News and Opinion

Distribution of the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by frontline health professionals dealing with Covid-19 will ‘get better over the next few days’, a senior figure in the NHS has pledged. Jason Leitch, the national clinical director of healthcare quality and strategy, insisted there was sufficient supply of items, amid concerns that not all medical […]

What’s gone wrong with America’s response to the coronavirus? PETER DROBAC explains what it can learn from the Asian response to the pandemic. It’s always been a question of when, and not whether, humanity would face another challenge on the scale of the 1918 flu pandemic. The novel coronavirus is shaping up to be that […]

‘Life has changed’ says the mayor of London Sadiq Khan, as he admits enforcement measures will be used if necessary to combat the spread of the coronavirus. https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1241668201316048897?s=20 The mayor was emphatic in his message regarding the coronavirus, as he called these ‘extraordinary times calling for extraordinary measures.’ When challenged by Andrew Marr on the […]

Jeremy Corbyn believes the coronavirus crisis has shone a spotlight on just how damaged the NHS has been by austerity. Corbyn was unrelenting in his criticism of the government, condemning their lack of preparation for, and response to, the pandemic. The leader of the Labour party highlights the current issues — including the shortage of […]

CHARLIE CONNELLY tells all about Dutch professional football player Johan Cruyff. People with the surname Inglis are usually Scottish. That might seem rather strange, because the name is the Scots-language word for ‘English’ – and why would Scottish people have been called Inglis? But actually of course there would be no point in calling someone […]

Readers have their say on the response to the coronavirus. When everything is over let’s remember who risked their lives to save ours and contain the infection; and let’s remember that if there is money to be found to fix public budgets, health is the last place to look for them. When everything is over, […]

Readers assess the politics surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and give their perspective on the news. Sir Keir Starmer may feel that currently ‘there isn’t really a case for rejoining’ the EU, but circumstances may change. A number of possible developments could turn public opinion towards rejoining, such as: increased costs in trade with Europe, a […]

MITCH BENN issues some rousing words on the coronavirus fight – and how it has changed our foucs. So, how are we all doing? I do hope that everyone is finding quarantine as unstressful as possible and that the only fever any of you is registering is the figurative ‘cabin’ variety. I myself am actually […]

Downing Street has issued a clarification after Boris Johnson said he would do his best to see his 77-year-old mum on Mother’s Day. Boris Johnson was asked at his Covid-19 press conference what his advice was to people thinking about visiting their mother on Sunday. ‘I think my advice would be that people should really […]

TIM WALKER reviews Blithe Spirit at Duke of York’s in London – now closed due to coronavirus. So many people these days seem to want so many other people ‘to go back to where they came from’ 
that the phrase is becoming wearying, but poor old Charles Condomine has more legitimate reason to use it […]

CHARLIE CONNELLY reviews Graham Swift’s latest novel, a touching evocation of the end of an epoch Crowds flocking to a coastal seaside resort in September 1980. – Credit: Archant Brighton was characteristically busy during the summer season of 1959. As well as the ice creams, deck chairs and dodgems there was a huge choice of […]

A round-up of the uplifting news stories in the media that you might have missed. • Cheap chocolate for NHS staff Hotel Chocolat is offering every NHS worker a 50% discount on its products in store, as a ‘thank you’ for their work during the coronavirus outbreak. It follows similar moves from Pret, McDonald’s and […]

The chancellor has resisted widespread calls to increase statutory sick pay (SSP) to help support anyone who is sick or self-isolating during the coronavirus outbreak. Rishi Sunak unveiled an ‘unprecedented’ raft of measures on Friday that included a £7 billion boost to the welfare system and a job protection scheme. But he declined to boost […]

Downing Street has refused to criticise Tory donor and Wetherspoon pub boss for saying he intends to keep all his bars open throughout the coronavirus pandemic and claimed there has been ‘hardly any transmission of the virus within pubs’. Tim Martin with Brexiteers Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and Michael Gove. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA. – Credit: […]

Prime minister Boris Johnson has told pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, among other venues, to close tonight in a strengthening of measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. The prime minister said that nightclubs, theatres, gyms and leisure centres should close their doors from Friday night to slow the spread of Covid-19 and prevent the NHS […]

Daytime broadband usage has jumped from between 35% and 60% compared to the average day in the UK, as mobile phone companies see a drop in data use. The peak reached 7.5 terabits per second, only around half the average evening peak. This is still below the highest ever peak – 17.5 terabits per second […]

Boris Johnson’s chief Brexit negotiator has followed his EU counterpart into self-isolation after showing symptoms of the coronavirus. David Frost has not tested positive for Covid-19 but is instead following instructions to steer clear of others at home after exhibiting ‘mild’ symptoms, Number 10 said. His entry into self-isolation comes after EU chief negotiator Michel […]

UK researchers look set to test a coronavirus vaccine on humans as early as next month as part of global effort to find treatment for the pandemic. Safety trials are due to begin in April as a drug developed by Oxford University is anticipated to be given the green light to move to human testing […]

Now the schools are closed, how do you deal with children at home and how do you explain the coronavirus to them? EMMA MAYNARD has some advice. The UK has become the latest country to close schools in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. This is a game changer for […]

Despite Boris Johnson claiming the tide can be turned within 12 weeks, experts believe that social isolation measures will need to be place for most of a year to control the spread of coronavirus. Scientists also advised ministers that, while the severity of measures could alternate during the period, the ‘stricter’ measures would need to […]

The chancellor is expected to make another announcement over the coronavirus – this time with a fresh emergency package aimed at protecting workers. Rishi Sunak has been under pressure from Labour, unions and even senior Tory MPs to do more to help workers and the stalling economy weather the crisis. He will reveal new measures […]

A government minister has admitted that he would not be able to live on the allocated statutory sick pay of £94.25 a week it currently provides. Fiona Bruce presents BBC Question Time. Photograph: BBC. – Credit: Archant The health secretary was challenged by TUC chief Frances O’Grady on Question Time, who pointed out that the […]

Ministers are asking phone operators to see if mobile data can help government understand if people are following social distancing advice to tackle the coronavirus. BT, which owns EE, said it was in talks with the government over how it could aid in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. O2 said it had been asked […]

As a New European reader, you probably reckon you keep a close eye on the continent’s news. Test yourself with our quiz… Think you’re on top of what’s been going on across Europe in the past seven days? Take The New European’s tricky quiz and find out just how much of a Europhile you are…

Is the coronavirus reason for the Houses of Parliament to close, or rather a reason for it to remain open? Politics lecturer ALEX PRIOR looks at the significance of Westminster during the outbreak. As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, there is substantial debate around whether the UK parliament should continue to operate. MPs are still meeting […]

Boris Johnson has told the nation he is ‘absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing in this country’ and the tide can be turned within the next 12 weeks. The prime minister urged members of the public to heed the advice to keep up social distancing and stay at home if ill or if […]

Scientist WANDA MARKOTTER on the investigation into the cause of the outbreak, and why it matters so much. The current Covid-19 outbreak is driven by a novel coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) that is spreading between people. The first human infections were reported at the end of December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province in China, when a […]

There is an assumption life will return to normal once the coronavirus has been combatted. But some changes could well be permanent. JOHANN FORTWENGEL explains how business could be impacted. The realisation that life is going to change for a good while is starting to take hold. To flatten the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak, […]

The coronavirus has exposed our vulnerability like nothing else we have experienced, says WILL SELF Wolfgang Schivelbusch, the great scholar of 19th century industrialisation and its psychological sequels, defines ‘the falling height’ of technological constructs thus: ‘The technology has created an artificial environment which people become used to as second nature. If the technological base […]

PETER TRUDGILL on the sometimes confusing way in which surnames seem to indicate nationality People with the surname Inglis are usually Scottish. That might seem rather strange, because the name is the Scots-language word for ‘English’ – and why would Scottish people have been called Inglis? But actually of course there would be no point […]

The Icelandic capital has had a cultural impact out of all proportion with its size, says SOPHIA DEBOICK. Iceland’s iconic natural features belie the new dance craze taking the capital by storm. PHOTO: C Hutchinson – Credit: Archant Rarely has the world needed a silly dance craze more, and Iceland – a place of deep […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg has advised Britons to stop paying attention to Piers Morgan and listen to the government. Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid appear on Good Morning Britain to talk about the coronavirus. Photograph: ITV. – Credit: Archant The Tory MP and House of Commons leadr had been asked about the role of the media in […]