at least three others sustained serious injuries in a stabbing rampage in Forbury Gardens in the town centre at 7pm on Saturday evening.
- There were several witnesses to the attacks, which took place as people were relaxing in the park, and disturbing videos have emerged on social media showing scenes of victims receiving resuscitation treatment.
- A 25-year-old Libyan national, whose mental health is being considered as a major factor in the incident according to security sources, is being held by police over the incident.
- Counter-terrorism officers were seen among a group of officers entering a block of flats in Reading, where the suspect is understood to have been living, at around 11pm on Saturday.
- Counter-Terrorism Policing South East will take over the investigation from Thames Valley police after declaring the attack a terrorist incident.
- The prime minister, Boris Johnson, chaired a meeting at 9am on Sunday morning in No 10 to be updated on the latest developments. The home secretary, Priti Patel, was present, as well as police and security officials.
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Reading stabbings declared terror incident
Counter-terrorism police have declared the Reading stabbings, in which three people were killed and three others were seriously injured, is a terrorist incident.
🚨| UPDATE- Murder investigation Reading@TerrorismPolice can now confirm that the stabbing incident that happened in Reading last night has now been declared a terrorist incident.
— Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) June 21, 2020
We continue to work together with Counter Terrorism Policing SE.
➡ https://t.co/CMkzwE6crv pic.twitter.com/MQeQr8XLe5
Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) have been working closely with Thames Valley police’s major crime department throughout the night.
CTSPE will now take over the investigation after deputy assistant commissioner Dean Haydon, senior national coordinator for the Counter Terrorism Policing network, declared the incident a terrorist incident.
Chief Constable John Campbell, of Thames Valley police, said: “We will be working closely with our partners over the coming days and weeks to support the Reading community during this time, as well as with CTPSE as they progress their investigation.
“Police cordons continue to be in place and are likely to be for some time as CTPSE work further to investigate this incident and establish exactly what happened.
“I would urge the public to avoid the area at this time and thank the community for their patience. We will let you know as soon as the area is back open.”
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A new divide is opening up between the “haves” and the “have nots” – this time over Covid-19 testing, reports Observer journalist James Tapper.
While private schools and big businesses have introduced testing for their pupils and employees, allowing them to return to school and work, state schools and small businesses will be left to rely on the state. Campaigners warn that “testing inequality” could fuel greater financial inequality.
Financial giants, such as Credit Suisse, have introduced antibody testing for their employees, while the Premier League restarted its season last week, thanks to rapid antigen testing of players and backroom staff. Ocado bought 100,000 testing kits for its staff when lockdown began and some private schools intend to use testing as part of their plan to get all children back into classrooms at the start of the next academic year.
You can read the full report here:
The director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has said he expects any second wave of coronavirus in the UK to be “a series of local outbreaks” rather than a “tsunami” across the country.
Professor Peter Piot also called for the mandatory wearing of face coverings in public places as the national lockdown continues to be relaxed, but criticised “completely useless measures” such as the government’s 14-day quarantine for travellers arriving in the country.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “That only would have made sense at the very beginning before there were cases. Today that is not going to contribute much and the damage it causes to the country, to the economy is going to be enormous.
“Let’s hope that rule is dropped as soon as possible and let’s concentrate on what works.”
Tui is to resume taking holiday bookings within three weeks, expressing “absolute confidence” that the government will relax current travel restrictions.
The UK’s biggest tour operator announced it will serve eight destinations across Spain and Greece from July 11. Holidays will be available to the Greek islands of Crete, Rhodes, Kos and Corfu, as well Tenerife and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, and Majorca and Ibiza in the Balearics.
Richard Sofer, Tui’s commercial director, said the plan was dependent on the Government altering its position on travel advice and the two-week quarantine for international arrivals.
He added that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) would need to stop advising against all non-essential oversea travel, and “air bridges” would need to be created enabling people to travel between the UK and some countries without needing to go into self-isolation for 14 days at either end.
Sofer told the PA news agency:
Due to the size of our organisation we’ve been able to have a presence in each of those Government conversations through our aviation team or through the senior members of the UK business.
“Obviously many of those conversations are confidential but that gives us great confidence to open up a small programme to a couple of really key countries, eight key gateways for us.
“We have absolute confidence that we’re going to be getting a positive result from the Government in time for July.”
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Boris Johnson chaired a meeting at 9am on Sunday morning in Number 10 to be updated on the fatal stabbings in Reading, Downing Street has said.
“The PM was updated on the ongoing investigation into the fatal stabbings in Reading yesterday,” a spokesman said.
Home secretary Priti Patel was present, as well as police and security officials.
A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody after the incident in which three people died and another three were seriously injured on Saturday night.
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Diamond added that ONS analysis suggested the higher proportion of Covid-19 deaths among black and minority ethnic groups could not be completely explained by social factors.
Figures published on Friday showed that black men in England and Wales are three times more likely to die from coronavirus than white men, while the risk for black women was 1.4 times higher than for white women.
Diamond told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “We know that there is a real gradient in health and indeed mortality towards the most disadvantaged members of society and we know that black, Asian and minority ethnic people are more highly concentrated towards the more disadvantaged end of society.
“So we asked the question, is it due to disadvantage alone? And I can report that it isn’t just to with disadvantage.”
He said that over-representation of BAME groups in frontline jobs also did not level out the difference in mortality rates.
“Occupations and taxi drivers, like security guards, like healthcare workers, have higher mortality - that doesn’t control out the excess mortality that we are seeing among people from BAME groups,” he said.
“This is for us an incredibly important but worrying area but one we will continue to do everything we can to provide the information the country needs.”
The head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), has said the UK is moving into a period of “surveillance” of the coronavirus following the national lockdown.
Sir Ian Diamond told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show:
I think we are moving into a new phase. The virus certainly hasn’t gone away and we need to move into a period of surveillance and real vigilance to identify any outbreaks and move to get on top of them really, really quickly.”
He added that the ONS is undertaking one of the largest surveys it has ever completed to monitor a potential uptick in cases as restrictions are lifted.
My own belief is that this virus is going to be with us for a very long time and we are going to have to be absolutely vigilant to check we are on top of the outbreaks which will come,” he said.
According to Diamond, ONS data suggests that about 3.5 million people in the UK have either had Covid-19 or have natural antibodies to it.
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Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has said Labour would support the end of the 2-metre social distancing rule if other safety measures are put in place.
Speaking on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, Ashworth said it would support the revised measure “under certain circumstances”.
“But we also need to see a greater use of face masks, I would’ve thought,” he added. “As I’ve said, certain staff, workers who are very public-facing in their day-to-day action, perhaps greater use of face shielding, let’s get testing and tracing up and running.”
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More than 3.6 million people across the globe tuned into a livestream from Stonehenge overnight to virtually celebrate the shortest night of the year.
Normally around 10,000 people would attend the site itself, with the usually roped-off stones allowed to be touched.
But despite the usual summer solstice celebrations being cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions, some revellers still turned up at the prehistoric Wiltshire monument.
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The health secretary also insisted he was “highly confident” that the government’s coronavirus tracing app would be built, but refused to put a date on when it would be launched.
Matt Hancock told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “We don’t have a launch date and until we do I’m just going to work hard to get it as soon as possible.”
On Thursday, the government was forced to abandon the centralised contact-tracing app after spending three months and millions of pounds on the technology that experts had repeatedly warned would not work.
In the U-turn, Hancock said the NHS would switch to an alternative designed by Apple and Google.
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Hancock also did not rule out a report that VAT could be cut to rescue the ailing economy.
He told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “Well, that is absolutely a matter for a budget and you would not expect me to comment either way on any speculation on what’s in a budget. It’s very much a matter for the chancellor.”
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Hancock said people may have to register with their contact details before going to the pub when the lockdown is eased.
He said: “That’s the sort of thing we’re looking at for how do you make it safe to open things. And things like wearing a face mask which reduces the transmission clearly, about how the seating is arranged because face-to-face is much more dangerous than back-to-back and there’s more transmission than side to side.
“And also the sorts of things you can put in place to strengthen test and trace because the whole approach is to move as much as safely possible from a national lockdown towards targeted local action when we see an outbreak.”
Pressed on registering before a pub, he said: “I wouldn’t rule that it out, it isn’t a decision we’ve taken yet, but there are other countries in the world that take that approach.”
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Here’s a roundup of today’s newspapers, as many react to the stabbings in a Reading park on Saturday night.
The Observer splashes on the impact of school closures during lockdown potentially triggering a UK child mental health crisis.
Educational psychologists advising the government have warned many schoolchildren will need urgent support from psychologists when the lockdown eases due to the disruption to their lives and education.
Tomorrow’s front page pic.twitter.com/NQLafhbdFH
— The Observer (@ObserverUK) June 20, 2020
Meanwhile, the Sunday Times goes with the Reading attack, in which three people were killed and three seriously injured.
It suggests security sources said the incident was being treated as “terror-related”, however Thames Valley police have said it is being treated as a murder inquiry.
SUNDAY TIMES: Three stabbed to death in ‘terror attack’ #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/RXXQCjFdRV
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) June 21, 2020
The event also features on The Sunday Telegraph’s front page, with sources reported to have told the paper the suspect’s involvement was thought to be “terror-related”.
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: ‘Terror’ at the park as knifeman goes on rampage #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/XJ0DiLyRlH
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) June 21, 2020
The Mail on Sunday basks in the potential reopening of UK hotels and B&Bs from July 4, reporting that Whitehall officials have been told to prepare for an announcement as early as Tuesday.
MAIL ON SUNDAY: UK holidays from July 4th #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/3aSWhkaL9g
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) June 20, 2020
Matt Hancock: England 'on track' to reopen hospitality and hair salons on 4 July
The UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, said “we’re clearly on track” to further ease the coronavirus lockdown with the reopening of the hospitality sector and the resumption of haircuts as early as 4 July.
He told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “We’re on plan, we will of course be setting out more details of that plan and in the plan it states that on around 4 July we will take further measures if it’s safe to do so.
“We talk about hospitality and outdoor hospitality in that plan but there are a whole series of other services especially where you need to be physically close to someone to carry it out like a haircut – a lot of the country does need a haircut.”
Pressed if that could mean hairdressers reopening on 4 July, he said: “I’m not going to rule that out. We’ll set out the details as soon as we can.
“We’re clearly on track for that plan because the number of cases coming down and the plan does refer to hospitality and some of the other things that are closed that so many people want to see open.”
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Doctors are experiencing high levels of exhaustion and diminishing confidence that they can manage the huge backlog of missed patient care due to the coronavirus crisis, according to research.
A survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) of more than 7,000 doctors between June 16 and 18 showed an increase in stress levels among the workforce.
Many have little confidence in the NHS’s ability to deal with the large backlog of missed, cancelled or postponed care, the union said.
Some also fear the health service does not have the capacity to manage a second spike in coronavirus infection levels.
There has been a slight increase in the number of doctors experiencing exhaustion and burnout compared with previous results, the BMA said, with 45% saying they are feeling stressed.
Some 32% of those said the pandemic had heightened their stress level, while the other 13% said it was not worse than before.
Many commuters in England are not wearing face masks and coverings correctly on public transport, an expert has warned.
Prof Susan Michie, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ (Sage) subgroup on behavioural science, said many commuters did not know how to correctly cover their face and were unintentionally putting themselves and those around them at risk.
Since 14 June, the wearing of face coverings has been mandatory on public transport in England.
According to the gov.uk website, a face covering “should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably”.
People are also advised not to “touch the front of the face covering or the part of the face covering that has been in contact with your mouth and nose.”
However, Prof Michie told the Sunday Telegraph many people appeared to be wearing their face coverings below the nose and holding the front of the items to remove them, rather than using the straps behind the head.
She told the paper: “Any time one goes out and around in parks and down the street this is the sort of thing you see.”
Prof Michie added a national campaign might be needed to “train” people on how to wear their face coverings correctly.
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On the Reading stabbings, in which three people were killed and three were seriously injured last night, Hancock said his “heart goes out to the families, the friends of the victims”.
“Clearly it’s a shocking event. The police did a brilliant job last night during the event and afterwards,” he said, without providing an update on the incident.
“It’s an operational matter for the police and we should give them all of the space and support that they need to get to the bottom of it.”
Health secretary Matt Hancock has said he “will not rule out” that hairdressers will reopen on4 July.
Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Hancock said the government would set out the details for reopening salons “as soon as we can.”
“What I’m trying to do is set out the principles behind the decisions we’ll take and we’ll set that out in a rigorous and formal way but you can see the direction we’re going,” said Hancock.
He added that the government was on track for its provisional plans to reopen large parts of the hospitality industry early next month because the number of new UK coronavirus cases was falling.
He also suggested regulations that could be put in place in pubs when they reopen included customers wearing face masks and registering before they are allowed to visit.
Updated
Good morning. Police have launched a murder inquiry after three people were killed and another three were seriously injured in a stabbing attack at a park on Saturday evening in Reading.
A 25-year-old man, who is believed to be Libyan, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.
The attack, which happened at Forbury Gardens at around 7pm, is not being treated as terror-related but Thames Valley police said they were keeping an open mind on the motive and was being supported by counter-terrorism police.
Senior government figures including the prime minister, Boris Johnson, and the home secretary, Priti Patel, are being kept informed of developments. Last night, Patel said she was “deeply concerned” by the incident.
In other news, NHSX, the technology unit responsible for the government’s failed contact-tracing app, attempted to block rival attempts to protect its own, hampering efforts to track the early spread of Covid-19.
Developers of several apps were urged to stop work by either NHSX or the Ministry of Defence, who told them their apps might distract attention from NHSX’s app when it was launched. The revelation came after the app was abandoned last week, with work beginning on an alternative design that is months away from being ready.
The UK health secretary, Matt Hancock, will appear on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday this morning, during which he’s expected to be quizzed on the speculative reopening of pub gardens, hotels and hairdressers on 4 July.
I’m Amy Walker, taking you through today’s UK coronavirus updates. You can get in touch with me on Twitter (@amyrwalker).
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