Angela Rayner focused on 'stamping out corruption' as Keir Starmer launches Labour reshuffle

Angela Rayner was giving a speech about reforms to the lobbying system when Sir Keir Starmer stole her thunder and started a reshuffle. - Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
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Angela Rayner is focused on "stamping out corruption", her spokesman has said as Sir Keir Starmer launched a reshuffle of his cabinet team earlier today.

The Labour leader overshadowed his deputy by starting to rearrange his top team as Ms Rayner gave a speech at the Institute for Government on how her party would change lobbying rules.

"Angela is focusing on attacking the Tories for being corrupt and setting out how she will stamp out corruption," a spokesman for Ms Rayner said.

Asked about speculation after her speech finished, the Labour deputy leader told reporters: "I don't know the details of any reshuffle, I've been concentrating on the job that I'm doing at hand and I think that's really important."

But just minutes later a spokesman for the Labour Party confirmed that a reshuffle was taking place.

It came as Cat Smith, who has been in the shadow cabinet intermittently since 2016 and supported Jeremy Corbyn, resigned from her position as the shadow minister for young people and democracy.

A senior Tory source offered this scathing verdict: "Starmer’s reshuffle is already a shambles. If he can’t run his own front bench properly, how can he pretend he could run the country?"


05:22 PM

That's all for today...

Sir Keir Starmer moved to steal Angela Rayner’s thunder today as he launched a surprise reshuffle during his deputy's big speech on sleaze.

The Labour leader made what appeared to be another attempt to reassert his authority amid conflicting reports about when - or even if - his deputy knew what would take place.

And as the socialist MP Cat Smith quit the frontbench, branding the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn from party benches “utterly unsustainable”, it threw into sharp relief the continued tensions at the heart of the party.

Tensions on the Labour benches were reignited today as Sir Keir Starmer launched a reshuffle - Eddie Mulholland
Tensions on the Labour benches were reignited today as Sir Keir Starmer launched a reshuffle - Eddie Mulholland

On the benches opposite, Sajid Javid faced the first murmurs of dissent from his backbenchers over the new Covid restrictions that come into force tomorrow.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, said it would have been “better” if MPs got a vote on the rules before they were introduced, while Richard Drax pleaded with the Health Secretary to “never, ever go back to locking the country down”.

Mr Javid vowed travel restrictions and mask mandates would not stay in place “a day longer than necessary” if omicron turns out not to be any more dangerous than delta - and he will hope that the booster programme, now expanded to all over-18s, will help to ensure this.


05:17 PM

Take a Covid test every time you meet someone from another household, says Nicola Sturgeon

Scots should take a Covid test every time they go out to meet someone from another household, Nicola Sturgeon has said after six cases of the omicron variant were identified in Scotland.

The First Minister warned that "this is a moment again for collective national vigilance" after the discovery of the cases, some of which are thought to involve community transmission in Scotland rather than foreign travel.

Although she said there was no evidence that transmission of the variant was sustained or widespread, she urged people to "test before you go" if they are "intending to socialise or mix with people from other households".

Four cases of the variant were discovered in Lanarkshire and two in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with the first test result dating from Nov 23. However, the Scottish government only became aware on Sunday that the omicron variant had been discovered.

Simon Johnson has this report


04:45 PM

Covid vote would have been 'better' before introduction of restrictions, says 1922 committee chair

The chairman of the 1922 Committee has welcomed a vote and debate on Covid restrictions which will take place tomorrow.

However, Sir Graham Brady said it would have been "better" if the debate and vote had taken place before restrictions were actually introduced.

"In terms of the debate and the vote tomorrow, I believe the Commons leader will be making a statement on that shortly, I think right after my statement," Sajid Javid replied.

"It is early days in terms of [omicron] reports. We are looking into those and talking actually with our South African friends in getting more details."


04:33 PM

Uptake in minority communities has 'improved significantly', says Health Secretary

Dr Julian Harris asked why certain groups and communities fear vaccination, who those groups and communities were, and what could be done to persuade them.

"There are many communities where vaccine take up is lower than others, and it has been particularly the case in the black African community in Britain and also some other black minority and ethnic communities," Sajid Javid responds.

"It has improved significantly over the last two to three months and something that is also the case in many European countries.

"What's being done is a huge amount of work through community leaders and a communications campaign, and also offering access in as many different ways as possible to the vaccine to encourage take up."


04:30 PM

Covid measures 'must be removed the moment it is safe to'

The measures being put into law seem insignificant "in and of themselves", Tory backbencher Steve Brine has said.

But the MP for Winchester described the wider impact of the past few days as "absolutely huge" as nativity plays were cancelled or moved online and community events abandoned "just in case".

"Can I ask my Right Honourable friend what evidence base this is drawn from, and when we might reasonably expect data from the scientists on how - if at all - the variant hits vaccine efficacy?"

Mr Javid said he believed the measures were "right, proportionate and balanced but we must never forget the impact on they have on individuals and their daily lives.

"That is why they must be removed the moment it is safe to remove them. In terms of when we will have more data, the reason we set a three-week review point is that is the point I believe we will have more information, not just the information we have come up with ourselves but their international counterparts."


04:27 PM

MPs who engage in 'unreasonable' personal attacks on social media to face probe

MPs who launch “excessive” personal attacks on Twitter could be investigated by Parliament’s standard watchdog under a package of measures to clean up Westminster, reports Harry Yorke.

Under the proposed changes MPs would face a probe if they engage in “unreasonable” attacks online, verbally or in writing in a way that risks bringing Parliament into disrepute.

The proposal has been put forward by the Commons committee on standards as part of its review into the MPs’ code of conduct, which has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the recent Owen Paterson case and wider allegations of sleaze.

In its report, published yesterday, the committee revealed that Kathryn Stone, the Commissioner for Standards, had received hundreds of complaints concerning MPs alleged "misuse" of social media since April 2020.

However, it stressed that the measure was aimed at curbing abusive content rather than curtailing MPs’ free speech, and would bring Westminster in line with the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies.

Read more: Commissioner for Standards has received hundreds of social media 'misuse' complaints


04:20 PM

Only way forward to 'live with this disease', insists Tory backbencher

Richard Drax, the MP for South Dorset, said the "only way forward" is for Britain to "learn to live with this disease".

"None of us underplay the threat of any new variant, and as my Right Honourable friend said today, Covid is not going to go away, it's here for the rest of our lives," he told the House.

He asks for Mr Javid to reassure him to "never, ever go back to locking this country down."

The Health Secretary responds: "No one wants to see those kinds of measures. Covid is with us to stay and we need to learn with it, and the best way I think we can do that is with the primary form of defence that we've got which is our vaccination programme.

"I hope he agrees with me that we're absolutely right to basically put the booster programme on steroids, because that will really help us."


04:05 PM

'Moral and practical failure' from western governments over developing world vaccines

Jeremy Hunt has accused western governments of a "moral and practical failure" amid a lack of vaccine coverage in developing nations.

"Does he not agree that the fact we are facing this stage is also a symptom of the failure of western countries to ensure vaccines are distributed adequately around the world?" the former Health Secretary asked Sajid Javid.

"Whilst I recognise the enormous contribution the UK has made through Covax, through the development of the Astrazeneca vaccine and so on, is it not a moral and practical failure that richer countries have managed to vaccine 60 per cent of their populations, when for poorer countries it's just three per cent?"

Sajid Javid revealed his counterparts have agreed to 'redouble' their efforts to vaccine the developing world - -/AFP via Getty Images
Sajid Javid revealed his counterparts have agreed to 'redouble' their efforts to vaccine the developing world - -/AFP via Getty Images

Mr Javid agreed with Mr Hunt about the importance of "all rich countries [doing] everything they can" to support vaccines and the donation of vaccines to other countries.

"I've set out earlier what the UK has done and we can be proud of that but we do need other countries to go further... In the meeting of health ministers I chaired earlier we all agreed on the importance of this."


04:00 PM

Labour 'has misjudged the tone of the House'

Sajid Javid has accused Dr Rosena Allin-Khan of having "misjudged the tone of the House" as he urged Labour to work together in supporting the nation.

"Surely she isn't blaming the UK Government for the emergence of this new variant," he said. "I feel she may have been auditioning for the reshuffle that is going on in her party right now."

On international vaccine donations, Mr Javid insisted the UK is "quite rightly... leading the world" as he reiterated calls he made yesterday for other countries to step up their work in this area.

"It's a shame the honourable lady could not find it in herself to welcome that vaccine rollout. On antivirals, we're one of the two vaccines in the world that have procured the two leading antivirals."


03:56 PM

We would have always kept face masks, says Labour health minister

Shadow health minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan - filling in for Jonathan Ashworth while he recovers from coronavirus - described the new variant is "an important reminder that nobody is safe until everybody is safe".

Keeping masks on shops and in public transport would have always been Labour's 'Plan A', Dr Allin-Khan said, as she questioned how the use of face coverings in retail settings would actually be enforced.

"If mask-wearing had been mandatory, it would have been harder for this new variant to spread," she told MPs. "A global study published in the British Medical Journal said mask-wearing can bring transmission down as much as 53 per cent."

However there was heckling after her speech from the Tory benches opposite - ranging from "she'll have to do better than that" to the altogether more pithy "reshuffle!"


03:56 PM

Mark these words...

Sajid Javid has said that if omicron is "no more dangerous" than the delta variant, "we wouldn't keep measures in place for a day longer than necessary".

Sajid Javid - -/PRU/AFP via Getty
Sajid Javid - -/PRU/AFP via Getty

"Our experience of fighting this virus has shown us that it's best to act decisively and swiftly when we see a potential threat, which is why we're building our defences and putting these measures in place without delay," he said.

I'm confident that these responses that we've set out today, they are balances and responsible steps that are proportionate to the threat that we face."


03:49 PM

On his way Home?

Nick Thomas-Symonds is understood to be among the shadow ministers who will lose their roles in Sir Keir Starmer's Labour reshuffle, Sky News has reported.

The news channel believes Mr Thomas-Symonds is to be demoted from his current position, which he has held since Sir Keir became leader of the party in April 2020.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, will reportedly lose his brief - Eddie Mulholland
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, will reportedly lose his brief - Eddie Mulholland

Sky News has also reported that it understands Kate Green is to be removed as the shadow education secretary.


03:43 PM

Virus may now have 'extra legs' in race with variants, warns Health Secretary

Sajid Javid has said the new variant may have given coronavirus "extra legs" in the race between vaccines and the virus.

"Our strategy is to buy ourselves time and strengthen our defences while our world-leading scientists learn more about this potential threat," the Health Secretary told the Commons.

"We have a much greater capacity for testing and the collective protection that's offered by 114 million jabs in arms."

Mr Javid hailed the vaccine rollout as a "national success story", and said of the vaccines it is "highly unlikely they will have no effectiveness at all" against severe disease.

He confirmed that the Government will go "further and faster" in rolling out boosters to all over-18s by age group in a descending order, while the interval between booster jabs will be halved from six months to three months.

Severely immunosuppressed people aged 16 and above who received three primary doses are also set to be offered a fourth, booster dose.


03:38 PM

Further two cases of omicron confirmed

A further two cases of the omicron variant have been confirmed in London.

One of the cases is in the borough of Camden, while the other has been detected in Wandsworth.


03:29 PM

'We're not going to wait for the red card'

Summing up at the technical briefing, Jonathan Van-Tam said there are "very reassuring" words about the booster programme.

"The JCVI has announced a renewed urgency and expansion with the UK booster programme," he said. "We don't know what's going to happen next, as I explained the next three weeks are going to be weeks of scientific uncertainty.

"But whilst we wait for the mist to clear on what this concerning variant actually means, there is no time to delay. It's our opportunity to get ahead and vaccine boosting is the thing we can do most easily while we wait for that science mist to clear."

Jonathan Van-Tam has urged Britons to avoid a "red card" - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire
Jonathan Van-Tam has urged Britons to avoid a "red card" - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Prof Van-Tam launched into one of his famed football analogies as he likened the alpha and delta variant to "a couple of injuries" in a match, and a couple of substitutes have had to be used to "keep us in the game".

"The vaccines are holding on very well and largely keeping us out of trouble. Omicron is like picking up a couple of yellow cards to key players on top, we may be okay but we're starting to be at risk we go down to 10 players. If that happens, or if there's a risk that it's going to happen, we need everyone on the pitch to up their game in the meantime. And that's really upping your game in terms of boosters and antibody response.

"We're not going to wait for the red card to happen, we're going to act decisively now. We're asking everyone to up their game [and] play their part in the urgency now of the booster programme, coming forward the moment you are called by the NHS. The booster campaign has never been more vital than at this time."


03:15 PM

JCVI approves boosters for all over-18s

The JCVI has approved booster jabs for all over-18s - but not less than three months after a person's second dose.

Professor Wei Shen Lim said mutations increase the likelihood of a "mismatch" between vaccines and variant, meaning there is more likelihood that the vaccine offers less protection.

"From what we know about the omicron variant so far, it may be that the vaccines that we have at the moment may be less good than against the currently circulating delta variant," Prof Lim said.

"One way of reducing the impact of this mismatch between vaccine and variant is to increase the strength of the immune response provided by the current vaccine - in other words if we can raise the level of the immune response generated by the vaccine, that higher level of immune response will reach out and provide greater protection to mismatch variants."

Prof Lim said the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and to a lesser extent the AstraZeneca vaccine, "a boost of these vaccines provides a very, very strong immune response."

"We want to provide boosters early enough before any possible wave... Should there be a wave, we want to be in the best possible position. There's an advantage in boosters and there's an advantage in boosting before any imminent wave arrives."

As with previous variants, the JCVI currently believes that the elderly and vulnerable are most at risk of worse outcomes if they contract omicron, he adds.


03:12 PM

Breaking: JCVI approves second jabs for 12-to-15-year-olds

It is safe for everyone aged between 12 and 15 to have a second dose of the Covid vaccine, the JCVI's Dr June Raine has said.

Dr Raine also confirmed that no new safety concerns have been identified since the rollout of boosters to everyone aged 40 or over.

"When you're called for your booster dose you can come forward confident that the benefits of the vaccine in preventing serious disease outweigh any risks," she told a technical briefing.


03:08 PM

Number of omicron mutations a cause for 'worry' about possible effect on vaccines

The number of mutations present in the omicron variant "makes us worry about a possible effect on vaccine effectiveness," Professor Van-Tam has said.

In South Africa there is an "elevated growth rate" associated with the omicron variant, although this does not necessarily equate to an increase in transmissibility on the delta variant.

"The uncertainties are transmissibility, severity of disease - where there is no definitive signal at this point from South Africa. But we should all know that even without increased severity, as case numbers grow then hospitalisations will also grow."

On the effects of the new variant and vaccine efficacy, Prof Van-Tam insisted it is "not all doom and gloom at this stage" and does not want people to panic at this stage.

It is "pretty likely" that there will be effects on vaccines, but the biggest effects are more likely to be on preventing infections and "hopefully" not on preventing severe disease, he added.


03:05 PM

Omicron variant 'of increased concern', says Jonathan Van-Tam

A technical briefing is underway at Downing Street led by Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England. He is joined by Professor Wei Shen Lim and Dr June Raine.

"We've known from the start of this pandemic that variants have been inevitable and the names include alpha, beta, gamma, delta with which you will always be familiar," Professor Van-Tam said.

"When a variant appears it always causes initial concern because at that point we don't know quite how it will behave and in particular we don't know how our vaccines will hold up against that variant. And it's always been the case that at some point we are going to get a variant that gives us heightened concern.

"We are at that moment with omicron - it is the new kid on the block for now, and I think it's true to say that scientists around the world, not just in the UK, unfortunately agree that this one is of increased concern. But in acknowledging that concern, I want to be very clear and I want to emphasise the very high degree of current uncertainty in our knowledge."

Prof Van-Tam added that there is far more we don't know about the omicron variant than what we do know about it, as he urged Britons "to give us time to assemble that data".


02:49 PM

Sir Keir Starmer overshadows Angela Rayner's speech as he launches Labour reshuffle

Sir Keir Starmer has launched another reshuffle of his frontbench, amid claims that his deputy Angela Rayner was blindsided by the announcement.

In a move that threatens to reignite tensions between the Labour leader and Ms Rayner, party insiders confirmed that a change of personnel had begun on Monday morning.

The reshuffle commenced just as Ms Rayner had begun delivering a major speech on so-called “Tory sleaze” and Labour’s plans to merge multiple regulators into a new all-powerful body tasked with overseeing ministerial standards.

Angela Rayner claimed she knew no details about the reshuffle after delivering a speech at the Institute for Government - Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Angela Rayner claimed she knew no details about the reshuffle after delivering a speech at the Institute for Government - Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Just hours beforehand, Ms Rayner appeared to play down reports of an imminent reshuffle, telling reporters that she believed Sir Keir “would tell me first” before proceeding.

But by 11.30am senior Labour sources had confirmed that a reshuffle had now commenced, with Cat Smith, the shadow secretary of state for young people, publishing her letter of resignation on Twitter.

Harry Yorke, our Whitehall Editor, has this report


02:40 PM

UK and Israel commit to 10-year roadmap to strengthen ties

The UK and Israel have signed a 10-year roadmap aimed at establishing closer ties between the two countries.

It looks to double down on joint work on technological breakthroughs and build on a trading relationship that is currently worth £5 billion.

Israel will also become an official 'tier-one' cyber partner for the UK, a move aimed at recognising the potential for the countries to "achieve together as tech leaders with world-class cybersecurity expertise".

Liz Truss and Yair Lapid signing the UK and Israel's new memorandum of understanding at Downing Street - Hannah McKay/Reuters
Liz Truss and Yair Lapid signing the UK and Israel's new memorandum of understanding at Downing Street - Hannah McKay/Reuters

Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, and Yair Lapid, the Israeli foreign minister, also pledged: "We will work night and day to prevent the Iranian regime from ever becoming a nuclear power."

In case you missed it, here is their joint column in today's Telegraph.


02:30 PM

Standards committee sets out new recommendations in wake of sleaze row

Rules around hospitality and gifts for ministers could be tightened up as part of new recommendations by the Commons Standards Committee in the wake of the sleaze scandal.

As suggested by the leaders of both political parties, the committee also called for an outright ban on MPs providing paid parliamentary advice, consultancy or strategic services.

MPs would also be banned from making an "unreasonable and excessive personal attack" in any form, including via social media.

Kathryn Stone, the standards commissioner, said personal attacks can be "widely disseminated" on platforms such as Twitter in a way which "can be regarded as disreputable".

Parliamentary standards reform was brought into fresh focus by allegations against Owen Paterson - Victoria Jones/PA Wire
Parliamentary standards reform was brought into fresh focus by allegations against Owen Paterson - Victoria Jones/PA Wire

MPs may also be required to have written contracts for outside work, while loopholes around lobbying which allow ministers to prevent a "serious wrong". A new "safe harbour" provision would also allow MPs can to avoid being investigated when they follow the guidance of officials before taking on a role.

Standards Committee chairman Chris Bryant said: "The past few weeks have seen a number of issues raised about MPs' standards, but the key overarching issue here is about conflict of interest.

"If approved, these robust proposals will empower the standards system in Parliament to better hold MPs who break the rules to account."


02:18 PM

Jo Stevens to Wales in latest Labour reshuffle move

The shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens will replace Nia Griffith, the Llanelli MP, as shadow Welsh secretary, Ms Stevens has confirmed.

The Cardiff Central MP tweeted: "I'm moving Shadow Cabinet jobs from DCMS to Wales.

"It's been a privilege to closely work with hugely talented people in the DCMS sector, the fastest growing before the pandemic & one of the hardest-hit. I want to continue the great work of my friend Nia Griffith in the new job."

It comes only a couple of months after Ms Stevens wrote a glowing piece about Sir Keir's leadership for The Times, in which she said she would be "so proud to be in the conference hall alongside my friend".

If Ms Griffith is not offered another Cabinet role, it will be her first time on the backbenches since 2015, when she was first appointed shadow Wales secretary by Jeremy Corbyn.

She also served as the shadow defence secretary under Mr Corbyn for more than three years, during which time she tried to reiterate Labour's commitment to Trident and Nato.


02:12 PM

Sending a message?

A conspicuously-timed post from the Labour Party's Twitter account has declared Labour is "back in business".

It calls back to one of the party's new slogans, as debuted by Keir Starmer at his CBI address last week - although most of the focus ended up on his opposite number's cartoon chatter.

The timing of the post is either an unlikely coincidence, or a statement of intent as Sir Keir looks to rearrange his team and distance the party from what many perceived as hostility towards business during the Jeremy Corbyn years.

Labour has pledged to scrap business rates, "reduce uncertainty" for businesses and grow the economy if elected.


02:04 PM

Food for thought...

My colleague Ben Riley-Smith has this from a senior Tory source:

Starmer’s reshuffle is already a shambles.

If he can’t run his own front bench properly how can he pretend he could run the country?


01:56 PM

All travellers should face eight-day quarantine to halt omicron, Sturgeon urges

Eight-day quarantine should be introduced for all travellers arriving in the UK, say the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales in a letter to Boris Johnson, write Charles Hymas and Simon Johnson.

As six cases of the new variant omicron emerged in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to reinstate PCR tests for all travellers on day eight of their arrival in the UK.

This would come on top of the requirement announced by Mr Johnson on Saturday for all people arriving in the UK to take a PCR test on day two and self-isolate until they get a negative result.

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford have called for an emergency Cobra meeting between the four UK nations on Monday to thrash out measures to control the spread of the new variant.

Asked about the prospect of a Cobra meeting at today's lobby briefing, a Downing Street spokesman said: "Currently there isn't one scheduled. We obviously speak to devolved administration counterparts very regularly."

Full story: First Minister leads calls for emergency Cobra meeting


01:42 PM

Nicola Sturgeon refuses to rule out if omicron Covid variant was first transmitted at Cop26

Nicola Sturgeon has refused to rule out the possibility that the omicron Covid variant was first transmitted in Scotland during Cop26, writes Poppie Platt.

The Scottish First Minister said it was "not impossible, but it's also perhaps not probable" that cases of the variant, first detected in South Africa, started to spread in the community during the climate change summit, which was held in Glasgow.

Speaking during a press conference with Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, Ms Sturgeon said: "We have no information right now that any of these cases are linked to Cop.

"However, as I said in my opening statement - the contact tracing is ongoing, so nor can I stand here and give you a 100 per cent guarantee that that is not the case."

Read more: Six cases of variant confirmed in Scotland


01:27 PM

Hong Kong scheme must expand, urges Iain Duncan Smith

Iain Duncan Smith has led calls for the expansion of the British National Overseas Scheme, which allows Hongkongers to flee to the UK.

The comments by Mr Duncan Smith, a former leader of the Conservative Party, came as research showed that nine in 10 people who have faced protest charges are too young to be eligible for the programme.

"The BN(O) Scheme is a success story, but sadly the current scheme doesn't cover many of the brave young activists in Hong Kong," Mr Duncan Smith wrote.

"Many pro-democracy campaigners are in danger of being prosecuted by the intolerant Chinese Communist Party and its representatives in Hong Kong. I urge the UK Government to think carefully about helping these people too.

"We owe it to younger Hong Kong residents to show that Britain stands up for freedom, human rights and the rule of law."


12:59 PM

Working from home not needed, says Number 10

Downing Street has reiterated its view that work from home measures are not needed, after Angela Rayner (see 8:16am) and Nicola Sturgeon (see 12:25am) called for its return and tightened Scottish measures respectively.

Nicola Sturgeon has urged Scottish businesses to do more to enable their employees to work from home - Unpixs (Europe)
Nicola Sturgeon has urged Scottish businesses to do more to enable their employees to work from home - Unpixs (Europe)

"Our position on that hasn't has not altered from what it was previously and we will be keeping the evidence of this variant under review and we will take action if necessary," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

"Currently, we don't think there are any other changes required."


12:45 PM

Shorter gap between vaccine doses would reduce risk of infection, suggests JCVI professor

A shorter gap between vaccine doses as part of the booster roll-out would reduce the risk of infection with the omicron variant, a JCVI professor has suggested.

Professor Jeremy Brown, member of the JCVI and professor of respiratory medicine at University College London, told Times Radio the gap currently existed to protect the most susceptible Britons.

"The reason for the gap is to make sure that we are vaccinating the best and the most important people first... those that have had the longest period of time so their antibody levels have waned at the most," he told Times Radio.

"The logic for maybe changing the gap... The omicron variant is now present in the world, it hasn't reached the UK in high numbers, and if possible it will be good to boost a lot of people's antibody levels to high levels to give them the maximum chance of not getting infected with this new variant.

"So that might be a reason for reducing the gap. Between the second dose and the booster dose. And so basically vaccinate people ahead of a possible Omicron wave which will be coming at some point."


12:40 PM

Omicron variant will cause chaos in schools, warn MPs

The omicron variant will lead to “chaos” in schools, MPs have warned, with children set to be forced into self-isolation by the new rules.

In an attempt to prevent the spread of the mutant strain of Covid-19, close contacts of those who test positive for omicron will have to self-isolate for 10 days, with the Government confirming that this applies to children.

On Sunday night, ministers were warned that the move risks a repeat of the situation during the summer term when thousands of healthy children were told to stay at home.

Steve Baker MP, deputy chairman of the Covid Recovery Group, said the measures “will cause chaos including collateral harms like damage to children’s education”, adding: “The Government needs to explain when all of this will be brought to an end.”

Camilla Turner has more here


12:25 PM

Test on 'each and every occasion', Nicola Sturgeon tells SNP conference delegates

Nicola Sturgeon has told Scots to test themselves on "each and every occasion" they mix with people outside of their households.

This includes going to work where necessary and trips to pubs and restaurants, the First Minister said at the SNP's conference - which is virtual this year.

"I am all too aware that the heaviest burden on those carrying the virus has been carried by those in the NHS and social care. If we all follow the advice on tackling Covid we will not just be helping ourselves but helping them."

Ms Sturgeon said she was proud Scottish NHS staff had been awarded the highest pay rise anywhere in the UK, as she pledged a downpayment in next month's Budget to significantly strengthen the capacity of the NHS.

"At the heart of our plans for reform is the establishment of a National Care Service. This new National Care Service, if we get it right and we must, will be a fitting legacy from the trauma of Covid."


12:12 PM

Labour reshuffle underway as socialist MPs rally round Cat Smith

A Labour spokesman has confirmed what we already knew from Cat Smith's resignation from the frontbench - that a shadow cabinet reshuffle is underway.

It came as members of the Socialist Campaign Group rallied round Ms Smith after she confirmed she was leaving the Labour shadow cabinet and rejected Sir Keir Starmer's offer for her to remain in post (see 12:03am).

Kate Osborne MP, Labour's socialist MP for Jarrow, took to social media to offer her "full support, agreement and solidarity" to her colleague.

Cat Smith, who was Labour's shadow minister for young people and democracy from 2016 until today - Richard Townshend
Cat Smith, who was Labour's shadow minister for young people and democracy from 2016 until today - Richard Townshend

John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor who like Ms Smith was an ally of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, wrote: "What shines through in Cat Smith is what a principled, caring and honest person she is and how her first priority has always been working for her constituents."


12:03 PM

Labour reshuffle seemingly confirmed as Cat Smith leaves frontbench

Cat Smith, who has been in the shadow cabinet intermittently since 2016, has provided what appears to be the first confirmation of a Labour Party reshuffle.

The shadow minister for young people and democracy is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group and supported Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the party.

In a letter posted to her Twitter account addressed to leader Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Smith wrote: "Thank you for your call this morning and for outlining your intentions regarding the reshuffle.

"It has been an honour to serve in the Shadow Cabinet since June 2016... Although I am grateful for your offer to remain in my current brief, I have only been on the backbenches for four months in my six-and-a-half years as an MP."

Ms Smith added that she had a meeting with Sir Keir scheduled for later this week in which she would have raised her "concerns about Jeremy [Corbyn] not being readmitted to the Parliamentary Labour Party", a position she described as "utterly unsustainable".


11:51 AM

Angela Rayner doesn't know 'details' of any reshuffle as she sets out sleaze reform package

Angela Rayner has said she is unaware of any reshuffle taking place in the Labour party (see 11.29am).

"I don't know the details of any reshuffle, I've been concentrating on the job that I'm doing at hand and I think that's really importance.

"The Labour Party, the challenge for us is to show we're a government-in-waiting and I think that's what the public expect of us. So I'm focused on not just exposing what the Government is doing wrong, I think what people often say to me is 'what would Labour do? You're criticising the Government all the time, what would you do?'

Angela Rayner has said she is unaware of any planned Labour reshuffle - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg
Angela Rayner has said she is unaware of any planned Labour reshuffle - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

"We've got to not only show that the Labour Party has changed, but also set out what our programme for government is. We are a government-in-waiting and we have to be the next government because we can't carry on like this."

Ms Rayner set out her proposals to fix the standards system, which would see former ministers banned from any lobbying, consultancy or paid works related to their past jobs for at least five years.

A new integrity and ethics commission would also be able to dish out financial penalties to former ministers found to have broken the rules.


11:45 AM

EU banks demand access to City markets in blow for Brussels

The eurozone’s most powerful banking groups have demanded long-term access to London’s multi-trillion dollar derivatives trading market in a fresh blow for Brussels’ plans to seize business from the City.

In a joint letter, finance trade bodies said that the bloc faces a “cliff edge” unless it extends exemptions that allow trades by European Union institutions to take place in the UK and other major markets.

The letter has been signed by organisations including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, the European Association of Co-operative Banks, the European Banking Federation, the Futures Industry Association, the Global Financial Markets Association and the Nordic Securities Association.

It said: “If the temporary [arrangements] are allowed to expire without being replaced by equivalence decisions in all key jurisdictions, this will result in increased costs and operational burdens for EU firms while also resulting in trapped assets.”

Simon Foy has the story


11:29 AM

Labour shadow cabinet reshuffle 'may already be underway', say reports

While much of Westminster is once again focused on coronavirus, there is talk that Labour's shadow cabinet reshuffle has already started.

The LabourList and Huffington Post separately report that Sir Keir Starmer's reshuffle may now be underway.

A Labour shadow cabinet reshuffle may already be underway, LabourList and Huffington Post have both reported - Rob Pinney/Getty Images
A Labour shadow cabinet reshuffle may already be underway, LabourList and Huffington Post have both reported - Rob Pinney/Getty Images

It's opportune timing, as deputy party leader Angela Rayner is currently giving a speech at the Institute for Government on how Labour would change the rules around sleaze (see 8.53am).

"Angela is focusing on attacking the Tories for being corrupt and setting out how she will stamp out corruption," Ms Rayner's spokesman told LabourList.

At the party's annual conference in Brighton in September, Ms Rayner pitched herself against Sir Keir as the figure to reconnect Labour with Britain's working class.

Sir Keir reshuffled his Cabinet after Labour's disastrous by-election loss in Hartlepool, which saw Anneliese Dodds replace Ms Rayner as party chairman while Rachel Reeves was promoted to the post of shadow Chancellor.


11:18 AM

Education committee chairman demands to know logic behind masks in corridors

Robert Halfon, the chairman of the education select committee, has called on the Government to explain why they are recommending children should wear masks in corridors when they are not mandatory for offices or hospitality.

"I want to see a risk assessment in terms of the difficulties that masks have on school pupils, especially those with special needs, especially those with hearing difficulties," Mr Halfon told Sky News.

"But the key thing here is not just masks, it's making sure we keep our children in school, it's making sure schools don't close a week before Christmas.

"Because the Government have to weigh up the minimal risks of Covid with the significant risks to children's mental health, their educational attainment, their life chances if they keep pushing through a revolving door of open/shut, open/shut, schools open, schools closed again."

Mr Halfon said masks cause difficulty especially for younger children, and added significant damage was being done to children's mental health when they are continuously sent home.

On if there are any circumstances in which he would ever support schools being closed early before Christmas, Mr Halfon responded "never said never", but referred to the "massive damage" done to children's achievement.


11:08 AM

Breaking: Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon call for urgent Cobra meeting

Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon have called for an urgent Cobra meeting in light of the omicron variant.

"It is clear that the strain is already here and that it appears highly transmissible," they wrote in a letter to Boris Johnson.

"We need to work collectively - and effectively - as Four Nations to take all reasonable steps to control the ingress of the virus to the country and then to limit its spread.

Nicola Sturgeon has joined forces with Mark Drakeford, her Welsh counterpart, to urge a Cobra meeting with the Prime Minister - Russell Cheyne/Reuters
Nicola Sturgeon has joined forces with Mark Drakeford, her Welsh counterpart, to urge a Cobra meeting with the Prime Minister - Russell Cheyne/Reuters

"We are clear that a Four Nations approach to issues such as border restrictions is the most effective approach. This requires that a meeting of the Cobra Committee be held as soon as possible."

The leaders also called for the reinstatement of mandatory 'day-eight' PCR tests, in addition to the existing 'day-two' test requirement that has been brought back.


11:06 AM

Blue Wall Tories could give Boris a bloody nose in Bexley

Nestled in a middle-class, suburban corner of south-east London, the constituency of Old Bexley and Sidcup has long been a safe seat for the Conservatives, reports Tony Diver.

Voters there were once represented by a Tory Prime Minister, and live in houses that are 50 per cent more expensive than the national average. Since the seat's creation in 1983, they have never returned an MP for another political party.

But for many, a by-election there triggered by the death of James Brokenshire last month is an opportunity to send a message to Boris Johnson that trust in the Conservative Party is not what it once was.

Louie French, the Conservative candidate, is a former deputy leader of the local council and is defending a majority of 19,000 votes - Conservative Party/PA Wire
Louie French, the Conservative candidate, is a former deputy leader of the local council and is defending a majority of 19,000 votes - Conservative Party/PA Wire

Like Louie French, the Tory candidate, 38-year-old Sidcup resident James Barfield works in banking and is a card-carrying member of the Conservative Party.

He feels that Mr Johnson has lost his shine in the 23 months since the 2019 election, and thinks Thursday’s vote will produce a substantially reduced majority for his party.

Dispatch: This week's by-election could be a turning point for the Tories


10:53 AM

Nicola Sturgeon: Avoid tighter restrictions by upping your game now

A renewed focus on personal hygiene and working from home will help to avoid "tighter restrictions" further down the line, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

"Wear face coverings on public transport, in shops and wherever you're moving about in hospitality settings," the First Minister told a press conference.

Nicola Sturgeon has shared an update on the Covid situation in Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon has shared an update on the Covid situation in Scotland

"Follow all of the advice on hygiene - it's time to go back rigorously to washing our hands, to cleaning surfaces. Please work from home right now if you can. Home working when possible will help us get through the winter, and also this latest risk more safely.

"The discovery of this new variant makes these measures more important than ever before. They will make a difference and by sticking to them we will give ourselves the best possible chance of enjoying the more normal Christmas we are all looking forward to, but enjoying not just a more normal Christmas, but a safer Christmas too."


10:41 AM

Scots must 'significantly step up' compliance with Covid measures

Scots must "significantly step up" their compliance with existing Covid rules after six cases of the omicron variant were confirmed, Nicola Sturgeon has told a press conference.

"Over the past few days a new risk has emerged in the form of the omicron variant," the First Minister said. "We have stepped up our surveillance in recent days and I want to thank our public health teams for the work they are doing.

"Increased community transmission underlines the importance of all of us keeping to the restrictions that are in place. We also need to consider what steps are necessary and proportionate to reduce transmission here."

Ms Sturgeon observed that some of England's new measures, such as masks on public transport and in shops, already exist to a greater extent in Scotland.

She reminded people to work from home and, as of today, asked employers to "maximise the importance" of this measure, while also urging Scots to test themselves regularly and before they socialise with others.


10:34 AM

Essex school found to have link to omicron variant

Pupils and staff at a primary school in Brentwood in Essex are being tested for coronavirus after the school was found to have a link to the new omicron variant.

Essex County Council said it had taken "necessary precautionary action", including switching to remote learning for one class at Larchwood Primary School, in Pilgrims Hatch.


10:32 AM

UK and Israel join forces to stop Iran gaining nuclear weapons

The UK and Israel’s foreign ministers have declared that they will work “night and day” to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon as they sign a “historic” 10-year plan for deepening ties.

In a joint article for The Daily Telegraph (see below), Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, and Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign affairs minister, preview their new “memorandum of understanding”.

The agreement, which will be signed on Monday, will enable the UK and Israel to work more closely on issues such as cybersecurity, technology development, defence, trade and science.

It will see Israel become one of the UK’s most trusted allies in thwarting cyber attacks, according to a Foreign Office insider. Talks on a trade deal are also set to begin early next year.

Ben Riley-Smith has the story


10:17 AM

All states should back global vaccination effort, urges WHO

The World Health Organisation has called on all states to support a target to vaccinate 40 per cent of all countries' populations by the end of the year.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, told a press conference: "Vaccine equity is not charity, it's in every country's best interests. No country can vaccinate its way out of the pandemic alone.

"The longer vaccine inequity persists, the more opportunity this country has to spread and evolve in ways we cannot predict not prevent... The fabric of multilateralism has been frayed."

Lockdowns should only be seen as "a last resort in the most extreme circumstances", Dr Tedros added, calling for a delicate balance between civil liberties and protecting the most vulnerable.

It comes after Joe Phaahla, the South African health minister, told LBC the world would be "more protected" if it were to focus on vaccinating the world rather than border restrictions.

"As soon as you can share with others, as more people get protected, less variants will be coming," he said.


10:08 AM

Channel crisis talks were 'not anti-English', insists French minister

Yesterday's Channel crisis talks were not "anti-English" despite Priti Patel being disinvited last week, the French interior minister has said.

A number of European ministers met to discuss what more could be done to prevent further tragedies after the deaths of 27 people who were trying to reach the UK last Wednesday. But Ms Patel had her invite revoked by Ms Darmanin after Boris Johnson made public his letter to President Macron calling for a returns agreement.

Gérald Darmanin also called on the UK to make itself "less economically attractive" to migrants - Louis Witter/Getty Images
Gérald Darmanin also called on the UK to make itself "less economically attractive" to migrants - Louis Witter/Getty Images

"I've had extremely intense exchanges with my British counterpart, but you will have heard what the French president had to say about this after the public remarks that the British government wanted to make," Gérald Darmanin said. "We consider that this wasn't a serious way of working.

"This reunion was not anti-English, it was pro-European and we should work with our British friends and tell them certain things."

For her part, Priti Patel, the Home Secretary - who met the Dutch migration minister yesterday - insisted the UK will "not shy away from the challenge we face" with the possibility of "even worse scenes" in the Channel in the coming months.


09:55 AM

Gordon Brown: Britain's record on vaccinating developing world 'not very good'

Gordon Brown has taken aim at the Government's record on vaccinating the developing world as he condemned a "collective failure" to ensure vaccine supply in Asia and Africa.

The former Prime Minister noted only seven per cent of Africans had received a vaccine and "hardly any tests" had been done across the continent.

"Boris Johnson said on Saturday that Britain was leading the way [but] we offered 100 million vaccines. We've provided only 11 per cent of them so far," Mr Brown, now a global financing ambassador at the World Health Organisation, told Sky News.

Boxes of vaccines donated by wealthier countries as part of the Covax scheme being offloaded in Kenya - AP Photo
Boxes of vaccines donated by wealthier countries as part of the Covax scheme being offloaded in Kenya - AP Photo

"America has offered a billion vaccines and provided 25 per cent and even that's not enough, so Britain's record is not very good.

"And when Boris Johnson said on Saturday that the real problem in Africa was that people were not taking up the vaccines, he was wrong because the real problem in Africa, the biggest problem, is the lack of supply."


09:40 AM

'As allies, Britain and Israel can be trade and tech superpowers'

Many fear the skies are darkening worldwide due to the pandemic, the threat of terrorism and hostile actors seeking the upper hand.

But Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, and her Israeli counterparty Yair Lapid believe that freedom and democracy can still prevail with the right approach.

"That is why Israel and the United Kingdom are today coming together in London to take a major step forward," they write for The Telegraph today.

Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, has emphasised the importance of Britain's links to Israel - Paul Grover
Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, has emphasised the importance of Britain's links to Israel - Paul Grover

"We believe that a democracy rooted in freedom – which empowers citizens with the opportunity to innovate, create, and fulfill their dreams – is the finest form of government.

"As outward-looking, patriotic nations, we know that the best way forward lies in building stronger economic, technological and security ties with like-minded partners."

Liz Truss and Yair Lapid: As allies, Britain and Israel can be tech superpowers


09:25 AM

Essex omicron patient 'well' and does not require hospitalisation

A patient infected with the omicron variant in Essex is "well" and isolating with their family, according to the county's director of public health.

"Most importantly with the confirmed case is that they are well, they are isolating with their family," Dr Michael Gogarty told BBC Breakfast.

"When I say they are well, I mean they are not seriously ill. They have some symptoms but they do not require hospitalisation."

Test and Trace workers have become a common sight on the streets of Brentwood after an omicron case was confirmed there - Stephen Huntley/HVC
Test and Trace workers have become a common sight on the streets of Brentwood after an omicron case was confirmed there - Stephen Huntley/HVC

Ministers have been at pains to insist that it is not yet known how serious omicron is compared to more well-known variants.

In news that appeared to offer a glimmer of hope, the first South African doctor to alert the authorities about patients with the omicron variant told The Telegraph at the weekend that the symptoms of the new variant were unusual but mild in the younger patients she has treated.

South African demographics are very different from those in the UK, meaning that older individuals who are more vulnerable to the virus may take some time to present.


09:19 AM

Let us vote on new Covid restrictions, restless Tory backbenchers urge PM

Tory lockdown critics are demanding a vote on the new Covid restrictions after Sajid Javid said MPs might not be given a say until mid-December, reports Ben Riley-Smith.

The changes to regulations that will bring back a mask mandate for certain sectors and tighten the border will be laid before Parliament today and come into effect at 4am tomorrow.

However, because of a quirk in parliamentary procedures, MPs and peers do not have to vote through the measures before they are adopted, unlike usual laws.

Londoners wearing face masks on Regent Street ahead of the introduction of a new mask mandate in shops and on public transport - Alberto Pezzali/AP Photo
Londoners wearing face masks on Regent Street ahead of the introduction of a new mask mandate in shops and on public transport - Alberto Pezzali/AP Photo

Mark Harper, the Tory MP who chairs the Covid Recovery Group of lockdown-sceptic Conservative politicians, called for a debate and vote to be held on Tuesday.

Mr Harper told The Telegraph: "I think it’s important that MPs get the chance to debate and vote on that legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.

"So I would expect ministers to enable us to have a debate of proper length and detail on Tuesday and a vote."

Full story: MPs may not be allowed a say on Covid restrictions until mid-December


09:01 AM

Covid Booster jabs to be offered to all adults in bid to beat omicron

Booster jabs are to be offered to all adults, with a recommendation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation expected within days, The Daily Telegraph understands.

The Prime Minister announced on Saturday that he had asked scientists to consider extending the rollout of third jabs to everyone aged 18 and over.

He has also asked the JCVI to consider cutting the wait for a booster jab from six months to five and whether 12 to 15-year-olds should now be offered a second dose.

The committee is expected to recommend in favour of the mass expansion of boosters to all adults, meaning a further 13 million people would be eligible, a health source said.

Yesterday, the deputy chairman of the JCVI said offering boosters to younger groups and cutting the interval between second jabs and boosters would be a “sensible strategy”.

​Laura Donnelly has the story


08:53 AM

Angela Rayner: Current MP regulatory bodies 'not really independent'

As the fallout from the sleaze scandal continues the Commons Committee on Standards will today publish its report into the MP code of conduct and is expected to cover the thorny issue of parliamentarians' second jobs.

Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, has described the current investigatory bodies as "not really independent" because their recommendations can be vetoed by the Prime Minister. Her party is calling for drastic reform to the system and will give a speech on standards at the Institute for Government at 11am.

Angela Rayner has claimed the current existing bodies that oversee MPs' conduct are "not really independent" - Rob Pinney/Getty Images
Angela Rayner has claimed the current existing bodies that oversee MPs' conduct are "not really independent" - Rob Pinney/Getty Images

"We want to bring in a new independent ethics commission which is overseen by the permanent secretary, so that where ministers do break the code or former ministers use the revolving door and contacts for contracts, we tighten up the rules so this doesn't happen," Ms Rayner told the Today programme.

"We want people to have absolute confidence that ministers are doing their job and there for the people they represent, not just lining their pockets."

Yesterday Sir Geoffrey Cox spoke for the first time since the row over him earning more than £1 million outside of Parliament last year and voting by proxy from the British Virgin Islands during lockdown, as he insisted his constituents get "full commitment at all times".


08:42 AM

Plan B: Health minister rejects calls for more new Covid rules

The health minister has flatly rejected calls for the Government to adopt its full package of 'Plan B' measures such as vaccine certification and working from home.

"I don't think Plan B and those measures... you drew out some of those reasons, they are hugely and significantly disruptive," Edward Argar told the Today programme. "What we actually saw last time when we were seeing infection rates still high is the number of people in hospital with Covid going down and the number of deaths going down.

"We don't see that Plan B in the current circumstances is needed at this point because there is no evidence yet that the vaccine is ineffective with this variant. I don't think we are in a position yet to understand impact on vaccines and hospitalisations.

Test and trace workers out in Brentwood High Street yesterday - Stephen Huntley/HVC
Test and trace workers out in Brentwood High Street yesterday - Stephen Huntley/HVC

"Rather than automatically going to what some will call for which is very, very heavy restrictions, or what others will call for which is nothing at all and wait and see, we've struck a reasonable and proportionate balance while we try to understand it which we hope will only take a few weeks."

On demands from Labour to enforce working from home, Mr Argar said he never gave "100 per cent guarantees on this virus because we never know how it's going to behave".

He insisted mask-wearing in classrooms would not fall into "measured and proportionate" restrictions at this time in response to calls from Dr Mary Bousted, president of the National Education Union, to reintroduce a face covering mandate "because Covid will not recognise the difference between a corridor and a classroom".


08:31 AM

More detail given on new Scotland omicron variant cases

Four of the new Covid cases in Scotland (see 8.01am) have been identified in the Lanarkshire area with a further two infections in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, officials have said.

"This will be a worrying time for the six people now identified as having the new variant," said Humza Yousaf, the Scottish health secretary.

He confirmed that all of the cases will receive support and that Public Health Scotland is to carry out enhanced contact tracing for each of the six patients.

Nicola Sturgeon will give further details on the Scottish omicron outbreak at 10.30am - Jeff J Mitchell/Pool via Reuters
Nicola Sturgeon will give further details on the Scottish omicron outbreak at 10.30am - Jeff J Mitchell/Pool via Reuters

"This will help establish the origin of the virus and any further individuals they have come into contact with in recent weeks.

"There is still much to learn about the Omicron variant. Questions remain about its severity, transmissibility and response to treatments or vaccines and scientists are working at pace to provide additional information.

"Until more is known we must be cautious and do everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading infection."


08:20 AM

Government concerned by omicron variant but still 'early days', says health minister

The Government is concerned by the spread of the omicron variant but it is still "early days", the health and social care minister has said.

Edward Argar described the 50 mutations found in the variant, 32 of which are in the spike protein, as "concerning" but it will be weeks until scientists understand how it reacts and whether the impact of vaccines will be affected.

"The moment you make an announcement like this there are calls for you to delay it, there are others saying do it immediately. I think we struck the right balance here in providing that response," he said.

After criticism over the lethargic pace of the vaccine rollout in developing countries, Argar said the UK "can do more and ramp it up" but insisted the Government is on track to meet its target of distributing 100 million doses by the middle of next year.


08:16 AM

Labour calls for sick pay reform and return to working from home

The deputy Labour leader has called on the Government to reform its Covid sick pay regime and reintroduce working from home.

"If we've got infections rising in the UK, and we know that it's much more infectious and easier to catch, then working from home is a good thing," Ms Rayner told Sky News.

"I hope employers can be more flexible and it's actually good for work-life balance as well, so I would encourage people to work from home where possible."

On sick pay, Ms Rayner said: "We've had this problem during the pandemic and the Government needs to take action so that people can do the right thing. We've been living with this virus for a very long time now and many people fall through the loopholes when it comes to sick pay."

She conceded that the Government was "right to have acted swiftly" by putting South Africa and nine other countries on the red list in a bid to stem the spread of the omicron variant.


08:09 AM

Go ahead with your holidays but consider 'element of risk', says minister

Britons should go ahead with their holidays but price in an "element of risk", the health minister has said.

Edward Argar said he was sympathetic towards families who will have to pay thousands for quarantine hotels, but claimed the addition of 10 African countries to the revived red list was justified.

"What we’re saying is follow rules around the red list countries, and for other countries we’ve said PCR tests et cetera," he told Sky News. "we’re not saying cancel your holidays to France but we have put into place that proportionate measure.

"We cannot say what will happen over the coming weeks [and] in travelling at the moment there is an element of risk for people. We need to have the three weeks in order to understand how this new variant works. I hope that the scientists will get information more quickly and we were as open as we could be with the British people."

Mr Argar hailed South Africa, which has criticised travel bans as punitive, as "exemplary" in sharing all that it knows about the variant with other countries.


08:01 AM

Breaking: Six omicron cases confirmed in Scotland

Six cases of the omicron variant have been identified in Scotland, the Scottish Government has announced.

It takes the number of confirmed cases of the variant in the UK to nine, after cases were confirmed in Essex, Nottinghamshire and a third individual who is no longer in the country but was in Westminster while they were.

More to follow


08:00 AM

Good morning

The announcement of booster jabs for all over-18s is expected within hours, as the health minister said vaccines mean that the UK is in a better position than last year.

Here's the front page of your Daily Telegraph.