Top story: PM remains devilishly dissonant
Hello, Warren Murray keeping you stocked up on the essential news.
“What the country needs at this time is clarity and reassurance and at the moment both are in pretty short supply.” Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has accused the prime minister of failing to give the public “clear directions” on the way through the coronavirus crisis as the government struggled to answer a barrage of questions about its new advice to “stay alert”.
After Boris Johnson’s address to the nation on Sunday drew a backlash about the lack of a clear message, the government has published a 60-page document called Our Plan to Rebuild that sets out “phase two” of the coronavirus response. From Wednesday – “step one” of “phase two”, do keep up – the government says people can spend unlimited time outside including one-on-one get-togethers with people not from their home. Anyone who cannot work from home should consider going back to work, with employers expected to provide a safe environment. But two metres’ physical distancing should be observed, public transport avoided, and clothes washed regularly. That’s only in short: here is a point-by-point breakdown of the rules. There has been tension with Scotland and Wales, which will make their own decisions about issues including when schools will reopen, and whose leaders have warned against any significant easing of restrictions.
The government has called for face masks to be worn in limited circumstances: for example enclosed places like public transport or certain shops where it is hard to keep two metres apart. For safety reasons children under two should not have their faces covered, nor children of primary age – so under 11 – unless supervised. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is due to announce today the future of the furlough scheme. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has threatened legal action against the government if EU workplace safety regulations are not extended to its members, who include cleaners, drivers, couriers, foster-care workers and others in non-staff roles. It says many are not being provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) or testing.
Abroad, New Zealand’s foreign minister has said the country must stand up for itself after senior government ministers joined calls from the US for Taiwan to be allowed into the World Health Organization as an observer – prompting threats from Beijing to “stop making wrong statements”. Donald Trump has walked out on a press conference after being challenged about Covid-19 testing by an Asian American reporter whom he pointedly told: “Don’t ask me. Ask China.” As usual, any informative remarks on coronavirus came from elsewhere in US officialdom: on this occasion Anthony Fauci, who has said he intends to tell a senate committee today that the US will see “needless suffering and death” if the country opens prematurely. Go to our live blog for all the latest and here is an up-to-date summary of the main Covid-19 news.
There’s more in our Coronavirus Extra section further down … and here’s where you can find all our coverage of the outbreak – from breaking news to factchecks and advice.
* * *
Constable on murder charge – A Dorset police officer has been charged with murder following the death of a woman near Bournemouth. Officers were called to the car park of the Horns Inn in Christchurch Road, West Parley on Saturday afternoon after the ambulance service reported two people needed medical assistance. Claire Parry, 41, from Bournemouth, was taken to Royal Bournemouth hospital but died on Sunday morning. Timothy Brehmer, 41, a constable with Dorset police said to be known to the victim, was arrested at the scene, taken to Poole hospital for treatment to injuries to his arms and later released. Following Parry’s death he was arrested on suspicion of murder. Brehmer is due to appear at Poole magistrates court by remote link on Tuesday.
* * *
Interpol alert for Dunn driver – An Interpol notice has been circulated worldwide making Anne Sacoolas in effect a fugitive from justice over the death by dangerous driving in the UK of a 19-year-old motorcyclist, Harry Dunn, last August. Sacoolas fled the UK afterwards and the US has refused to accept an extradition warrant, saying she has diplomatic immunity. Radd Seiger, a lawyer for the Dunn family, said Northamptonshire police had confirmed an Interpol red notice had been issued: “Red notices would not be served on valid diplomats,” he said. “It means she would be arrested if she sought to leave the United States.” The notice is not an arrest warrant – a country where Sacoolas arrives would have to decide whether to honour it.
* * *
Keys to Obamagate – Donald Trump spent Mother’s Day in the US unleashing a barrage of tweets and retweets assailing his predecessor about something called “Obamagate”.
Pressed for specifics about it in the White House rose garden on Monday, Trump fell back on his stock phraseology: “It’s been going on for a long time … it’s been going on from before I even got elected.” David Smith, our Washington bureau chief, unpicks what can be unpicked about this vague, murky and, right now, conveniently distracting conspiracy theory.
Coronavirus Extra
Anecdotal reports have emerged of a strange coronavirus symptom: people losing their sense of taste and smell. To find out whether this effect is really down to Sars-CoV-2, and if so, why, Ian Sample talks to Carl Philpott.
Following his previous in-depth account of the early days of the outbreak, an Edinburgh GP, Gavin Francis, reports on how he and his practice have dealt with the escalating crisis since lockdown.
Today in Focus podcast: Track and trace – not just for parcels
Registering the movements of people with symptoms of Covid-19 is key to the next phase of ending the lockdown. But as the government trials a contact-tracing app on the Isle of Wight, Alex Hern reports on concerns about privacy, effectiveness and trust.
Lunchtime read: ‘I was so straight it’s boring’
As a model she was the face of the 60s, and went on to have a busy acting career. Twiggy discusses her new podcast and life in swinging London.
Sport
The Premier League is to attempt to persuade authorities to allow matches at home stadiums, the first of several hurdles the competition will try to clear after the government gave hope that football could return in June. Sebastian Vettel will leave Ferrari at the end of the year after contract negotiations between the four-times F1 world champion and the team broke down, according to several reports in Germany. New legal documents have been passed to the Premier League during the past 24 hours that raise fresh questions about whether the controversial £300m Saudi Arabia-funded takeover of Newcastle United should get the go-ahead, the Guardian can reveal. England’s cricketers are poised to make a return to training, either in pairs or with a designated coach, amid growing optimism that international matches can be staged behind closed doors this summer. And former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has continued to tease boxing fans about a possible return to the ring by posting another training video on Instagram that ended with the message, “I’m back”.
Business
Asian shares have fallen on growing worries about a second wave of coronavirus after Wuhan, where the pandemic originated, reported five new cases. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside of Japan stumbled more than 1%, snapping two straight sessions of gains. The Hang Seng, Australia and South Korea were among markets to fall. The pound is worth $1.231 and €1.140 while the FTSE has been dipping into the negatives but sits 0.2% higher at time of writing.
The papers
“Message to Boris: You must protect the workers” – the Mirror on its front page cites “major safety worries” and the finding that the virus is “more likely to kill lowest paid”. The Guardian covers that angle as well – “Lowest paid men more likely to die” – while the lead story in our print edition is the criticism from Keir Starmer that the PM is “providing no clear direction” on exiting lockdown.
The Metro jumps on “farcical loopholes” in the coronavirus relaxations that Johnson has talked about – “You just see Mum as Dad waits in the car, then you see him as she waits in the car – Simples!” To explain: Dominic Raab suggested it would now be acceptable for someone to meet both their parents in a park. But Johnson contradicted that, saying: “You have to do it one-on-one, outdoors.”
The FT covers the criticism too – “Johnson under attack for risking staff safety in back to work dash”. The i at least distills one point of clarity into a headline – “Permission to meet relative or friend outdoors” – while the Times does a similar job: “See friends and family in ‘flexible’ lockdown” (the relaxation applies from Wednesday).
Other mastheads are sympathetic towards the PM and throw it on to the rest of the nation to understand what’s going on: “It’s a perilous time … use your common sense” says the Express, while the Mail has “We are going to meet again”. The Sun says “Gran day out” but the first paragraph might prove a bit of a letdown for nan, saying hugging grandkids may be allowed “from next month”.
Sign up
The Guardian Morning Briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes bright and early every weekday. If you are not already receiving it by email, you can sign up here.
For more news: www.theguardian.com
