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Boris Johnson's plan for 'return to normality' met with scepticism PM accused of making policy ‘on a wing and a prayer’ and passing the buck to businessCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBoris Johnson has held out the prospect of a “significant return to normality” by Christmas as he announced a fresh easing of lockdown restrictions in England – but his roadmap was met with a backlash from business leaders and claims he is making policy “on a wing and prayer”.After four months of encouraging the public to work from home to help contain the spread of coronavirus, the prime minister said from 1 August the onus would be on employers to decide whether staff could safely come back to the office. Continue reading... G...

'Get off my neck': London police officer suspended after arrest incident Video appears to show Met officer applying pressure with his knee to suspect’s neck areaA Metropolitan police officer has been suspended after a video appeared to show him briefly applying pressure with his knee to a suspect’s neck area during an arrest in London.The footage shows the suspect, who is handcuffed and on the ground, shouting “get off my neck”. The Metropolitan police said the video was “extremely disturbing”, and that they had suspended one officer and removed another from operational duty. Continue reading... Go to Source

Senior Tory accuses Johnson of blaming NHS for government's Covid-19 failings Exclusive: Andrew Lansley says ministers made mistakes over lockdown, PPE and testingWe must not let the government seize back control from doctorsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAndrew Lansley, the Conservative former health secretary, has criticised the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and accused it of trying to blame the NHS for its own failings.Lansley made clear that delays in instigating the lockdown, ordering personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS staff and increasing testing were made by ministers, not health service bosses. Continue reading... Go to Source

German police capture 'Black Forest Rambo' after six-day manhunt Yves Rausch had been on the run after allegedly pulling gun on police last SundayGerman police have captured a heavily armed suspect accused of stealing officers’ weapons, after a six-day manhunt for the “Black Forest Rambo”.The man, named by police as Yves Rausch, had been on the run since last Sunday morning, after holding up four officers and stealing their firearms in what his mother claims was a moment of “panic”. Continue reading... Go to Source

One in 70 recorded rapes in England and Wales led to charge last year Proportion of police-recorded rapes resulting in charge falls to record low 1.4%Fewer than one in 70 recorded rapes resulted in a charge last year, as tens of thousands of victims did not support demands from police and prosecutors and withdrew from the process.Only 1.4% of rapes recorded by police in England and Wales resulted in a charge or a summons in the year to March, a record low after a rate of 1.5% the previous year, according to Home Office figures. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson says he hopes for 'return to normality, possibly in time for Christmas' PM unveils £3bn of funding for NHS in England, along with ‘biggest ever’ flu vaccination programme and new powers to impose local lockdownsMatt Hancock orders urgent review of PHE Covid-19 death figuresTop civil servant overseeing care homes in England steps asideBritish Airways retires 747 fleet as coronavirus hits travelOxford vaccine team aim to start lab-controlled human trial soonGlobal coronavirus updates – live 12.48pm BSTThe Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, is giving the last of the daily coronavirus press conferences in Wales. From next week the daily press conference will be replaced with a weekly one each Tuesday. He marked the event by looki...

Top civil servant overseeing care homes in England steps aside Exclusive: fears of Covid-19 leadership void as Rosamond Roughton takes ‘career break’Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe top civil servant with responsibility for care homes in England has stepped aside, the Guardian has learned, sparking fresh concern about an absence of government leadership in a sector that has recorded 21,600 deaths from Covid-19 – almost 40% of all UK fatalities from the virus.Rosamond Roughton, the director general for adult social care at the Department for Health and Social Care, “is now on a career break”, according to Whitehall sources, and a search has been launched across government to cover her role. No explanation for her move has...

Data shows 900 women in UK affected by benefit cap 'rape clause' Figures on two-child cap on benefits reveal women had to disclose child was result of sexual assaultOfficial figures show 900 women were forced to disclose their child was conceived as a result of rape to claim social security help under the government’s two-child cap on benefits.The government figures reveal in its first three years, 243,000 households containing 911,000 children were affected by the controversial policy, which was designed to deliver £1bn in welfare savings. Continue reading... Go to Source

Birdwatchers flock to Peak District after rare sighting of bearded vulture in UK Species is one of Europe’s largest and rarest raptors, last seen in England in 2016Birdwatchers have been flocking to the boggy and desolate moors of the Peak District to try to spot a bearded vulture, one of the rarest birds ever seen in the UK, which has set up home on a remote cliff in the national park.This is only the second sighting of a bearded vulture in the UK, one of the largest and rarest raptors in Europe, and which was last seen in England in 2016. Continue reading... Go to Source

UK '95% sure' Russian hackers tried to steal coronavirus vaccine research Minister says Britain and allies confident Russian intelligence was behind cyber-attacksCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe UK security minister James Brokenshire has said Britain is “more than 95%” sure that Russian state-sponsored hackers targeted UK, US and Canadian organisations involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine.Brokenshire said the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and its counterparts in the other countries were confident “Russian intelligence agencies” were responsible for the attacks on drug companies and research groups. Continue reading... Go to Source