cityam--2020-11-01--Lockdown could last beyond 2 December, Michael Gove warns

England ’ s new lockdown could last for more than a month , Michael Gove confirmed this morning .
Speaking to Sky News , the minister for the Cabinet Office confirmed that the restrictions could be extended beyond 2 December , when they are due to come to an end .
The decision will depend on whether the “ R-rate ” has been sufficiently reduced over the next month .
“ We can definitively say that unless we take action now , the NHS is going to be overwhelmed in ways that none of us could countenance ” , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson last night announced a national lockdown for England which will begin on Thursday and last for a month .
In a Downing Street briefing , Johnson said new restrictions will last until 2 December due to the “ exponential growth ” in hospital admissions and concerns the NHS will be overrun .
Read more : National lockdown expected in England from next week The new restrictions will close all hospitality venues but takeaways and deliveries will be permitted , and essential shops will be able to stay open .
Unlike the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will also be exempt from the measures .
Mixing households will be strictly prohibited other than for childcare purposes .
MPs will vote on the new restrictions before they are introduced at midnight on Thursday .
After four weeks of the tougher measures England will move back to its three-tier system .
As a result of the new restrictions , Johnson has announced the extension of the furlough system for a further month , paying 80 per cent of employees ’ wages .
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the prevalence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely rapidly over the last two weeks ” with around 50,000 new cases per day , and a rise in hospital admissions in those over the age of 45 .
“ If we do nothing… the numbers will exceed the peak we saw in the Spring ” , he warned .
He was echoed by the government ’ s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance who said there is a “ potential for this to be twice as bad or more than the first wave ” .
It marks a significant shift in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having resisted pressure to introduce a national lockdown , opting instead for a localised tier system .
Two weeks ago he defended his strategy of local restrictions by saying he wanted to avoid the “ misery of a national lockdown.
” On Saturday evening he said the UK had to be “ humble in the face of nature ” and the scientific models suggest deaths could run at several thousand a day .
Read more : Covid-19 now spreading faster than worst case scenario , Sage warns Ministers had previously turned down plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over half-term in favour of local restrictions , but a longer lockdown is now thought to be necessary to “ save Christmas.
” The government ’ s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies initially proposed the circuit breaker , which Wales has adopted , in mid-September in an attempt to reduce infection rates .
The UK recorded a further 21,915 positive cases and 326 Covid-related deaths , up slightly from the 274 recorded on Friday .
Get the news as it happens by following City A.M. on Twitter .


cityam--2020-11-01--London lockdown: What the Government's new rules mean for you

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night set the scene for a second London lockdown , with the Government ’ s new restrictions likely to be in place from Thursday .
Johnson , who earlier resisted calls for a nationwide strengthening of restrictions to curb surging coronavirus cases , last night reiterated the Government ’ s “ stay at home ” messaging from the first lockdown .
There are differences between the first UK-wide lockdown of the Spring and what will likely come into effect from Thursday .
Read more : Business groups welcome furlough extension as ‘ survival mode ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions mean for Londoners ?
• Stay at home : In a bid to cut person-to-person interaction ( and , therefore , virus transmission ) people across London and the rest of England are being urged to stay at home .
• Work from home : Unless you can not do your job from your home , such as in construction .
• All non-essential retail to close : Supermarkets will stay open and the Prime Minister warned there is no need to panic-buy .
• Pubs , bars and restaurants to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options , but not for takeaway alcohol .
• Leisure and personal care businesses will close .
This includes , gyms , swimming pools , cinemas and beauty salons .
• Schools and universities in the capital will stay open .
• Meeting indoors will not be allowed , but you can meet one other person from another household outside publicly .
• Business trips will be allowed but all other overnight stays and holidays will not be allowed .
• Unlimited outdoor exercise : Unlike the first lockdown , Londoners will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more : Lockdown could last beyond 2 December , Michael Gove warns

London lockdown: What the Government’s new rules mean for you
Nationwide restrictions will likely come into force from Thursday forcing businesses to close and most to again work-from-home (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night set the scene for a second London lockdown, with the Government’s new restrictions likely to be in place from Thursday.
Johnson, who earlier resisted calls for a nationwide strengthening of restrictions to curb surging coronavirus cases, last night reiterated the Government’s “stay at home” messaging from the first lockdown.
There are differences between the first UK-wide lockdown of the Spring and what will likely come into effect from Thursday.
So what do the new restrictions mean for Londoners?


cityam--2020-11-01--Airlines plead for emergency support as international travel banned

The UK aviation industry has made fresh pleas for emergency financial support from ministers after international travel was banned for the duration of the new lockdown .
From 5 November to 2 December , foreign holidays have been banned – as well as overnight stays in the UK .
The decision is a hammer blow to the country ’ s airlines and airports , which are already battling the worst crisis in their history .
In a joint statement , Tim Alderslade of Airlines UK and Karen Dee of the Airport Operators Association demanded sector-specific support on the back of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Aviation has been devastated by the pandemic , and has essentially never had the opportunity to recover .
A ban on international travel means airlines and airports , already hamstrung by quarantine , are closed businesses and will require financial support now – which other sectors like hospitality have received – alongside a comprehensive restart package .
“ This needs to include immediate additional economic support for the winter and steps to support recovery , including urgent roll-out of a testing regime , business rates relief for airports , and an emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hundreds of thousands of jobs and our economic recovery are on the line ” , they warned .
Read more : London lockdown : What the Government ’ s new rules mean for you Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data Mark Tanzer , chief exec of travel association ABTA said : “ Today ’ s announcement that holidays in the UK and abroad will not be allowed under lockdown in England will mean a complete shut down for travel businesses which have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – but public health must come first .
“ We ’ re pleased to see the Government has recognised the significant impact the latest lockdown will have on businesses and has extended the furlough scheme until the start of December.
” The decision to ban international travel comes just a few days after officials had reopened travel corridors to popular winter destinations such as the Canary Islands .
It also throws into doubt plans to introduce a new scheme to replace the current 14-day quarantine regime .
Transport secretary Grant Shapps had said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place a system to half the time for which people had to self-isolate by December .
Read more : What ’ s in store for the airline industry this winter ?
Back in March Chancellor Rishi Sunak promised airlines a sector-specific package of support , but no details were ever forthcoming .
Since the initial lockdown , the sector has hemorrhaged cash at a frightening rate , and is now facing up to the traditionally challenging winter period .

Airlines plead for emergency support as international travel banned
With international travel to be banned from Thursday, airlines and airports are bracing for a horrendous winter.
The UK aviation industry has made fresh pleas for emergency financial support from ministers after international travel was banned for the duration of the new lockdown.
From 5 November to 2 December, foreign holidays have been banned – as well as overnight stays in the UK.
The decision is a hammer blow to the country’s airlines and airports, which are already battling the worst crisis in their history.
In a joint statement, Tim Alderslade of Airlines UK and Karen Dee of the Airport Operators Association demanded sector-specific support on the back of the new restrictions.
They said: “Aviation has been devastated by the pandemic, and has essentially never had the opportunity to recover. A ban on international travel means airlines and airports, already hamstrung by quarantine, are closed businesses and will require financial support now – which other sectors like hospitality have received – alongside a comprehensive restart package.
“This needs to include immediate additional economic support for the winter and steps to support recovery, including urgent roll-out of a testing regime, business rates relief for airports, and an emergency waiver of Air Passenger Duty.
“Hundreds of thousands of jobs and our economic recovery are on the line”, they warned.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
Mark Tanzer, chief exec of travel association ABTA said: “Today’s announcement that holidays in the UK and abroad will not be allowed under lockdown in England will mean a complete shut down for travel businesses which have already been severely damaged by the pandemic – but public health must come first.
“We’re pleased to see the Government has recognised the significant impact the latest lockdown will have on businesses and has extended the furlough scheme until the start of December.”
The decision to ban international travel comes just a few days after officials had reopened travel corridors to popular winter destinations such as the Canary Islands.
It also throws into doubt plans to introduce a new scheme to replace the current 14-day quarantine regime.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps had said that ministers were looking to put in place a system to half the time for which people had to self-isolate by December.
Back in March Chancellor Rishi Sunak promised airlines a sector-specific package of support, but no details were ever forthcoming.
Since the initial lockdown, the sector has hemorrhaged cash at a frightening rate, and is now facing up to the traditionally challenging winter period.


cityam--2020-11-01--New £1.8bn TfL bailout agreed at the eleventh hour

Transport for London ( TfL ) will receive £1.8bn in government support to see it through until March after a second bailout deal was finally agreed last night .
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic , the capital ’ s transport network has seen revenue dry up amid the collapse in passenger numbers .
Read more : Exclusive : Transport for London aware of Croydon tram fatigue problem two years before deadly crash In March TfL received £1.6bn in the government to help it through the initial period of lockdown but this ran out in October , meaning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the negotiating table .
Despite fears that a fresh rescue package would come with stringent demands , London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that several of the government ’ s more controversial conditions had been rejected .
These included much-maligned plans to extend the Congestion Charge zone , as well as scrapping all concessionary travel and hiking fares ahead of the rate of inflation .
Khan said that the deal was “ not ideal ” , but added : “ We fought hard against this Government which is so determined to punish our city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .
“ The only reason TfL needs government support is because it ’ s fares income has almost dried up since March.
” The new funding means that the network will be able to continue to run rail and bus services over the winter period .
At the core of the package is £1bn in grants and loans for the next six months , assuming that passenger demand remains at 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels .
Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of government support could be raised or lowered depending on what passenger numbers were , but it was anticipated that it would provide £1.8bn in total .
However , this still falls short of the £2bn funding shortfall the network is predicting in its revised budget .
Passenger numbers on the Tube are currently running at 33 per cent of pre-pandemic levels , while bus usage stands nearer to 60 per cent .
As part of the Funding Package , TfL will commit to contributing approximately £160m to the forecast funding shortfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ savings through a mixture of lower spending and cost control .
Transport commissioner Andy Byford said : “ Reaching this agreement with the government allows us to help London through this next phase of the pandemic .
We will continue to work with the Mayor and the government on our longer-term funding needs.
” Jasmine Whitbread , chief exec of business group London First , called for the two sides to use the six months of leeway granted by the bailout to come up with a long-term solution to financing TfL .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief that TfL can continue to operate a full service in the short-term ” , she said .
“ All sides must now use this time to put together a sustainable , long-term settlement to support London and the UK ’ s economic recovery.
” Since the government took away TfL ’ s operating grant in 2018 , the network has been overly reliant on passenger fares for generating revenue .
Richard Burge of the London Chamber of Commerce echoed her words , saying : “ It ’ s vital now that as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coming out of business survival mode and instead look to economic recovery , that negotiations between all parties are non-partisan and conditions appropriate for that point in time .
“ It isn ’ t about London being special , it ’ s about London being essential to the UK ’ s economic recovery .
”

New £1.8bn TfL bailout agreed at the eleventh hour
TfL is in negotiations with the government over a third financing deal to keep it afloat as the pandemic continues.
Transport for London (TfL) will receive £1.8bn in government support to see it through until March after a second bailout deal was finally agreed last night.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the capital’s transport network has seen revenue dry up amid the collapse in passenger numbers.
In March TfL received £1.6bn in the government to help it through the initial period of lockdown but this ran out in October, meaning the two parties had to head back to the negotiating table.
Despite fears that a fresh rescue package would come with stringent demands, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that several of the government’s more controversial conditions had been rejected.
These included much-maligned plans to extend the Congestion Charge zone, as well as scrapping all concessionary travel and hiking fares ahead of the rate of inflation.
Khan said that the deal was “not ideal”, but added: “We fought hard against this Government which is so determined to punish our city for doing the right thing to tackle Covid-19.
“The only reason TfL needs government support is because it’s fares income has almost dried up since March.”
The new funding means that the network will be able to continue to run rail and bus services over the winter period.
At the core of the package is £1bn in grants and loans for the next six months, assuming that passenger demand remains at 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
TfL said that the total amount of government support could be raised or lowered depending on what passenger numbers were, but it was anticipated that it would provide £1.8bn in total.
However, this still falls short of the £2bn funding shortfall the network is predicting in its revised budget.
Passenger numbers on the Tube are currently running at 33 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, while bus usage stands nearer to 60 per cent.
As part of the Funding Package, TfL will commit to contributing approximately £160m to the forecast funding shortfall in the form of additional income or savings through a mixture of lower spending and cost control.
Transport commissioner Andy Byford said: “Reaching this agreement with the government allows us to help London through this next phase of the pandemic. We will continue to work with the Mayor and the government on our longer-term funding needs.”
TfL bailout brings ‘sigh of relief’ for London business
Jasmine Whitbread, chief exec of business group London First, called for the two sides to use the six months of leeway granted by the bailout to come up with a long-term solution to financing TfL.
“London businesses will breathe a sigh of relief that TfL can continue to operate a full service in the short-term”, she said.
“All sides must now use this time to put together a sustainable, long-term settlement to support London and the UK’s economic recovery.”
Since the government took away TfL’s operating grant in 2018, the network has been overly reliant on passenger fares for generating revenue.
Richard Burge of the London Chamber of Commerce echoed her words, saying: “It’s vital now that as we look to Spring in the hope of coming out of business survival mode and instead look to economic recovery, that negotiations between all parties are non-partisan and conditions appropriate for that point in time.
“It isn’t about London being special, it’s about London being essential to the UK’s economic recovery.”


cityam--2020-11-01--Business groups welcome furlough extension as 'survival mode' kicks in

Business groups have welcomed the extension of the furlough scheme , but warned that the new lockdown means that firms will be back in “ survival mode ” .
Last night PM Boris Johnson announced a month-long lockdown is to begin on Thursday and last until 2 December .
With just hours to go before the furlough scheme was set to end , ministers confirmed that it would be extended in line with the new lockdown .
British Chambers of Commerce director-general Adam Marshall said : “ There ’ s no getting around the fact that these new restrictions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have done everything in their power to adapt and operate safely .
“ The temporary extension of the furlough scheme will bring short-term relief to many firms , and responds to Chambers ’ call for business support to be commensurate with the scale of the restrictions imposed.
” However , he added that ministers should confirm the full support open to companies “ immediately ” .
Richard Burge , chief executive of London Chamber of Commerce , said : “ This is a lockdown like earlier this year , regardless of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial support given to businesses and workers must reflect that , as we are back firmly in business survival mode .
Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data “ Details of the support package must accompany the restrictions when put before Parliament next week .
At face value , return of 80 per cent furlough is welcome .
Grants must also be made available .
Rates must be reimbursed .
Bank interest and charges should be suspended and they should be required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is time for them to deliver the social obligation they are trying to avoid.
” According to Dame Carolyn Fairbairn , director-general of the CBI , the new lockdown marked the beginning of a “ bleak midwinter ” for business .
But she praised the resilience of UK industry .
“ Across the country [ companies ] have already shown how resilient they can be in the face of tighter restrictions ” , she said .
“ And thanks to huge efforts by businesses to make workplaces Covid secure , more of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IoD director-general Jonathan Geldart also welcomed the furlough call , but warned that the new restrictions would “ put great strain on an already fragile business community ” .
He added that it was crucial that the government also extended the suspension of wrongful trading rules to protect business owners .
All four urged officials to use the month-long period to sort out the problems with the Test and Trace system .
Read more : Coronavirus : England set for national lockdown , PM says “ This could be a key weapon in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it hasn ’ t hit its target yet ” , Geldart said .
“ The Prime Minister ’ s emphasis on this is welcome , but the results on the ground will matter most .
”

Business groups welcome furlough extension as ‘survival mode’ kicks in
Business groups have welcomed the extension of the furlough scheme, but warned that the new lockdown means that firms will be back in “survival mode”.
Last night PM Boris Johnson announced a month-long lockdown is to begin on Thursday and last until 2 December.
With just hours to go before the furlough scheme was set to end, ministers confirmed that it would be extended in line with the new lockdown.
British Chambers of Commerce director-general Adam Marshall said: “There’s no getting around the fact that these new restrictions will be a devastating blow to business communities who have done everything in their power to adapt and operate safely.
“The temporary extension of the furlough scheme will bring short-term relief to many firms, and responds to Chambers’ call for business support to be commensurate with the scale of the restrictions imposed.”
However, he added that ministers should confirm the full support open to companies “immediately”.
Richard Burge, chief executive of London Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a lockdown like earlier this year, regardless of how it’s described, and the financial support given to businesses and workers must reflect that, as we are back firmly in business survival mode.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
“Details of the support package must accompany the restrictions when put before Parliament next week. At face value, return of 80 per cent furlough is welcome. Grants must also be made available. Rates must be reimbursed. Bank interest and charges should be suspended and they should be required to offer government-backed loans again.
“It is time for them to deliver the social obligation they are trying to avoid.”
Business set for ‘bleak midwinter’
According to Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the CBI, the new lockdown marked the beginning of a “bleak midwinter” for business.
But she praised the resilience of UK industry. “Across the country [companies] have already shown how resilient they can be in the face of tighter restrictions”, she said.
“And thanks to huge efforts by businesses to make workplaces Covid secure, more of the economy can now stay open”.
IoD director-general Jonathan Geldart also welcomed the furlough call, but warned that the new restrictions would “put great strain on an already fragile business community”.
He added that it was crucial that the government also extended the suspension of wrongful trading rules to protect business owners.
All four urged officials to use the month-long period to sort out the problems with the Test and Trace system.
“This could be a key weapon in the fight against the virus, but it hasn’t hit its target yet”, Geldart said.
“The Prime Minister’s emphasis on this is welcome, but the results on the ground will matter most.”


cityam--2020-11-01--Two years on from the law change, desperate families are still denied access to medical cannabis

Severe epilepsy is a cruel condition , one that forces parents to endure the desperation of trying to help an innocent child whose life will only ever be far from normal .
That ’ s why , after years of hard-fought and determined campaigning , a change in legislation exactly two years ago today brought relief to thousands of families across the nation , as medical cannabis finally became legal to prescribe on the NHS .
This apparent victory gave so many of us hope .
We genuinely believed that every child and adult who had tried a reasonable number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use medical cannabis .
Read more : My son needs medical cannabis — but the UK approach remains a national disgrace But two years on from the change in law , the reality is nothing of the sort .
Just three prescriptions have been granted since .
The disregard shown to those who need access to the treatments in the years that have followed is a national disgrace .
Though technically legal , medical cannabis is still incredibly hard to get without an expensive private prescription .
NHS doctors are reluctant to prescribe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinical guidance .
The funding issues that plague the health service are another barrier to access .
The dire lack of accessibility has been exacerbated during months of the pandemic , where all too many have felt the financial strain .
So many families still have to foot the bill — costs of up to £2,000 a month — in order to access these life-changing drugs .
Public sentiment in Britain increasingly backs such treatments , and there is a growing amount of evidence in favour of medical cannabis for a range of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the list .
Yet the political discourse surrounding medical cannabis remains largely unchanged since the law was updated .
So much more needs to be done if we are to accomplish meaningful change and improve the lives of our most vulnerable children .
In a post-pandemic economy , we have a moral duty not to neglect the needs of people with serious and chronic conditions .
A timely and early intervention , ensuring the right medicine is accessible to all who need it , is an imperative .
Right now , neither the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on who should bear responsibility for this state of paralysis .
Restrictive guidance from NICE and the BPNA , combined with continued reluctance from the government and the health service to make the process more straightforward , means that not one new NHS prescription for medical cannabis has been written in the last two years .
Of course , clinicians have patient safety at the heart of their decision making , but they also have an obligation to provide their patients with the best treatments available .
And there is an abundance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that treatment is medical cannabis .
This drug can not only improve quality of life , but crucially keep patients — especially children — out of hospital .
It is astonishing that there is not more urgency to provide access to a treatment that could save the NHS precious money and resources .
The UK should be a world leader in the medical cannabis industry .
Medical cannabis is grown here , processed , and sold all over the world .
Yet British patients can not access it .
The government appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from lucrative exports rather than addressing the desperate demand from its own citizens .
Our politicians would do well to show some empathy and understanding of what desperate families are going through as life-changing medication is denied to them .
They have wasted the last two years .
They can not be allowed to waste one more .
Read more : Can the UK ’ s post-Covid economy benefit from a booming medical cannabis industry ?

Two years on from the law change, desperate families are still denied access to medical cannabis
Doctors have an obligation to provide their patients with the best treatments available
Severe epilepsy is a cruel condition, one that forces parents to endure the desperation of trying to help an innocent child whose life will only ever be far from normal.
That’s why, after years of hard-fought and determined campaigning, a change in legislation exactly two years ago today brought relief to thousands of families across the nation, as medical cannabis finally became legal to prescribe on the NHS.
This apparent victory gave so many of us hope. We genuinely believed that every child and adult who had tried a reasonable number of treatments would get the chance to use medical cannabis.
But two years on from the change in law, the reality is nothing of the sort. Just three prescriptions have been granted since. The disregard shown to those who need access to the treatments in the years that have followed is a national disgrace.
Though technically legal, medical cannabis is still incredibly hard to get without an expensive private prescription. NHS doctors are reluctant to prescribe this medicine, as they lack clear clinical guidance. The funding issues that plague the health service are another barrier to access.
The dire lack of accessibility has been exacerbated during months of the pandemic, where all too many have felt the financial strain. So many families still have to foot the bill — costs of up to £2,000 a month — in order to access these life-changing drugs.
Public sentiment in Britain increasingly backs such treatments, and there is a growing amount of evidence in favour of medical cannabis for a range of conditions, with severe epilepsy high on the list. Yet the political discourse surrounding medical cannabis remains largely unchanged since the law was updated.
So much more needs to be done if we are to accomplish meaningful change and improve the lives of our most vulnerable children.
In a post-pandemic economy, we have a moral duty not to neglect the needs of people with serious and chronic conditions. A timely and early intervention, ensuring the right medicine is accessible to all who need it, is an imperative.
Right now, neither the government nor medical community appear to agree on who should bear responsibility for this state of paralysis. Restrictive guidance from NICE and the BPNA, combined with continued reluctance from the government and the health service to make the process more straightforward, means that not one new NHS prescription for medical cannabis has been written in the last two years.
Of course, clinicians have patient safety at the heart of their decision making, but they also have an obligation to provide their patients with the best treatments available. And there is an abundance of evidence to suggest that in many cases, that treatment is medical cannabis. This drug can not only improve quality of life, but crucially keep patients — especially children — out of hospital. It is astonishing that there is not more urgency to provide access to a treatment that could save the NHS precious money and resources.
The UK should be a world leader in the medical cannabis industry. Medical cannabis is grown here, processed, and sold all over the world. Yet British patients cannot access it. The government appears to favour the profits to be gained from lucrative exports rather than addressing the desperate demand from its own citizens.
Our politicians would do well to show some empathy and understanding of what desperate families are going through as life-changing medication is denied to them.
They have wasted the last two years. They cannot be allowed to waste one more.
Main image credit: Getty


cityam--2020-11-02--Donald Trump reportedly preparing to claim premature victory on US election night

WASHINGTON , D.C. – Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to claim victory prematurely on election night before tens of millions of ballots are counted , which would plunge the country into an unprecedented political crisis .
Axios reports that Trump has told confidants he will claim victory if he leads enough battleground states by the end of the night , before many mail-in and early votes are counted .
Read more : US election : Washington DC braces for post-election civil unrest The plan is reportedly to then challenge ballot counts in swing states that will still be counting early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 90m votes have already been cast nationally , including more than 65m mail-in ballots .
Biden leads in the latest Ipsos/Reuters national poll by 51 to 43 per cent , however the picture is closer in many swing states .
The President on Sunday night denied he was preparing to claim victory prematurely , before then questioning the legitimacy of mail-in voting – a now common trope in Trump ’ s campaign .
“ I think it ’ s a terrible thing when ballots can be collected after an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrible thing when states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over , ” he said .
“ We don ’ t want to have Pennsylvania , where you have a political governor , a very partisan guy…we don ’ t want to be in a position where he ’ s allowed , every day , to watch ballots come in .
Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data “ ‘ See if we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump ’ s rhetoric about the legitimacy of early voting has stoked fears that there will be widespread violence and civil unrest on election night .
The majority of buildings in Downtown Washington , D.C. have now been boarded up , with business owners worried about the prospect of riots and looting .
One Washington local told City A.M. at the National Mall that he had been walking around the area , which is home to the Lincoln and Washington monuments , every day because he was “ paranoid that on 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ” .
The feeling is widespread across major cities in the US , with a Fox News poll on Friday showing that 75 per cent of Americans were concerned about the prospect of post-election violence and civil unrest .
A YouGov poll said 56 percent of people anticipated “ an increase in violence as a result of the election.
” Read more : US election : Trumpism won the argument on US economic policy Far-right groups have upped their rhetoric about the potential of taking to the streets on election night , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were ready to continue the rioting seen earlier this year across US cities .
Gun sales have skyrocketed nationally in response to the feelings of anxiety around the country .

Donald Trump reportedly preparing to claim premature victory on US election night
US President Donald Trump dances after speaking during a Make America Great Again rally at Dubuque Regional Airport , Iowa today
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to claim victory prematurely on election night before tens of millions of ballots are counted, which would plunge the country into an unprecedented political crisis.
Axios reports that Trump has told confidants he will claim victory if he leads enough battleground states by the end of the night, before many mail-in and early votes are counted.
The plan is reportedly to then challenge ballot counts in swing states that will still be counting early votes over the course of next week.
More than 90m votes have already been cast nationally, including more than 65m mail-in ballots.
Most buildings in Downton DC, even government buildings, are boarded up this evening. Widespread fear of rioting on election night #Election2020 #Elections2020 #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/z3KjDCuOHV — Stefan Boscia (@Stefan_Boscia) October 31, 2020
Biden leads in the latest Ipsos/Reuters national poll by 51 to 43 per cent, however the picture is closer in many swing states.
The President on Sunday night denied he was preparing to claim victory prematurely, before then questioning the legitimacy of mail-in voting – a now common trope in Trump’s campaign.
“I think it’s a terrible thing when ballots can be collected after an election. I think it’s a terrible thing when states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over,” he said.
“We don’t want to have Pennsylvania, where you have a political governor, a very partisan guy…we don’t want to be in a position where he’s allowed, every day, to watch ballots come in.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
“‘See if we can only find 10,000 more ballots’.”
Trump’s rhetoric about the legitimacy of early voting has stoked fears that there will be widespread violence and civil unrest on election night.
The majority of buildings in Downtown Washington, D.C. have now been boarded up, with business owners worried about the prospect of riots and looting.
One Washington local told City A.M. at the National Mall that he had been walking around the area, which is home to the Lincoln and Washington monuments, every day because he was “paranoid that on 4 November civil unrest will break loose right here”.
The feeling is widespread across major cities in the US, with a Fox News poll on Friday showing that 75 per cent of Americans were concerned about the prospect of post-election violence and civil unrest.
A YouGov poll said 56 percent of people anticipated “an increase in violence as a result of the election.”
Far-right groups have upped their rhetoric about the potential of taking to the streets on election night, with radical far-left groups also indicating they were ready to continue the rioting seen earlier this year across US cities.
Gun sales have skyrocketed nationally in response to the feelings of anxiety around the country.


cityam--2020-11-01--US election: Washington DC braces for post-election civil unrest

WASHINGTON , D.C. – Washington D.C. is gripped with fears of violence and civil unrest in the aftermath of Tuesday ’ s election , with gun sales soaring nationally .
The majority of buildings in Downtown Washington have now been boarded up , with business owners worried about the prospect of riots on election night .
Read more : US election : Donald Trump and Joe Biden head south in crunch final days The feeling is widespread across major cities in the US , with a Fox News poll on Friday showing that 75 per cent of Americans were concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil unrest .
A YouGov poll said 56 percent of people anticipated “ an increase in violence as a result of the election.
” Far-right groups have upped their rhetoric about the potential of taking to the streets on election night , with radical far-left groups also indicating they were ready to continue the rioting seen earlier this year across US cities .
One Washington local told City A.M. at the National Mall that he had been walking around the area , which is home to the Lincoln and Washington monuments , every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 4 November civil unrest will break loose right here ” .
President Donald Trump has stoked tensions by saying that mail-in voting may not be valid and that there will be attempts to rig the election through artificially inflating early voting numbers .
More than 90m people have already voted this year , including around 65m mail-in votes , with the vast majority expected to be for Joe Biden .
There is not expected to be a confirmed result on election night itself as states will have to count mail-in ballots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the courts .
Biden leads in the latest Ipsos/Reuters national poll by 51 to 43 per cent , however the picture is closer in many swing states .
The two candidates are on a campaign blitz in the last few days of the campaign , with Trump making five stops in five different states today .
They are the battleground states of Michigan , Iowa , Georgia , North Carolina and Florida – all states Trump won in 2016 .
He will also visit Pennsylvania and Wisconsin on Monday .
Before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the City View podcast and key market data The President is very much on the defensive as he tries to hold onto a cluster of Midwest and Southern states that delivered him victory in 2016 .
Polls show Biden has strong leads in the key states of Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania , however the Trump camp says polling is not showing all his support .
Polls are neck-and-neck in Texas and Florida , while Biden has a small lead in Arizona , North Carolina and Georgia .
The President was given good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Des Moine Register , whose polls correctly picked the Trump surge in the Midwest in 2016 , gave Trump a seven-point lead in the state .
Biden will travel to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , today , after spending yesterday campaigning in the Midwest with Barack Obama .
The two candidates have taken vastly different approaches to Covid during the campaign as a third wave hits the country and deaths surprass 230,000 .
Trump has ramped up claims that the virus is not as deadly as experts say and has begun mocking people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laura Ingraham , for wearing masks .
Yesterday , he falsely claimed doctors were inflating Covid death figures to make money .
Speaking at a Michigan rally , Trump said : “ Our doctors get more money if someone dies from Covid .
You know that , right ?
“ I mean our doctors are very smart people .
So what they do is they say ‘ I ’ m sorry , but everybody dies of Covid ’ .
” Biden hit back at Trump for his comments later in the afternoon at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more : US election : Trumpism won the argument on US economic policy “ The president of the United States is accusing the medical profession of making up Covid deaths so they make more money , ” he said .
“ Doctors and nurses go to work every day to save lives .
They do their jobs .
“ Donald Trump should stop attacking them and do his job .
”

US election: Washington DC braces for post-election civil unrest
More than 90m people have already voted this year, including around 65m mail-in votes, with the vast majority expected to be for Joe Biden.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Washington D.C. is gripped with fears of violence and civil unrest in the aftermath of Tuesday’s election, with gun sales soaring nationally.
The majority of buildings in Downtown Washington have now been boarded up, with business owners worried about the prospect of riots on election night.
The feeling is widespread across major cities in the US, with a Fox News poll on Friday showing that 75 per cent of Americans were concerned about the prospect of post-election violence and civil unrest.
A YouGov poll said 56 percent of people anticipated “an increase in violence as a result of the election.”
Far-right groups have upped their rhetoric about the potential of taking to the streets on election night, with radical far-left groups also indicating they were ready to continue the rioting seen earlier this year across US cities.
Most buildings in Downton DC, even government buildings, are boarded up this evening. Widespread fear of rioting on election night #Election2020 #Elections2020 #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/z3KjDCuOHV — Stefan Boscia (@Stefan_Boscia) October 31, 2020
One Washington local told City A.M. at the National Mall that he had been walking around the area, which is home to the Lincoln and Washington monuments, every day because he was “paranoid that on 4 November civil unrest will break loose right here”.
President Donald Trump has stoked tensions by saying that mail-in voting may not be valid and that there will be attempts to rig the election through artificially inflating early voting numbers.
More than 90m people have already voted this year, including around 65m mail-in votes, with the vast majority expected to be for Joe Biden.
There is not expected to be a confirmed result on election night itself as states will have to count mail-in ballots, with the prospect of candidates challenging results in the courts.
Biden leads in the latest Ipsos/Reuters national poll by 51 to 43 per cent, however the picture is closer in many swing states.
The two candidates are on a campaign blitz in the last few days of the campaign, with Trump making five stops in five different states today.
Long early voting queues forming in Downton DC days out from polling day. More than than 80m ballots already cast nationwide #Election2020 #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/k0nhgt7Nyc — Stefan Boscia (@Stefan_Boscia) October 31, 2020
They are the battleground states of Michigan, Iowa, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida – all states Trump won in 2016.
He will also visit Pennsylvania and Wisconsin on Monday.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
The President is very much on the defensive as he tries to hold onto a cluster of Midwest and Southern states that delivered him victory in 2016.
Polls show Biden has strong leads in the key states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, however the Trump camp says polling is not showing all his support.
Polls are neck-and-neck in Texas and Florida, while Biden has a small lead in Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia.
The President was given good news last night when a poll by the Des Moine Register, whose polls correctly picked the Trump surge in the Midwest in 2016, gave Trump a seven-point lead in the state.
Biden will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, today, after spending yesterday campaigning in the Midwest with Barack Obama.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville, Pennsylvania
The two candidates have taken vastly different approaches to Covid during the campaign as a third wave hits the country and deaths surprass 230,000.
Trump has ramped up claims that the virus is not as deadly as experts say and has begun mocking people at rallies, like Fox News reporter Laura Ingraham, for wearing masks.
Yesterday, he falsely claimed doctors were inflating Covid death figures to make money.
Speaking at a Michigan rally, Trump said: “Our doctors get more money if someone dies from Covid. You know that, right?
“I mean our doctors are very smart people. So what they do is they say ‘I’m sorry, but everybody dies of Covid’.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks during a drive-in campaign rally at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds
Biden hit back at Trump for his comments later in the afternoon at a drive-in rally in Minnesota.
“The president of the United States is accusing the medical profession of making up Covid deaths so they make more money,” he said.
“Doctors and nurses go to work every day to save lives. They do their jobs.
“Donald Trump should stop attacking them and do his job.”


cityam--2020-11-01--West End braces to lose £2bn in Christmas sales due to new lockdown

Retailers in London ’ shopping district are set to lose up to £2bn in sales across the eight-week period up to Christmas , new data released today has found .
According to the New West End Company , only 9m people will visit the West End in the festive season due to the new month-long lockdown .
Read more : Lockdown could last beyond 2 December , Michael Gove warns Previously the group , which represents 600 retail and leisure businesses in the area , said it was expecting 42m .
The warning comes as retail data firm Springboard said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall as much as 62 per cent for the month prior to Christmas .
The figure is nearly double prior forecasts of a 32 per cent fall as a result of the new restrictions .
It warned that that if the national lockdown is extended throughout December , footfall could drop by more than 80 per cent – the same as the decline at the height of the pandemic in April .
Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data Jace Tyrrell , chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ A circuit-breaker lockdown of non-essential travel and retail is a true nightmare before Christmas for West End retailers .
I would urge the government to match restrictions with support for British business .
“ The West End employs one in 10 Londoners , and the run up to Christmas is shaping up to deliver some of the most difficult trading periods we ’ ve ever experienced .
“ Many jobs have already been lost , and many more are at risk , unless trading levels increase or furlough is reinstated.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the “ golden ” eight weeks leading up to Christmas , a period that sees West End businesses secure a third of their total annual sales .
Read more : London lockdown : What the Government ’ s new rules mean for you Current trading rates are down by 64 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 , when during the same period , retailers benefited from £2.5bn pounds worth of sales .

West End braces to lose £2bn in Christmas sales due to new lockdown
Retailers in London’ shopping district are set to lose up to £2bn in sales across the eight-week period up to Christmas, new data released today has found.
According to the New West End Company, only 9m people will visit the West End in the festive season due to the new month-long lockdown.
Previously the group, which represents 600 retail and leisure businesses in the area, said it was expecting 42m.
The warning comes as retail data firm Springboard said that footfall across all retail destinations would fall as much as 62 per cent for the month prior to Christmas.
The figure is nearly double prior forecasts of a 32 per cent fall as a result of the new restrictions.
It warned that that if the national lockdown is extended throughout December, footfall could drop by more than 80 per cent – the same as the decline at the height of the pandemic in April.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company said: “A circuit-breaker lockdown of non-essential travel and retail is a true nightmare before Christmas for West End retailers. I would urge the government to match restrictions with support for British business.
“The West End employs one in 10 Londoners, and the run up to Christmas is shaping up to deliver some of the most difficult trading periods we’ve ever experienced.
“Many jobs have already been lost, and many more are at risk, unless trading levels increase or furlough is reinstated.”
The month of November usually signals the start of the “golden” eight weeks leading up to Christmas, a period that sees West End businesses secure a third of their total annual sales.
Current trading rates are down by 64 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, when during the same period, retailers benefited from £2.5bn pounds worth of sales.


cityam--2020-11-01--Weekly outlook, 2-6 November: FTSE heavyweights in spotlight as election day arrives

It ’ s election day at last , and while the outcome of Tuesday ’ s vote in the US will drive the headlines for much of this week and beyond , there ’ s still a full slate of results and economic updates in store for UK markets .
With coronavirus cases now surging at an alarming rate , Boris Johnson has announced a new month long lockdown , which will come into effect on Thursday .
Read more : Betfair : What the markets look like days out from the US election With hospitality venues and non-essential retailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could prompt a return to the economic collapse of March ’ s initial lockdown .
Here ’ s a rundown of the biggest updates due to hit the markets this week .
Read more : The City View : Michael Hewson on how markets could react to the US election On Monday the Irish carrier will release its half year results – a period encompassing the worst six months in the history of the aviation industry .
Back in October the airline cut capacity by 20 per cent heading into the typically tight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governmental “ mismanagement ” of the quarantine situation .
Boss Michael O ’ Leary has been typically forthright throughout the entire crisis , so sparks could fly again on Monday – especially given the decision to ban all international travel for the next month .
Later in the week Wizz Air – one of the few “ success stories ” of the pandemic will also provide a trading update .
The Primark owner will confirm whether it has successfully shaken off the three-month store closure enforced by lockdown on Tuesday .
Off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that full year profit was headed for £350m – the top end of previous forecasts .
Without a digital presence of note , such a result would be a feather in the fast fashion house ’ s cap , even if clouds remain on the horizon , according to Hargeaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter .
“ The change in our shopping habits , as more people work from home and international tourism takes a nose dive , has hit large destination stores hard ” , she warned .
Before the Open newsletter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ View podcast and key market data High street stalwart M & S comes to the market for the first time since August ’ s bombshell announcement that 7,000 jobs would be axed in a massive restructuring push .
The British brand came into the pandemic under a cloud and at the last update it said that sales had crashed a fifth .
However , it has subsequently launched a partnership with delivery darlings Ocado , and is looking forward to its “ most digital Christmas ever ” .
Says CMC Markets ’ Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 10 % since the [ last ] update so you have to think the bar is low for an upside surprise , and the beginning of a possible move back to levels last seen in the middle of August ” .
In a year most firms would like not only to forget , but to banish to the darkest recesses of their memory , the pharma giant is one of few firms to have seen its share price rise .
Making drugs in the middle of a pandemic obviously helps , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading candidates to develop a coronavirus vaccine has pushed Astra to a new prominence .
But beyond the headline-grabbing news , investors will be looking closest at the blue-chip ’ s pipeline of future drugs , says AJ Bell ’ s Russ Mould .
“ The pipeline is key as that represents the future .
Remember that at the first-half stage , ten drugs generated $ 4.6 billion of sales , or nearly three-quarters of the total ” , he notes .
On Friday the policy wonks at the Old Lady of Threadneedle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates as the country battles a second wave of coronavirus cases .
Last week the European Central Bank ( ECB ) left rates on hold , and economists think that the Monetary Policy Committee ( MPC ) will likely follow suit .
However , it is likely that they ’ ll reload the central bank ’ s quantitative easing programme with an extra £100bn .
That would take the bond buying package up to £845bn , meaning they could keep buying bonds at roughly the current rate until the early summer .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first appeal to business at the CBI conference ( Monday , 2-4 November )

Weekly outlook, 2-6 November: FTSE heavyweights in spotlight as election day arrives
It’s election day at last, and while the outcome of Tuesday’s vote in the US will drive the headlines for much of this week and beyond, there’s still a full slate of results and economic updates in store for UK markets.
With coronavirus cases now surging at an alarming rate, Boris Johnson has announced a new month long lockdown, which will come into effect on Thursday.
With hospitality venues and non-essential retailers to shut as a result, it could prompt a return to the economic collapse of March’s initial lockdown.
Here’s a rundown of the biggest updates due to hit the markets this week.
Ryanair half year results – 2 November
On Monday the Irish carrier will release its half year results – a period encompassing the worst six months in the history of the aviation industry.
Back in October the airline cut capacity by 20 per cent heading into the typically tight winter season, blaming the decision on governmental “mismanagement” of the quarantine situation.
Boss Michael O’Leary has been typically forthright throughout the entire crisis, so sparks could fly again on Monday – especially given the decision to ban all international travel for the next month.
Later in the week Wizz Air – one of the few “success stories” of the pandemic will also provide a trading update.
Associated British Foods (ABF) full year results – 3 November
The Primark owner will confirm whether it has successfully shaken off the three-month store closure enforced by lockdown on Tuesday.
Off the back of a stunning fourth quarter it said that full year profit was headed for £350m – the top end of previous forecasts.
Without a digital presence of note, such a result would be a feather in the fast fashion house’s cap, even if clouds remain on the horizon, according to Hargeaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter.
“The change in our shopping habits, as more people work from home and international tourism takes a nose dive, has hit large destination stores hard”, she warned.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
Marks & Spencer half year results – 4 November
High street stalwart M&S comes to the market for the first time since August’s bombshell announcement that 7,000 jobs would be axed in a massive restructuring push.
The British brand came into the pandemic under a cloud and at the last update it said that sales had crashed a fifth.
However, it has subsequently launched a partnership with delivery darlings Ocado, and is looking forward to its “most digital Christmas ever”.
Says CMC Markets’ Michael Hewson: “The shares have fallen over 10% since the [last] update so you have to think the bar is low for an upside surprise, and the beginning of a possible move back to levels last seen in the middle of August”.
Astrazeneca Q3 trading update – 5 November
In a year most firms would like not only to forget, but to banish to the darkest recesses of their memory, the pharma giant is one of few firms to have seen its share price rise.
Making drugs in the middle of a pandemic obviously helps, and of course, being one of the leading candidates to develop a coronavirus vaccine has pushed Astra to a new prominence.
But beyond the headline-grabbing news, investors will be looking closest at the blue-chip’s pipeline of future drugs, says AJ Bell’s Russ Mould.
“The pipeline is key as that represents the future. Remember that at the first-half stage, ten drugs generated $4.6 billion of sales, or nearly three-quarters of the total”, he notes.
Bank of England MPC interest rates decision – 6 November
On Friday the policy wonks at the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street will decide what do with interest rates as the country battles a second wave of coronavirus cases.
Last week the European Central Bank (ECB) left rates on hold, and economists think that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will likely follow suit.
However, it is likely that they’ll reload the central bank’s quantitative easing programme with an extra £100bn.
That would take the bond buying package up to £845bn, meaning they could keep buying bonds at roughly the current rate until the early summer.
In addition:


cityam--2020-11-01--Taxpayers to bear brunt as lenders hike interest rates on emergency loans

Taxpayers are bearing the brunt of hefty interest rates and arrangement fees charged by lenders providing emergency loans for struggling businesses .
The Sunday Times reported that some specialist lenders are charging fees as high as five per cent of the whole loan , and in some cases charging interest rates as high as 15 per cent .
Read more : Exclusive : MPs call for clarity on Bounce Back Loan replacement as lenders shut door on SMEs Under the Treasury-guaranteed coronavirus loan schemes , interest rates for the first year are covered by taxpayers .
The Coronavirus Business Interruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far provided over £17bn in funding to over 73,000 applicants .
80 per cent of the loan is covered by the Treasury , with lenders guaranteeing the remaining 20 per cent .
Under the terms of the programme , lenders can set their own interest rates up to 14.99 per cent .
Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data As a result , the Sunday Times reported , major differences have emerged between high street banks and alternative lenders such as ThinCats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ may lead to some businesses going bust after the first year .
Treasury select committee chair Mel Stride said : “ We will particularly want to satisfy ourselves that the higher rates charged by the banks [ for CBILS ] are justified.
” But others argued that the higher rates reflected the extra risk in handing out such loans .
MPs will hold a debate on the topic on Thursday .
Between April and June , figures from the British Business Bank ( BBB ) showed that the government had paid nearly £66m @ @ @ @ @

Taxpayers to bear brunt as lenders hike interest rates on emergency loans
Retail and hospitality groups have called for a reform of “unsustainably high” business rates.
Taxpayers are bearing the brunt of hefty interest rates and arrangement fees charged by lenders providing emergency loans for struggling businesses.
The Sunday Times reported that some specialist lenders are charging fees as high as five per cent of the whole loan, and in some cases charging interest rates as high as 15 per cent.
Under the Treasury-guaranteed coronavirus loan schemes, interest rates for the first year are covered by taxpayers.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme (CBILS) has thus far provided over £17bn in funding to over 73,000 applicants.
80 per cent of the loan is covered by the Treasury, with lenders guaranteeing the remaining 20 per cent.
Under the terms of the programme, lenders can set their own interest rates up to 14.99 per cent.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
As a result, the Sunday Times reported, major differences have emerged between high street banks and alternative lenders such as ThinCats.
Some are concerned that the high rates may lead to some businesses going bust after the first year.
Treasury select committee chair Mel Stride said: “We will particularly want to satisfy ourselves that the higher rates charged by the banks [for CBILS] are justified.”
But others argued that the higher rates reflected the extra risk in handing out such loans.
MPs will hold a debate on the topic on Thursday.
Between April and June, figures from the British Business Bank (BBB) showed that the government had paid nearly £66m in interest to lenders.


cityam--2020-11-01--Retail tycoon Mike Ashley 'furious' after being 'frozen out' of Debenhams sale

Retail mogul Mike Ashley is reportedly “ furious ” about being “ frozen out ” of an auction for collapsed department store Debenhams .
The Sunday Times reported that lawyers for the tycoon have spent the last week complaining to Lazards and law firm Freshfields that Ashley ’ s Frasers Group had been given “ woefully inadequate ” information on the sale .
Last week it was reported that Ashley had submitted another bid for the high street chain , which collapsed in April .
Ashley previously owned almost 30 per cent of Debenhams and lost £150m when the chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
The claims come as restructuring firm Hilco prepares to begin placing parts of the company into liquidation .
Sources told the Sunday Times that the company had pulled together a bid to keep running parts of the business .
Before the Open newsletter : Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data Ashley ’ s anger derives from claims that Frasers has received less information about the sale than other interested parties such as JD Sports and the Hut Group .
Having originally bid £100m for Debenhams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
However , eight days ago Lazards sought confirmation as to whether it would be able to pay £305m for the acquisition .
Ashley has reportedly taken his complaints of unfair treatment to the Financial Conduct Authority , the Pension Protection Fund and former business select committee chair Labour MP Rachel Reeves .
Read more : Debenhams boss insists retailer is not on a cliff edge Debenhams said : “ We are conducting a fair and thorough process .
Information has been provided to parties on the basis of the status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions of competition law .
”

Retail tycoon Mike Ashley ‘furious’ after being ‘frozen out’ of Debenhams sale
Retail mogul Mike Ashley is reportedly “furious” about being “frozen out” of an auction for collapsed department store Debenhams.
The Sunday Times reported that lawyers for the tycoon have spent the last week complaining to Lazards and law firm Freshfields that Ashley’s Frasers Group had been given “woefully inadequate” information on the sale.
Last week it was reported that Ashley had submitted another bid for the high street chain, which collapsed in April.
Ashley previously owned almost 30 per cent of Debenhams and lost £150m when the chain was taken over by its lenders last year.
The claims come as restructuring firm Hilco prepares to begin placing parts of the company into liquidation.
Sources told the Sunday Times that the company had pulled together a bid to keep running parts of the business.
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
Ashley’s anger derives from claims that Frasers has received less information about the sale than other interested parties such as JD Sports and the Hut Group.
Having originally bid £100m for Debenhams, Ashley increased his offer to £125m last month.
However, eight days ago Lazards sought confirmation as to whether it would be able to pay £305m for the acquisition.
Ashley has reportedly taken his complaints of unfair treatment to the Financial Conduct Authority, the Pension Protection Fund and former business select committee chair Labour MP Rachel Reeves.
Debenhams said: “We are conducting a fair and thorough process. Information has been provided to parties on the basis of the status of their proposals and subject to the restrictions of competition law.”


cityam--2020-11-03--Close Brothers launches two new sustainable funds as demand grows

Close Brothers Asset Management has launched two new sustainable funds amid growing demand from investors and clients .
The asset manager has today launched the Close Sustainable Balanced Portfolio Fund and the Close Sustainable Bond Portfolio Fund , which will be actively managed .
Read more : AJ Bell launches first sustainable fund of ETFs Close Brothers said the funds will look to generate “ consistent long-term returns by screening out unethical practices while focusing on investment opportunities with positive ESG and sustainability records.
” Fund managers are increasingly offering new sustainable funds as appetite among investors grows amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investment Association showed that responsible and sustainable funds in the UK reached a high of £33bn , a 89 per cent rise since the end of 2019 .
Martin Andrew , chief executive of Close Brothers Asset Management said : “ Investors and clients are becoming more aware of how their money can affect the world around them and increasingly want to invest in ways that reflect their concern and respect for the natural environment , for human dignity and for responsible corporate behaviour .
We are launching these new funds to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portfolio Fund will be managed by head of funds Riitta Hujanen and investment manager Richard Stroud , and invest in shares , bonds , alternatives , ETFs , and third party funds .
The Close Sustainable Bond Portfolio Fund will be managed by invest director Andrew Metcalf and investment manager Eran Hasson .
The fund will invest in bonds , third party funds , and other fixed income securities .
Read more : Human rights must be included in sustainable investment strategies , says financial agency The announcement comes just a day after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its Responsible Growth Fund , which will invest in ETFs which remove stocks from controversial companies such as tobacco and alcohol .
“ Once these companies are removed , companies that have strong ESG factors are included to give a diversified exposure to different regions and sectors , with better than average impact on both people and the planet , ” AJ Bell said .

Close Brothers launches two new sustainable funds as demand grows
Close Brothers Asset Management has launched two new sustainable funds amid growing demand from investors and clients.
The asset manager has today launched the Close Sustainable Balanced Portfolio Fund and the Close Sustainable Bond Portfolio Fund, which will be actively managed.
Close Brothers said the funds will look to generate “consistent long-term returns by screening out unethical practices while focusing on investment opportunities with positive ESG and sustainability records.”
Fund managers are increasingly offering new sustainable funds as appetite among investors grows amid the climate crisis.
Recent figures from the Investment Association showed that responsible and sustainable funds in the UK reached a high of £33bn, a 89 per cent rise since the end of 2019.
Martin Andrew, chief executive of Close Brothers Asset Management said: “Investors and clients are becoming more aware of how their money can affect the world around them and increasingly want to invest in ways that reflect their concern and respect for the natural environment, for human dignity and for responsible corporate behaviour. We are launching these new funds to meet this demand.”
The Close Sustainable Balanced Portfolio Fund will be managed by head of funds Riitta Hujanen and investment manager Richard Stroud, and invest in shares, bonds, alternatives, ETFs, and third party funds.
The Close Sustainable Bond Portfolio Fund will be managed by invest director Andrew Metcalf and investment manager Eran Hasson. The fund will invest in bonds, third party funds, and other fixed income securities.
The announcement comes just a day after investment platform AJ Bell announced the launch of its Responsible Growth Fund, which will invest in ETFs which remove stocks from controversial companies such as tobacco and alcohol.
“Once these companies are removed, companies that have strong ESG factors are included to give a diversified exposure to different regions and sectors, with better than average impact on both people and the planet,” AJ Bell said.


cityam--2020-11-03--Online shopping boom could cause Christmas chaos, Post Office warns

A boom in online shopping and parcel deliveries could cause Christmas chaos this festive season , the Post Office said as it warned the public to send their gifts earlier than usual to avoid a last-minute rush .
More than a fifth of Brits have already decided to send presents through the post rather than give them in person this year due to coronavirus restrictions , which could put pressure on the mail delivery service .
Read more : Amazon quarterly sales near $ 100bn amid online shopping boom More than 50 per cent of respondents to the Post Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online this year , as non-essential retailers prepare to close for a month-long Covid-19 lockdown from Thursday .
However , just 24 per cent of consumers said they will prepare for Christmas earlier this year , which could potentially lead to a last minute scramble that could cause delays at the Post Office .
Read more : Debate : Has pandemic-induced online shopping killed the high street for good ?
Four in 10 people said the pandemic will impact their festive season arrangements in 2020 , with 43 per cent saying they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with all the friends and relatives that they would like to .
Post Office managing director of mail and retail Mark Siviter said : “ We know this Christmas will be unlike any most of us have ever experienced , but our desire to show loved ones we care about them through cards and gift giving hasn ’ t diminished .
“ Our data reveals that two-thirds of people will rely on posting gifts to the same or more family members and friends they are unlikely to see in person .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year and there will be extra Christmas helpers in branch to support .
“ We are also urging everyone to plan ahead by posting early and visiting branches during off-peak hours where possible ” .

Online shopping boom could cause Christmas chaos, Post Office warns
A boom in online shopping and parcel deliveries could cause Christmas chaos this festive season, the Post Office said as it warned the public to send their gifts earlier than usual to avoid a last-minute rush.
More than a fifth of Brits have already decided to send presents through the post rather than give them in person this year due to coronavirus restrictions, which could put pressure on the mail delivery service.
More than 50 per cent of respondents to the Post Office survey said they will buy more presents online this year, as non-essential retailers prepare to close for a month-long Covid-19 lockdown from Thursday.
However, just 24 per cent of consumers said they will prepare for Christmas earlier this year, which could potentially lead to a last minute scramble that could cause delays at the Post Office.
Four in 10 people said the pandemic will impact their festive season arrangements in 2020, with 43 per cent saying they will not be able to spend Christmas Day with all the friends and relatives that they would like to.
Post Office managing director of mail and retail Mark Siviter said: “We know this Christmas will be unlike any most of us have ever experienced, but our desire to show loved ones we care about them through cards and gift giving hasn’t diminished.
“Our data reveals that two-thirds of people will rely on posting gifts to the same or more family members and friends they are unlikely to see in person.
“We know we’ll be extra busy this year and there will be extra Christmas helpers in branch to support.
“We are also urging everyone to plan ahead by posting early and visiting branches during off-peak hours where possible”.


cityam--2020-11-03--UK spooks block two cyber attacks per day as hackers exploit Covid-19

UK spooks blocked an average of almost two major cyber attacks per day last year as unscrupulous hackers tried to capitalise on the Covid-19 crisis .
The National Cyber Security Centre ( NCSC ) handled 723 incidents between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 , up from an average of 602 incidents over the last three years .
Read more : Russia on cyber offensive to sabotage Olympic Games in Tokyo The NCSC , which is part of GCHQ , said more than a quarter of these incidents — 194 — were related to the coronavirus crisis .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s annual report , highlighted the heightened threat from hackers looking to exploit the shift to home working and fears about the pandemic .
In July the NCSC warned that cyber attackers linked to the Kremlin had been attacking universities and organisations developing coronavirus vaccines in an attempt to steal information .
But while the majority of last year ’ s attacks came from state-backed actors , the spy body said most coronavirus-related attacks were by criminals attempting to use the crisis for financial gain .
The NCSC has ramped up its efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a particular focus on health organisations and the NHS .
The spies rolled out active cyber defences to 235 frontline health bodies and scanned more than 1m NHS IP addresses over the course of the year , leading to the detection of almost 51,000 signs of possible compromise .
Asked if the higher number of foiled attacks was due to increased hacker activity or improved defences , NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester told reporters : “ I think we do see the threat increasing , but also I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at detecting some of that harm.
” He added that organisations were also getting better at detecting potential cyber breaches and reporting them to authorities .
In April the NCSC launched a new email reporting service alongside the City of London Police , allowing people to forward dubious emails to be scanned for malware .
The services received 2.3m reports in its first four months , leading to the removal of 22,000 malicious websites .
The NCSC , which also assisted with the launch of the NHS Track and Trace app and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was also continuing to ensure safeguards were in place to protect the UK from foreign interference in elections and the democratic process .
In July the government said Russia had almost certainly tried to interfere in the 2019 general election after hackers stole papers from an email account belonging to Tory MP Liam Fox and leaked them online .
Lindy Cameron , who was appointed as the new chief executive of the NCSC in July , hailed the organisation ’ s efforts during an “ unusual ” year .
“ From handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions and keeping people safe while working remotely , our expertise has delivered across multiple frontiers , ” she said .
“ This has all been achieved with the fantastic support of government , businesses and citizens and I would urge them to continue contributing to our collective cyber security .
”

UK spooks block two cyber attacks per day as hackers exploit Covid-19
The number of cyber attacks has risen as hackers exploit the Covid-19 crisis
UK spooks blocked an average of almost two major cyber attacks per day last year as unscrupulous hackers tried to capitalise on the Covid-19 crisis.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) handled 723 incidents between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020, up from an average of 602 incidents over the last three years.
The NCSC, which is part of GCHQ, said more than a quarter of these incidents — 194 — were related to the coronavirus crisis.
The figures, published in the organisation’s annual report, highlighted the heightened threat from hackers looking to exploit the shift to home working and fears about the pandemic.
In July the NCSC warned that cyber attackers linked to the Kremlin had been attacking universities and organisations developing coronavirus vaccines in an attempt to steal information.
But while the majority of last year’s attacks came from state-backed actors, the spy body said most coronavirus-related attacks were by criminals attempting to use the crisis for financial gain.
The NCSC has ramped up its efforts to block cyber attacks during the pandemic, with a particular focus on health organisations and the NHS.
The spies rolled out active cyber defences to 235 frontline health bodies and scanned more than 1m NHS IP addresses over the course of the year, leading to the detection of almost 51,000 signs of possible compromise.
Asked if the higher number of foiled attacks was due to increased hacker activity or improved defences, NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester told reporters: “I think we do see the threat increasing, but also I’d like to think we are getting better at detecting some of that harm.”
He added that organisations were also getting better at detecting potential cyber breaches and reporting them to authorities.
In April the NCSC launched a new email reporting service alongside the City of London Police, allowing people to forward dubious emails to be scanned for malware.
The services received 2.3m reports in its first four months, leading to the removal of 22,000 malicious websites.
The NCSC, which also assisted with the launch of the NHS Track and Trace app and the creation of a virtual parliament, said it was also continuing to ensure safeguards were in place to protect the UK from foreign interference in elections and the democratic process.
In July the government said Russia had almost certainly tried to interfere in the 2019 general election after hackers stole papers from an email account belonging to Tory MP Liam Fox and leaked them online.
Lindy Cameron, who was appointed as the new chief executive of the NCSC in July, hailed the organisation’s efforts during an “unusual” year.
“From handling hundreds of incidents to protecting our democratic institutions and keeping people safe while working remotely, our expertise has delivered across multiple frontiers,” she said.
“This has all been achieved with the fantastic support of government, businesses and citizens and I would urge them to continue contributing to our collective cyber security.”


cityam--2020-11-03--UK jobs market weak ahead of lockdown despite rise in vacancies

The number of firms looking to add to their workforces grew in the third quarter after a historic contraction in the spring , but the UK jobs market remained weak ahead of the recently announced second lockdown , a survey has shown .
In the third quarter , 37 per cent of firms attempted to recruit , according to the quarterly survey from the British Chambers of Commerce ( BCC ) and jobs website Totaljobs .
Read more : Boris Johnson doubles support for self-employed during new lockdown The figure was up from the historic low of 25 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was still much lower than the pre-Covid reading of 55 per cent in the first three months of the year .
The survey adds to the evidence that the UK jobs market was fragile even before coronavirus cases surged .
At the weekend , Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a second lockdown for England .
It is scheduled to last for four weeks , and will see pubs , restaurants , gyms and non-essential shops closed .
One in five firms expect to hire Experts say it will hit the UK economy hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 4.5 per cent from 3.9 per cent before the pandemic due to various government support schemes .
But it is now set to jump , economists say .
“ Given the scale of the challenge , it is vital that business and government work together on retraining and re-skilling the UK workforce , ” said Adam Marshall , director general of the BCC .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced this weekend that the furlough scheme will be extended through November .
Marshall said this “ will bring short-term relief to many firms ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more clarity is needed from the government to ensure businesses can plan and are not left to guess from one month to the next ” .
Only 18 per cent of firms expected the size of their workforce to expand over the coming months in the third quarter , the survey showed .
That was up from 12 per cent in the second quarter but down sharply from 31 per cent in the first three months of the year .
Vacancies on the Totaljobs website were at 68 per cent of their pre-pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December would be ‘ disastrous ’ for retail sector , experts warn However , some sectors were recovering more strongly than others , according to the survey .
Non-consumer facing industries appeared to fare the best amid continued social distancing .
Construction vacancies almost doubled quarter on quarter , while logistics vacancies more than doubled .

UK jobs market weak ahead of lockdown despite rise in vacancies
The UK economy is facing a big hit from another lockdown in England, with unemployment expected to jump
The number of firms looking to add to their workforces grew in the third quarter after a historic contraction in the spring, but the UK jobs market remained weak ahead of the recently announced second lockdown, a survey has shown.
In the third quarter, 37 per cent of firms attempted to recruit, according to the quarterly survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and jobs website Totaljobs.
The figure was up from the historic low of 25 per cent in the second quarter. But it was still much lower than the pre-Covid reading of 55 per cent in the first three months of the year.
The survey adds to the evidence that the UK jobs market was fragile even before coronavirus cases surged.
At the weekend, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a second lockdown for England. It is scheduled to last for four weeks, and will see pubs, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shops closed.
One in five firms expect to hire
Experts say it will hit the UK economy hard. Unemployment has so far only risen to 4.5 per cent from 3.9 per cent before the pandemic due to various government support schemes. But it is now set to jump, economists say.
“Given the scale of the challenge, it is vital that business and government work together on retraining and re-skilling the UK workforce,” said Adam Marshall, director general of the BCC.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced this weekend that the furlough scheme will be extended through November.
Marshall said this “will bring short-term relief to many firms”. Yet he said that “much more clarity is needed from the government to ensure businesses can plan and are not left to guess from one month to the next”.
Only 18 per cent of firms expected the size of their workforce to expand over the coming months in the third quarter, the survey showed. That was up from 12 per cent in the second quarter but down sharply from 31 per cent in the first three months of the year.
Vacancies on the Totaljobs website were at 68 per cent of their pre-pandemic level.
However, some sectors were recovering more strongly than others, according to the survey. Non-consumer facing industries appeared to fare the best amid continued social distancing.
Construction vacancies almost doubled quarter on quarter, while logistics vacancies more than doubled.


cityam--2020-11-02--Regulator extends mortgage payment holiday ahead of lockdown

The financial watchdog has proposed an extension of the mortgage payment holiday for borrowers struggling to make payments , ahead of a second national lockdown .
The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA ) has set out proposals to support consumers through a second lockdown .
Read more : Government extends coronavirus business loans ahead of second lockdown Borrowers who have not yet had a payment holiday lasting up to six months , while those who have an initial deferral will be eligible for another payment for up to three months .
Some 2.5 million people have already taken a payment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to figures from industry body UK Finance .
The FCA is also proposing that no one will have their home repossessed without their agreement until after 31 January 2021 .
Sheldon Mills , interim Executive Director of Strategy and Competition at the FCA said : “ Tailored support will still be offered and remains the most appropriate option for many borrowers , but we are proposing to extend payment deferrals for additional support .
We also want to make sure no one has their home repossessed during this time.
” “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only to take a payment deferral when absolutely necessary .
Those that are able to keep paying , should do so .
This allows support to be targeted to those most in need.
” The regulator has asked borrowers not to contact their lender until the enhanced measures are in place .
Under the proposals , consumers would have until 31 January 2021 to apply for a payment holiday .
The FCA has also extended payment holidays on credit cards , car finance , personal loans and pawnbroking .
As with mortgage holidays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a payment deferral under guidance issued in July would be able to request payment holiday lasting up to six months .
It comes as the Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined further support for businesses today following the Prime Minister ’ s lockdown announcement over the weekend .
Read more : Watchdog extends loan payment holidays ahead of second lockdown The furlough scheme , which sees the government pay 80 per cent of employees ’ wages , has been extended for another month .
And the government has extended applications for its coronavirus business support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Back Loan Scheme ( BBLS ) , Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme ( CBILS ) and Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme ( CLBILS ) will now be open until 31 January , the Treasury said .

Regulator extends mortgage payment holiday ahead of lockdown
The financial watchdog has proposed an extension of the mortgage payment holiday for borrowers struggling to make payments, ahead of a second national lockdown.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out proposals to support consumers through a second lockdown.
Borrowers who have not yet had a payment holiday lasting up to six months, while those who have an initial deferral will be eligible for another payment for up to three months.
Some 2.5 million people have already taken a payment holiday on their mortgage since March, according to figures from industry body UK Finance.
The FCA is also proposing that no one will have their home repossessed without their agreement until after 31 January 2021.
Sheldon Mills, interim Executive Director of Strategy and Competition at the FCA said: “Tailored support will still be offered and remains the most appropriate option for many borrowers, but we are proposing to extend payment deferrals for additional support. We also want to make sure no one has their home repossessed during this time.”
“It is in borrowers’ own long-term interest only to take a payment deferral when absolutely necessary. Those that are able to keep paying, should do so. This allows support to be targeted to those most in need.”
The regulator has asked borrowers not to contact their lender until the enhanced measures are in place. Under the proposals, consumers would have until 31 January 2021 to apply for a payment holiday.
Debt reprieve
The FCA has also extended payment holidays on credit cards, car finance, personal loans and pawnbroking. As with mortgage holidays, consumers who had not yet had a payment deferral under guidance issued in July would be able to request payment holiday lasting up to six months.
It comes as the Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined further support for businesses today following the Prime Minister’s lockdown announcement over the weekend.
The furlough scheme, which sees the government pay 80 per cent of employees’ wages, has been extended for another month. And the government has extended applications for its coronavirus business support loan schemes.
Applications for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) will now be open until 31 January, the Treasury said.


cityam--2020-11-02--US election: Almost 100m early votes cast as record turnout looms

WASHINGTON , D.C. – Nearly 100m Americans have cast votes for tomorrow ’ s election already , with turnout expected to be at its highest in decades .
The total amount of ballots cast now sits at 97m , which is around 70 per cent of the 139m people who voted in the 2016 election – a record for total number of ballots cast .
Read more : Donald Trump and Joe Biden blitz battleground states in final day of US election campaign This includes 61.2m mail-in ballots and 35.4m that have been cast in person at early voting booths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Elections Project website .
Democratic nominee Joe Biden is focussing his final day messaging around the need for people to turn out and vote tomorrow .
At his Cleveland rally this morning , he said : “ Millions of Americans have already voted .
Millions more will vote today and tomorrow .
“ And my message to you is simple – the power to change this country is in your hands.
” His running mate Kamala Harris had a similar message for reporters ahead of her rallies in the battleground state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the next I don ’ t know how many hours we have left to remind everyone of what ’ s at stake and to make sure that everyone votes and so that is where I am focused , she said .
“ That ’ s why I ’ m here in Pennsylvania and we ’ re going to be covering a lot of ground today.
” Trump , meanwhile , has continued to question the validity of mail-in voting and has claimed that the Democrats are preparing to commit electoral fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Axios , which claimed the President has told confidants that he will claim victory tomorrow night prematurely if he is leading before tens of millions of early votes are cast .
The plan is reportedly to then challenge ballot counts in swing states that will still be counting early votes over the course of next week .
He denied he was preparing to claim victory prematurely last night , before then questioning the legitimacy of mail-in voting .
“ I think it ’ s a terrible thing when ballots can be collected after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a terrible thing when states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over , ” he said .
“ We don ’ t want to have Pennsylvania , where you have a political governor , a very partisan guy…we don ’ t want to be in a position where he ’ s allowed , every day , to watch ballots come in .
“ ‘ See if we can only find 10,000 more ballots ’ .
” Read more : Racing against time : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election Trump ’ s rhetoric about the legitimacy of early voting and supposed electoral fraud has stoked fears that there will be widespread violence and civil unrest on election night .
Businesses in major US cities have been boarding up in preparation for potential riots and looting , including in the nation ’ s capital .

US election: Almost 100m early votes cast as record turnout looms
People drive up to get their absentee ballots at the city of Lansing, Michigan today
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nearly 100m Americans have cast votes for tomorrow’s election already, with turnout expected to be at its highest in decades.
The total amount of ballots cast now sits at 97m, which is around 70 per cent of the 139m people who voted in the 2016 election – a record for total number of ballots cast.
This includes 61.2m mail-in ballots and 35.4m that have been cast in person at early voting booths across the country, according to the US Elections Project website.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden is focussing his final day messaging around the need for people to turn out and vote tomorrow.
At his Cleveland rally this morning, he said: “Millions of Americans have already voted. Millions more will vote today and tomorrow.
“And my message to you is simple – the power to change this country is in your hands.”
A pretty big crowd of President Trump’s supporters outside of Sen. Kamala Harris’ second stop today in the Lehigh Valley, including some honking in cars before this video. pic.twitter.com/oTqgX9r3hP — Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) November 2, 2020
His running mate Kamala Harris had a similar message for reporters ahead of her rallies in the battleground state of Pennsylvania today.
“The plan is for the next I don’t know how many hours we have left to remind everyone of what’s at stake and to make sure that everyone votes and so that is where I am focused, she said.
“That’s why I’m here in Pennsylvania and we’re going to be covering a lot of ground today.”
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to question the validity of mail-in voting and has claimed that the Democrats are preparing to commit electoral fraud.
There was a report last night from Axios, which claimed the President has told confidants that he will claim victory tomorrow night prematurely if he is leading before tens of millions of early votes are cast.
The plan is reportedly to then challenge ballot counts in swing states that will still be counting early votes over the course of next week.
He denied he was preparing to claim victory prematurely last night, before then questioning the legitimacy of mail-in voting.
Spoke last night with Felipos who spends every day protesting at the BLM site outside the White House. He claimed it is only be right-wing activists that could riot tomorrow, despite explicit threats from some left-wing groups #antifa #Elections2020 #ElectionDay #Elections pic.twitter.com/vLmuNo0CnH — Stefan Boscia (@Stefan_Boscia) November 2, 2020
“I think it’s a terrible thing when ballots can be collected after an election. I think it’s a terrible thing when states are allowed to tabulate ballots for a long period of time after the election is over,” he said.
“We don’t want to have Pennsylvania, where you have a political governor, a very partisan guy…we don’t want to be in a position where he’s allowed, every day, to watch ballots come in.
“‘See if we can only find 10,000 more ballots’.”
Trump’s rhetoric about the legitimacy of early voting and supposed electoral fraud has stoked fears that there will be widespread violence and civil unrest on election night.
Businesses in major US cities have been boarding up in preparation for potential riots and looting, including in the nation’s capital.