bbcuk--2020-07-07--Boohoo dropped by Next, Asos and Zalando over exploitation claims

Three major online retailers have dropped fast fashion brand Boohoo over allegations of low pay and unsafe conditions at a supplier 's factories .
Next dropped Boohoo clothes from its websites last week , while Asos and Zalando followed suit on Tuesday .
This follows a Sunday Times report claiming workers at a Leicester factory were paid £3.50 an hour , while being offered no protection from coronavirus .
Boohoo said if the reports were true , conditions were `` totally unacceptable '' .
The company , which also owns the Nasty Gal and PrettyLittleThing brands , has denied any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigate '' the claims .
In a statement it said : `` We will not hesitate to immediately terminate relationships with any supplier who is found not to be acting within both the letter and spirit of our supplier code of conduct . ''
The fast fashion retailer declined to comment on the moves made by Next , Asos and Zalando .
Boohoo 's shares fell a further 12 % on Tuesday after a 16 % slump the day before , following the publication of the allegations in the Sunday Times .
Boohoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Label , a workers ' rights group , claimed that some employees at factories in Leicester that supply the fast fashion firm were `` being forced to come into work while sick with Covid-19 '' .
At the time Boohoo said it would `` not tolerate any incidence of non-compliance especially in relation to the treatment of workers within our supply chain '' .
`` Next concluded there is a case for Boohoo Group to answer , '' said a spokesman for the retailer .
`` As a result , last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thing branded items it was selling previously , from all Next websites . ''
The company said it has set up its own investigation over the claims .
`` Next is not pre-judging the outcome of this process and no final decision has been made , however , while there is a case to answer , these labels will remain suspended from all Next websites , '' the spokesman said .
Zalando , the Berlin-based online fashion store which had €6.4bn ( £5.8bn ) sales last year , said it `` has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boohoo Group and subsidiaries and pause all new business with Boohoo effective 7 July '' .
It said the health and safety of workers has remained of utmost importance to the company .
During the coronavirus crisis Zalando said it had introduced `` strict preventative measures to keep all employees safe while staying open for business '' .
`` We expect our partners to apply similar fundamental priorities and will distance ourselves from those who do n't , '' the firm added .
Zalando said it will take action `` to address endemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their supply chain '' .
`` Only once all corrective actions have been satisfactorily addressed by Boohoo , can a conversation be revisited to discuss the commercial relationship between Zalando and the Boohoo group moving forward . ''
Asos , meanwhile , has temporarily suspended its trading relationship with all Boohoo brands .
It is understood the suspension will remain pending the outcome of Boohoo 's investigation .

"Next is not pre-judging the outcome of this process and no final decision has been made, however, while there is a case to answer, these labels will remain suspended from all Next websites," the spokesman said.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--'Home-schooling has been hell'

'Home-schooling has been hell'

Having to home-school during the Covid-19 pandemic is taking a toll on both parents and children , campaigners warn .
The group , Sept for Schools , says it has heard from parents reduced to tears as they balance work with educating .
The group says the assumption that parents will readily resume their role as educators in the event of future lockdowns is `` not sustainable , fair or workable as an education solution '' .
The government says all pupils will be back in school in September in England .
Sept for Schools has written to Education Select @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` hold the government to account for delivering a clear , comprehensive and workable plan to make sure our children return safely to school in September '' .
`` In the event of further lockdowns , this plan must provide considerable support to schools and to parents to ensure that the learning and wellbeing of all children are prioritised , wherever they live and whatever circumstances they live in . ''
'Two jobs at once' The group has been carrying out a survey , via social media , to find out about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 250 people have responded so far .
`` We were overwhelmed by the response : within 24 hours , we had stories from families across the country - from Macclesfield , Leeds , London , Southampton , Crawley , Lytham St Annes , Burnley , Cirencester , Brighton , Reading and many other areas , '' the group said .
It has sent the responses to Mr Halfon in the hope that parents will `` have their voices heard '' .
`` Home-schooling has been hell , sharing the only table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son , '' reported one single mother , who is working full-time from home .
`` It is not that I do n't think I am capable or that we do not have access to materials , but I can not do two jobs at once - I can either attempt to support my seven-year-old in doing some schoolwork or try to do my own work and keep my job .
• All pupils 'back in school full-time ' in September • No school : 'He 's not getting up until one o'clock' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do ?
`` He is too young to have the motivation and self-discipline to work independently , especially during lockdown when he is isolated from other kids , his emotions are all over the place and he 's getting hardly any exercise .
`` Our relationship has been badly damaged by the struggle over schoolwork , and to very little end because if anything , he seems to have gone backwards academically , despite all the lengths the school has gone to to provide work . ''
One mother said she felt compromised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an employee .
`` Home-schooling has been incredibly hard .
Aside from the fact that both my husband and I have jobs that we are also trying to juggle , there is a different dynamic between children and their parents compared with children and their teachers , which leads to more arguments .
`` This has added to the stress and guilt of neither being able to do a proper job of teaching , nor of our other jobs . ''
Another mother said : `` My sons used to enjoy learning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparent that they did not enjoy learning at home , where they expected play and nurture .
`` My eldest became frequently angry and aggressive , my youngest sad and withdrawn , and the relationship between them strained .
`` I 've devoted my attention to schooling them and their emotional wellbeing and have suffered an 80 % loss in earnings as a result and am at risk of losing my business .
`` I try to hide my own distress at all of the above , but have been reduced to tears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The survey also found that the quality of lessons and set work varies widely , even within a school , as well as variation in the level of pastoral support being offered .
`` Each child has received a call from their teacher - but this is only because I have been in touch to explain how much they are struggling with not being in school , '' said one parent .
Founder of Sept for School , Fiona Forbes , said parents want to have their voices heard , but have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to class .
`` I am convinced that the government has misread the lack of parental protest on schools as evidence that parents have been OK with this situation .
`` From what I have heard and read , nothing could be further from the truth - most parents are just too exhausted to think about what they could do to get their voice heard . ''
Conservative MP Mr Halfon said he welcomed the campaign and recognised that many parents had been struggling .
`` While many schools and teachers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that over two million children have done almost no home learning during lockdown . ''
The Department for Education said : `` We are aware how challenging it has been for parents , teachers , support staff and school leaders in supporting children to learn at home .
`` We want to reassure parents and families that we are doing everything we can to make sure schools are as safe as possible for children and staff , and will continue to work closely with the country 's best scientific and medical experts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"It is not that I don't think I am capable or that we do not have access to materials, but I cannot do two jobs at once - I can either attempt to support my seven-year-old in doing some schoolwork or try to do my own work and keep my job.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--New government unit to take over Covid response

The government 's new Joint Biosecurity Centre is to take a more prominent role in co-ordinating the response to Covid-19 , the BBC understands .
The JBC will be asked to develop novel ways to quickly identify and contain potential outbreaks .
Sage , the government 's scientific advisory group , will meet less often and its sub-groups will report to ministers .
But some fear there may be insufficient expertise in the JBC for the job .
A spokesman said a slimmed-down Sage would focus on longer-term concerns , such as the impact of winter .
`` Sage will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of scientific advice at the heart of government decision-making , to inform the national strategic response to the coronavirus epidemic .
`` As we move into the next phase of the coronavirus response , the JBC will complement the work of Sage , providing more operational focus including data analysis and epidemiological expertise , with the aim of ensuring that outbreaks of coronavirus are detected and brought under control quickly . ''
• Coronavirus : How does the Covid-19 alert level system work ?
• Coronavirus : What is the R number and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown : New laws come into force The JBC was formed in May to help the UK 's chief medical officers set the threat levels in each of the four nations .
The centre , part of the NHS test-and-trace service , brings together epidemiologists and analysts from national and local government , and universities , to provide real-time analysis of outbreaks and develop interventions to stamp them out .
New ways of identifying a brewing outbreak before it takes hold could include : • Environmental clues which might indicate infection levels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some scientists are expressing concern that , given how important the JBC will be to the public 's wellbeing , little is known about how it will operate , and the quality and experience of its personnel .
Former government chief scientific adviser Prof Sir David King said the operations of the new body were a mystery .
He also questioned whether the JBC had the in-house expertise to undertake the type of analysis that was necessary to identify potential surges in infection , expressing publicly what other experts said off the record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be willing to be cross-examined by the media , or is it a body feeding information behind the scenes to ministers ?
`` If it is the latter , then how will government regain the trust of the public ? ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?
How the JBC will operate and interact with bodies such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still being worked out .
Many government advisers , such as Prof Sir Roy Anderson of Imperial College , London , believe transparency is essential for its success .
`` As with Sage , it will be important that the workings of the new centre are open to scrutiny by independent experts , '' he told BBC News .
Many on Sage are delighted that JBC will be taking responsibility for monitoring the spread of Covid-19 .
Thomas House , of Manchester University , is among those who have been working for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` Sage is very much designed for emergencies , so the current model is n't sustainable .
`` I 'm working on my n-th last-minute request to do complex analysis of messy data at short notice just now , and it 's an exhausting way to work . ''
But he added that there should be more openness .
`` The exact way JBC will work is still to be determined , and it 's a good thing that the BBC is prompting discussion and scrutiny of what the public might @ @ @ @ @ @ @

But privately some scientists are expressing concern that, given how important the JBC will be to the public's wellbeing, little is known about how it will operate, and the quality and experience of its personnel.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Cut back GCSEs and A-levels next year, say heads

Head teachers in England say GCSEs and A-levels will have to be slimmed down for next year 's exams , because of the teaching time lost in the lockdown .
A grassroots group of more than 5,000 heads is warning it is `` neither realistic nor workable '' to catch up in full by next summer .
They are calling for reduced content or to have some `` open book '' exams where students can use text books .
The exam watchdog Ofqual has suggested removing some practical parts of exams .
West Sussex head teacher Jules White is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group , which originally formed over school funding shortages .
The network of heads is now raising concerns about trying to run next year 's exams with few changes , when many pupils have been out of school for so long and when there is the risk of more disruption from local lockdowns .
• How schools will be going back in the autumn • GCSE and A-level back-up exams in all subjects They are also calling for more support for pupils ' mental health when they return to school in the autumn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much better balance to maintain standards whilst looking after children 's mental health , '' said Mr White , head of Tanbridge House School in Horsham .
`` The idea that pupils will simply 'catch up ' on months of lost learning is neither realistic nor workable . ''
He also said it would be `` highly undesirable '' if the lack of time to complete courses meant `` reducing grade boundaries so low as to become meaningless '' .
`` Content for content 's sake achieves nothing .
Surely it is best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge and understanding for the next step in their education , '' said Clive Sentance , head teacher of Alcester Grammar School in Warwickshire .
Last week the Department for Education 's guidance for the return to school in the autumn said pupils would be expected to carry on with all the GCSEs and A-levels they had planned .
The exams regulator Ofqual said there would not be any reduction in the number of exams and suggested only a few changes , such as removing geography field trips or science practicals .
Additionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year 's exams are expected to take place later in the summer .
Geoff Barton , leader of the ASCL head teachers ' union , described the changes as `` little more than tinkering at the edges '' .
He warned that young people had `` lost a huge chunk of face-to-face teaching time '' and said the `` very minor changes '' proposed by Ofqual failed to `` recognise the enormous pressure on schools and their pupils '' .
Mr White 's group of heads , representing schools in 78 local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduction in next year 's exams , to reduce pressure on schools and stress on students .
As well as reducing the course content for GCSE and A-level , they also suggest using open-book exams for some subjects , where candidates would have access to text books or other notes during the exam .
Ofqual is running a consultation on any changes to next year 's exams and says final decisions will be announced in August .

The network of heads is now raising concerns about trying to run next year's exams with few changes, when many pupils have been out of school for so long and when there is the risk of more disruption from local lockdowns.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Robust plan for PPE 'must be in place for winter'

Supplies of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) must be guaranteed ahead of winter when the UK could face a second wave of coronavirus , say MPs .
The cross-party committee says it is not convinced there is a robust plan or `` sufficient urgency '' from government .
It comes after an official assessment of the supply and distribution of PPE in England between March and May highlighted shortcomings .
Nationally , PPE stocks never ran out , says the government .
But there were some shortages , including the supply of gowns .
The Commons Public Accounts Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a detailed plan within two months , setting out how they intended to keep the NHS and the care sector fully supplied in future .
The business leader brought in by the government to sort out shortages of PPE , Lord Paul Deighton , recently told the BBC that supplies were now stable and had been secured for the rest of the year .
• Has the NHS got enough PPE ?
• Tsar says PPE shortage crisis is over Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic , global demand for PPE has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PPE used in the UK is bought from overseas suppliers .
As of 5 July , the Department of Health and Social Care had distributed more than 2.2 billion items of PPE for use by health and social care services in England .
That compares with 2.43bn for the whole of 2019 , pre-coronavirus .
Almost 28 billion items of PPE have been ordered overall from UK-based manufacturers and international partners to provide a continuous supply in the coming months .
Temporary scrapping of VAT on PPE has been extended until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cheaper for care homes , charities and businesses to acquire the vital kit .
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said : `` We do not accept these claims .
We have been working around the clock to deliver PPE to the frontline throughout this global pandemic , working with industry , the NHS and the armed forces to create a distribution network to supply over 58,000 settings .
`` We will continue to give the NHS whatever it needs and protect it for the future .
We have written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently announced another £1.5bn of capital investment , and we will deliver 50,000 more nurses by end of this Parliament . ''

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We do not accept these claims. We have been working around the clock to deliver PPE to the frontline throughout this global pandemic, working with industry, the NHS and the armed forces to create a distribution network to supply over 58,000 settings.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Dame Vera Lynn: Flypast to honour Forces' Sweetheart

A flypast will honour Dame Vera Lynn when her funeral is held in Sussex later this week , it has been announced .
Dame Vera , the Forces ' Sweetheart whose songs helped to raise morale in World War Two , died last month aged 103 .
Her family will hold a private funeral service on Friday .
A cortege bearing her body will pause in Ditchling , where she lived , to allow residents to pay their respects ; and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast will go over the village .
A spokeswoman for the family said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 11:40 BST and the flypast , consisting of a Spitfire and a Hurricane , would take place at noon .
Dame Vera will be taken to Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton where servicemen and women will line the route outside the chapel , with a military bearer party to receive the coffin .
A bugler from the Royal Marines will provide music inside the chapel .
The service will be attended by a senior officer from the Ministry of Defence , the bugler , and a small family group .
The family said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a later date .
The singer was best known for performing hits such as We 'll Meet Again to troops on the front line .
Dame Vera , who had sold more than a million records by the age of 22 , was also remembered for singing The White Cliffs Of Dover , There 'll Always Be An England , I 'll Be Seeing You , Wishing and If Only I Had Wings .
The Queen echoed her WW2 anthem during a speech to Britons who were separated from families and friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling the nation : `` We will be with our friends again , we will be with our families again , we will meet again . ''

The Queen echoed her WW2 anthem during a speech to Britons who were separated from families and friends during the coronavirus lockdown in April, telling the nation: "We will be with our friends again, we will be with our families again, we will meet again."


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Welsh care homes 'badly let down'

Care homes have been `` badly let down '' during the coronavirus pandemic and the Welsh Government has been too slow to respond , a report has said .
The Senedd 's health committee described Wales ' testing policy in care homes at the start of the outbreak as `` flawed '' .
It said it took `` too long '' to start `` appropriate testing measures '' .
Care homes account for 28 % of Wales ' 2,438 coronavirus deaths .
The Welsh Government said it did not accept residents had been let down .
`` The Senedd 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is just one part of our response , '' a spokesman said .
`` We have provided a wide range of support , including extra nursing staff where necessary and free PPE [ personal protective equipment ] for care homes across Wales . ''
• How do we protect care homes as lockdown eases ?
How well Wales coped with the pandemic , including whether there was adequate PPE and effective testing policies was explored by the cross-party committee .
The crisis `` exposed serious weaknesses that existed in many areas '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it added : `` A second wave does not have to be inevitable if the lessons of the last few months are properly learned and fully applied . ''
Early in the outbreak , 1,097 patients were discharged from hospitals to care homes without being tested for Covid-19 .
Care home residents with symptoms , and those being discharged from hospital , were not routinely tested until 29 April .
On 16 May it was announced that all residents and staff , regardless of whether they had symptoms , could be tested .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ considerably later than both England ( 28 April ) and Scotland ( 1 May ) '' took the same decision .
Wales ' initial approach was `` flawed , and ... it was subsequently too slow in responding to the mounting crisis '' , the report adds .
It said : `` We are deeply troubled by the number of Covid-related deaths in care homes .
Care homes look after some of our oldest and most vulnerable members of society .
`` They deserve to be protected in the event of a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ badly let down during this crisis .
`` It is our view that the Welsh Government 's initial approach to testing in care homes was flawed , and that it was subsequently too slow in responding to the mounting crisis that has seen deaths in care homes account for 28 % of all coronavirus deaths in Wales . ''
Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said policies are based on scientific advice - and there was no evidence that discharging people from hospitals to care homes without tests led to more deaths .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original testing policy , later than happened in England and Scotland , came `` at great cost to the social care sector '' .
The report also said there was a lack of PPE at the start of the outbreak and it was `` extremely concerning '' Wales has - at times - come within days of running out .
Other concerns included the fact vulnerable people who were asked to shield from the disease did not always get clear information and the UK-wide decision to abandon contact tracing early in the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Welsh Government should now make sure it has an `` efficient and effectively functioning contact tracing system '' .
A Welsh Government spokesman said its approach had been `` rooted in scientific evidence with the sole objective of saving lives , regardless of where people live '' .
`` Everyone working in social care has worked tirelessly to protect some of the most vulnerable people in Wales , '' he added .
`` We will continue to work with the sector to identify and provide any additional support it needs to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wales , which represents the industry , said some of its members felt under pressure to admit hospital patients who had not been tested .
Chairman Mario Kreft said : `` This report is essentially confirming what we knew already and what Care Forum Wales has been saying for months that essentially care homes , their residents and staff inadvertently became collateral damage in a drive to protect the NHS from being overrun . ''

The report also said there was a lack of PPE at the start of the outbreak and it was "extremely concerning" Wales has - at times - come within days of running out.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Half of leisure centres could close, warns trade body

Half of all public leisure facilities in the UK could close by the end of the year without more government support , MPs have been told .
Huw Edwards , chief executive of trade body ukactive , said they needed a £800m bailout in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown .
He said sports centres had `` fallen between the cracks '' of other services local councils have to provide in law .
Ministers say they are aiming to reopen facilities in England in mid-July .
Leisure centres and indoor sports courts have been closed since March and are yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK .
A date for their reopening has not been given anywhere in the UK apart from in Northern Ireland where it is provisionally fixed for 7 August .
• 'The money isn ’ t coming in quickly enough' • What might swimming pools be like after lockdown ?
Mr Edwards said there had been `` frustration '' that facilities had not been allowed to reopen alongside pubs and restaurants in England on 4 July .
He told the Digital , Culture , Media and Sport Committee he was hopeful the government would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming days '' .
But he said his body , which represents leisure centres and facility operators , estimated around a third of facilities would not be able to reopen when allowed .
A £800m injection was required , he told MPs , to cover losses whilst they have been closed and make them sustainable in the `` short to medium term '' .
Mr Edwards said he felt there was a risk of `` sleepwalking into loss of public leisure across the country , '' and the sector 's non-statutory status meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' when it came to funding .
Public leisure centres , swimming pools and sports halls are funded by local authorities , although often run by trusts or third-party providers .
However unlike other local services such as libraries , waste collection and road repair , councils are not legally obliged to provide them .
The Local Government Association says councils have `` limited ability '' to provide emergency support because of budget shortfalls they are facing themselves .
In written evidence to the committee , it said a `` significant proportion '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have `` very tight '' operating margins and small cash reserves to keep them afloat without fees income .
The government has given an extra £3.7bn in emergency Covid-19 funds to English councils to help them cope with pressures from the pandemic .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
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• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• TWO METRES : Is less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leisure facilities would play a `` key role '' in improving public health in the wake of the virus .
He said this put them on the `` frontline in supporting the NHS '' and had led to `` frustration '' when they had been compared to other sectors that have reopened .
PM Boris Johnson has said a timetable for the reopening of indoor gyms and swimming pools in England will be set out this week .
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has previously said the government hoped to reopen gyms and leisure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary said ministers were working to get swimming pools reopened `` as soon as safely possible '' .
`` The emphasis , of course , has to be on safely '' , he said .
But he added : `` The nature of swimming and changing rooms means that there are risks , and we have to ensure that those risks are properly taken into account . ''

Mr Edwards said he felt there was a risk of "sleepwalking into loss of public leisure across the country," and the sector's non-statutory status meant it had "fallen between the cracks" when it came to funding.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: What guidance did care homes get from the government?

Care home providers have criticised Boris Johnson after he said `` too many care homes did n't really follow the procedures in the way that they could have '' during the coronavirus pandemic .
At least 20,000 care home residents in England and Wales have died from Covid-19 since the start of the outbreak .
Vic Rayner , executive director of the National Care Forum , described the prime minister 's comments as `` neither accurate nor welcome '' and said government guidance to the sector had come `` in stops and starts , with organisations grappling with over 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are an estimated 14,000 care homes in England .
Most are privately run , but are regulated by national bodies and would typically act on advice from central as well as local government .
We do n't know how each of them responded but what was some of the key guidance from government during the pandemic and did it come early enough ?
On 19 March , NHS guidance said that `` unless required to be in hospital , patients must not remain in an NHS bed '' .
This policy was implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an expected surge in coronavirus patients .
On 2 April , the rules on discharging to care homes were clarified , saying `` negative [ coronavirus ] tests are not required prior to transfers/admissions into the care home '' .
Even elderly patients who tested positive could be admitted to care homes , according to the document , if measures - such as wearing personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and isolation - were used .
From 15 April , the government said that all patients discharged from hospitals would be tested for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28,116 elderly patients had been moved from hospitals to care homes in England but there are no statistics to show how many cases of coronavirus were transmitted this way .
Up to this point more than 5,700 care home residents had died in England and Wales ( either in homes or in hospital ) .
Chris Hopson , head of hospital representative body NHS Providers , said it was `` categorically not true '' that hospitals were systematically discharging patients to care homes with coronavirus , saying there had been a 40 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with January .
He added that because `` sufficient testing '' did n't come in until mid-April : `` It is possible that a very small number of asymptomatic Covid-19 patients [ people who had coronavirus but were n't showing symptoms ] , who trusts were unable to test prior to that date , were discharged to social care . ''
The government has repeatedly said that decisions to discharge patients to hospitals during this time were made by medical professionals on a case-by-case basis .
• Where in England does care cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care : who pays ?
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said in May : `` We have followed a science-led action plan designed at all times to save lives .
This week we announced a new £600m infection control fund for care homes ... on top of the £3.2 billion we made available in March and April . ''
On 14 March , the government began prioritising the most vulnerable individuals for testing , including those in hospitals and care homes .
If an outbreak was suspected , a handful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested .
Reality Check understands that some care providers found access to testing to be very limited at this time .
On 15 April , the social care action plan was launched , as care home deaths in England were peaking at around 400 day .
This included a pledge to test all care staff who needed one , for example if they were in a household that was self-isolating .
At that point , just 1,000 care staff had been tested out of an estimated half a million who work in care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus symptoms would also be tested .
On 28 April , this was extended to all care staff and residents , regardless of whether they had symptoms .
In March , specific guidance related to coronavirus said that the PPE in care homes should be similar to that used in hospital settings .
The government launched the National Supply Disruption Response on 13 March , a centralised line for care and health providers to raise concerns .
This was followed on 19 March by a promise to deliver 300 masks to each care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of March and early April , as bodies such as Unison , the Royal College of Nursing and care homes themselves highlighted shortages .
Because care homes are generally privately-run , they are responsible for purchasing their own PPE .
Many found their local suppliers were running low and that they were competing with better-funded hospitals .
A letter from the government on 2 April recognised `` the challenges providers may have experienced in obtaining PPE supplies over recent weeks , '' and promised that the supply chain would be bolstered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On 10 April the government announced a PPE action plan , which included freeing up up 34 million pieces of equipment to `` local resilience forums '' who would then distribute it to care homes through local authorities .
By this point , 3,100 care home residents had died in England and Wales .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health General guidance produced on 25 February included advice for carers on what to do if they came into contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was nothing advising against visits to care homes .
In one section it said : `` It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected . ''
Another section said : `` Currently there is no evidence of transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom .
There is no need to do anything differently in any care setting at present . ''
However , the government 's own Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( SAGE ) had advised on 10 February that `` it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already sustained transmission in the UK , or that it will become established in the coming weeks . ''
On 3 March , the government released its coronavirus action plan - the document did not mention restricting visits to care homes .
By 5 March , England had had 273 cases of people with the virus .
That day the Chief Medical Officer for England Prof Chris Whitty told a committee of MPs that as there were cases that could not be traced back to people who had come from abroad , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is some level of community transmission in this virus in the UK now '' .
Italy suspended visits to care homes at this point , five weeks after recording its first case .
A day later , Nursing Homes Ireland , which represents hundreds of care homes in Ireland , banned non-essential visits , just six days after the first confirmed case in the country .
On 10 March , Prof Martin Green , head of Care England which represents independent care providers , directed criticism in an Independent article at the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in England nearly 800 people had caught the virus , but the article noted that the generic guidance published by Public Health England appeared out of date , as it said there was no evidence of transmission within the UK .
Prof Green said : `` There is no evidence of a plan .
I 'm not even certain they have these plans and are n't just making them up as they go along . ''
Nevertheless , some homes were deciding to close their doors to visitors , with care groups Barchester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March and 12 March .
Scottish Care - a representative body for social care in Scotland - advised care homes to close to visits on 11 March .
On 13 March , the government 's guidance from 25 February was updated to say that `` care home providers are advised to review their visiting policy , by asking no-one to visit who has suspected Covid-19 or is generally unwell , and by emphasising good hand hygiene for visitors '' .
On the same day Bupa and Four Seasons care homes stopped non-essential visits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was announced that social distancing should be carried out by everyone , in particular those aged over 70 and vulnerable people .
That day , the prime minister was asked about care homes and said : `` We do n't want to see people unnecessarily visiting care homes . ''
By this point there had been 3,200 cases in England ( although the figure given by the authorities at that point was less than half of that ; positive cases are now dated to the day the sample was given ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 16 March , 14 deaths of care home residents were reported along with 30 outbreaks in England 's 15,000 care homes .
On 21 March , guidance was introduced to encourage medically vulnerable people to remain indoors as much as possible until the end of June - a process known as shielding .
On 24 March , lockdown began with people ordered not to leave their homes at all except for `` essential '' reasons , which did n't include visits to care homes .
Finally , on 2 April another document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care said that `` family and friends should be advised not to visit care homes , except next of kin in exceptional situations such as end of life '' .
Speaking on 15 May , Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that on the basis of the 13 March guidance `` many of the care home providers , for instance Care UK , at that point stopped visitors '' .

That day Prof Chris Whitty told a committee of MPs that as there were cases that could not be traced back to people who had come from abroad, it was "highly likely therefore that there is some level of community transmission in this virus in the UK now".


bbcuk--2020-07-07--How would a stamp duty holiday work?

How would a stamp duty holiday work?

The chancellor is likely to announce changes to stamp duty on Wednesday to help cut costs for anyone buying a home .
Reports suggest that the level at which the tax is charged could be temporarily raised to £500,000 to boost the property market and help buyers struggling because of the coronavirus crisis .
Stamp duty is a tax paid by people buying properties , although it varies slightly across the UK .
In Scotland it is Land and Buildings Transaction Tax , while in Wales buyers pay Land Transaction Tax .
The amount handed to the government depends on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price of the property and whether you 're a first-time buyer .
The expected changes to stamp duty will only apply to buyers in England and Northern Ireland .
Who pays stamp duty and how much ?
In England and Northern Ireland stamp duty is paid on land or property sold for £125,000 or more .
However , first-time buyers pay no tax up to £300,000 and 5 % on any portion between £300,000 and £500,000 .
For people who have bought a home before , stamp duty rates are 2 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 10 % on £925,001-£1.5m , and 12 % on any value above £1.5m .
That means someone spending £248,000 - the average cost of a house - would currently pay £2,460 in stamp duty to move home .
Landlords pay an extra 3 % of stamp duty when they purchase a buy-to-let property in England and Northern Ireland .
In Scotland and Wales , the rates are slightly different .
There is speculation that the government could increase the lower stamp duty threshold to either £300,000 for all buyers , or as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property purchases below the new level would not need to pay stamp duty .
The move would help buyers who have taken a financial hit because of the coronavirus crisis .
It is also aimed to boost a property market hit by lockdown .
According to the Halifax , house prices have fallen for four months in a row .
When will the stamp duty holiday happen ?
It is likely to be announced on Wednesday in the chancellor 's summer statement .
The increase will probably be temporary , though , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels is long enough to help revive the flagging property market .
However , rumours that it may not begin until October , at the time of the autumn Budget , prompted critics to warn it could encourage people to delay their plans for buying a home , extending the current property market blues for another three months .
It could also encourage people planning to buy next year to accelerate their plans to take advantage of the tax break , leading to a potential property demand slump when the stamp duty holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buyer save ?
The more you pay - up to the possible new £500,000 threshold - the more you could save on stamp duty .
If you currently buy a house for £275,000 , for instance , the Stamp Duty you 'd have to pay would be £3,750 .
That 's based on 0 % duty on the first £125,000 , 2 % on the next £125,000 ( £2,500 ) , plus 5 % on the final £25,000 ( £1,250 ) .
Meanwhile anyone buying a home in Bramhall , Stockport would save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rightmove estimates of an average asking price of £472,053 .
How much does stamp duty raise ?
The government 's annual take from stamp duty is around £12bn , according to the latest figures released by HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) .
That 's roughly equivalent to 2 % of the Treasury 's total tax take .
• The government has a stamp duty calculator here • You can work out how much stamp duty you currently have to pay here

Stamp duty: What is it and how much do I pay? Published 23 September 2022
Image source, Getty Images
The government has cut stamp duty tax in England and Northern Ireland for some buyers.
Stamp duty is a tax paid when you buy a property.
What are the new stamp duty rates?
The amount of stamp duty you pay depends on the cost of the property.
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced the permanent changes as part of the government's mini-budget. They come into effect straight away.
The price at which stamp duty is paid was doubled from £125,000 to £250,000.
The rates are now:
0%: £0 - £250,000 (£425,000 for first time buyers)
£0 - £250,000 (£425,000 for first time buyers) 5%: £250,000 - £925,000
£250,000 - £925,000 10%: £925,000 - £1,500,000
£925,000 - £1,500,000 12%: £1,500,000+
The chancellor added that discounted stamp duty for first-time buyers will now apply to properties costing up to £625,000 - up from £500,000.
How much stamp duty will I pay?
Buyers of homes that cost less than £250,000 don't pay stamp duty. That will comfortably buy you an average terraced home in most places outside of the South East of England.
First time buyers can spend £425,000 - roughly an average flat in London - before paying stamp duty.
Spend £625,000 - perhaps a detached home somewhere like Colingham in Leeds - and you'll pay nearly £19,000.
At £1m - which could be a detached home in Shenfield at the Essex end of the Elizabeth Line - stamp duty will cost just over £41,000.
You can also use the government's Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) calculator to find out how much you have to pay.
What are rates in Scotland and Wales?
In Scotland, the current rates for the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax are:
£0-£145,000 (£175,000 for first-time buyers) = 0%
£145,001-£250,000 = 2%
£250,001-£325,000 = 5%
£325,001-£750,000 = 10%
£750,001+ = 12%
Anyone buying an additional Scottish property costing more than £40,000, including landlords and second-home owners, pays an extra 4% Land and Buildings Transaction Tax on top of standard rates.
For example, a second-time buyer purchasing a home worth £425,000 in Scotland would pay £15,850.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Estate agents say there are not enough properties coming on to the market at the moment
The current rates for Wales' Land Transaction Tax are:
£0-£180,000 = 0%
£180,001-£250,000 = 3.5%
£250,001-£400,000 = 5%
£400,001-£750,000 = 7.5%
£750,001-£1.5m = 10%
£1.5m + = 12%
Anyone buying and additional Welsh property costing more than £40,000, including landlords and second-home owners, pays an extra 4% Land Transaction Tax on top of standard rates.
When do you have to pay it?
You have 14 days to pay stamp duty from the date of completion in England and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland and Wales you have 30 days from the point of purchase.
If it takes longer, you could face a fine, or be charged interest on the duty you owe.
How do you pay it?
House buyers often pay via their solicitors, but you can also pay directly online, or by cheque or cash in many banks.
It is also possible to add stamp duty to mortgage loans and increase your debt to cover the cost of the tax but you could end up paying significantly more in interest payments.
What effect does changing stamp duty have on the housing market?
During the pandemic, the government announced a stamp duty holiday to help home buyers whose finances were affected by Covid. It meant no stamp duty was payable on the first £250,000 of a property.
It was widely thought to have stimulated the housing market and estate agents reported a surge of interest.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK average house prices increased by 15.5% over the year to July 2022, up from 7.8% in June 2022.
Image caption, The property market in Richmond, North Yorkshire boomed during the Covid stamp duty holiday period
However, many things may have contributed to rising house prices.
"The final closure of the stamp duty scheme at the end of September 2021 may have had no impact at all," says Nicky Stevenson, managing director at estate agents Fine and Country.
"Other factors are so much more important, namely the race for space, low supply, accidental savings [from the pandemic] and low interest rates."
How much money does stamp duty raise?
The government's annual take from stamp duty is about £14bn, according to latest HM Revenue and Customs figures.
That's roughly equivalent to 2% of the tax the Treasury collects.
What other help is there for first-time buyers?
The policy is designed to help more first-time buyers secure a home.
The scheme is available to anyone buying a home costing up to £600,000, unless it is a buy-to-let property, a second home or, in some cases, a new-build.
The Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) helps people in Scotland buy their first property either on the open market, or from a council or housing association. What is stamp duty and how much do I pay?
The Welsh government also runs various schemes to help people to buy a home.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Workers not eligible for furlough: 'It's been very stressful'

Before lockdown , Amber Millar Chambers worked at two bar jobs to support her university studies .
One furloughed her , the other did n't .
She is among an unknown number of people in the UK who have lost out financially , because for more than three months , workers could not be part-furloughed .
Workers not on a company 's payroll are also not eligible for the scheme .
The furlough scheme , brought in to mitigate the effects of coronavirus , allows employees to receive 80 % of their monthly salary , up to £2,500 .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - 9.3 million people - are now being supported by it , but there are some that have not been eligible for help .
Ms Millar Chambers says her employer did n't give her a formal contract and that because she is n't on a payroll , she has been excluded from being furloughed on one of her jobs , working at London 's Troxy music venue .
`` They offered us a goodwill gesture , '' she said , which amounted to about 40 % of her pay during April and May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown began , and nothing since .
`` I can still put food on the table , but that 's only the result of my student loan , '' she said , which has had to last since April .
Her landlord has allowed her to pay only half of her rent , but she must move soon and will eventually have to pay back the rent that 's owed , putting her in debt .
• Coronavirus : What does it mean if I 've been furloughed by work ?
She works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more and which has put her on furlough of about £100 a month , but her rent is £750 .
`` It 's been stressful .
It 's been very stressful . ''
Troxy 's general manager Tom Sutton-Roberts told the BBC a `` legacy system '' was to blame for staff missing furlough , which arose `` from the fact we were unable to offer any kind of regular hours and work in the early days of Troxy reopening as a venue '' .
Ms Millar Chambers was paid £8.50 an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central London , she says .
`` The government is doing a lot for a lot of people , '' she said , but she feels workers like her are being left out .
Mr Sutton-Roberts said the venue `` would love '' to pay the London Living Wage , `` but with our future so incredibly uncertain , it 's not something we can commit to today '' .
`` We are consulting with the entire team with how they would like to be engaged in the future , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six part-time cleaning jobs is another worker who lost out on some government support money , because she was not able to be furloughed part-time .
On 18 March , she was told she 'd lose a 12.5-hour-a-week contract earning the statutory minimum of £8.72 per hour .
She could n't be furloughed because of five hours of work she does for her employer Cleanology at another site .
Cleanology 's chief executive Dominic Ponniah told the BBC his company tried to furlough as many staff as possible , and that of 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost contracts , it has been able to hire most back and furlough them .
However , to reallocate the work `` administratively and operationally , it would have been almost impossible to coordinate in the short amount of time we had , '' he said .
The company 's client had paid Ms Tabares ' wages up until the end of the contract on 1 June , he said , although she did n't receive the money until 10 June .
HMRC , which administers the furlough scheme , has allowed firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , this change will not cover work and earnings lost by many workers in March , April , May or June .
Ms Tabares ' union , United Voices of the World ( UVW ) , told the BBC that `` the furlough scheme depends on the good will of employers '' .
`` In many cases where members work across multiple sites on part time contracts to make ends meet , the furlough scheme has failed them . ''
Ms Tabares says added pressures , such as having to give Cleanology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help .
The company says this is a deposit , and that while it encourages its clients to support the UK and London Living Wages of £9.30 and £10.75 , less than half do so .
• The national minimum wage is the minimum hourly pay covering under-25s .
It is set by the government and is £8.20 for 21 to 24-year-olds , £6.45 for 18 to 20-year-olds , £4.55 for under-18s and £4.15 for apprentices .
• The national living wage is the minimum hourly pay for over-25s .
It is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The real living wage is £10.75 per hour for London and £9.30 per hour for the rest of the UK .
It is voluntary and calculated by the Living Wage Foundation based on living costs .
Another London-based cleaner , who did n't want to be named , tells a similar story .
Clients left her employer as their offices and restaurants closed and her hours were thus reduced .
Her bills , however , have not been .
`` I felt like an idiot in this situation , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company would protect me . ''
After her union stepped in , she was offered fresh work , but much of it was too far away , she told the BBC in Spanish through an interpreter .
A HM Treasury spokesperson said : `` Our job retention scheme has so far protected more than nine million jobs - and has been extended until the end of October .
`` As the economy re-opens , we will continue to look at how to adjust our support in a way that ensures people can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK economy and the livelihoods of people across the country . ''
For Ms Millar Chambers , she is hoping a deal can be struck with her employers .
`` We are hoping to be brought in-house , which will entitle us to have holiday pay and more rights as workers for the venue and sick pay , which is important , '' she says .
The Advisory , Conciliation and Arbitration Service ( ACAS ) is overseeing talks between Ms Millar Chambers and her fellow workers , with the Troxy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likes the flexibility , but would like at least a zero-hours contract , or one which would guarantee at least a few hours per week .

"I can still put food on the table, but that's only the result of my student loan," she said, which has had to last since April. Her landlord has allowed her to pay only half of her rent, but she must move soon and will eventually have to pay back the rent that's owed, putting her in debt.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--The spying game: China's global network

The spying game: China's global network

The latest controversy to swirl around the Chinese telecoms company Huawei has shone a spotlight on the murky world of Chinese espionage , agent-recruitment and an ambitious programme of extending its influence across the globe .
So how extensive is it , how does it work and who runs it ?
A dossier reportedly complied with the help of a former MI6 spy has accused China of trying to manipulate key UK figures , including politicians , to back the telecom giant 's business in Britain .
Every major Chinese enterprise anywhere in the world allegedly has an internal `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communist Party ( CCP ) to drive the political agenda and ensure that the company is compliant with political directives .
This is why China experts assert that the CCP does operate here in Britain , often under the natural cover of business .
`` The Party machine is everywhere '' , says one , adding : `` For China , business is inseparable from politics . ''
• Why Huawei 's days in the UK could be numbered The CCP has 93 million members , with many of them placed or hidden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be tasked with gathering secrets , especially in the technology sphere , including telecoms .
Experts say these `` agents '' , as well as targeted individuals in important positions in foreign companies , can be recruited or persuaded using a number of different methods .
The first approach is usually what is known as `` a positive incentive '' , especially if the targeted individual is a non-Chinese national .
In the West this can take the form of a tempting invitation to an important business meeting in China , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing difficulties , or the offer of a ( sometimes meaningless ) seat on a board as a non-executive director or even in some cases a life-changing sum of money .
In the last 10 to 15 years there has been an increasing readiness to target well-placed foreigners with positive incentives .
Inside China though , recruitment methods can , according to people familiar with them , take on a far more sinister form .
This can include putting pressure on Chinese family members - essentially blackmail - to honeytraps set for unwary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` chance '' encounter with an attractive woman which is then covertly recorded and used as `` kompromat '' - compromising material to be used as a lever .
`` The Chinese state is very good at setting honeytraps on their own territory , '' says a British businessman who has worked in China .
These are normally run by China 's Ministry of State Security .
Rather than being run centrally , these targeting operations tend to be run out of provincial State Security bureau , each of which deals with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So the Shanghai bureau , for example , covers the US , Beijing covers Russia and the former Soviet republics , Tianjin covers Japan and Korea , and so on .
`` The Chinese state uses the full spectrum of government levers to acquire information , '' says someone very familiar with its operations .
`` This ranges from targeted and large-scale cyber espionage and theft to co-opting industry experts , both knowingly and unknowingly . ''
`` Along with Russia , '' he adds , `` China is the biggest espionage threat @ @ @ @ @

Rather than being run centrally, these targeting operations tend to be run out of provincial State Security bureau, each of which deals with a different geographic area of the world. So the Shanghai bureau, for example, covers the US, Beijing covers Russia and the former Soviet republics, Tianjin covers Japan and Korea, and so on.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--'Rishi Sunak: We need help with rent, money and jobs'

Young people across the UK have had their work , studies and lives upended because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Many are working from home , while others have been furloughed or even made redundant .
There could be more than one million young workers who are without a job , if the overall UK level of unemployment goes up from the current 4 % of workers to 10 % , according to the Resolution Foundation think-tank .
On top of that , under-30s have been hardest hit by a fall in their income during lockdown as more of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there anything the chancellor could announce in his speech on Wednesday to help them ? '
A grant for apprentices would be a start' Emma-Jayne is an apprentice chef from Dorset , earning £5 per hour .
She is one of the many workers who were furloughed in the hospitality sector .
The scheme was introduced by the government to minimise coronavirus-related job losses , and it pays 80 % of staff salaries up to £2,500 a month .
Although restaurants in England have since been allowed to reopen , Emma-Jayne has only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basis .
All of the culinary courses she was due to go on have also been cancelled .
• UK firms slash more than 12,000 jobs in two days And while part of her level one apprenticeship is based on online coursework , she has n't been able to make the relevant recipes as her furlough payments `` do n't go as far they need to . ''
`` Over the last few months , I 've barely made my rent and managed to pay my bills .
`` I ca n't help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because there 's a big difference between being able to survive and being able to live when it comes to your pay cheque . ''
`` I think a grant for apprentices would be a start to make up for the lack of support , '' she says .
Nairn McDonald , 24 , is a full-time carer for his mum and 21-year-old brother .
He says that during lockdown they 've been shielding in place .
`` Now they ca n't get out , my role has changed .
I 'm also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - so it 's a bit more labour intensive . ''
Nairn says that costs have also been adding up .
He relies on universal credit , the benefit for working-age people in the UK , which he says does n't `` really go a long way . ''
Although the standard allowance in universal credit has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 , Nairn points out that his carer 's allowance of about £67 per week is deducted from that .
He describes the rise as `` minimal '' .
Nairn says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for carers , as well as support for those transitioning back into education or work .
`` Some sort of job guarantee - whether it 's an apprenticeship , an internship or an interview - would be really helpful for young people like me . ''
'Help should be given to renters too' Razzia Gafur , 24 , moved to London after finishing her university studies two years ago .
But when lockdown started , she decided to isolate with her partner and his family just outside of Leeds .
`` I only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been here for three to four months now ! ''
She left behind the two-bedroom flat she shares with a housemate .
Razzia has since asked her estate agent if she could exit the tenancy agreement , as she 's spending £700 per month on rent and bills on a property she has n't been living in .
`` They would only let me out of my tenancy if I found a replacement tenant , '' Razzia says , adding that it was difficult to find anyone to take on the flat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be done for tenants in the private rented sector .
She points out that mortgage holidays started in March , allowing home owners to defer payments without affecting their credit rating .
`` Having to pay for somewhere I do n't live - it 's made me question why I 'm paying for somebody else 's mortgage .
`` It 's definitely solidified the thought that I should be looking to buy my own property , as renting has put me in a more difficult situation . ''
Georgia Barks from Peterborough has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works at has been closed since the pandemic took hold earlier this year .
While the government has announced a £1.57bn emergency support package to help protect the future of theatres , galleries and museums , `` it should have been done sooner '' , Georgia says .
`` When we all looked for entertainment during lockdown , we turned to Netflix , we turned to TV , and to theatre live-streams - we all turned to the arts . ''
Georgia believes that the chancellor should extend the furlough scheme , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of October.
, covering costs for theatres which have no confirmed reopening date as of yet .
`` There are no shows for people to come see and there is a drop in future bookings because people are waiting to see if dates get moved again .
`` It 's ridiculous to say they ( theatres ) must contribute when they have no income to do so , '' she says .

There could be more than one million young workers who are without a job, if the overall UK level of unemployment goes up from the current 4% of workers to 10%, according to the Resolution Foundation think-tank.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Purfleet-on-Thames: The town that changed its name to attract visitors

It is positioned next to the M25 , neighbours one of the UK 's biggest out-of-town shopping centres and , for years , has been a spiritual home for darts fans .
But now the Essex town formerly known as Purfleet is looking for a future based on a new image - one that makes the most of its proximity to the world famous River Thames .
As of Saturday , for Purfleet , now read Purfleet-on-Thames .
The people behind the two-year campaign for the switch hope it will make it a `` destination of choice '' .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 1,500 tourists a day would arrive by boat or train to enjoy the sites , according to Purfleet-on-Thames Community Forum .
The thinking was that if the town adopted the 'on-Thames ' moniker , paired with plans for a costly regeneration , the future could look equally as bright .
But what do people make of the change - and will it make any difference ?
Sisters Juliet Obata , 49 , and Elfrida Dada , 46 , were both resoundingly in support of a change to something `` posher '' sounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attract people because there 's a lot of attractions here , '' said Ms Dada .
She said the town 's Heritage and Military Centre and the nearby Rainham Marshes , which she enjoys with her family each summer , having moved here from London in the mid-2000s , underlines what the area has to offer , '' It 's more of a community , everything is just around me , '' she said .
`` I ca n't remember the last time I drove to London .
`` It was that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could leave London for Purfleet . ''
Purfleet-on-Thames sits on the northern bank of the river , is home to about 12,000 residents , is close to the Lakeside shopping centre and its chalk pits are a site of special scientific interest .
You may also like : • 'What life without a leisure centre means for us' • How will places of worship change after lockdown ?
Plans are in place for a £1bn regeneration project , which would bring a film and TV studio facility along with a new waterfront @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and community facilities .
Claire Asplin , who has lived in Purfleet for 38 years and is part of the community forum , believed the name change `` reflects who we are '' .
`` To be honest , at first I was unsure about it but then as time went by I thought actually it was a new start for the place and links the old with the new , '' the 63-year-old said .
`` You 're not just thinking of some town name , you 're thinking of a wider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , that must be pleasant and nice ' .
`` Years ago , it really was a place where people used to come and visit for the day .
It 's got a lot of history to it so if that regeneration can attract people here again and make it a vibrant place where people want to be I think it 's all good . ''
But not everyone seems convinced the name change is such a good idea .
Nicky Thompson has lived in the area for 18 years and calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of money '' .
`` It does n't make any difference whatsoever - I just feel like they 've changed it to poshen up the area , '' she said .
Ms Thompson enjoys living in the area for its proximity to the river and the marshes , but is unsure whether a name change will attract people to Purfleet .
The 47-year-old , who uses a mobility scooter , also feels there are more pressing concerns in the area , such as accessibility for those unable to drive .
• The town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ novel Dracula as the site of the fictional Carfax House , to be purchased by the Count • Its Circus Tavern was the venue of the PDC World Darts Championship between 1994 and 2007 • The song Amazing Grace , by the Rev John Newton , was inspired from his near-death boating accident in Purfleet • Artist J.M.W .
Turner made sketches of the town which are now a part of the Tate Britain collection • It boats two Sites of Special Scientific Interest : Rainham Marshes and Purfleet Chalk Pits The town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sought to reap the benefit of the Thames - Staines in Surrey .
After becoming synonymous with Sacha Baron Cohen 's spoof rapper Ali G , councillors voted to change its name to Staines-Upon-Thames in 2011 .
Tony Mitchell , portfolio holder for planning and economic benefit at Spelthorne Borough Council , said the move had raised the profile of the town 's closeness to the river , which he said was not previously well known .
`` The council is now focused on fully recognising the untapped potential of Staines-upon-Thames and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opportunities of the riverside setting , '' he said .
`` Changing the name has changed the mindset and acted as a springboard for bringing about a step-change in the town and the quality of its developments .
So it 's definitely worth others considering . ''
While Purfleet-on-Thames tries to attract new people , in many sports fans ' minds the town will always be synonymous with darts .
The Circus Tavern held the Professional Darts Corporation 's ( PDC ) first World Championship in 1994 after its split from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event until 2007 .
PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said : `` Purfleet played an important role in the early days of the PDC , and the World Darts Championship helped to spread the Purfleet name globally .
`` With the Circus Tavern hosting the World Championship from 1993-94 through to 2007 there were thousands of fans visiting the town each year and it 's a place so many people have fond memories of . ''
Two visitors already attracted to the area before its name change were Eddie Northrop , 73 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week they cycle from Rainham in east London to sit near the river and grab a cup of coffee .
`` People say 'why do you keep coming to the same place all the time ? '
and we say 'because it 's really nice ' , '' said Gerry .
`` You can see a lot of London , there 's a lot of activity on the river with the boats going up and down .
`` It 's quite literally a breath of fresh air for us , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much fresh air when it 's windy . ''
Asked about the change of the name , Gerry said : `` It 's on the Thames and it is Purfleet , so why not ? ''
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"People say 'why do you keep coming to the same place all the time?' and we say 'because it's really nice'," said Gerry. "You can see a lot of London, there's a lot of activity on the river with the boats going up and down.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Thousands say debilitating symptoms last 'for weeks'

Extreme fatigue , nausea , chest tightness , severe headaches , `` brain fog '' and limb pains are among the recurring symptoms described by some sufferers of Covid-19 for weeks - and even months - after their diagnosis .
They call themselves `` long-haulers '' and their symptoms persist long after the 14-day period that 's officially said to be the average length of the illness .
There are calls for both health professionals and employers to recognise that some people will take a lot longer than two weeks to recover .
`` It 's the weirdest thing I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from Liverpool , told BBC health correspondent Dominic Hughes .
Nearly four months after she and her family caught the virus , and after needing hospital treatment twice , she still experiences a relapse roughly every two weeks where she is hit by debilitating fatigue , nausea , headaches and limb pain .
Her doctors have diagnosed post viral fatigue and she says any small over-exertion while she is feeling well can set her back for days at a time .
A very brief runaround with her young daughter during a family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days afterwards , completely exhausted .
Donna McCulloch , from Winchester , was diagnosed by her GP on 23 March - she did not have a test - but says she was at her worst seven weeks later .
`` The whole of April and most of May were an absolute wipe-out , '' she says .
`` Everybody was saying it was 14 days , and I just did n't get better .
By week six I was panicked . ''
Concerned about a secondary infection , her doctors prescribed antibiotics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse .
Donna now finally thinks she is on the mend : `` I 'm not where I was - but I 've done everything I can to get myself get back on track . ''
Donna and Helen are far from alone .
• Coronavirus : Why surviving the virus may be just the beginning • What does Covid-19 do to the brain ?
Thousands of people are sharing stories of their prolonged battle with Covid-19 , using hashtags and joining Facebook groups like the Long Covid Support Group , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Covid Symptom Study app , downloaded more than three million times , suggests a `` significant number '' of people report symptoms for a month .
One in 10-20 report it for longer than that , says genetic epidemiologist Prof Tim Spector , who came up with the app idea .
`` When this started , everyone assumed it was like the flu , it would all be over in a week and a few people would end up in hospital and either recover or have problems , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ logging onto the app every day that there is a significant proportion of people who have problems lasting not just the average ... but over a month . ''
Dr Jake Suett , an intensive-care doctor in Norfolk , who was himself ill for several weeks , wrote an open letter calling on the government to push for more research into long-haul symptoms , and also to raise awareness among not only health professionals but also employers , who may see their staff off work for longer than two weeks .
`` These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their employers need to have a realistic expectation for the time it will take them to recover , '' he wrote .
The issue has since been raised separately in parliament , and NHS England has just launched a new service to help people deal with the long-term effects of coronavirus .
The government has also announced an £8.4m study into the long-term impact on health .
But Dr Suett has not yet had a response .
So what is going on ?
Long-term consequences also affect some people who experience other chronic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various forms , says Dr Michael Head , an epidemiologist at the University of Southampton .
It 's difficult to pin down whether there are more or less people affected in the case of Covid-19 , because existing studies into other conditions give inconsistent results .
But Dr Head says the variety of its symptoms could be more unusual .
`` What may well be different with Covid-19 is the sheer range of observed long-term health consequences . ''
The tiredness , `` brain fog '' and lingering loss of taste and smell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask whether the virus actually attacks the brain .
`` It 's not yet fully known as to how these symptoms come about , for example whether the virus has an indirect effect on the nervous system , or whether it can pass through the blood-brain barrier and affect the brain directly , '' says Dr Head .
`` It is certainly very clear that the virus does affect many parts of the body beyond the lung . ''
Prof Paul Garner from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is an epidemiologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-haul journey since he first fell ill on 19 March .
He describes his condition now as being like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ( CFS ) or ME .
He says some sufferers think their condition must be psychological , because they ca n't believe they are experiencing such intense symptoms for such a long time .
`` They think , ' I ca n't be going through this , this is too strange .
I must be having a mental breakdown ' , '' he says .
`` I 've spoken to general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nervous breakdown .
But , actually , they 've just got symptoms of the disease . ''
Ultimately complete rest is crucial to eventual recovery , Prof Garner says - but many people will feel unable to do that , either for financial or family reasons , or both .
`` If you do n't give the body time to heal , it kicks you back , '' he says .
`` Rushing back into work because you have to is more likely to make you ill again and likely to delay your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this through , I think . ''

Dr Jake Suett, an intensive-care doctor in Norfolk, who was himself ill for several weeks, wrote an open letter calling on the government to push for more research into long-haul symptoms, and also to raise awareness among not only health professionals but also employers, who may see their staff off work for longer than two weeks.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Camilla and Dame Judi on TikTok and learning new lockdown skills

The Duchess of Cornwall has been speaking to Dame Judi Dench about their shared experience of having to use the @ @ @ @ @ in touch with family .
Camilla guest edited The Emma Barnett show for BBC Radio @ @ @ @ @ causes and charities which have come to the fore in the past few months .
@ @ @ @ @ about her new found fame on TikTok ( largely thanks to her grandson ) saying @ @ @ @ @ stardom better than anything ” .
You can listen to Camilla in conversation with Emma @ @ @ @ @

The Duchess of Cornwall has been speaking to Dame Judi Dench about their shared experience of having to use the internet in lockdown to keep in touch with family.
Camilla guest edited The Emma Barnett show for BBC Radio 5 Live, reflecting on causes and charities which have come to the fore in the past few months.
Dame Judi told the Duchess about her new found fame on TikTok (largely thanks to her grandson) saying, "I love TikTok stardom better than anything”.
You can listen to Camilla in conversation with Emma Barnett on BBC Sounds.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Care workers reunited with families after 12 weeks

'Very different ' reopening of National Gallery The National Gallery is reopening on 8 July after being closed for more @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .

Meet the care workers who opted to live at their place of work to protect the residents from Covid-19.
The 12 carers at the Court House Retirement Home, Cheddar, Somerset, last saw their families on 14 April.
BBC Breakfast caught their emotional reunions.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Pub manager on coronavirus news: 'We contacted every one of our customers'

A number of pubs in England have shut after customers tested positive for coronavirus.
Jess Green, manager of the Lighthouse Kitchen, told the BBC that they had phoned all customers who had left details at the weekend and that all staff had tested negative for the virus.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Newspaper headlines: Sunak's £2bn jobs fund and 'shock' Depp claims

Companies will be able to apply for the subsidies within a month and the first young people could start work @ @ @ @ @ the Guardian .
The paper says Mr Sunak decided it was too risky to wait @ @ @ @ @ help the large numbers of young people in the hospitality , retail and leisure sectors @

The Sun examines which towns outside London could make the biggest savings, predicting places such as Dorking, Lymington and Sunbury-on-Thames in south-east England could do well. Only two areas in the north of England feature on its list.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Bianca Williams: Met refers British sprinter stop-and-search

The Met has referred itself to the policing watchdog over the controversial stop-and-search of a British sprinter in west London .
Bianca Williams and Ricardo dos Santos , a Portuguese 400m runner , were stopped in Maida Vale on Saturday .
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Williams , 26 , accused the Met of racially profiling her partner for driving a black Mercedes .
The Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC ) will investigate .
Footage of the stop and search has been shared widely on social media .
In a statement the Met said the decision to refer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the complaint being recorded and the significant public interest '' .
`` Two reviews of the circumstances by the Met 's Directorate of Professional Standards have not identified misconduct for any officer involved , '' the force added .
The Met had said officers were patrolling the area in which Ms Williams was stopped because of an increase in youth violence .
But Ms Williams believes she and her partner were targeted because they are black and were driving a Mercedes .
• What are my rights if I 'm stopped and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] said there 's a lot of youth violence and stabbings in the area and that the car looked very suspicious , '' she said on Monday .
`` They see a black male driving a nice car , an all-black car , and they assume that he was involved in some sort of gang , drug , violence problem . ''
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told the BBC he was `` pleased '' that the Met had referred the case as `` it 's really important that Londoners have trust and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police are policed '' .
`` There are concerns about the how the police behaved so it 's right and proper that those concerns are looked into , '' he said .
Ken Marsh , chairman of the Met Police Federation , said it had been supporting officers involved in the incident and called on the IOPC to `` conclude their work in a fair and timely fashion '' .
He added that `` a short clip of an incident widely shared on social media does not always tell the full operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also investigating a video of a white officer from Cambridgeshire Police quizzing a black driver which was shot in Ely in 2015 and was shared on Facebook in June as Black Lives Matter protests took place .

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told the BBC he was "pleased" that the Met had referred the case as "it's really important that Londoners have trust and confidence in the police and the way the police are policed".


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Scottish finance secretary makes fresh call for new powers

Scotland 's finance secretary has repeated her call to be allowed to switch capital funding to day-to-day revenue .
Speaking ahead of the UK Chancellor 's summer statement , Kate Forbes also called for an end to `` arbitrary '' limits on borrowing .
Ms Forbes said she was asking for `` relatively limited powers '' .
But she said the move would `` ease some of the immense pressures on our budget '' caused by the coronavirus crisis .
The Chancellor is to announce a £2bn `` kickstart scheme '' on Wednesday to create more jobs for young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placements for people on Universal Credit aged between 16 and 24 , who are at risk of long-term unemployment .
It will cover England , Scotland and Wales .
The UK government says Scotland has already benefitted from £3.8bn of Barnett consequentials as a result of increased spending in England during the pandemic .
And it has said that the Scottish government is already able to borrow up to £450m per year for capital projects and £300m to support day-to-day spending .
Ms Forbes originally made a request to be allowed to borrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flexibility to reallocate any unused capital funding on day-to-day spending in a letter to the Treasury two weeks ago .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the time that he would consider the request - but Ms Forbes subsequently told the BBC 's Good Morning Scotland programme that it has been `` kicked into the long grass '' by the Treasury .
• Five things the Chancellor may do She has now made a fresh request alongside her counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland .
Ms Forbes said : `` At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services and supporting the economic recovery must be taken from other areas .
`` That creates risks for our essential public services , jobs and businesses .
`` I am therefore calling on the Chancellor to ease these rigid fiscal rules and give us the flexibility we need to properly address the monumental challenges our economy is facing . ''
Ms Forbes also repeated her call for the UK government to show `` greater ambition in the level of investment in our economy '' by introducing an £80bn stimulus package .
The Scottish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth 4 % of UK GDP to `` deliver an investment-led recovery '' in the wake of the coronavirus crisis .
It also wants `` major investment in low-carbon , energy efficiency and digital infrastructure '' .
This would include support for consumers and businesses through tax cuts , cash grants to individual households , a public sector investment programme to focus on green technology , and an extension of wage subsidy schemes for the hardest-hit sectors .
The Scottish government also wants the standard rate of VAT levied on goods and services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 % for six months post-lockdown , and to 5 % for the hospitality sector .
The UK government says it has already introduced emergency tax and spending measures worth an estimated £133bn , with its jobs retention `` furlough '' scheme covering more than a quarter of the workforce .
It has described its support package for coronavirus as `` one of the most generous in the world '' , and has said that more than 770,000 jobs in Scotland have been saved through the job retention and self-employed schemes .

He added: "I am pleased to tell the House that the sum total of Barnett funding for Scotland as a result of all the interventions through this crisis now totals £4.6bn, which is going to support similar measures in Scotland as we are providing elsewhere.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Bobby Storey funeral: Stormont politicians back apology motion

NI assembly members have backed a motion calling on two Sinn Féin ministers to apologise for attending the funeral of IRA man Bobby Storey .
However , the motion has no power to force the ministers to comply .
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Finance Minister Conor Murphy deny breaching social-distancing rules in attending the funeral on 30 June .
During a two-hour debate at Stormont , Ms O'Neill repeated that she was sorry grieving families had been hurt .
The deputy first minister said it was not her intention to hurt anybody .
However , she maintained she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I 'm satisfied that I did act responsibly , '' she said .
`` At no stage did I seek to give offence to anyone , including this chamber , nor would I ever seek to do so . ''
She added it was `` unfortunate this matter has divided the executive and the assembly that many of us have worked so hard to restore '' .
• As it happened : Stormont debate on alleged Covid-19 breaches Members of the other parties accused Ms O'Neill and Mr Murphy of undermining the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembly Christopher Stalford said her credibility had been `` shot to bits '' and her party was behaving in a manner which would shame the Trump administration .
Speaking for the Alliance Party , Kellie Armstrong said an apology for the ministers ' attendance would not have been enough and she does not believe people can trust executive messaging again on Covid-19 because of their actions .
Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP ) leader Steve Aiken told the chamber if Northern Ireland was a `` normal democracy '' the ministers would have `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Where does it go now ?
Predictably this motion calling for Michelle O'Neill and Conor Murphy to apologise passed comfortably .
Just as predictably the other parties did not get the apology they wanted though the deputy first minister again said sorry to grieving families whose hurt has increased because of the events of the past week .
So where does it go now ?
The Democratic Unionist Party has made clear they have no intention of bringing down the executive , especially during the coronavirus pandemic .
With all the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue , Sinn Féin are still in an uncomfortable position .
For the foreseeable future the executive 's united front lies in tatters .
Daniel McCrossan said assembly members had to practise `` what we preach '' .
The SDLP assembly member added that his party had wanted to pay a bigger tribute to long-standing MLA John Dallat , who died in May , but chose not to because of the coronavirus guidance .
He said to many people there was a `` hierarchy of pain '' .
The claim was made by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Tuesday , the council apologised over how it dealt with Mr Storey 's family at Roselawn Crematorium compared to other families , including allowing 30 people to attend .
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening , the DUP 's group on the council called for an emergency meeting on Friday and an independent investigation into the events .
Ms O'Neill has already apologised `` for grieving families experiencing more hurt '' following her attendance at the funeral and said criticism of Sinn Féin 's conduct was `` political point-scoring '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , attended the Requiem Mass and was present for an oration at Milltown Cemetery , but is not believed to have been present for the cremation at Roselawn .
Mrs Long told the BBC 's Good Morning Ulster programme : `` We recognise and we welcome the fact that Michelle O'Neill has acknowledged that hurt has been caused to those who had to say their farewells to their loved ones in a very different manner .
`` She has yet to acknowledge the harm that has been done to the reputation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' At Mr Storey 's funeral , a number of pallbearers were pictured carrying his coffin , including former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams and North Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly .
New guidance on funerals makes it clear that coffin lifts are not recommended unless all pallbearers are from the same household .
It says `` it is unlikely that pallbearers would be able to maintain a 2m distance from each other , and such practices should not be permitted '' .
The Department of Health said the advice applied to all funerals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Mrs Long told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: "We recognise and we welcome the fact that Michelle O'Neill has acknowledged that hurt has been caused to those who had to say their farewells to their loved ones in a very different manner.


bbcuk--2020-07-07--Black Lives Matter: 'Racism in slaver monument town left me in tears'

A TV presenter who endured racism while growing up has backed calls to remove a monument to a slave trader .
Sir Thomas Picton , a 19th Century war hero from Haverfordwest , has been denounced for cruelty as a slave owner and colonial governor of Trinidad .
Carmarthenshire council will discuss plans to tackle racism in line with the Black Lives Matter movement later .
Ameer Davies-Rana , 23 , said it was time to `` get rid '' of such memorials .
Mr Davies-Rana , who has contributed to S4C 's Hansh service and to BBC Radio Cymru @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered racist comments `` from an early age '' while growing up in Ammanford , Carmarthenshire .
`` In primary school , I was the only person of colour , so it made me question my identity .
In secondary school , racism was thrown in my face with the p-word and n-word , '' he said .
• The numbers behind racial inequalities in Wales • 'We were taken advantage of .
That is what hurt ' - BBC News Mr Davies-Rana said he could recall one incident while visiting Carmarthen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children on a busy street `` shouting at the top of their voices , the n-word '' .
`` I could n't believe it .
As soon as I turned a corner , I burst out crying , '' he said .
Calls have been made to remove memorials around the UK which honour people with links to slavery and racism .
It follows protests around the world after George Floyd , an unarmed black man , died in police custody in Minneapolis in the United States .
An `` urgent audit '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , street and building names to address the country 's connections with the slave trade , the Welsh government announced on Monday .
There have also been calls to remove the obelisk to Picton in Carmarthen , along with street names associated with the general , who was killed at Waterloo .
Mr Davies-Rana said : `` Personally , I think we should get rid of them .
We are in a new day and age .
Racism is not tolerated , regardless of who you are . ''
Later , a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carmarthenshire council , among other things : • Makes an unequivocal statement that it abhors racism , prejudice and discrimination in all forms - past and present • Supports the message of Black Lives Matter and believes in the right of citizens to protest peacefully in a safe environment • Recognises the importance of BAME communities and commits to working with them to educate , identify and eradicate racism • Set up a group to ensure BAME people 's concerns , fears and proposals are heard and they inform future policy • Works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with racism , prejudice and discrimination within the judicial system • Commits to working with schools to include colonialism , exploitation , discrimination and racism in the new curriculum • Undertakes a review of public monuments , as well as street names and report upon their appropriateness in 21st Century Wales • Embraces Black History Month ( October ) by holding public events to highlight the reality of the negative impact of racial inequality and celebrate the contribution made by BAME communities Councillor Cefin Campbell , a member of Carmarthenshire 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined to see meaningful change .
`` We need to reach out and listen to BAME [ black , Asian and minority ethnic ] communities ' concerns and experiences , '' he said .
`` We need that to impact on our policy .
We need to educate young people about the impact of racism and how unacceptable it is .
`` We will review our public monuments , and see how appropriate they are .
We have a difference of opinion about the Picton monument .
`` He was abhorrent as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is a war hero .
We ca n't erase that from our history books .
`` I favour keeping the column but add on bits of history , that are repugnant in many ways , so people have a clear and rounded picture of who he was .
We have to see change happen . ''

Mr Davies-Rana said: "Personally, I think we should get rid of them. We are in a new day and age. Racism is not tolerated, regardless of who you are."


bbcuk--2020-07-07--DHL to cut 2,200 jobs at Jaguar Land Rover plants

About 2,200 jobs supplying Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing plants are at risk .
Trade union Unite said 40 % of DHL Supply Chain staff at plants in the Midlands and North West may lose their jobs .
Unite said it was `` a massive , bitter blow '' and called on the government to protect car manufacturers as production has declined due to coronavirus .
DHL Supply Chain blamed `` highly challenging trading conditions '' and said it would aim to redeploy staff .
The agency workers at risk are employed at JLR plants in Castle Bromwich , Ellesmere Port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Solihull and Tyrefort .
They are employed working to deliver parts to warehouses and production lines and also transport completed vehicles .
Unite said the cuts were due to `` efficiency savings '' as a result of the decline in car production .
The unions ' officer for logistics , Matt Draper , said it would not stand for DHL `` forcing workers to undertake impossible workloads as they show other workers the door '' .
• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands More than 6,000 jobs in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with one in six jobs thought to be at risk .
The industry came to a screeching halt in April , down 99.7 % against the same month last year - the lowest output since World War Two .
`` While DHL is the employer , the reality is that the workers perform their roles for JLR , '' Mr Draper said , adding that JLR had `` a moral duty '' to support workers .
A spokesperson for JLR said the firm was undergoing `` a transformative programme against the backdrop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JOBS : Can my boss force me to go to work ?
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• SOCIAL LIFE : When will pubs , bars and restaurants reopen ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to : newsonline.westmidlands @ bbc.co.uk

More than 6,000 jobs in the UK's automotive sector were cut in June and with one in six jobs thought to be at risk.


bbcuk--2020-07-08--Bianca Williams: Met apologises to sprinter over stop-and-search

Team GB sprinter Bianca Williams has received an apology from the Met Police after she and her partner were pulled over in their car in a stop-and-search .
Ms Williams 's three-month-old son was also in the car on Saturday when it was stopped in Maida Vale .
Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick told a committee of MPs officers had visited Ms Williams to apologise for `` distress '' caused by the stop .
The force has also launched a review of its handcuffing practices , she added .
Footage of the stop-and-search has been shared widely on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her and her partner Ricardo dos Santos , a Portuguese international 400m runner , because they are black and were driving a Mercedes .
They say police handcuffed them while their son was in the car .
• What are my rights if I 'm stopped and searched ?
Despite two reviews by the force 's directorate of professional standards , Dame Cressida said the force had found no misconduct by its officers .
However , because of the public interest in the case , the Met has referred itself to the Independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier , Dame Cressida told the Home Affairs Select Committee : `` We apologised yesterday to Ms Williams and I apologise again for the distress this stop clearly caused her .
`` I think all of us watching could empathise with somebody who is stopped in a vehicle , who has a young child in the back , who does not probably know what exactly is going on , and is subsequently found , together with her partner , not to be carrying anything illicit . ''
Dame Cressida said she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Met 's handcuffing practices to make sure it has n't become a `` default '' , and has set up an `` oversight group '' looking at the use of force .
`` Every time we see a video that is of concern we review them , we see if there are any lessons to be learned , '' she told MPs .
How often are people handcuffed ?
In 2018-19 , police officers in England and Wales used handcuffs just over 300,000 times .
Around 16 % of those people cuffed were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we look at people who were handcuffed relative to their population in the 2011 Census , black people were roughly six times more likely to be handcuffed than white people .
Not all people who get arrested are handcuffed and not all arrested people get handcuffed .
However , the ratio of handcuffing to arrests shows a great discrepancy between black and white people : • In 2018-19 , 452,000 white people were arrested and 210,000 were handcuffed • Over the same period , 60,000 black people were arrested and 49,000 were handcuffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in charge of the Territorial Support Group which conducted the stop , and local area commander Helen Harper , also informed Ms Williams about the IOPC referral and the next steps in the process .
But Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball told the committee that there had been `` good grounds '' for the car to be stopped and at that point the officers involved did not know who was in it .
Nothing was found in the search , which the Met said was carried out by officers patrolling the Maida Vale area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving weapons .
The force also said the vehicle was seen driving suspiciously , including on the wrong side of the road , and that the driver sped off when asked to stop .
But this account was rejected by Ms Williams , who has said she is considering legal action against the Met .
`` I feel very hurt by their actions , and to witness my partner being taken away and for me to be taken away from my son , my heart hurts , '' she said this week .

"I think all of us watching could empathise with somebody who is stopped in a vehicle, who has a young child in the back, who does not probably know what exactly is going on, and is subsequently found, together with her partner, not to be carrying anything illicit."