Campaign: WASPI has protested about the ‘unfair’ way state pension age changes were implemented Women whose state pension age was raised to 66 have renewed calls for compensation after the Parliamentary Ombudsman accused the Government of ‘maladministration’ over delays to informing them about the changes. In a report published today, the Parliamentary Ombudsman highlighted government … Read more
More than 700,000 savers could be paying too much tax after interest rates plunged to record lows. It is yet another blow for beleaguered savers already struggling to earn an income from their nest eggs. And long delays at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) means anyone attempting to correct their tax code and claw back … Read more
Government loses bid to delay High Court challenge from hospitality sector over letting non-essential shops open before pubs and restaurants can serve food and drink indoors A judge today threw out the appeal and sided with two prolific businessmen Hugh Osmond and Sacha Lord say indoor hospitality should reopen sooner Mrs Justice Eady approved their request … Read more
Boris Johnson today insisted the country is still on track to end lockdown by summer, despite being accused of using ‘Project Fear’ tactics and doomsday scenarios to prolong restrictions. The Government’s own predictions show that any third wave of coronavirus this summer is likely to be manageable, despite widespread alarm at worst-case SAGE predictions forecasting … Read more
The Olympic torch relay began in the tsunami-hit city of Fukushima today, kicking off a four-month countdown until the delayed summer Games in Tokyo. Tokyo’s Olympic games, delayed from 2020 due to Covid-19, are the first ever organised during a global pandemic. About 10,000 runners will carry the torch across Japan‘s 47 prefectures, including far-flung islands, … Read more
Britain’s triumphant vaccine rollout could be delayed by up to two months if the EU pushes ahead with its threats of an export ban, it is feared. In a dramatic move, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, threatened to join forces with the French and German governments to hold hostage more … Read more
HOW VACCINE TARGETS HAVE SHIFTED OVER TIME January 26 AstraZeneca’s chief executive Pascal Soriot predicted the UK would have vaccinated all over-50s by the end of March. February 5 Health Secretary Matt Hancock says all over-50s were expected to be vaccinated by early May. February 21 No10 announces a target of April 15 to have … Read more
The vaccine rollout was plunged into its first real crisis last night as the NHS revealed a major four-week fall in supply, meaning millions of people under 50 now face waiting a much longer wait for their first vaccine appointment than many had hoped. Here, we take a look at what is causing the shortage, … Read more
The Indian manufacturer blamed for the Covid vaccine hold-up in the UK has denied it went back on plans to supply five million doses of the AstraZeneca jab in April and said there was never a concrete timescale. A change of plans meaning Britain would get five million fewer jabs than expected from the Serum … Read more
In an amazing show of self-control, cuttlefish can resist the impulse to eat a morsel of food if it means getting to eat two morsels later on, a new study shows. In experiments, the marine molluscs passed a variation of the ‘marshmallow test’ – originally used in the 1970s to measure a child’s ability to … Read more