skynewspolitics--2020-06-18--Government ditches contact-tracing app to move to Google-Apple model

The government is abandoning efforts to develop its own coronavirus contact-tracing app in order to focus on technology from Apple and Google .
In a major U-turn on Thursday , the app developed by the NHS 's digital arm will now be dropped , but some features will be incorporated into a new design with the technology giants .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended the decision , saying testing on the Isle of Wight had uncovered a `` technical barrier '' .
He told the daily coronavirus briefing : `` We have agreed to join forces with Google and Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems together .
`` We found that our app works well on Android devices but Apple software prevents iPhones being used effectively for contact tracing unless you are using Apple 's own technology . ''
Mr Hancock said that the NHSX app was better at measuring distance than the Google/Apple model .
`` As it stands , our app wo n't work because Apple wo n't change their system , but it can measure distance , '' he added .
`` And their app ca n't measure distance well enough to a standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Hancock could not say when the contact-tracing app would be ready for roll-out , having previously said it would be available in mid-May .
`` We 're working on it , '' he told the Downing Street briefing .
`` We 're not going to put a date on it I 'm afraid because I 'm absolutely determined that , whilst this technology can help , it 's got to be working effectively . ''
Baroness Dido Harding , who is heading the government 's test and trace programme , said neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough .
`` This is a global challenge , '' she said .
`` What we have done in really rigorously testing both our own COVID-19 app and the Google/Apple version is demonstrating that none of them are working sufficiently well enough to actually be reliable to determine whether any of us should self-isolate for two weeks .
`` That 's true across the world . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Labour said the U-turn was `` yet another example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis being `` slow and badly managed '' .
Testing showed that the NHS app identified 75 % of contacts made on smartphones running the Android operating system , but only 4 % of those on iOS - compared with 99 % when using the Google and Apple framework .
Google and Apple collaborated to allow mobile devices to use Bluetooth in the background and register when they come within close proximity of another mobile phone .
But the collaboration required health authorities ' apps to utilise a decentralised model of data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on each device , rather than uploading it to a central authority - which they said would protect users ' privacy .
As the iOS and Android mobile operating systems are run on 99 % of the world 's smartphones , the companies ' technical designs have a fundamental say in how contact-tracing apps work .
Despite this , the government asserted that by holding the data on contacts in a centralised manner they would have been able to develop valuable epidemiological data about how the virus is spreading .
The centralised model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mischief with the system by giving the authorities an edge in detecting false positives .
However , issues remain with the way that the Google and Apple model uses Bluetooth to detect proximity , with some devices confusing phones in pockets one metre away with a phone in a hand three metres away .
The NHS app had managed to improve on this , according to Baroness Harding and Matthew Gould , the chief executive of NHSX , who said their innovation would be shared with the technology companies .
They said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have agreed to share our own innovative work on estimating distance between app users with Google and Apple , work that we hope will benefit others , while using their solution to address some of the specific technical challenges identified through our rigorous testing . ''
Health minister Lord Bethell said that the NHS app would not be ready before winter .
He confirmed the government still planned to introduce the contact-tracing app , describing it as `` a really important option for the future '' .
The app has been the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wight , where the Department of Health says it has been downloaded by 54,000 people .
Lord Bethell said the trial had been a success , but admitted that one of its principal lessons had been that greater emphasis needed to be placed on manual contact tracing .
`` It was a reminder that you ca n't take a totally technical answer to the problem , '' he said .
Problems with manual contact tracing have been apparent in NHS statistics which on Thursday revealed that at least a quarter of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK are being missed .
Having promised a `` world-beating '' contact-tracing app by mid-May , and then by June , the announcement that the project was being abandoned was inevitably uncomfortable for the government .
It was made more uncomfortable still by the fact the health secretary was unable to provide a time frame for when a new version might be available , despite it initially being hailed as one of the key components of the test and trace process that would enable lockdown to be eased in lieu of a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ashworth suggested it was part of a catalogue of examples where the government has overpromised without listening to warnings , and then been slow to manage the fall-out .
But at the Downing Street press conference the Health Secretary Matt Hancock was at pains to point out that this was neither a u-turn , nor an abandonment of the pursuit of a contact tracing app - instead , he suggested testing had shown that both the NHSX app and the alternative platform on offer from Google and Apple had flaws .
Mr Hancock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in effect , 'backed both horses ' , the UK was in a position to pull together the best aspects of both systems , and jettison the bits that did n't work - in the NHS app , that was identifying contacts , in the google/apple platform , the identification of distance .

The government is abandoning efforts to develop its own coronavirus contact-tracing app in order to focus on technology from Apple and Google.
In a major U-turn on Thursday, the app developed by the NHS's digital arm will now be dropped, but some features will be incorporated into a new design with the technology giants.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended the decision, saying testing on the Isle of Wight had uncovered a "technical barrier".
Image: The UK has made a huge U-turn on its COVID-19 app
He told the daily coronavirus briefing: "We have agreed to join forces with Google and Apple to bring the best bits of both systems together.
"We found that our app works well on Android devices but Apple software prevents iPhones being used effectively for contact tracing unless you are using Apple's own technology."
Mr Hancock said that the NHSX app was better at measuring distance than the Google/Apple model.
"As it stands, our app won't work because Apple won't change their system, but it can measure distance," he added.
"And their app can't measure distance well enough to a standard that we are satisfied with."
Mr Hancock could not say when the contact-tracing app would be ready for roll-out, having previously said it would be available in mid-May.
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"We're working on it," he told the Downing Street briefing.
"We're not going to put a date on it I'm afraid because I'm absolutely determined that, whilst this technology can help, it's got to be working effectively."
Baroness Dido Harding, who is heading the government's test and trace programme, said neither app in their current forms were reliable enough.
"This is a global challenge," she said.
"What we have done in really rigorously testing both our own COVID-19 app and the Google/Apple version is demonstrating that none of them are working sufficiently well enough to actually be reliable to determine whether any of us should self-isolate for two weeks.
"That's true across the world."
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Labour said the U-turn was "yet another example" of the government's response to the crisis being "slow and badly managed".
Testing showed that the NHS app identified 75% of contacts made on smartphones running the Android operating system, but only 4% of those on iOS - compared with 99% when using the Google and Apple framework.
Google and Apple collaborated to allow mobile devices to use Bluetooth in the background and register when they come within close proximity of another mobile phone.
But the collaboration required health authorities' apps to utilise a decentralised model of data storage - keeping the list of contacts on each device, rather than uploading it to a central authority - which they said would protect users' privacy.
As the iOS and Android mobile operating systems are run on 99% of the world's smartphones, the companies' technical designs have a fundamental say in how contact-tracing apps work.
Despite this, the government asserted that by holding the data on contacts in a centralised manner they would have been able to develop valuable epidemiological data about how the virus is spreading.
The centralised model would also have helped prevent people causing mischief with the system by giving the authorities an edge in detecting false positives.
Image: The NHS-developed app is being reconfigured
However, issues remain with the way that the Google and Apple model uses Bluetooth to detect proximity, with some devices confusing phones in pockets one metre away with a phone in a hand three metres away.
The NHS app had managed to improve on this, according to Baroness Harding and Matthew Gould, the chief executive of NHSX, who said their innovation would be shared with the technology companies.
They said: "As part of a collaborative approach we have agreed to share our own innovative work on estimating distance between app users with Google and Apple, work that we hope will benefit others, while using their solution to address some of the specific technical challenges identified through our rigorous testing."
Health minister Lord Bethell said that the NHS app would not be ready before winter.
He confirmed the government still planned to introduce the contact-tracing app, describing it as "a really important option for the future".
Image: Contact tracing apps are designed to assist the manual process
The app has been the subject of a trial on the Isle of Wight, where the Department of Health says it has been downloaded by 54,000 people.
Lord Bethell said the trial had been a success, but admitted that one of its principal lessons had been that greater emphasis needed to be placed on manual contact tracing.
"It was a reminder that you can't take a totally technical answer to the problem," he said.
Problems with manual contact tracing have been apparent in NHS statistics which on Thursday revealed that at least a quarter of people who test positive for COVID-19 in the UK are being missed.
Analysis by Tom Rayner, political correspondent
Having promised a "world-beating" contact-tracing app by mid-May, and then by June, the announcement that the project was being abandoned was inevitably uncomfortable for the government.
It was made more uncomfortable still by the fact the health secretary was unable to provide a time frame for when a new version might be available, despite it initially being hailed as one of the key components of the test and trace process that would enable lockdown to be eased in lieu of a vaccine.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth suggested it was part of a catalogue of examples where the government has overpromised without listening to warnings, and then been slow to manage the fallout.
But at the Downing Street press conference, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock was at pains to point out that this was neither a U-turn nor an abandonment of the pursuit of a contact tracing app - instead, he suggested testing had shown that both the NHSX app and the alternative platform on offer from Google and Apple had flaws.
Mr Hancock claimed that because the government had, in effect, "backed both horses", the UK was in a position to pull together the best aspects of both systems, and jettison the bits that didn't work - in the NHS app, that was identifying contacts, in the Google/Apple platform, the identification of distance.


skynewspolitics--2020-06-19--Foreign Office boss to step down early after Whitehall shake-up plan

The Foreign Office 's top mandarin is set to retire early after the prime minister signalled he wanted someone new to head the ministry when it merges with the Department for International Development , Sky News understands .
Sir Simon McDonald is set to leave this autumn .
He had told staff earlier this week that he would stay on as permanent secretary at what will be called the Foreign , Commonwealth and Development Office when it opens in September , only departing in the new year .
That timeframe has been accelerated , it is understood .
An email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen by Sky News said Prime Minister Boris Johnson had decided the new department `` needs a new permanent secretary from its start '' .
`` This morning I announce that I will formally stand down as PUS ( permanent under-secretary ) as soon as a new permanent secretary is available to lead the FCDO in September . ''
He added : `` A new effort needs new leadership ... whoever wins will take on a simply wonderful job . ''
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab hailed Sir Simon as `` one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a dedicated public servant who helped guide the FCO during a remarkable period of change in the world '' .
He added : `` It has been a real pleasure to work with Simon and I have valued his insight and advice .
`` The positive changes across the FCO he has put in place will continue to be felt long after his time here . ''
Alistair Carmichael , the Liberal Democrats ' foreign affairs spokesman , said the news `` will raise many questions '' .
He said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason and his absence will be noticed at a time when the government appear intent on undermining the UK 's position on the world stage .
`` The government 's bully boy approach to the civil service is dangerous and counterproductive at such a precarious moment in our country 's history . ''
Sir Simon worked directly alongside Mr Johnson during his time as foreign secretary from 2016 for two years .
He hit the headlines two months ago for saying there was a `` political decision '' taken by the government not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy ventilators - a key machine for treating those with respiratory illnesses caused in severe cases of COVID-19 .
A clarification followed hours later from the civil servant , saying he made the comments `` inadvertently '' and `` due to a misunderstanding '' , adding his original version of events was `` incorrect '' .

The Foreign Office's top mandarin is set to retire early after the prime minister signalled he wanted someone new to head the ministry when it merges with the Department for International Development, Sky News understands.
Sir Simon McDonald is set to leave this autumn.
He had told staff earlier this week that he would stay on as permanent secretary at what will be called the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office when it opens in September, only departing in the new year.
Image: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be joined with the International Development Department
That timeframe has been accelerated, it is understood.
An email sent to civil servants on Friday morning seen by Sky News said Prime Minister Boris Johnson had decided the new department "needs a new permanent secretary from its start".
"I fully respect that decision," Sir Simon wrote.
Image: Boris Johnson worked with Sir Simon when he was foreign secretary
"This morning I announce that I will formally stand down as PUS (permanent under-secretary) as soon as a new permanent secretary is available to lead the FCDO in September."
He added: "A new effort needs new leadership... whoever wins will take on a simply wonderful job."
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab hailed Sir Simon as "one of the finest diplomats of his generation" and "a dedicated public servant who helped guide the FCO during a remarkable period of change in the world".
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He added: "It has been a real pleasure to work with Simon and I have valued his insight and advice.
"The positive changes across the FCO he has put in place will continue to be felt long after his time here."
Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats' foreign affairs spokesman, said the news "will raise many questions".
He said: "McDonald has been a constant voice of reason and his absence will be noticed at a time when the government appear intent on undermining the UK's position on the world stage.
"The government's bully boy approach to the civil service is dangerous and counterproductive at such a precarious moment in our country's history."
Sir Simon worked directly alongside Mr Johnson during his time as foreign secretary from 2016 for two years.
He hit the headlines two months ago for saying there was a "political decision" taken by the government not to join an EU scheme to bulk buy ventilators - a key machine for treating those with respiratory illnesses caused in severe cases of COVID-19.
A clarification followed hours later from the civil servant, saying he made the comments "inadvertently" and "due to a misunderstanding", adding his original version of events was "incorrect".


skynewspolitics--2020-06-19--A toxic combination: Labour report reveals why it lost the election

The toxic combination of an unpopular leader , confused message on Brexit and a manifesto rejected as fantasy pushed Labour to its lowest point in almost a century in the December election .
Bringing back the smallest number of MPs since 1935 , Labour has a mountain to climb to get back into power , according to a Labour Party review of the 2019 election defeat released on Friday .
Just to become the largest party in the UK requires a swing towards Labour on the scale of Tony Blair 's 1997 Labour landslide .
To win outright , Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 60 % , something no party has ever done before - more Everest than Ben Nevis .
But the report also concluded that the defeat was not solely down to Jeremy Corbyn 's leadership , manifesto and Brexit .
The 15-strong panel of commissioners , including former leader Ed Miliband and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell concluded that this defeat had been a `` long time coming '' and could be traced back to two decades of demographic and political change that had fractured Labour 's voter coalition .
`` It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long time coming , '' Ms Powell told Sky News in an interview about the 150-page report she helped to write .
`` Along the way there were positive points - particularly in 2017 when we really did mobilise non-voters in a way we had n't done before - but in many other working-class communities which have been de-industrialised , where political alienation has taken place where there is a real desire and thirst for change , the Labour Party has not been offering the kind of change that these voters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost all types of votes everywhere when compared with 2017 , except in London .
Labour lost 1.7 million Leave voters and one million Remain supporters .
It also failed to win over swing voters and turned out fewer non-voters than in 2017 .
The report also lays bare the shortcomings of the Corbyn operation going into the 2019 general election , concluding that the leadership lacked a clear strategy and a coherent message .
The report also said there was a `` toxic culture '' in the party , spawned by years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategic and operational dysfunction '' .
However , the commission refused to lay all the blame for Labour 's defeat on Mr Corbyn and Brexit , saying it `` would be a mistake to believe that a different leader , with Brexit no longer a defining issue , would in itself be sufficient to change Labour 's fortunes '' .
`` Labour could have further to fall unless deep thinking is done to overcome the deep problems that have been growing for many years . ''
Ed Miliband , the former Labour leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put aside the factionalism and division of years '' .
`` We owe it to the people whom we represent to look outwards to the country rather than inwards , '' Mr Miliband wrote in The Guardian .
But Mr Corbyn 's leadership was a decisive factor in the disastrous 2019 defeat , according to the report , which found that the `` Stop Jeremy Corbyn '' message was a `` major driver '' of the Conservatives ' success across all key groups , including non-voters and swing voters .
The report also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tories in the digital war .
`` Our organisation and campaigning is not fit for purpose : our methods still owe more to the 1990s than the 2020s , '' said Mr Miliband .
`` And while we prided ourselves on digital innovation in 2017 , the Conservatives were miles ahead of us last year .
A top-to-bottom transformation is required . ''
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Some changes have already begun : Mr Corbyn has gone - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Brexit is done .
But the party has so much more to do to win back those lost working communities along the Red Wall while also trying to win back seats in Scotland : not since 1955 has the Labour Party formed a government with fewer than 40 seats in Scotland ; they currently hold one .
Sir Keir Starmer , who became leader in April , has so far avoided being drawn into the debate .
He has instead focused on scrutinising the government 's handling on the coronavirus pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divided Labour party , and his disparate , disillusioned voter base together is to sketch out a new economic settlement , a new social and economic plan .
The unanswerable question right now is the extent to which the coronavirus crisis will not just reshape our economy but our communities too .
Richard Burgon , a key Corbyn ally and former shadow justice secretary , believes the divisions that characterised the past four years for Labour have been transformed by a public health crisis that will fundamentally shift the centre ground of politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basically , tragically , got smashed at the general election but going forward I think that coronavirus , and the economic crisis that I fear is on its way hot on the heels of coronavirus will mean that the Labour Party really needs to carry on putting forward radical innovative bold policy solutions , '' he told Sky News .
`` I think people 's demand for practical policies that protect living standards will actually increase in the months and the years ahead . ''
Tony Blair 's election victory of 1997 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keir will have to better it to win the keys to No 10 .
That is a ballot box challenge that would surely seem impossible in normal times but these are not normal times .
The coronavirus pandemic will force big economic change - and on this the commissioners of the report think they can build consensus across a very disparate group of Labour voters - be they lapsed or active .
It gives Sir Keir a mission that will not just rally his party - but just might rally those voters who @ @ @ @ @

The toxic combination of an unpopular leader, confused message on Brexit and a manifesto rejected as fantasy pushed Labour to its lowest point in almost a century in the December election.
Bringing back the smallest number of MPs since 1935, Labour has a mountain to climb to get back into power, according to a Labour Party review of the 2019 election defeat released on Friday.
Just to become the largest party in the UK requires a swing towards Labour on the scale of Tony Blair's 1997 Labour landslide. To win outright, Labour must increase its total number of seats by 60%, something no party has ever done before - more Everest than Ben Nevis.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:21 Sir Keir Starmer: 'We can't go back to business as usual'
But the report also concluded that the defeat was not solely down to Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, manifesto and Brexit.
The 15-strong panel of commissioners, including former leader Ed Miliband and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell concluded that this defeat had been a "long time coming" and could be traced back to two decades of demographic and political change that had fractured Labour's voter coalition.
"It was a historic defeat, but it was a long time coming," Ms Powell told Sky News in an interview about the 150-page report she helped to write.
"Along the way there were positive points - particularly in 2017 when we really did mobilise non-voters in a way we hadn't done before - but in many other working-class communities which have been de-industrialised, where political alienation has taken place where there is a real desire and thirst for change, the Labour Party has not been offering the kind of change that these voters and communities have wanted."
The party lost all types of votes everywhere when compared with 2017, except in London. Labour lost 1.7 million Leave voters and one million Remain supporters. It also failed to win over swing voters and turned out fewer non-voters than in 2017.
The report also lays bare the shortcomings of the Corbyn operation going into the 2019 general election, concluding that the leadership lacked a clear strategy and a coherent message. The report also said there was a "toxic culture" in the party, spawned by years of infighting which resulted in "significant strategic and operational dysfunction".
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:58 April: What direction will Labour head in now?
However, the commission refused to lay all the blame for Labour's defeat on Mr Corbyn and Brexit, saying it "would be a mistake to believe that a different leader, with Brexit no longer a defining issue, would in itself be sufficient to change Labour's fortunes".
"Labour could have further to fall unless deep thinking is done to overcome the deep problems that have been growing for many years."
Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, appealed to the party to "put aside the factionalism and division of years".
"We owe it to the people whom we represent to look outwards to the country rather than inwards," Mr Miliband wrote in The Guardian.
But Mr Corbyn's leadership was a decisive factor in the disastrous 2019 defeat, according to the report, which found that the "Stop Jeremy Corbyn" message was a "major driver" of the Conservatives' success across all key groups, including non-voters and swing voters.
The report also concluded that Labour was beaten by the Tories in the digital war.
"Our organisation and campaigning is not fit for purpose: our methods still owe more to the 1990s than the 2020s," said Mr Miliband. "And while we prided ourselves on digital innovation in 2017, the Conservatives were miles ahead of us last year. A top-to-bottom transformation is required."
:: Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Some changes have already begun: Mr Corbyn has gone - as have many of this team - and Brexit is done. But the party has so much more to do to win back those lost working communities along the Red Wall while also trying to win back seats in Scotland: not since 1955 has the Labour Party formed a government with fewer than 40 seats in Scotland; they currently hold one.
Sir Keir Starmer, who became leader in April, has so far avoided being drawn into the debate. He has instead focused on scrutinising the government's handling on the coronavirus pandemic, but surely the way to bring a divided Labour party, and his disparate, disillusioned voter base together is to sketch out a new economic settlement, a new social and economic plan.
The unanswerable question right now is the extent to which the coronavirus crisis will not just reshape our economy but our communities too.
Image: Boris Johnson's Conservatives won a convincing victory over the Labour Party in December
Richard Burgon, a key Corbyn ally and former shadow justice secretary, believes the divisions that characterised the past four years for Labour have been transformed by a public health crisis that will fundamentally shift the centre ground of politics further to the left.
"We basically, tragically, got smashed at the general election but going forward I think that coronavirus, and the economic crisis that I fear is on its way hot on the heels of coronavirus will mean that the Labour Party really needs to carry on putting forward radical innovative bold policy solutions," he told Sky News. "I think people's demand for practical policies that protect living standards will actually increase in the months and the years ahead."
Tony Blair's election victory of 1997 is the stuff of Labour history. Sir Keir will have to better it to win the keys to No 10.
That is a ballot box challenge that would surely seem impossible in normal times but these are not normal times. The coronavirus pandemic will force big economic change - and on this the commissioners of the report think they can build consensus across a very disparate group of Labour voters - be they lapsed or active.
It gives Sir Keir a mission that will not just rally his party - but just might rally those voters who have left Labour behind.


skynewspolitics--2020-06-19--Borrowing soars to record £103.7bn as debt outstrips GDP

Britain 's borrowing has soared to a record £103.7bn as debt outstripped economic output for the first time in nearly six decades due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The figure for the first two months of the financial year is £87bn more than the same time last year - and the highest seen in any April-May period since current records began in 1993 .
It further lays bare the cost to the nation 's finances of the COVID-19 crisis , as the Treasury receives less tax income while pouring money into efforts to prop up struggling businesses and safeguard jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Office for Budget Responsibility ( OBR ) had previously forecast that borrowing for the entire year was expected to hit £298.4bn .
According to the Office for National Statistics , borrowing in May is estimated to have been £55.2bn , roughly nine times or £49.6bn more than for the same month last year and is the highest in any month on record , after April 's figure was revised down to £48.5bn from £62.1bn .
It means the UK 's debt mountain stood at £1.95trn at the end of May 2020 - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time last year and the largest year-on-year increase ever seen .
This is equivalent to 100.9 % of gross domestic product ( GDP ) , the first time it has been exceeded since March 1963 .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said : `` Today 's figures confirm that coronavirus is having a severe impact on our public finances .
`` The best way to restore our public finances to a more sustainable footing is to safely reopen our economy so people can return to work .
`` We 've set out our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safe fashion , including reopening high streets across the country this week , as we kick-start our economic recovery . ''
: : Listen to the The World Tomorrow on Apple podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker The increase in borrowing came as central government receipts fell by 28.4 % compared with May 2019 to £40.7bn , including £28.9bn in taxes .
Value Added Tax ( VAT ) , Pay As You Earn ( PAYE ) Income Tax and Corporation Tax receipts fell by 46 % , 29.4 % and 14 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said this could change .
Speaking to Sky News , Paul Johnson , director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies , said : `` We are going to be borrowing an enormous amount this year , probably in the order of £300bn .
`` In real terms , as a fraction of the economy , it is by far the biggest we have borrowed at any time since the Second World War .
It is much more than the borrowing was at the height of the financial crisis .
`` This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strange thing is if it were just for this year , if we were just paying to get through this year and then everything went back to normal , it would n't actually matter terribly much .
`` We 'd go into the next few years with more debt , it would take a while to pay it down but we could get back to normal .
`` The real question is how much we are going to be borrowing next year and the year after and the year after as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis . ''

Britain's borrowing has soared to a record £103.7bn as debt outstripped economic output for the first time in nearly six decades due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The figure for the first two months of the financial year is £87bn more than the same time last year - and the highest seen in any April-May period since current records began in 1993.
It further lays bare the cost to the nation's finances of the COVID-19 crisis, as the Treasury receives less tax income while pouring money into efforts to prop up struggling businesses and safeguard jobs, impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had previously forecast that borrowing for the entire year was expected to hit £298.4bn.
According to the Office for National Statistics, borrowing in May is estimated to have been £55.2bn, roughly nine times or £49.6bn more than for the same month last year and is the highest in any month on record, after April's figure was revised down to £48.5bn from £62.1bn.
It means the UK's debt mountain stood at £1.95trn at the end of May 2020 - up by a fifth or £173.2bn from the same time last year and the largest year-on-year increase ever seen.
This is equivalent to 100.9% of gross domestic product (GDP), the first time it has been exceeded since March 1963.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Today's figures confirm that coronavirus is having a severe impact on our public finances.
"The best way to restore our public finances to a more sustainable footing is to safely reopen our economy so people can return to work.
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"We've set out our plan to do this in a gradual and safe fashion, including reopening high streets across the country this week, as we kick-start our economic recovery."
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:: Listen to the The World Tomorrow on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
The increase in borrowing came as central government receipts fell by 28.4% compared with May 2019 to £40.7bn, including £28.9bn in taxes.
Value Added Tax (VAT), Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Income Tax and Corporation Tax receipts fell by 46%, 29.4% and 14% respectively, the ONS said, although officials said this could change.
Speaking to Sky News, Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: "We are going to be borrowing an enormous amount this year, probably in the order of £300bn.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:53 Bank of England creates £100bn of new cash
"In real terms, as a fraction of the economy, it is by far the biggest we have borrowed at any time since the Second World War. It is much more than the borrowing was at the height of the financial crisis.
"This is a huge level of borrowing. The strange thing is if it were just for this year, if we were just paying to get through this year and then everything went back to normal, it wouldn't actually matter terribly much.
"We'd go into the next few years with more debt, it would take a while to pay it down but we could get back to normal.
"The real question is how much we are going to be borrowing next year and the year after and the year after as a result of the long term effects of this crisis."


skynewspolitics--2020-06-18--Does this photoshopped image show what the PM's plane will look like after its £900,000 paint j

Does this photoshopped image show what the PM's plane will look like after its £900,000 paint job?

A photoshopped image of what Boris Johnson 's VIP jet might look like after a £900,000 paint job shows the once-grey aircraft now in white , with a giant Union Jack flag across the rear .
The words `` United Kingdom '' are painted in yellow capital letters along the side .
The mock-up was posted on social media on Thursday by Andrew Evans , an aviation enthusiast and photographer .
Mr Evans accompanied the picture with an explanation that it was based on a diagram allegedly showing the real design that had been `` doing the rounds '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the revamped Royal Air Force Voyager aircraft is broadly in line with the real thing .
A military source gave the new look a thumbs-up for VIP travel , but warned it would be almost impossible to keep deploying the jet on military operations as it would stick out .
`` I think it looks awesome and will totally fit in on the flight line at world leaders ' meetings next to Air Force One , '' he said , referring to the US president 's aircraft .
By contrast , core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conflict zones would be `` totally off the cards in my opinion '' , the source said .
He added that the only time it could safely be deployed would be if there is no danger of enemy fire .
`` Well that 's going to be nice and low-profile in a war zone if it has to go back to being a military refuelling tanker , '' he wrote on Twitter , commenting on the photoshopped image of the VIP jet .
`` That was the role it was bought for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jets used by eg [ for example , President Emmanuel ] Macron which were bought to be VIP transports . ''
Mr Johnson was heavily criticised this week after it emerged the government is spending almost £1m on transforming the look of the RAF 's VIP Voyager , which is used by the prime minister , other ministers , and members of the Royal Family .
There was particular anger at the cost at a time when the country is in a deep financial crisis because of the coronavirus pandemic .
: @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defended the move on Wednesday , saying `` we have always spent money on promoting the UK round the world '' .
One source said the paint job sounded like something `` from Austin Powers '' .
The revelation triggered a barrage of aircraft-linked jokes on social media about the hit comedy starring Mike Myers as a British spy and his arch enemy Dr Evil .
The Voyager is receiving its makeover at a secure hangar at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aerospace and Defence is in charge of the work .
The paint job is expected to be finished later this month .

A photoshopped image of what Boris Johnson's VIP jet might look like after a £900,000 paint job shows the once-grey aircraft now in white, with a giant Union Jack flag across the rear.
The words "United Kingdom" are painted in yellow capital letters along the side.
The mock-up was posted on social media on Thursday by Andrew Evans, an aviation enthusiast and photographer.
Image: The RAF Voyager, pictured in 2018, is getting a paint job
Mr Evans accompanied the picture with an explanation that it was based on a diagram allegedly showing the real design that had been "doing the rounds".
It is understood that the unofficial image of the revamped Royal Air Force Voyager aircraft is broadly in line with the real thing.
A military source gave the new look a thumbs-up for VIP travel, but warned it would be almost impossible to keep deploying the jet on military operations as it would stick out.
"I think it looks awesome and will totally fit in on the flight line at world leaders' meetings next to Air Force One," he said, referring to the US president's aircraft.
By contrast, core tasks such as refuelling fast jets close to conflict zones would be "totally off the cards in my opinion", the source said. He added that the only time it could safely be deployed would be if there is no danger of enemy fire.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:00 Raab defends £900,000 makeover for VIP jet
Lord Ricketts, a former national security adviser, echoed this concern.
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"Well that's going to be nice and low-profile in a war zone if it has to go back to being a military refuelling tanker," he wrote on Twitter, commenting on the photoshopped image of the VIP jet.
"That was the role it was bought for with all the necessary plumbing - unlike the jets used by eg [for example, President Emmanuel] Macron which were bought to be VIP transports."
Mr Johnson was heavily criticised this week after it emerged the government is spending almost £1m on transforming the look of the RAF's VIP Voyager, which is used by the prime minister, other ministers, and members of the Royal Family.
There was particular anger at the cost at a time when the country is in a deep financial crisis because of the coronavirus pandemic.
:: Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defended the move on Wednesday, saying "we have always spent money on promoting the UK round the world".
Sky News revealed the Union Jack-themed makeover on Tuesday.
One source said the paint job sounded like something "from Austin Powers".
The revelation triggered a barrage of aircraft-linked jokes on social media about the hit comedy starring Mike Myers as a British spy and his arch enemy Dr Evil.
The Voyager is receiving its makeover at a secure hangar at an airfield in Cambridge.
The company Marshall Aerospace and Defence is in charge of the work. The paint job is expected to be finished later this month.


skynewspolitics--2020-06-19--PM 'sure' all pupils can be back at school full-time from September

The prime minister has announced he is `` sure '' all children can be back in school full-time from September .
Boris Johnson hinted social distancing rules in classrooms could be relaxed to help more pupils return faster , as he told people to `` watch this space '' .
Asked about calls from some Conservatives to cut the recommended two metre gap to one metre to help more pupils join lessons , he said : `` We will be putting in further changes as the science allows . ''
He was also asked if the return to school plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autumn instead of just going in for some or half days .
Mr Johnson confirmed : `` Absolutely ...
Provided we can make the classroom safe , and I think we can , I want every child , every student , every pupil back in September and I 'm sure we can get it done .
`` I 'm making no bones about it - I think that 's the right way forward for our country . ''
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson later confirmed the Government intended to bring all children back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of saying it was official government policy .
`` School is vital for every one of our children , '' he told the daily Downing Street press conference .
`` That is why we will bring all children , in all year groups , back to school in September .
While many children have already returned to school , I do understand that there is anxiety still among parents .
`` I want to assure you that the wellbeing of your children is the absolute top priority for every single one of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complained it was not clear how the Mr Johnson `` simply hoping will be enough in itself to achieve that goal '' .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Kevin Courtney , joint general secretary , said : `` If the requirements of social distancing - in order to stop a second peak - are reduced even to 1m , then most schools could not have 30 children in a classroom .
`` He needs a plan for more teachers , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return , and he needs to be finding extra spaces in which they can teach smaller groups .
`` We need to use the ingenuity that produced the Nightingale hospitals to produce the extra spaces we need . ''
Hours after the UK 's coronavirus alert level was lowered , the prime minister said on a visit to a school in Hertfordshire : `` We have to start thinking of a world in which we are less apprehensive about this disease .
`` Yes it has been a horrible shock for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the British people have worked incredibly hard to drive it down ... '' I hope , as we go forward into the autumn , people will be much , much more confident . ''
The levels of COVID-19 across the country are `` really diminishing amongst us all '' , he added .
Concerns about emergency measures having to be strengthened again were also dismissed by Mr Johnson , when asked about the threat of a second peak .
He said the government would use its test and trace programme to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spot , rather than going back to the national lockdown approach '' .
Schools in England have been reopening further to pupils from 1 June , although some did not meet the deadline over safety fears for children and staff .
Mr Johnson sought to convince parents it is safe for teaching to continue , telling them on Friday : `` Schools are safe to come back to - early years , reception , year one , year six in primary , year 10 and 12 in secondary - now is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes after news a £1bn catch-up programme for children who have missed out on months of education has been announced by Downing Street .

The prime minister has announced he is "sure" all children can be back in school full-time from September.
Boris Johnson hinted social distancing rules in classrooms could be relaxed to help more pupils return faster, as he told people to "watch this space".
Asked about calls from some Conservatives to cut the recommended two metre gap to one metre to help more pupils join lessons, he said: "We will be putting in further changes as the science allows."
Image: Schools have started to reopen further in England from 1 June
He was also asked if the return to school plan would see kids return full-time from the autumn instead of just going in for some or half days.
Mr Johnson confirmed: "Absolutely... Provided we can make the classroom safe, and I think we can, I want every child, every student, every pupil back in September and I'm sure we can get it done.
Image: Currently everyone is told to stay two metres apart
"I'm making no bones about it - I think that's the right way forward for our country."
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson later confirmed the Government intended to bring all children back to school in September, but stopped short of saying it was official government policy.
"School is vital for every one of our children," he told the daily Downing Street press conference.
"That is why we will bring all children, in all year groups, back to school in September. While many children have already returned to school, I do understand that there is anxiety still among parents.
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"I want to assure you that the wellbeing of your children is the absolute top priority for every single one of us."
But the National Education Union complained it was not clear how the Mr Johnson "simply hoping will be enough in itself to achieve that goal".
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Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary, said: "If the requirements of social distancing - in order to stop a second peak - are reduced even to 1m, then most schools could not have 30 children in a classroom.
"He needs a plan for more teachers, to ask teachers who have left the profession to return, and he needs to be finding extra spaces in which they can teach smaller groups.
"We need to use the ingenuity that produced the Nightingale hospitals to produce the extra spaces we need."
Image: A union said reducing the distance to one metre would not be enough
Hours after the UK's coronavirus alert level was lowered, the prime minister said on a visit to a school in Hertfordshire: "We have to start thinking of a world in which we are less apprehensive about this disease.
"Yes it has been a horrible shock for the country and for the world, and I think the British people have worked incredibly hard to drive it down...
"I hope, as we go forward into the autumn, people will be much, much more confident."
Image: The PM insisted schools were safe for parents to send children back to
The levels of COVID-19 across the country are "really diminishing amongst us all", he added.
Concerns about emergency measures having to be strengthened again were also dismissed by Mr Johnson, when asked about the threat of a second peak.
He said the government would use its test and trace programme to "take the preventative measures necessary on the spot, rather than going back to the national lockdown approach".
Schools in England have been reopening further to pupils from 1 June, although some did not meet the deadline over safety fears for children and staff.
Mr Johnson sought to convince parents it is safe for teaching to continue, telling them on Friday: "Schools are safe to come back to - early years, reception, year one, year six in primary, year 10 and 12 in secondary - now is the time to come back."
It comes after news a £1bn catch-up programme for children who have missed out on months of education has been announced by Downing Street.


skynewspolitics--2020-06-20--New rules for pubs as chancellor hints 2m rule will be relaxed

The chancellor has hinted heavily that social distancing rules will be relaxed when they are reviewed next week - as new guidance is being drawn up for the hospitality industry .
Modifying the two-metre rule to one metre will `` make an enormous difference '' to businesses , Rishi Sunak has said , in the clearest hint yet that the government will make the change .
During a visit to shops in North Yorkshire , he said : `` Obviously we need to go through that review but I 'm very understanding of the calls for action on that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our pubs , for our restaurants , ( they ) are keen to see if there 's some change that can be made there . ''
As lockdown continues to be eased across the UK , new guidelines are expected to be set out that will include rules for pubs , where pints will have to be ordered on a phone app and social distancing will be enforced by patrols .
These are just some of the regulations to expected to be announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on how pubs , cafes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England from 4 July .
According to a report in The Times , guidance for the hospitality sector includes having drinks ordered using phone apps and not setting restaurant tables in advance .
Room service in hotels would also be left outside doors .
It comes as the government reviews the social distancing guideline that tells people to stay at least two metres away from each other to limit the spread of the virus .
The review is expected to conclude next week and any easing would have an impact on prospects for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Social distancing affects how many people can sit in a restaurant or pub and how many pupils can be in a classroom .
The PM has said he wants all children back at school in September , when children in Northern Ireland will also be returning , after their social distancing was cut to one metre .
It comes after the government downgraded the COVID-19 alert level for the UK from four to three , suggesting transmission of the virus is no longer high or spreading at an exponential rate .
: : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The UK 's chief medical officers said the move was recommended by the Joint Biosecurity Centre after a `` steady decrease '' in COVID-19 cases in England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland .
The coronavirus reproduction rate - known as the R number - remains unchanged at 0.7 to 0.9 in the UK , meeting the government 's target of keeping it below 1.0 .
The PM said lowering the alert level allowed ministers to `` start making some progress '' on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government promised £1bn to help pupils catch up , with many not having been in the classroom since March .
But headteachers said they had not been consulted about the scheme , which will provide funding for tutors for some of England 's most disadvantaged children .
In Wales , First Minister Mark Drakeford announced plans to end its five-mile restriction on travel next month and allow holidaymakers to return a week later .

The chancellor has hinted heavily that social distancing rules will be relaxed when they are reviewed next week - as new guidance is being drawn up for the hospitality industry.
Modifying the two-metre rule to one metre will "make an enormous difference" to businesses, Rishi Sunak has said, in the clearest hint yet that the government will make the change.
During a visit to shops in North Yorkshire, he said: "Obviously we need to go through that review but I'm very understanding of the calls for action on that, particularly for our hospitality industry, for our pubs, for our restaurants, (they) are keen to see if there's some change that can be made there."
As lockdown continues to be eased across the UK, new guidelines are expected to be set out that will include rules for pubs, where pints will have to be ordered on a phone app and social distancing will be enforced by patrols.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 Chancellor hints 2m rule could be relaxed
These are just some of the regulations to expected to be announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on how pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels can reopen in England from 4 July.
According to The Times, guidance for the hospitality sector includes not setting restaurant tables in advance and room service in hotels being left outside doors.
Image: Social distancing has hit the hospitality industry hard
Licensing laws will also be shaken up to allow all pubs, restaurants and cafes to sell alcohol outside, causing police concerns increased numbers will gather on pavements, which could lead to a rise in disorder, the paper reports.
Today the virus death toll increased by 128 - the lowest jump on a Saturday during the lockdown - bringing the total in hospitals, care homes and the community to 42,589.
There were 71 deaths in England, two in Scotland, one in Wales and another in Northern Ireland reported by 5pm yesterday.
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It comes as the government reviews the social distancing guideline that tells people to stay at least two metres away from each other to limit the spread of the virus.
The review is expected to conclude next week and any easing would have an impact on prospects for the hospitality sector and for schools.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, told Sky News the drop from two metres to one is "the difference between surviving and businesses going to the wall and not being able to reopen when this crisis ends".
Operating with a one-metre rule would mean businesses could earn 70% of normal revenue, meaning they could keep afloat until the virus situation improves, she added.
She called on the government to commit to the 4 July date by Monday at the latest, as "people are making redundancies now" across the sector.
Ms Nicholls said: "It's absolutely critical we have that date confirmed without delay. We are right at the deadline."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:32 Why does the two-metre rule matter?
Social distancing affects also affects how many pupils can be in a classroom at once across schools nationwide.
The PM has said he wants all children back at school in September, when children in Northern Ireland will also be returning, after their social distancing was cut to one metre.
It comes after the government downgraded the COVID-19 alert level for the UK from four to three, suggesting transmission of the virus is no longer high or spreading at an exponential rate.
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The UK's chief medical officers said the move was recommended by the Joint Biosecurity Centre after a "steady decrease" in COVID-19 cases in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The coronavirus reproduction rate - known as the R number - remains unchanged at 0.7 to 0.9 in the UK, meeting the government's target of keeping it below 1.0.
The PM said lowering the alert level allowed ministers to "start making some progress" on social distancing measures.
Also on Friday, the government promised £1bn to help pupils catch up, with many not having been in the classroom since March.
But headteachers said they had not been consulted about the scheme, which will provide funding for tutors for some of England's most disadvantaged children.
In Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced plans to end its five-mile restriction on travel next month and allow holidaymakers to return a week later.


skynewspolitics--2020-06-19--Why the new normal is merely a thin veneer

This was the week when things started to feel a little more normal .
Shops opened their doors for the first time in three months - even if the cheery assistants were wearing protective visors .
Football is back - even if the fake crowd noise does n't quite feel like the real thing .
And when the sun is out , the parks are busy with people playing tennis or having picnics - even if the playgrounds remain eerily deserted behind the padlocks .
The COVID-19 alert level may have been reduced from four to three , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the thin veneer of normality .
Lockdown may have been eased , but it 's certainly not over .
When I braved the high street this week , I could n't help notice more staff than shoppers in many stores .
My local pub is doing a `` Pint Through '' - but with nowhere to sit and drink it , it 's hard to see it doing a roaring trade .
Schools will stay stubbornly closed to millions until September - leaving children bored and lonely , and parents wondering how many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a day .
The economic reality of lockdown is starting to cut through , and on tomorrow 's Sophy Ridge on Sunday we 'll be speaking to the head of the TUC , Frances O'Grady , to talk about what it means for workers and the chef Ottolenghi to discuss the impact on the food and hospitality industry .
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The number of people claiming out-of-work benefits climbed to 2.8 million people in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That number will only move in one direction once the government begins to wind down its furlough scheme over the summer .
It 's obvious to see why ministers are keen to start easing the lockdown and get people spending again - but will we be able to ?
In March , Boris Johnson said the UK could `` turn the tide '' on coronavirus in three months .
That deadline has now passed and it 's hard to escape the thought the government had hoped to have been able to lift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule - that makes it impossible for some businesses to viably open - remains in place , despite calls for it to be cut to one metre .
There are rumours that UK staycations may not be permitted on 4 July as expected , to the dismay of the struggling hospitality industry .
The aspiration that all primary children should have some time in school before the summer holidays has been quietly dropped - now the ambition is to get them back by September .
It 's not hard to see why .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the number of new cases remains stubbornly flat and the rate of infection is stuck at 0.7-0.9 .
Ministers had hoped both those numbers would be dropping faster .
To make matters worse , there are concerns over the contact tracing system that we were told was the key to lifting the lockdown safely - where new infections could be quickly identified and suppressed .
Figures on Thursday showed at least a quarter of people who test positive for coronavirus were missed by contact tracers following up on who they could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also admitted defeat over its much-hyped test-and-trace app , and is switching to a model based on Apple and Google technology .
If people are to start shopping and spending , first they must be convinced that it is safe to do so .
It now looks likely that the UK will end up with a longer lockdown than our European neighbours - a more significant economic hit - and , tragically , a higher death toll .
Sophy Ridge will be talking to TUC leader Frances O'Grady , Labour MP Rachel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday at 8.30am on Sky News

This was the week when things started to feel a little more normal.
Shops opened their doors for the first time in three months - even if the cheery assistants were wearing protective visors.
Football is back - even if the fake crowd noise doesn't quite feel like the real thing.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:23 Listen to football with and without a crowd
And when the sun is out, the parks are busy with people playing tennis or having picnics - even if the playgrounds remain eerily deserted behind the padlocks.
The COVID-19 alert level may have been reduced from four to three, but it doesn't take much to scrape away the thin veneer of normality.
Lockdown may have been eased, but it's certainly not over.
When I braved the high street this week, I couldn't help notice more staff than shoppers in many stores.
My local pub is doing a "Pint Through" - but with nowhere to sit and drink it, it's hard to see it doing a roaring trade.
Schools will stay stubbornly closed to millions until September - leaving children bored and lonely, and parents wondering how many hours of TV is acceptable to watch in a day.
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The economic reality of lockdown is starting to cut through, and on tomorrow's Sophy Ridge on Sunday we'll be speaking to the head of the TUC, Frances O'Grady, to talk about what it means for workers and the chef Yotam Ottolenghi to discuss the impact on the food and hospitality industry.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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The number of people claiming out-of-work benefits climbed to 2.8 million people in May, according to figures out this week.
That number will only move in one direction once the government begins to wind down its furlough scheme over the summer.
It's obvious to see why ministers are keen to start easing the lockdown and get people spending again - but will we be able to?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:45 PM: UK is moving away from national lockdown
In March, Boris Johnson said the UK could "turn the tide" on coronavirus in three months.
That deadline has now passed and it's hard to escape the thought the government had hoped to have been able to lift restrictions sooner.
The two-metre social distancing rule - that makes it impossible for some businesses to viably open - remains in place, despite calls for it to be cut to one metre.
There are rumours that UK staycations may not be permitted on 4 July as expected, to the dismay of the struggling hospitality industry.
The aspiration that all primary children should have some time in school before the summer holidays has been quietly dropped - now the ambition is to get them back by September.
It's not hard to see why. According to the government's own numbers, the number of new cases remains stubbornly flat and the rate of infection is stuck at 0.7-0.9. Ministers had hoped both those numbers would be dropping faster.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:44 What is the future of contact-tracing apps?
To make matters worse, there are concerns over the contact tracing system that we were told was the key to lifting the lockdown safely - where new infections could be quickly identified and suppressed.
Figures on Thursday showed at least a quarter of people who test positive for coronavirus were missed by contact tracers following up on who they could have passed the virus to.
The government has also admitted defeat over its much-hyped test-and-trace app, and is switching to a model based on Apple and Google technology.
If people are to start shopping and spending, first they must be convinced that it is safe to do so.
It now looks likely that the UK will end up with a longer lockdown than our European neighbours - a more significant economic hit - and, tragically, a higher death toll.
Sophy Ridge will be talking to TUC leader Frances O'Grady, Labour MP Rachel Reeves and chef Ottolenghi on her programme on Sunday at 8.30am on Sky News


skynewspolitics--2020-06-21--Lockdown easing 'on track' - and you may have to register before going to the pub

The health secretary has told Sky News the government is `` on track '' to ease the coronavirus lockdown further from 4 July .
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday , Matt Hancock said this could include pubs and restaurants reopening - as well as people being able to get haircuts again .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to make a formal announcement next week .
`` We 're on plan , we will of course be setting out more details of that plan and in the plan it states that on around July 4 we will take further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so , '' the health secretary said .
`` We talk about hospitality and outdoor hospitality in that plan but there are a whole series of other services especially where you need to be physically close to someone to carry it out like a haircut - a lot of the country does need a haircut . ''
Asked if that will mean barbers and hairdressers will be able to reopen , Mr Hancock replied : `` I 'm not going to rule that out .
We 'll set out the details as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly on track for that plan because of the number of cases coming down and the plan does refer to hospitality and some of the other things that are closed that so many people want to see open . ''
On pubs , the health secretary said ministers were looking at a number of measures to ensure it is `` safe '' for them to reopen .
This includes having to register before going for a pint .
`` That 's the sort of thing we 're looking at for how do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mr Hancock told Ridge .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker '' And things like wearing a face mask which reduces the transmission clearly , about how the seating is arranged because face-to-face is much more dangerous than back-to-back and there 's more transmission than side-to-side .
`` And also the sorts of things you can put in place to strengthen test and trace because the whole approach is to move as much as safely possible from a national lockdown towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak . ''
Pressed again for a definitive answer on whether people will have to register before going to the pub , he replied : `` I would n't rule that out , it is n't a decision we 've taken yet , but there are other countries in the world that take that approach . ''
As ministers consider a further easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions , there has been a renewed focus on the future of the two-metre social distancing restriction .
Boris Johnson has commissioned an official review into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent days that it could be reduced .
And Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Saturday that the review `` will make an enormous difference '' to businesses , heightening expectations of a reduction .
Mr Hancock later told the BBC the government will outline proposals for reducing the rule next week .
The World Health Organisation recommends a distance of `` at least '' one metre , with many countries around the world enforcing a rule of less than two metres .
A reduction to one metre is seen as key for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and businesses to welcome more customers , including pubs , restaurants and hotels .
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi told Ridge that cutting the two metre rule is `` really vital '' , adding restaurants would not be `` making money with a one-metre rule , but at least we 're going to survive '' .
He also said there needed to be guidance on how restaurants can reopen safely `` now '' .
`` We need to know how many people are allowed in , what kind of distance we need , how people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to leave us to our own devices they might as well say it now , '' Mr Ottolenghi said .
Ahead of a possible reopening , guidance is understood to have been drawn up by the hospitality sector and the government .
It is understood that pub patrons will be encouraged to order drinks using phone apps rather than at the bar , while legislation already in place is said to include the powers for patrols in establishments .
According to The Times the guidance also says : • There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed into pubs , while tables will spaced out and glasses collected from tables • Bar tops and door handles will be cleaned at least hourly • Restaurants will have to put strict limits on the number of diners and be encouraged to stagger bookings • Room service in hotels will be left outside guests ' doors - and if they fall ill the customer will be asked to self-isolate in their room , which would be cordoned off for 72 hours after they have recovered • Gyms and swimming pools will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going in , with booking systems utilised to prevent overcrowding .

The health secretary has told Sky News the government is "on track" to ease the coronavirus lockdown further from 4 July.
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Matt Hancock said this could include pubs and restaurants reopening - as well as people being able to get haircuts again.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to make a formal announcement next week.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:01 'I am extremely worried' - Yotam Ottolenghi
Mr Johnson said "you will be hearing more about what we want to do with not just non-essential retail but with the hospitality sector from 4 July" this coming week.
The PM added on the two-metre rule: "Watch this space and you won't have much more to wait now. You'll certainly be hearing more this week."
It comes as the UK's official coronavirus death toll rose to 42,632, with a further 43 people dying after testing positive for COVID-19.
Speaking to Sky News about plans to reopen more of the economy from 4 July, the health secretary said: "We're on plan, we will of course be setting out more details of that plan and in the plan it states that on around July 4 we will take further measures if it's safe to do so.
"We talk about hospitality and outdoor hospitality in that plan but there are a whole series of other services especially where you need to be physically close to someone to carry it out like a haircut - a lot of the country does need a haircut."
Asked if that will mean barbers and hairdressers will be able to reopen, Mr Hancock replied: "I'm not going to rule that out. We'll set out the details as soon as we can.
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"We're clearly on track for that plan because of the number of cases coming down and the plan does refer to hospitality and some of the other things that are closed that so many people want to see open."
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:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
On pubs, the health secretary said ministers were looking at a number of measures to ensure it is "safe" for them to reopen.
This includes having to register before going for a pint.
"That's the sort of thing we're looking at for how do you make it safe to open things," Mr Hancock told Ridge.
"And things like wearing a face mask which reduces the transmission clearly, about how the seating is arranged because face-to-face is much more dangerous than back-to-back and there's more transmission than side-to-side.
"And also the sorts of things you can put in place to strengthen test and trace because the whole approach is to move as much as safely possible from a national lockdown towards targeted local action when we see an outbreak."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 Chancellor hints two-metre rule could be relaxed
Pressed again for a definitive answer on whether people will have to register before going to the pub, he replied: "I wouldn't rule that out, it isn't a decision we've taken yet, but there are other countries in the world that take that approach."
As ministers consider a further easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions, there has been a renewed focus on the future of the two-metre social distancing restriction.
The PM has commissioned an official review into the measure, with the prime minister hinting in recent days that it could be reduced.
And Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Saturday that the review "will make an enormous difference" to businesses, heightening expectations of a reduction.
Mr Hancock later told the BBC the government will outline proposals for reducing the rule next week.
The World Health Organisation recommends a distance of "at least" one metre, with many countries around the world enforcing a rule of less than two metres.
A reduction to one metre is seen as key for allowing schools to take in more pupils and businesses to welcome more customers, including pubs, restaurants and hotels.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the BBC his party would support the end of the two-metre rule, provided other safety measures were put in place.
Munira Wilson, health spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said any further easing of the lockdown "can only happen once the government delivers a comprehensive strategy to test, trace and isolate to protect lives and prevent a new surge".
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi told Ridge that cutting the two metre rule is "really vital", adding restaurants would not be "making money with a one-metre rule, but at least we're going to survive".
He also said there needed to be guidance on how restaurants can reopen safely "now".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:45 PM: UK is moving away from national lockdown
Ahead of a possible reopening, guidance is understood to have been drawn up by the hospitality sector and the government.
It is understood that pub patrons will be encouraged to order drinks using phone apps rather than at the bar, while legislation already in place is said to include the powers for patrols in establishments.
According to The Times, the guidance also says:


skynewspolitics--2020-06-21--Health secretary criticises Apple's 'intransigence' after coronavirus app U-turn

The health secretary has criticised Apple over the roll-out of the government 's coronavirus app , accusing it of `` intransigence '' .
Matt Hancock told Sky News the tech firm would not make a change required to make the COVID-19 contact-tracing app work .
Sky News has contacted the company for comment .
In a major U-turn , the government confirmed earlier this week that it was abandoning efforts to develop its own coronavirus contact-tracing app in order to focus on technology from Apple and Google .
Speaking to Sophy Ridge On Sunday about the change in tack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly problems with ours because it worked on Android , and Apple would n't make the change to allow it to work on Apple .
`` Of course I wish we had brought it in sooner , I wish that Apple had made the change for it to work in Apple phones in the same way that the original works on Android phones , but we will get there . ''
He added : `` The moment that Apple and Google brought forward their technology we started working on that as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasonable point that people make that Apple have in the past also been intransigent in the face of perfectly reasonable requests from democratically elected governments to work with them on solving particular problems , whether that 's about solutions to terrorism or other technical problems .
`` And so absolutely I understand that reluctance on their part and to be fair to Apple they may have good technical reasons for it which are under the skin of things . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Thursday 's coronavirus news conference in Downing Street , the health secretary defended the move .
Mr Hancock said that joining forces with Apple and Google would offer a new , improved design .
He added that some of the features of the now-abandoned NHSX app will be incorporated into a new design with the two tech firms .
Mr Hancock said developers had been working on both the NHSX app and the design offered by Apple and Google since May , but a `` technical barrier '' was encountered when testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wight .
`` We found that our app works well on Android devices but Apple software prevents iPhones being used effectively for contact tracing unless you are using Apple 's own technology , '' the health secretary said .
He said the NHSX app was better at measuring distance than the Google-Apple model .
`` As it stands , our app wo n't work because Apple wo n't change their system , but it can measure distance , '' Mr Hancock explained .
`` And their app ca n't measure distance well enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with . ''
He said the best way forward was to work together to overcome the issues , adding : `` We have agreed to join forces with Google and Apple to bring the best bits of both systems together .
`` We will share our algorithm and the work that we have done on distance calculation and combine that with their work to deliver a new solution . ''
Mr Hancock told Sky News he was `` highly confident '' the app will see the light of day .
But he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last three or four months on this one , I 'm not going to put a date on it , we 'll just work incredibly hard to make it happen . ''

The health secretary has criticised Apple over the roll-out of the government's coronavirus app, accusing it of "intransigence".
Matt Hancock told Sky News the tech firm would not make a change required to make the COVID-19 contact-tracing app work.
Apple said in a statement that it was "committed to working with the UK government to help tackle COVID-19".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:48 Hancock on virus app: 'We backed both horses'
"We've been constant collaborators with NHSX and will continue working with them on ways to further optimise the technology while protecting our customers' privacy," a spokesperson added.
"Many countries have successfully launched Exposure Notification apps and we look forward to helping the UK government do the same."
In a major U-turn, the government confirmed earlier this week that it was abandoning efforts to develop its own coronavirus contact-tracing app in order to focus on technology from Apple and Google.
Speaking to Sophy Ridge On Sunday about the change in tack, Mr Hancock said: "There were clearly problems with ours because it worked on Android, and Apple wouldn't make the change to allow it to work on Apple.
"Of course I wish we had brought it in sooner, I wish that Apple had made the change for it to work in Apple phones in the same way that the original works on Android phones, but we will get there."
He added: "The moment that Apple and Google brought forward their technology we started working on that as well.
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"So absolutely it's perfectly a reasonable point that people make that Apple have in the past also been intransigent in the face of perfectly reasonable requests from democratically elected governments to work with them on solving particular problems, whether that's about solutions to terrorism or other technical problems.
"And so absolutely I understand that reluctance on their part and to be fair to Apple they may have good technical reasons for it which are under the skin of things."
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:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Addressing the U-turn at Thursday's coronavirus news conference in Downing Street, the health secretary defended the move.
Mr Hancock said that joining forces with Apple and Google would offer a new, improved design.
He added that some of the features of the now-abandoned NHSX app will be incorporated into a new design with the two tech firms.
Mr Hancock said developers had been working on both the NHSX app and the design offered by Apple and Google since May, but a "technical barrier" was encountered when testing the NHSX app on the Isle of Wight.
"We found that our app works well on Android devices but Apple software prevents iPhones being used effectively for contact tracing unless you are using Apple's own technology," the health secretary said.
He said the NHSX app was better at measuring distance than the Google-Apple model.
"As it stands, our app won't work because Apple won't change their system, but it can measure distance," Mr Hancock explained.
"And their app can't measure distance well enough to a standard that we are satisfied with."
He said the best way forward was to work together to overcome the issues, adding: "We have agreed to join forces with Google and Apple to bring the best bits of both systems together.
"We will share our algorithm and the work that we have done on distance calculation and combine that with their work to deliver a new solution."
Mr Hancock told Sky News he was "highly confident" the app will see the light of day.
But he added: "Given my experience over the last three or four months on this one, I'm not going to put a date on it, we'll just work incredibly hard to make it happen."


skynewspolitics--2020-06-21--PM set to announce cut in two-metre social distancing rule on Tuesday

Boris Johnson will announce on Tuesday which sectors of England 's economy can reopen from 4 July – and he is expected to set out a reduction in the two-metre social distancing rule .
Labour have said that `` under certain circumstances '' they would support moving to one metre .
In line with the government 's roadmap for lifting the lockdown , 4 July marks the start of `` phase three '' when some hospitality businesses can reopen , likely to include pubs and restaurants .
The government says it will publish detailed guidance to ensure these companies are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister is due to seek advice from experts and finalise the changes on Monday , before seeking approval from his Cabinet and outlining the plans to parliament on Tuesday .
Other nations of the UK have yet to change their two-metre guidance .
But both Scotland 's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her counterpart in Northern Ireland , Arlene Foster , are considering a reduction .
A Number 10 spokesperson said : `` The reason we are able to move forward this week is because the vast majority of people have taken steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more we open up , the more important it is that everyone follows the social distancing rules .
`` We will not hesitate to put the handbrake on to stop the virus running out of control . ''
It comes as a new pilot for a `` swab-free '' coronavirus test launches in Southampton .
Participants will be able to get a test every week by transferring saliva into a pot at home .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new technique is less complicated than using a swab and `` could potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take coronavirus tests at home '' .
`` This trial will also help us learn if routine , at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier , '' he added .
On the coronavirus lockdown , Mr Hancock told Sky News that the government is `` on track '' to ease restrictions further from 4 July .
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday , he said this could include pubs and restaurants reopening - as well as people being able to get haircuts again .
`` We 're clearly on track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases coming down and the plan does refer to hospitality and some of the other things that are closed that so many people want to see open , '' Mr Hancock said .
A further 43 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died in the UK , it was announced on Sunday , bringing the country 's official coronavirus death toll to 42,632 .
On pubs , the health secretary said ministers were looking at a number of measures to ensure it is `` safe '' for them to reopen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a pint .
`` That 's the sort of thing we 're looking at for how do you make it safe to open things , '' Mr Hancock told Ridge .
: : Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts , Google podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The World Health Organisation recommends a social distance of `` at least '' one metre , with many countries around the world enforcing a rule of less than two metres .
A reduction to one metre is seen as key for allowing schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to welcome more customers , including pubs , restaurants and hotels .
Labour 's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said his party would support the end of the two-metre rule , provided other safety measures were put in place .

Boris Johnson is expected to announce tomorrow a reduction in the two-metre social distancing rule.
Labour have said that "under certain circumstances" they would support moving to one metre.
In line with the government's roadmap for lifting the lockdown, 4 July marks the start of "phase three" when some hospitality businesses can reopen, likely to include pubs and restaurants.
Image: Guidance will be published to ensure companies are 'COVID secure'. Pic: Matt Brown/Flickr
The government says it will publish detailed guidance to ensure these companies are "COVID secure".
The prime minister is due to seek advice from experts and finalise the changes on Monday, before seeking approval from his Cabinet and outlining the plans to parliament on Tuesday.
Other nations of the UK have yet to change their two-metre guidance.
But both Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her counterpart in Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, are considering a reduction.
A Number 10 spokesperson said: "The reason we are able to move forward this week is because the vast majority of people have taken steps to contain the virus.
"The more we open up, the more important it is that everyone follows the social distancing rules.
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"We will not hesitate to put the handbrake on to stop the virus running out of control."
James Brokenshire, the security minister, told Sky News the government's review of the two-metre rule would "fuse" both scientific and economic views about lifting lockdown measures.
The government has previously spoken about being "guided" by scientists in its approach to the coronavirus pandemic.
Image: Boris Johnson is due to seek advice from experts and finalise the changes on Monday
Mr Brokenshire suggested a reduction in the two-metre rule could also be combined with other measures, such as face coverings or separating barriers, being introduced for some settings.
"I understand that real urgency, that desire - whether it's for haircuts, whether it's to go out and get a meal to be able to socialise," he said.
"It's just that clarity on doing that in a way that does not impact or risk further issues around public health and, obviously, the second spike that we are determined to avoid.
"So there is a lot that will be brought together in terms of all of those different elements."
In Germany, which began lifting lockdown measures in May, the reproductive rate of coronavirus leapt to 2.88 on Sunday.
The R number refers to the reproductive rate of the disease and any figure above one means the number of cases will increase exponentially.
Mr Brokenshire said the UK government would be "informed by experience from around the world" as it continues to lift lockdown measures.
He added: "That issue on the second spike, that issue on the impact on the transmission rate - the R rate - is absolutely critical and why we are doing this with great care, with great thought and learning from experiences around the world."
Image: The pilot test could be become an alternative to the throat swab pictured
It comes as a new pilot for a "swab-free" coronavirus test launches in Southampton.
Participants will be able to get a test every week by transferring saliva into a pot at home.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new technique is less complicated than using a swab and "could potentially make it even easier for people to take coronavirus tests at home".
"This trial will also help us learn if routine, at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier," he added.
On the coronavirus lockdown, Mr Hancock told Sky News that the government is "on track" to ease restrictions further from 4 July.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 19:44 Hancock: UK 'on plan' to ease lockdown further
Speaking to Sophy Ridge On Sunday, he said this could include pubs and restaurants reopening - as well as people being able to get haircuts again.
"We're clearly on track for that plan because of the number of cases coming down and the plan does refer to hospitality and some of the other things that are closed that so many people want to see open," Mr Hancock said.
A further 43 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died in the UK, it was announced on Sunday, bringing the country's official coronavirus death toll to 42,632.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 Chancellor hints 2m rule could be relaxed
On pubs, the health secretary said ministers were looking at a number of measures to ensure it is "safe" for them to reopen.
This includes having to register before going for a pint.
"That's the sort of thing we're looking at for how do you make it safe to open things," Mr Hancock told Ridge.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
The World Health Organisation recommends a social distance of "at least" one metre, with many countries around the world enforcing a rule of less than two metres.
A reduction to one metre is seen as key for allowing schools to take in more pupils and businesses to welcome more customers, including pubs, restaurants and hotels.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said his party would support the end of the two-metre rule, provided other safety measures were put in place.