Coronavirus news – live: Cases pass 25m worldwide, amid warning government ‘cock-up’ may lead to 50,000 unnecessary UK deaths
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Your support makes all the difference.The UK is facing up to 50,000 unnecessary deaths because Boris Johnson’s government “consciously allowed” coronavirus to spread, a former chief scientific adviser has said.
Sir David King, who founded the Independent Sage group, described the official response to the pandemic as a “complete cock-up by government”, driven in part by a desire to maintain secrecy around the scientific advice it was receiving.
This come as the Conservative's Charles Walker, deputy chair of the 1922 Committee, warned that the prime minister’s U-turns are creating a “climate of uncertainty”, making it “increasingly difficult” for Tory MPs to defend government policy.
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Treasury officials ‘pushing for tax hikes’
Treasury officials in Britain are pushing for tax hikes to plug holes blown in public finances by the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports.
Such hikes will enable the exchequer to raise at least £20bn a year, and some could be introduced in the November budget, the Sunday Telegraph said.
The Sunday Times newspaper said officials were drawing up plans for a £30bn "tax raid" on the wealthy, businesses, pensions and foreign aid.
In its budget, the government also plans to raise both capital gains tax and corporation tax, the Sunday Times added.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering a proposal to boost corporation tax to 24 per cent from 19 per cent, a move that would raise 12 billion pounds next year, rising to 17 billion in 2023-24, the paper said.
UK’s economic recovery from the shock of the pandemic has gathered pace, data showed this month, but government borrowing has exceeded two trillion pounds and fears of future job losses are mounting.
The economy still faces a long recovery after shrinking by a record 20 per cent in the second quarter, the largest decline of any major country.
Australia and New Zealand tread cautiously as coronavirus lingers
New coronavirus cases in Australia's state of Victoria returned to the triple digits on Sunday, while neighbouring New Zealand said it would ease curbs slightly in its largest city, hit by a resurgence of infections.
Southeastern Victoria reported 114 new cases, a day after the daily tally fell to 94, its lowest in nearly two months. Its capital, Melbourne, is four weeks into a six-week hard lockdown that authorities have said may ease only gradually.
"At 100, 94, at 114, whatever the number, we simply could not open up," state premier Daniel Andrews told a televised briefing.
The nation of 25 million has suffered about 25,600 infections and just over 600 deaths since the start of the year.
Australia's closest neighbour, New Zealand, reported two new virus cases on Sunday, taking its tally of infections to 1,378, while the death toll stands at 22.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said curbs in Auckland would be eased from Monday, but would be tightened again if needed.
Limits will stay on public gatherings and movement in Auckland, however, with masks made mandatory nationwide from Monday.
Gavin Williamson has pleaded with parents to send their children back to school despite mounting criticism of the government’s plans for the start of the new academic year, reports Peter Stubley.
In an open letter, the under-fire education secretary insisted that children’s health and wellbeing was threatened more by being kept at home than by the “extremely low” risk posed by Covid-19.
He also claimed that “huge lengths had been taken” to prepare schools for teaching during the pandemic – even though the official guidance on how to deal with new outbreaks and local lockdowns was only published on Friday night.
Teaching unions said the new advice should have been issued “months ago” while Labour described the timing of the announcement as unfair and insulting to staff.
Read more below:
Labour and Conservatives tied in latest poll
The Tories and Labour are neck and neck in a new opinion poll.
The snapshot survey by Opinium puts both parties on 40 per cent each when it comes to voting intentions.
It marks the first time the Conservatives have not been ahead of Labour in an Opinium survey for 13 months.
Nearly half of voters, 47 per cent, disapprove of the government's handling of coronavirus, compared to less than a third, 31 per cent, who approve, according to the poll.
With English schools reopening next week, 63 per cent of parents with school age children say it is safe for primary schools to do so. And 60 per cent back pupils returning to secondary schools.
But pupils aged 14-15 appear most concerned about returning to class as 45 per cent of parents with children in this age group say their child is worried, against to 48 per cent who say they are not.
More than half of adults surveyed, 52 per cent, support making face masks compulsory for children in school, with 22 per cent neither supporting nor opposing, and 19% against such a move.
Global cases surpass 25 million
Global coronavirus cases surged past 25 million on Sunday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, revealing steady growth in the pandemic as its epicentre shifts again.
India's daily new case numbers have surpassed those of the United States and Brazil, the two countries worst hit by the pandemic, for more than three weeks.
Around the world, there have been more than 840,000 deaths, considered a lagging indicator given the two-week incubation period of the virus.
South Korea marks 17th day of triple-digit coronavirus cases with dining curbs
South Korea reported its 17th day of triple-digit rises in coronavirus infections on Sunday, as restrictions on onsite dining at restaurants, pubs and bakeries in the densely populated Seoul area take effect.
There were 299 new infections as of Saturday midnight, the slowest daily rise in five days, bringing the national tally to 19,699 cases of the new coronavirus and 323 COVID-19 deaths, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
On Friday, the country extended Phase 2 social distancing rules - the second strictest level - for at least another week and announced tougher rules on places with high risks of virus spread.
Onsite dining at restaurants, pubs and bakeries in the Seoul area is banned between 9pm and 5am, while coffee shops, some of which have been identified as hotspots, are restricted to takeout and delivery until midnight on 6 September.
Churches, nightclubs, indoor sports facilities and most schools in the area are already closed, and masks are mandatory in public places.
The Home Office has made a U-turn on a decision to cut financial support for trafficking victims during the pandemic days before legal action is due to take place, The Independent can reveal.
Hundreds of people recognised as potential survivors of modern slavery who had been placed in hotels and other interim accommodation during lockdown stopped receiving their weekly government allowance – which is designed to aid their recovery – without warning in July.
The Home Office was due in court next week to face lawyers arguing that the government should reinstate support to all potential modern slavery survivors in initial asylum accommodation, in line with the law.
However, on Thursday, days before the court hearing, the department made changes to its modern slavery guidance to state that this group would continue to receive support, although the rate was reduced from £35 per week to £25.40 – which campaigners said was “nowhere near enough”.
Social affairs correspondent May Bulman reports:
Ministers keen for employees to return to workplaces, Barclay says
Ministers have stepped up calls for employees to return to their workplaces next week.
chief secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay said the government was "keen" for people to stop working from home where possible.
The comments followed conflicting signals on the issue from Cabinet ministers in recent days.
Mr Barclay told Times Radio: "We are keen to get people back in the office.
"We think that's best for the economy to get back to normal as part of our recovery.
"The whole purpose of the furlough scheme has been to retain that link between the employee and their business.
"Obviously, people coming back as the furlough scheme starts to unwind, back into the workplace in a more active way.
"So, we are keen to see that take place.
"Clearly, these are conversations that businesses will be having with their staff."
Not all French classrooms can reopen safely, education minister admits
Not all French classrooms can safely reopen on Tuesday, France's education minister has acknowledged amid a persistent rise in coronavirus infections that is threatening the government's push to get France's 12.9 million schoolchildren back in class.
"It's being decided by a day-by-day analysis based on the health situation of each territory," Jean-Michel Blanquer told France-Info radio.
Some classes will remain closed, he said, but "as few as possible".
A collective of doctors published an appeal on Saturday saying the governments' school virus measures aren't strict enough. It urged mask requirements for children as young as six and a mix of online and in-person schooling.
The government wants to reopen all schools starting Tuesday to reduce learning gaps worsened by the spring lockdown, and to get parents back at work and revive the economy.
France reported 5,453 new daily infections on Saturday, compared to several hundred a day in May and June.
The national health service says the growth is exponential, and neighbouring countries have imposed quarantines or testing for people arriving from parts or all of France.
University campuses could become ground zero for a second wave of coronavirus, experts have warned as students prepare to start their term, a union has warned.
As institutions start teaching next month, the University and College Union (UCU) has warned the government is “encouraging a public health crisis”.
“Moving a million plus students around the country is a recipe for disaster and risks leaving ill-prepared universities as the care homes of a second wave,” Jo Grady, the general secretary, has said.
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