Health secretary Sajid Javid said we must ‘learn to live with’ Covid
An ex-minister who resigned at the dispatch box over the government’s “cack-handed” failure in its approach to Covid-19 business loans has said the scheme may be costing taxpayers “hundreds of millions of pounds a month.”
Lord Agnew of Oulton, Boris Johnson’s former anti-fraud minister, told The Times that ahead of his speech, “I was nearly sick going into the chamber”.
“This isn’t natural for me, I took no pleasure from it but the failure of Government to tackle fraud felt so egregious, and the need for remedy so urgent, that I felt my only option left was to smash some crockery to get people to take notice,” he added.
“In life one should try to stay inside the tent to win the arguments but ultimately there comes a breaking point.”
Meanwhile, analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has found the sub-lineage of the Omicron variant of coronavirus is able to spread faster than the original.
The UKHSA said BA.2 – a strain first detected in December – had a comparatively higher growth rate in all observed areas of England, meaning cases were increasing faster than they were for BA.1, known commonly as the Omicron variant.
Key Points
Show latest update
1643452823
Minister who quit over Covid fraud warns Rishi Sunak has ‘said Zippo’ about how to recoup billions
Theodore Agnew stepped up his criticism – after the chancellor denied he had written up £4.3bn of taxpayer’s money – saying: “Not a zippo have we heard about how he will do it.”
Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick reports:
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 10:40
1643451923
Former minister Lord Agnew slams ‘cack-handed’ Covid-19 loans scheme
An ex-minister who resigned at the dispatch box over the government’s “cack-handed” failure in its approach to Covid-19 business loans has said the scheme may be costing taxpayers “hundreds of millions of pounds a month.”
Lord Agnew of Oulton, Boris Johnson’s former anti-fraud minister, told The Times that ahead of his speech, “I was nearly sick going into the chamber”.
“This isn’t natural for me, I took no pleasure from it but the failure of Government to tackle fraud felt so egregious, and the need for remedy so urgent, that I felt my only option left was to smash some crockery to get people to take notice,” he added.
“In life one should try to stay inside the tent to win the arguments but ultimately there comes a breaking point.”
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 10:25
1643451385
New Zealand’s PM self-isolating following close contact with positive Covid case
Jacinda Ardern has gone into self-isolation until Tuesday after being deemed a close contact of a person who tested positive for coronavirus, the government said in a statement on Saturday
The exposure took place on 22 January during a flight to Auckland from the town of Kerikeri.
Ardern, who is asymptomatic, is feeling well, the statement added. She will be tested on Sunday and is in isolation in line with the current health measures.
Members of Arden’s staff, who were also on board the flight, are following the same isolation procedure.
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 10:16
1643450107
Argentine singer Verdaguer dies of COVID-19 complications
Argentine singer-songwriter Diego Verdaguer, whose romantic hits such as “Corazón de papel,” “Yo te amo” and “Volveré” sold almost 50 million copies, has died of complications from COVID-19, his family said Friday. He was 70.
The naturalized Mexican-Argentine musician, who was married to singer Amanda Miguel, died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles his daughter Ana Victoria said in a statement released by Diam Music, Verdaguer’s record company.
“With absolute sadness, I regret to inform his fans and friends that today my father left his beautiful body to continue his path and creativity in another form of eternal life,” said his daughter. “My mother, I and the whole family are immersed in this pain, so we appreciate your understanding in these difficult times.”
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 09:55
1643448872
Watch: Met officer would be “horrified” by force party probe handling
Standing in front of the National Covid Memorial Wall in Westminster, central London, the widow of a Met Police officer who died from Covid-19 says he would be “horrified” by the force’s handling of the No 10 partygate probe.
Fran Hall, of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group, said: “He would have been horrified to see what is happening now, how the police – the Met in particular – are being looked at as complicit in covering up the behaviour of politicians, which leaves us bereaved people feeling like we don’t matter.”
Met officer would be “horrified” by force party probe handling
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 09:34
1643448042
Record-breaking daily Covid figures reported in Russia for ninth consecutive day
Russia joins Ukraine and South Korea today in reporting a record daily high of new Covid-19 infections.
Coronavirus cases exceeded 100,000 on Saturday for the first time since the pandemic began, Russia’s coronavirus task force today announced.
Russia confirmed 113,122 new daily infections, setting a record high for a ninth consecutive day, which the authorities blame on the spread of the Omicron variant.
A further 668 Covid-related deaths have also been confirmed in the past 24 hours.
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 09:20
1643447723
Joni Mitchell to pull music from Spotify amid claims platform enables Covid misinformation spread
Joni Mitchell says she will remove her music from Spotify after accusing the platform of allowing “irresponsible people” to spread Covid misinformation that is “costing people their lives”.
It comes shortly after Neil Young removed his own catalogue from Spotify, reportedly due to its hosting of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast – which has been known to air vaccine-sceptical views.
“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” Mitchell said in a statement on her official website.
“Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives.
“I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 09:15
1643447123
People who tested positive for Covid-19 in December now eligible for booster jab
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 09:05
1643446405
South Korea reports record daily high of new Covid-19 cases
South Korea reported another daily record of 17,542 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Saturday.
It comes after posting 16,096 a day before, amid the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 08:53
1643445804
Beijing reports 36 new Covid-19 cases among Winter Games personnel
A total of 36 new coronavirus infections have been detected among Olympic Games-related personnel, the organising committee in Beijing said today.
According to 2022 Winter Games officials, 19 of those cases were either athletes or team officials who tested positive after arriving at the airport on Friday.
A notice on the official website for the Games said 29 were found among new airport arrivals, while seven were among those already in the “closed loop” bubble that separates event personnel from the public.
Emily Atkinson29 January 2022 08:43
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-news-live-omicron-cases-uk-b2003324.html
