bbcuk--2020-09-12--Brexit: Michael Gove warns EU not to 'threaten integrity of UK'

The government is being `` generous '' with the EU over Brexit negotiations , says Michael Gove .
The cabinet minister said the UK was trying to protect the single market - but warned the EU could not threaten `` the integrity of the United Kingdom '' .
His comments came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Tory MPs to back his plan to override part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement .
The EU has said the UK could face legal action over its Internal Market Bill .
The bill , which will be formally debated in the House of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , addresses the Northern Ireland Protocol - the part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement designed to prevent a hard border returning to the island of Ireland .
If this became law it would give UK ministers powers to modify or `` disapply '' rules relating to the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland that will come into force from 1 January , if the UK and EU are unable to strike a trade deal .
• Analysis : Despite bitter Brexit row can deal still be done ?
• UK at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exports Mr Gove said : `` These steps are a safety net , they 're a long-stop in the event , which I do n't believe will come about but we do need to be ready for , that the EU follow through on what some have said they might do which is , in effect , to separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom . ''
While admitting it was a `` crunch moment '' , he insisted `` we have got the support of our own MPs '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five weeks to agree a deal before Mr Johnson 's 15 October deadline - after which he says he is prepared to `` walk away '' .
Informal talks are due to resume on Monday , with the next official round of talks - the ninth since March - starting in Brussels on 28 September .
The EU says the planned changes must be scrapped or they risk jeopardising the UK-EU trade talks .
But the government has rejected this demand , arguing the measures in the bill are needed to protect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process in Northern Ireland .
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has admitted parts of the bill , which would go against the Withdrawal Agreement signed by the UK and EU , would `` break international law in a very specific and limited way '' .
On Friday Mr Johnson had a Zoom call with about 250 of his MPs , in which he said the party could not return to `` miserable squabbling '' over Europe .
It comes amid a plan to amend the legislation from senior Conservatives who are angered that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Withdrawal Agreement signed by the prime minister last October .
Both Ireland and the EU have warned that Mr Johnson 's plans pose a serious risk to the peace process rather than protecting the Good Friday Agreement .
Mr Johnson said there was still a `` very good chance '' of the UK and EU striking a deal by mid-October similar to that previously agreed between the EU and Canada - which got rid of most , but not all , tariffs on goods .
But in a column in the Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to override parts of the Withdrawal Agreement .
He accused the EU of adopting an `` extreme '' interpretation of the Northern Ireland Protocol to impose `` a full-scale trade border down the Irish Sea '' that could stop the transport of food from Britain to Northern Ireland .
Mr Gove told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme it would be `` irrational '' not to allow the transportation of food in such a way , which would happen if the UK was not granted third-country listing .
Such a listing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservative backbencher Sir Bob Neill , who chairs the Commons Justice Committee , is tabling an amendment to the bill to try to force a separate parliamentary vote on any changes to the Withdrawal Agreement .
`` I believe it is potentially a harmful act for this country , it would damage our reputation and I think it will make it harder to strike trade deals going forward , '' he said .

Mr Gove said: "These steps are a safety net, they're a long-stop in the event, which I don't believe will come about but we do need to be ready for, that the EU follow through on what some have said they might do which is, in effect, to separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom."


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Coronavirus: Children will stay part of rule of six, says Gove

The `` rule of six '' , the latest limits on social gatherings in England , will not be changed to exempt children under 12 , Michael Gove has insisted .
The new rules , which limit six people to meeting indoors and outdoors , come into effect on Monday .
Similar rules in Wales and Scotland do not include children under 11 and 12 respectively .
But Mr Gove said the England rules were `` absolutely right '' .
It comes as one scientist warned UK could lose control of the virus .
`` One would have to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing control , '' Prof Sir Mark Walport , a member of the government 's Sage scientific advisory group told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme .
`` You 've only got to look across the Channel to see what is happening in France and what 's happening in Spain . ''
Prof Walport said it was very important that children go to school and students return to university - but social interactions would have to be limited in other areas .
`` The only way to stop the spread of this infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we all come into contact with , '' he added .
• UK coronavirus cases up by 3,539 on Friday • What are the new rules for meeting my friends ?
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the rule of six was `` well-understood '' as a public health message and had the public 's support .
`` As ever , the important thing is balance - eating out , seeing friends - that is fine , provided we do so in a way that is socially responsible , that 's what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said some people had `` unwittingly '' contributed to the spread of the virus because of the way they had interacted , adding : `` So therefore , a clear message - as simple as possible - makes it easier for all of us to do what is helpful to others . ''
Speaking on Radio 4 , he added that there needed to be `` a degree of self-discipline and restriction '' in order to deal with the challenges posed by the rising number of coronavirus cases across England - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rate at which the virus is transmitted .
Speaking on BBC Breakfast .
he urged the public to behave in `` a responsible fashion '' amid fears people might treat it as a `` party weekend '' , ahead of the new restrictions coming into effect next week .
`` These rules and regulations are there for our protection , but also for the protection of the most vulnerable in society '' , citing the elderly or those with underlying health conditions `` who face far grimmer consequences '' if they contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of us to do everything we can to make sure we abide by those rules .
`` Then we can ensure , in due course , that these restrictions can be relaxed - and my hope , like so many , is that we can have a proper Christmas . ''
In the immediate future , Mr Gove agreed fines could be necessary to enforce regulations .
It follows a story in the Times , which says the government is looking at introducing fines for people who refuse to self-isolate when required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see fines being levied , but even more I do not want to see people behaving in a way that puts the most vulnerable at risk , '' Mr Gove told Radio 4 .
Asked about Prof Walport 's statement that the UK was `` losing control '' , Mr Gove said it was `` a warning to us all '' .
`` There 's a range of scientific opinion , but one thing on which practically every scientist is agreed is that we have seen an uptick in infection and therefore it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Sage found that only about 20 % of people who have symptoms or live in a household where someone else has symptoms adhere to self-isolation requirements .
`` Sometimes there 's an argument that 's depicted , as though this is pernicious of the liberty of freedom-loving people - well there are restrictions , and I love freedom , but the one thing I think is even more important is that you exercise freedom with responsibility , '' said Mr Gove .
Some Conservative backbenchers have protested about enhanced regulations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pressed the government to follow Wales and Scotland in exempting young children .
On Friday , ex-minister Steve Baker said the latest government action amounted to `` arbitrary powers without scrutiny '' and MP Desmond Swayne said it was `` outrageous '' not to have a Parliamentary debate .
`` This is not a fit legal environment for the British people , '' Mr Baker told the BBC .
`` It 's time to move to a voluntary system , unless the government can demonstrate otherwise and it is time for us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Senior Conservative backbenchers are reported to be lobbying Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to make sure that legislation is being reviewed every month , not every six months .
• TESTING : What tests are available ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• LOCAL LOCKDOWNS : What happens if you have one ?
• TEST AND TRACE : How does it work ?

He said some people had "unwittingly" contributed to the spread of the virus because of the way they had interacted, adding: "So therefore, a clear message - as simple as possible - makes it easier for all of us to do what is helpful to others."


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Coronavirus: Avoid 'party weekend' ahead of new restrictions, public told

People in England and Wales must not treat this weekend as a `` party '' before the new `` rule of six '' coronavirus restrictions come into force on Monday , a police union has warned .
The Police Federation said there was a `` real risk '' that the public would `` take advantage of the current situation '' .
The new rules will limit gatherings to six people both indoors and outdoors .
It comes as one scientist warned the UK was `` on the edge of losing control '' of the virus .
England 's new rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to all ages - although there are some exemptions , such as gatherings for work .
Those who fail to follow the new rules can be fined by police - £100 for a first offence , doubling on each further offence up to £3,200 .
In Scotland , socialising is already limited to a maximum of six people inside and outside - but unlike England they must be from two households , and children under 12 are exempt .
In Wales , from Monday it will be illegal for more than six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoors - but up to 30 can still meet outdoors .
Northern Ireland has not announced any rule changes .
With the introduction of the new rules in England and Wales delayed until Monday , John Apter , the chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales , said : `` There is a real risk some members of the public will take advantage of the current situation and treat this weekend as a party weekend ahead of the tighter restrictions being introduced on Monday .
`` Using the current situation as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be incredibly irresponsible and put pressure not only on policing , but potentially on the ambulance service and NHS . ''
• What are the new rules for meeting my friends ?
• How many cases are there in your area ?
• Which areas are under local lockdown ?
On Friday , the government announced there were a further 3,539 coronavirus cases in the UK , the highest figure since 17 May .
The virus is still at much lower levels across the UK than at the peak in April , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England found cases are doubling every seven to eight days .
Prof Sir Mark Walport , a member of the government 's Sage scientific advisory group , told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme : `` One would have to say that we 're on the edge of losing control .
`` You 've only got to look across the Channel to see what is happening in France and what 's happening in Spain . ''
Meanwhile , Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the rule of six was `` well-understood '' as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public 's support .
`` As ever , the important thing is balance - eating out , seeing friends - that is fine , provided we do so in a way that is socially responsible , that 's what the rule of six is about , '' he told the BBC .
He added that there needed to be `` a degree of self-discipline and restriction '' in order to deal with the challenges posed by the rising number of coronavirus cases across England - and the escalating R number , which measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmitted .
• Behind the rise in Covid cases in five charts • How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
The R number has been raised to between 1 and 1.2 for the first time since March .
Any number above one indicates the number of infections is increasing .
And in addition to a general rise in cases in the community , the government 's latest coronavirus surveillance report shows a sharp rise in people over the age of 85 testing positive .
Asked about Prof Walport 's statement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr Gove said it was `` a warning to us all '' .
`` There 's a range of scientific opinion but one thing on which practically every scientist is agreed is that we have seen an uptick in infection and therefore it is appropriate we take public health measures . ''
• TESTING : What tests are available ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• LOCAL LOCKDOWNS : What happens if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How does it work ?
It comes after people across England told BBC News they are struggling to access coronavirus tests .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last week that no-one should have to travel more than 75 miles for a test , after the BBC revealed some were being sent hundreds of miles away .
But some have now reported being unable to book a swab at all .
The Department for Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) said testing capacity was targeted at the hardest-hit areas .

With the introduction of the new rules in England and Wales delayed until Monday, John Apter, the chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales, said: "There is a real risk some members of the public will take advantage of the current situation and treat this weekend as a party weekend ahead of the tighter restrictions being introduced on Monday.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Coronavirus testing system 'falling over'

People across England have told BBC News they are struggling to access coronavirus tests .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last week that no-one should have to travel more than 75 miles for a test , after the BBC revealed some were being sent hundreds of miles away .
But dozens have now reported being unable to book a swab at all .
The Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) said testing capacity was targeted at the hardest-hit areas .
A significant rise in demand for testing led the government to reduce the number of appointments available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritise areas with outbreaks .
This in turn led to people applying for tests being directed to centres sometimes hundreds of miles away .
• What are the challenges of mass testing ?
But last Thursday Mr Hancock pledged to put in `` immediate '' solutions to make sure people did not have to travel more than 75 miles , effective from last Friday .
Since then , postcodes entered into the government 's booking system return a message suggesting there are no testing centres or home kits available - even if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A DHSC spokesperson said : `` We are seeing a significant demand for tests , but if you have symptoms we urge you to get tested .
`` New booking slots and home testing kits are made available daily . ''
Melissa , a GP in the north-west of England , applied for a test for her seven-year-old son on Tuesday after he developed a new continuous cough and changes to his sense of taste .
After being offered a test in Sunderland , about 130 miles away , she applied via her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prioritise health staff .
But this system directed her first to Telford , almost 100 miles away , and then to London , a distance of more than 200 miles .
No home kits were available .
`` It was a complete nightmare , '' she said .
`` I had to cancel face-to-face appointments with patients , including baby clinics . ''
• How do I get a coronavirus test ?
She added that this had become a common theme in NHS Facebook groups of which she was a member .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall over .
`` It does n't feel like the infrastructure is there to support NHS staff going into winter . ''
This sentiment was echoed by a psychiatrist in an area currently subject to government intervention because of its high rate of coronavirus .
She found that no tests were available after developing all of the textbook coronavirus symptoms , including a cough and a fever .
Frances , in Suffolk , tried to apply for a test when her daughter developed a high temperature .
She did n't think it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules '' .
She had understood that anyone with a temperature should apply for a test , and was not able to send either of her children to school until she did .
`` Their teachers need to be kept safe , their classmates need to be kept safe , we need to do the right thing , '' she said .
Frances , like Melissa , was also not able to get a home kit , and when she tried to get an appointment at a drive-through centre was told no test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks like a glitch in the system , '' she said .
And Jamie in Chesterfield spent seven hours trying to contact someone using the 119 number after no slots were appearing on the online booking system .
His school-age child had developed a new cough .
`` It 's the right thing to do according to the guidelines , '' he said .
Eventually he managed to get a test 50 miles away .
This comes as a number of different data sources show cases are rising and the epidemic is growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , the number of new daily confirmed UK cases of the virus rose to 3,539 - an increase of more than 600 on the previous day .
The virus is still at much lower levels across the UK than at the peak in April , but a study of thousands of people in England found cases doubling every seven to eight days , with a marked rise in infections in the north and among young people .
Although cases are rising , the number of patients in hospital remains largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to know about the coronavirus ?
• ENDGAME : When will life get back to normal ?
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak There are some suggestions that the problems with accessing tests have happened since schools have returned .
Mr Hancock has claimed 25 % of people applying for tests are not eligible because they do n't have symptoms , although his department did not say where this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 111 data published on 11 September reported a rise in calls relating to children with symptoms that would make them eligible for a coronavirus test .
Have you experienced problems getting a coronavirus test ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
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The virus is still at much lower levels across the UK than at the peak in April, but a study of thousands of people in England found cases doubling every seven to eight days, with a marked rise in infections in the north and among young people.


bbcuk--2020-09-11--Lockdown for a second time: 'It can't get any worse'

A delicious smell of homemade pies wafts through the Thomas Egerton pub in Bolton .
A strange sensation given the pub is resoundingly closed , the tables stacked with chairs .
Brand new takeaway boxes piled onto a central table explain why .
Publican Josh Lee is trying to make the best of a bad situation .
After just two months of `` heaven '' , being open after the national lockdown , he had to shut his doors as all hospitality venues in the Bolton area were closed this week .
He has re-furloughed his staff , keeping just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their small kitchen .
He 's hoping the new takeaway menu and this two-man band can keep the pub ticking over .
`` It ca n't get any worse can it ? ''
he laughs ruefully .
He believes this pub will probably survive , but its sister pub round the corner will not .
The new local lockdown restrictions mean most of the pubs and restaurants in the centre of Bolton are closed .
The Elephant and Castle is a lone venue selling beer from a trestle table outside its front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant with plastic screens in the entrance looking hopefully for takeaway customers .
Many told us that the High Street was depressed before the coronavirus hit .
The new restrictions have just made it worse .
`` Going out should be utopian '' It 's these sorts of closures that businesses in other parts of the UK fear .
`` This is a classic example of people trying to get round the rules . ''
Jimmy Pratt , the manager of the Next Level bar in Halifax , waves a booking form at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for six - now she wants to add another two tables of four .
We can do it , sure , but we 'll have to split them up into different areas around the bar '' .
Here in West Yorkshire , restrictions have been in place since the end of July .
They stop people socialising from different households inside homes and public venues such as bars and restaurants .
The same sorts of restrictions that have just been introduced in Birmingham .
This has turned bar managers like Jimmy into `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is very aware that if they do n't conform rigidly to the guidelines , Halifax could be the next Bolton .
At the same time , he 's trying to keep the bar fun .
`` It 's hard to feel like you 're breathing down people 's necks .
They want to enjoy the fact that they can get out of the house .
When you come to a bar you 're coming to a utopia where you 're escaping the mundanity of everyday life . ''
He says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is dropping as a result , which he puts down to fear and confusion about the rules .
Local restrictions have been imposed on a sliding scale and , unsurprisingly , those areas subject to stricter measures have seen businesses suffer the most .
The hospitality and retail sectors have been hit in particular as people feel less confident about going out .
It 's a Catch-22 situation , trying to get the economy going again and encouraging people back into the workplace , while trying to prevent any spike in infection that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more stringent .
Valentin Quinio , a researcher at the Centre for Cities think tank , has analysed the impact on footfall and spending of local lockdowns .
`` When , like in Greater Manchester , they 're designed to prevent households mixing , the impact on city centre footfall is only slight .
But when , like in Aberdeen , they shut hospitality venues , then we can see this in the figures . ''
She says this will lead to job losses in the short to medium-term `` as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for local businesses and services in locked-down centres is very difficult '' .
Shane Taylor , research and policy manager at the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has seen this first hand : `` At least one business in our membership closed permanently off the back of the local lockdown .
We are concerned that further spikes and local restrictions may be the straw that breaks the camel 's back for many . ''
There 's a ripple effect of local lockdowns on surrounding areas .
Leicester went into a second lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first place to do so .
Dog-grooming business The Dog House is based just outside the restricted area .
Owners Anna Pollard and Selina West found they lost appointments when the restrictions were at their height , because people were n't travelling from inside the zone .
There is also a lingering effect on consumer confidence , according to Yael Selfin , chief economist at KPMG .
`` Even in Leicester when restrictions were lifted , footfall is 20 % lower than we would have expected , '' she says .
Overall it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the local lockdowns for the UK economy .
`` In terms of the share of the economy , locked down areas represent just over 8 % , so it 's not a major part , but this will have broader implications in terms of confidence and overall consumer spending and business investment in the UK , '' she says .
The government has allocated funding for those businesses affected by the restrictions .
Businesses in England that are required to shut because of local lockdowns can claim up to £1,500 per property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get £1,000 .
Businesses still locked down at a national level are not eligible .
But the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce , Adam Marshall , would like to see more .
`` Companies have people on their payroll , they have rent , they have suppliers to pay and the grants are n't going to be enough to pay the bills when you do n't have any takings , '' he says .
However , Mr Lee in Bolton feels he has received a lot of support , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more entrepreneurial .
`` It reminds me a bit of the introduction of the smoking ban .
We 've got to adapt and change what we do , '' he says .

Shane Taylor, research and policy manager at the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has seen this first hand: "At least one business in our membership closed permanently off the back of the local lockdown. We are concerned that further spikes and local restrictions may be the straw that breaks the camel's back for many."


bbcuk--2020-09-11--Turkey farmers 'on tenterhooks' over Christmas demand

Some turkey farmers are concerned there may be an over-supply of birds this Christmas with social gatherings potentially much smaller than usual .
With UK coronavirus infections rising at present , potential restrictions on meeting up are unclear .
But thousands more turkey chicks , known as `` poults '' , are being reared for Christmas meals .
And some producers are betting on travel restrictions keeping more people at home over the festive period .
One south Wales farm , which normally rears 70,000 turkeys a year , told Radio 4 's Farming Today it has already cut its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Usk Vale Poultry is concerned the birds will be too big for the numbers at the dinner table .
The turkeys were ordered in the spring when the outlook for a `` normal '' Christmas seemed clearer .
He said : `` In May , when we canvassed our main core of customers , who are retail butchers , they were having a boom time .
`` [ They ] were saying nothing is going to change , because everything 's buoyant , and we want the same numbers as last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say . ''
`` We have to decide what size people want and you ca n't even tell me today what size that might be . ''
He said the farm has `` a bit of flexibility '' .
`` We can play around with rations a bit , and we can process [ slaughter them ] a week or 10 days earlier , so we can reduce the size to a certain extent , but not by massive percentages '' .
New rules from Monday mean people will be banned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or outdoors .
It is not yet clear how long the new `` rule of six '' will be in place , although Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Radio 4 's Today programme he hoped it would be lifted before Christmas .
Similar rules are being introduced in Scotland and Wales .
According to data from the Department for Environment , Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra ) , the number of turkey chicks being reared in the first six months of 2020 increased compared to the same period last year .
Between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6.2 million poults on farms , compared to 6.1 million in the same period in 2019 .
Despite worries by some farmers about an over-supply of turkey , some producers are more optimistic , believing more families will be at home this Christmas should travel restrictions remain in place .
Neil Cooksey , commercial director for Bernard Matthews , said that could be good news for turkey producers , with in-home consumption of the meat expected to increase .
`` The eating out-of-home occasion and holiday market is going to be much smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convert into retail sales .
People want turkey on their plates at Christmas and that 's never going to change .
`` Do I see purchases and orders going up this year ?
Yes I do , '' he said .
However smaller producers remain nervous about demand for the larger birds they are rearing .
Mr Davis said `` The run up to Christmas is not a fun time for a turkey farmer at the best of times , but this year we really are on tenterhooks .
`` It 's going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets this Christmas right , rather than a clever one '' .

"[They] were saying nothing is going to change, because everything's buoyant, and we want the same numbers as last year. But that was easy for them to say."


bbcuk--2020-09-11--Richard Leonard: Who is the Scottish Labour leader?

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard is to face a vote of no confidence at the party 's ruling body , with several of his own MSPs openly calling for him to quit .
Despite leading the Scottish Labour for the past three years , Mr Leonard has struggled to raise his public profile - with polls suggesting many of his party 's own supporters struggle to recognise him .
But his allies insist the real Richard Leonard is very different from the figure who faces Nicola Sturgeon at first minister 's questions every week .
Richard Leonard was born as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yorkshire in 1962 .
In 1980 - the year after Margaret Thatcher became prime minister - his father lost his job with the company he had worked for since leaving school , with his parents and younger sister having to move to the south of England in search of work .
For Mr Leonard , it was further proof that working-class communities across the country were being torn apart by Mrs Thatcher and the Conservatives .
He was , by that stage , already studying politics and economics at Stirling University , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a flatmate , of future Scottish first minister Jack McConnell .
Mr Leonard 's life had taken an unexpected twist seven years earlier when he won a fully-funded scholarship at the private Pocklington School , where he mixed with children from considerably wealthier backgrounds .
In an interview with The Scotsman newspaper , he described how attending the school had made him acutely aware of Britain 's class system , adding : `` The bright kids I was at primary school with ended up working in factories and railways to a large extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was different . ''
Mr Leonard became interested in the ideas and writing of left-wing Labour MP Tony Benn , which he admits marked him out as being `` quite unusual '' at Pocklington .
These ideas would remain a major influence on him throughout his life .
In 1984 , he became Stirling University 's student president , and has described organising collections for coal miners who spent that year on strike .
After graduating , Mr Leonard became involved in local politics in the Stirling area and worked as an aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then spent five years working for the Scottish Trades Union Congress - and a further 20 as an industrial organiser for the GMB union .
Mr Leonard was Anne McGuire 's election agent when she heavily defeated then-Scottish secretary Michael Forsyth in the 1987 general election .
He also served for a time as the party 's chairman , but it was not until the 2011 Scottish Parliament election that he attempted to enter frontline politics by standing as the Labour candidate in Carrick , Cumnock and Doon Valley .
Mr Leonard finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - but was elected to Holyrood five years later as a list MSP for the Central Scotland region .
He was almost immediately appointed as the party 's economy spokesman by Kezia Dugdale , who Mr Leonard was to replace as leader in acrimonious circumstances just over a year later .
Ms Dugdale announced her resignation in August 2017 , saying it was time to `` pass the baton '' to someone else .
She had been a vocal critic of then-UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn , leading to accusations from some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim of a left-wing plot to undermine her authority .
When Mr Leonard announced he was standing for the leadership , few outside the Holyrood bubble knew much - or anything - about him , although he was widely liked and respected within the Labour movement .
The centrist Anas Sarwar was initially seen as the favourite , with the contest - which saw Mr Leonard win the backing of all of the major trade unions - being marred by personal attacks , accusations of plots and claims of underhand voting tactics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ victor , winning a 56.7 % share of the votes to Mr Sarwar 's 43.3 % .
In doing so , he became the first Scottish Labour leader to come from the left of the party - and the first former trade union official to lead it .
The result was largely overshadowed by Ms Dugdale announcing on the same day that she would be appearing as a contestant on the ITV reality show I 'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here !
Mr Leonard had received celebrity endorsement during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller , who described him as `` the most exciting thing to happen up here in decades '' .
But from the start , there were concerns from some within the party about his leadership style .
They said he came across as stilted and uncharismatic , with critics saying he was more suited to trade union committee meetings than modern politics .
He took some persuading to eventually sign up for a Twitter account , for example , and has struggled to master the platform ever since .
And his close association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the party 's more centrist MSPs behind him - with a reshuffle that saw some of them losing their front-bench roles in October 2018 doing little to improve their mood .
Mr Leonard did attempt to distance himself somewhat from his UK counterpart , insisting that he was his own man and a `` little long in the tooth to be a Corbynista '' .
But he introduced policies that were much more left-wing than his predecessors , including plans to nationalise the railways and greatly increase taxes for wealthier Scots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to an immediate uptick in the dismal fortunes of the party that once dominated Scottish political life largely evaporated when it finished fifth in last year 's European Parliament election .
This was followed soon after by Scottish Labour losing all but one of its MPs in December 's general election - with polls currently suggesting that its fortunes are unlikely to improve any in next year 's Holyrood election .
The discontent from some within the party , who see Mr Leonard as an outdated relic of Mr Corbyn 's time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month when four MSPs openly called on him to resign .
Mr Leonard , who is married with a son and stepdaughter , insisted he had no intention of doing so , and accused his opponents of sabotaging his efforts to improve the party 's fortunes .
His future now looks likely to be decided by the vote at the party 's Scottish Executive Committee - a third of whose members have already signed a motion of no confidence .

And his close association with Mr Corbyn did little to rally many of the party's more centrist MSPs behind him - with a reshuffle that saw some of them losing their front-bench roles in October 2018 doing little to improve their mood.


bbcuk--2020-09-11--Premier League predictions 2020-21: BBC Sport pundits pick their top four

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to be champions last season but can they successfully defend their Premier League crown ?
How will City respond after losing their title ?
Can big-spending Chelsea narrow the gap ?
Will Manchester United sustain a serious title bid for the first time since they last finished top in 2013 ?
And can Arsenal , Tottenham or anyone else break into the Champions League places ?
Before a ball is kicked in the new campaign , we asked 25 BBC TV and radio pundits to pick their top four with explanations for their selections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fours , but only Manchester City and Liverpool feature in all 25 .
Tottenham , who 21 out of 24 pundits picked to finish third last season , do not make anyone 's pick anywhere this time .
In terms of who will win it , Liverpool are favourites , with 13 votes .
Manchester City get 11 , and Manchester United one .
The overall predicted ranking gives a different outcome , however .
An impossible job ?
What could change before the transfer window closes ?
The predictions were made on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than three weeks to go before the transfer window closes on Monday , 5 October .
Ian Wright : It 's impossible to make predictions before we know if Liverpool and United strengthen their squads .
We 've seen the work Chelsea have done in the window and they will have some serious attacking firepower .
Even with Arsenal , the next few days of the transfer window are crucial .
Who will be leaving ?
Will we get another creative attacking player ?
The key to making these predictions is knowing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot could still change .
The big question over City is still about their defence , and we will have to wait to see if they have put it right .
They simply have to improve there , but I am expecting them to spend more money in order to do it .
Alan Shearer and Ian Wright join Gary Lineker on Match of the Day at 22:20 BST on Saturday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website for highlights of four Premier League games .
Jermaine Jenas : I am sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business in this window - they have to .
Unless they sign three or four players , they are facing a real battle to make the top four .
They need another centre-half for starters and more numbers at the top end of the pitch , whether it is a recognised centre-forward or Jadon Sancho .
Stephen Warnock : Thiago Alcantara would make a huge difference to Liverpool 's midfield if they can get him from Bayern and I still think they need another centre-half , like most of the top teams do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone else , I still go through Klopp 's side and think they are the team to beat .
Liverpool - An era of dominance or one year too many ?
Last season 33 % of the BBC pundits thought Liverpool would win the title and 23 out of 24 thought they would finish in the top two .
This season , 52 % think they will be champions again while 21 out of 25 think they will finish in the top two .
Ruud Gullit : I saw Liverpool against Arsenal in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was pre-season but they could not play their normal game .
Without it , without their anger and their speed , we saw they are not much better than the other top sides .
I did n't think Liverpool could do it twice - win the Champions League in 2019 and then the Premier League in 2020 - and keep playing the way they did for so long .
It was quite remarkable they did it , because that pressing game is hard to do for so many games .
The most difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so I am going with City to win the title - but I thought the same last year , and I was wrong .
Rob Green : After getting 97 and then 99 points in successive seasons , for Liverpool to do it all again for a third year with pretty much the same team is a huge ask .
Danny Murphy : There are always going to be some fans who want new faces just to get excited by , but this is a super-confident side playing consistently well over two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixing , it 's pretty perfect in most areas .
Mark Lawrenson : My only worry is that the three front players have been unbelievable in terms of the number of games they have played in the past three seasons , so what happens if they get injuries there ?
Joleon Lescott : I respect their back-up players but Liverpool lose that fear factor when players such as Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are not on the team sheet .
Alex Scott : I was certain they would win it last year but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are still going to be very close , but they have n't really strengthened and they could be tired .
Alex Scott and Tim Cahill are the guests on Football Focus on BBC One and the BBC Sport website at 12:00 BST on Saturday .
Jermaine Jenas : I 'm surprised so many people do n't see Liverpool winning it again .
I know their results fell away at the end of the season but you have to remember they had wrapped up the title so early , then had to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no crowds .
Even in normal circumstances , it would be a struggle to maintain their intensity .
So I do n't think Klopp will allow their standards drop now .
Why would you build something to then just give it away ?
I ca n't find a reason anyone will finish above them - I am expecting Liverpool to keep on building an era of dominance .
Stephen Warnock : Winning the Champions League will be more important to City whereas with Liverpool it will be about the Premier League again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are , plus they have not been able to celebrate it with their fans because of the coronavirus pandemic so they will be fired up to win it in front of them .
Karen Carney : There 's the issue that they wo n't have the support of fans inside Anfield , which is a potential 10-point drop off .
I still think defensively , they are the best , though , and that 's where United , Chelsea and City struggle .
But if Kalidou Koulibaly joins City , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City - Same frailties or a big response to a 'pathetic ' title defence ?
This is the fifth season running where City have featured in everyone 's forecasted top four .
It 's also the third successive year where no-one thinks they will finish below second .
Micah Richards : When you look at Liverpool 's best XI , their balance and the cohesion between their players is better - and they still have three magicians up front .
But I look at City 's whole squad and think they will win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the only team since 2009 to win the Premier League in back-to-back seasons but their title defence last season was pathetic .
They will be hurting from that and they be desperate to respond .
Jermaine Jenas : City battered a lot of teams during the restart and played some unbelievable football but at the same time we still saw the same frailties at the back which had affected them all season .
I do n't think much has changed .
Of course they have got a chance , but they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not as good as the City team that won the title with a record points tally in 2018 .
Leon Osman : City have strengthened at the back but whether that will be enough depends on the fitness of Aymeric Laporte .
He is still their top defender - and if he gets injured again , then they are back in trouble .
Joleon Lescott : Liverpool are favourites - they have to be because of last season - but City 's circumstances played a part in that .
Now Pep Guardiola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after signing Nathan Ake , who might play left-back more than centre-half .
He is a good buy - versatile and as consistent as you get in the Premier League .
Someone steady is what City need .
Michael Brown : City made a slow start last season , which let Liverpool build a big lead early on .
That added pressure in games when it was 0-0 after an hour and City would feel they had to force it , and ended up being open to counter-attacks .
Every mistake seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , they are an exceptional team and they edge Liverpool .
With a bit more luck in terms of injuries , we might see a more consistent City this time , and they will be hard to stop .
Last season , 75 % of the BBC pundits thought Chelsea would miss out on the top four - but they finished fourth .
This time , 96 % are predicting they will make the Champions League places and 19 out of 25 think they will make the top three .
Ruud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to break into the top two .
They have made some good signings but that does n't mean anything yet .
You never know how they will blend in .
It 's the Premier League , a different league - different pace , different everything .
It 's not easy .
Stephen Warnock : Frank Lampard has assembled a fantastic squad but now he has a different challenge to last year , which is to keep everyone happy .
Chris Sutton : They have spent big and that changes expectation .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on Frank .
Rob Green : What Chelsea have been missing is consistency and that relentlessness that Liverpool have .
This is the season where they need to find those ways of winning games when things do n't go their way .
Matt Upson : They have added some amazing attacking options but I think Lampard has learned a lot too from his first season as a Premier League manager .
There were games where they dropped points when they probably looked back and felt they should have won them .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevin : You have got the top two and Chelsea will be nipping at their heels .
It is not just the fact they have spent money , it is the way they have done it - having Timo Werner and Kai Havertz to go with Christian Pulisic is kind of scary , but probably more for the next three or four seasons as opposed to this one because they will need to settle in .
So , they are looking good .
Everyone knows their problem has been defensively , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A lot of people say goalkeeper is as well - and it may be - but I do n't think it is the reason they conceded so many goals last season ; that was a wider defensive issue .
I have a feeling they may concede just as many this season , but will score a hell of a lot more .
Man Utd - Set to spring a big surprise or still missing something ?
This is the first season since 2017-18 that anyone has tipped Manchester United to be champions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought they would make the top three and only 29 % thought they would make the top four - they finished third .
This time , 96 % think they will make the top four although 17 of the 24 votes they received placed them in fourth .
Chris Waddle : There are a lot of games jammed into this season and I am looking at the teams with the biggest squads as the ones who will do well .
I do n't think Liverpool will cope .
City will , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling United will spring a surprise .
They already have a lot of quality on their books , and they might sign a couple more .
Danny Murphy : United have progressed tremendously well .
They look a side full of confidence now and they have got loads of creativity .
Donny van de Beek is a great signing and it is going to be interesting to see how they fit him into their team .
Jermaine Jenas : I know Bruno Fernandes came in and lifted them and they are playing lovely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly .
An injury here or there could really hurt them - it is going to be a weird season where teams are going to have to use a lot of their squad , and United will need to add to theirs to be sure of making the top four .
Sue Smith : I was really impressed with United after the season 's restart - you could see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 's strongest XI and he was able to break teams down , not just hit them on the counter .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excellent - add in a fully fit Paul Pogba and new signing Van de Beek and they have a top quality midfield .
If they get Sancho , another defender and a centre forward , they are title challengers .
Joleon Lescott : I 've heard the argument they do n't need Sancho - but , really , who does n't need him ?
Every Premier League club would take him if they could , including Liverpool .
He would impact the United team in a big way .
Karen Carney : United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defence is better than those of Arsenal and Tottenham and that will be the difference in terms of them in getting a top-four spot .
The key thing for me in the top six is who has the best defence , as they have all got that one player they still need apart from Liverpool , who have Virgil van Dijk .
If they can sort that issue out , United would be right up there .
Arsenal - Not quite ready , but their identity is in place Last season , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought Arsenal would qualify for the Champions League - they finished eighth .
This year , only two out of 25 think they will finish fourth or higher .
Alex Scott : They are not in my top four , but they will not be far away .
We 've already seen such a big turnaround from them in such a short space of time under Mikel Arteta and I am expecting them to keep on improving too .
I just think when you look at the other four teams , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in one-off games , like we showed when we won the FA Cup , but not yet over the course of a league season .
Matt Upson : Leaving them out of my four was a very difficult decision .
I do n't have one question mark over Arteta - he is the main positive , who has made them harder to play against and has improved his players individually .
They have made some good signings too , but maybe the squad is not quite ready this year .
Jermaine Jenas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can see challenging for the top four , because of the shift in mentality under Arteta and the young players he is bringing through .
They look solid and adaptable at the back , which gives them a great foundation .
Rob Green : The way they play may not always be the Arsenal way but Arteta has very quickly got his players on board with what he is doing - and the ones that are n't , he is getting out .
There is a lot on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 's shoulders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't afford for him to have an off-day at the moment .
Joleon Lescott : Out of all the sides with new young managers - Lampard at Chelsea and Solskjaer at United - Arsenal 's players probably have the best idea of what their manager wants .
You can see Arteta 's impact and input the most , and their identity as a team is already there .
Tottenham - in a top-six battle with Leicester , Wolves , Everton ... and Southampton ?
Last season , 21 of 24 BBC pundits thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought they would finish any lower than fourth .
They ended up in sixth spot .
This time , none of the 25 think they will make the Champions League places .
Chris Sutton : Nobody really knows what Jose Mourinho is going to do with Spurs , and whether they can find some consistency .
Yes , they have got some talented players , but I do n't think he really improved them after taking over .
Matt Upson : When I watch Spurs play , I have got questions over them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matches and accumulate points - the stats show that if last season had started when he took charge , Spurs would have finished fourth .
That shocked me a bit but it showed why you can not discount him .
Chris Waddle : Jose actually played on the front foot more than I expected last season but this is his team now and we will not know how he is going to set them up until the new campaign gets started .
There is no reason why he ca n't win games and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but his priority has to be finding a back-up for Harry Kane .
Jermaine Jenas : Spurs will be organised and get results but we are talking about a top-six finish rather than the top four .
Even that will be a battle because Leicester and Wolves are going to be strong again , and Everton have made some good signings .
Jermaine Jenas joins Micah Richards and Mark Chapman on MOTD2 at 22:30 BST on Sunday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website for highlights of Tottenham vs Everton and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Wolves are going to have another good season but it is difficult for them to get to the next level because they do n't have quite the same creativity going forward as the four sides I have gone for .
Pat Nevin : I would love to say Everton will make fourth but I ca n't .
It is lovely to see what they are building , though , and James Rodriguez just added to it and makes it so exciting .
They could well land a cup this year , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at the usual suspects .
Chris Waddle : Leicester will still be dangerous and , if they can get off to a flyer , Southampton could be the surprise package .
I do n't see them getting into the top four but I have watched them a lot and they will upset a few teams .

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to be champions last season but can they successfully defend their Premier League crown?
That is the next target for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, whose side finished 18 points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City last time out. So who will challenge them in 2020-21?
How will City respond after losing their title? Can big-spending Chelsea narrow the gap? Will Manchester United sustain a serious title bid for the first time since they last finished top in 2013? And can Arsenal, Tottenham or anyone else break into the Champions League places?
Before a ball is kicked in the new campaign, we asked 25 BBC TV and radio pundits to pick their top four with explanations for their selections.
Predictor 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Chris Waddle Man Utd Man City Liverpool Chelsea Alan Shearer Man City Liverpool Chelsea Man Utd Alex Scott Man City Liverpool Chelsea Man Utd Pat Nevin Man City Liverpool Chelsea Man Utd Michael Brown Man City Liverpool Chelsea Man Utd Micah Richards Man City Liverpool Man Utd Chelsea Rachel Brown-Finnis Man City Liverpool Man Utd Chelsea Chris Sutton Man City Liverpool Man Utd Chelsea Lindsay Johnson Man City Liverpool Man Utd Chelsea Rob Green Man City Chelsea Liverpool Man Utd Ruud Gullit Man City Chelsea Liverpool Man Utd Mark Schwarzer Man City Chelsea Liverpool Man Utd Jermaine Jenas Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Karen Carney Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Danny Murphy Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Martin Keown Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Sue Smith Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Stephen Warnock Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Leon Osman Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Matthew Upson Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Clinton Morrison Liverpool Man City Chelsea Man Utd Mark Lawrenson Liverpool Man City Man Utd Chelsea Dion Dublin Liverpool Man City Man Utd Chelsea Joleon Lescott Liverpool Man City Arsenal Man Utd Ian Wright Liverpool Man City Chelsea Arsenal
Five teams feature in the forecasted top fours, but only Manchester City and Liverpool feature in all 25. Tottenham, who 21 out of 24 pundits picked to finish third last season, do not make anyone's pick anywhere this time.
In terms of who will win it, Liverpool are favourites, with 13 votes. Manchester City get 11, and Manchester United one. The overall predicted ranking gives a different outcome, however.
Overall predicted ranking, using all 25 BBC predictions 1. Man City 2. Liverpool 3. Chelsea 4. Man Utd 5. Arsenal 86 pts 84 pts 44 pts 33 pts 3 pts
(using system of 4 pts for a 1st place, 3 pts for 2nd, 2 pts for 3rd and 1 pt for 4th)
An impossible job? What could change before the transfer window closes?
The predictions were made on Friday, 11 September, with more than three weeks to go before the transfer window closes on Monday, 5 October.
Ian Wright: It's impossible to make predictions before we know if Liverpool and United strengthen their squads. We've seen the work Chelsea have done in the window and they will have some serious attacking firepower. Even with Arsenal, the next few days of the transfer window are crucial. Who will be leaving? Will we get another creative attacking player? The key to making these predictions is knowing the final squads.
Alan Shearer: A lot could still change. The big question over City is still about their defence, and we will have to wait to see if they have put it right. They simply have to improve there, but I am expecting them to spend more money in order to do it.
Alan Shearer and Ian Wright join Gary Lineker on Match of the Day at 22:20 BST on Saturday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website for highlights of four Premier League games.
Klopp defends Liverpool's lack of transfer activity
Jermaine Jenas: I am sure United are going to do some serious business in this window - they have to. Unless they sign three or four players, they are facing a real battle to make the top four. They need another centre-half for starters and more numbers at the top end of the pitch, whether it is a recognised centre-forward or Jadon Sancho.
Stephen Warnock: Thiago Alcantara would make a huge difference to Liverpool's midfield if they can get him from Bayern and I still think they need another centre-half, like most of the top teams do. But, even without them buying anyone else, I still go through Klopp's side and think they are the team to beat.
Liverpool - An era of dominance or one year too many?
Last season 33% of the BBC pundits thought Liverpool would win the title and 23 out of 24 thought they would finish in the top two. This season, 52% think they will be champions again while 21 out of 25 think they will finish in the top two.
Ruud Gullit: I saw Liverpool against Arsenal in the Community Shield and I understand it was pre-season but they could not play their normal game. Without it, without their anger and their speed, we saw they are not much better than the other top sides.
I didn't think Liverpool could do it twice - win the Champions League in 2019 and then the Premier League in 2020 - and keep playing the way they did for so long. It was quite remarkable they did it, because that pressing game is hard to do for so many games. The most difficult thing will be to do it again, so I am going with City to win the title - but I thought the same last year, and I was wrong.
Rob Green: After getting 97 and then 99 points in successive seasons, for Liverpool to do it all again for a third year with pretty much the same team is a huge ask.
Danny Murphy: There are always going to be some fans who want new faces just to get excited by, but this is a super-confident side playing consistently well over two years now. It doesn't need fixing, it's pretty perfect in most areas.
Mark Lawrenson: My only worry is that the three front players have been unbelievable in terms of the number of games they have played in the past three seasons, so what happens if they get injuries there?
Sadio Mane's 18 Premier League goals for Liverpool in 2019-20 earned his side 18 points - only Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (20) and Raul Jimenez of Wolves (19) won more points with their goals last season
Joleon Lescott: I respect their back-up players but Liverpool lose that fear factor when players such as Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are not on the team sheet.
Alex Scott: I was certain they would win it last year but defending the title is much harder. They are still going to be very close, but they haven't really strengthened and they could be tired.
Alex Scott and Tim Cahill are the guests on Football Focus on BBC One and the BBC Sport website at 12:00 BST on Saturday.
Jermaine Jenas: I'm surprised so many people don't see Liverpool winning it again. I know their results fell away at the end of the season but you have to remember they had wrapped up the title so early, then had to get to the end of the season with no crowds. Even in normal circumstances, it would be a struggle to maintain their intensity.
So I don't think Klopp will allow their standards drop now. Why would you build something to then just give it away? I can't find a reason anyone will finish above them - I am expecting Liverpool to keep on building an era of dominance.
Liverpool win 2019-20 Premier League title: Henderson on 'amazing feeling' of lifting Premier League trophy
Stephen Warnock: Winning the Champions League will be more important to City whereas with Liverpool it will be about the Premier League again. They will want to prove how good they are, plus they have not been able to celebrate it with their fans because of the coronavirus pandemic so they will be fired up to win it in front of them.
Karen Carney: There's the issue that they won't have the support of fans inside Anfield, which is a potential 10-point drop off. I still think defensively, they are the best, though, and that's where United, Chelsea and City struggle. But if Kalidou Koulibaly joins City, it's a whole different ball game.
With 33 goals conceded in 38 games, Liverpool had the best defensive record in the Premier League last season
Man City - Same frailties or a big response to a 'pathetic' title defence?
This is the fifth season running where City have featured in everyone's forecasted top four. It's also the third successive year where no-one thinks they will finish below second.
Micah Richards: When you look at Liverpool's best XI, their balance and the cohesion between their players is better - and they still have three magicians up front. But I look at City's whole squad and think they will win the title.
Chris Sutton: City are the only team since 2009 to win the Premier League in back-to-back seasons but their title defence last season was pathetic. They will be hurting from that and they be desperate to respond.
Jermaine Jenas: City battered a lot of teams during the restart and played some unbelievable football but at the same time we still saw the same frailties at the back which had affected them all season. I don't think much has changed.
Of course they have got a chance, but they are relying on Liverpool dropping off. They are not as good as the City team that won the title with a record points tally in 2018.
Leon Osman: City have strengthened at the back but whether that will be enough depends on the fitness of Aymeric Laporte. He is still their top defender - and if he gets injured again, then they are back in trouble.
Liverpool finished 18 points clear of second-placed City last season, and 33 points ahead of Manchester United and Chelsea
Joleon Lescott: Liverpool are favourites - they have to be because of last season - but City's circumstances played a part in that. Now Pep Guardiola has got more depth at the back after signing Nathan Ake, who might play left-back more than centre-half. He is a good buy - versatile and as consistent as you get in the Premier League. Someone steady is what City need.
Michael Brown: City made a slow start last season, which let Liverpool build a big lead early on. That added pressure in games when it was 0-0 after an hour and City would feel they had to force it, and ended up being open to counter-attacks. Every mistake seemed to cost them too. When they click, though, they are an exceptional team and they edge Liverpool. With a bit more luck in terms of injuries, we might see a more consistent City this time, and they will be hard to stop.
Chelsea - A different challenge for Frank Lampard
Last season, 75% of the BBC pundits thought Chelsea would miss out on the top four - but they finished fourth. This time, 96% are predicting they will make the Champions League places and 19 out of 25 think they will make the top three.
Ruud Gullit: It's clear Chelsea are trying to break into the top two. They have made some good signings but that doesn't mean anything yet. You never know how they will blend in. It's the Premier League, a different league - different pace, different everything. It's not easy.
Stephen Warnock: Frank Lampard has assembled a fantastic squad but now he has a different challenge to last year, which is to keep everyone happy.
Chelsea agreed a deal with Hakim Ziyech in February and have continued their spending with Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva, splashing out a total of around £200m on six major signings during this transfer window
Chris Sutton: They have spent big and that changes expectation. They have to win something or there is pressure on Frank.
Rob Green: What Chelsea have been missing is consistency and that relentlessness that Liverpool have. This is the season where they need to find those ways of winning games when things don't go their way.
Matt Upson: They have added some amazing attacking options but I think Lampard has learned a lot too from his first season as a Premier League manager. There were games where they dropped points when they probably looked back and felt they should have won them. He will be wiser for that.
Pat Nevin: You have got the top two and Chelsea will be nipping at their heels. It is not just the fact they have spent money, it is the way they have done it - having Timo Werner and Kai Havertz to go with Christian Pulisic is kind of scary, but probably more for the next three or four seasons as opposed to this one because they will need to settle in.
So, they are looking good. Everyone knows their problem has been defensively, and the centre-back position might still be one. A lot of people say goalkeeper is as well - and it may be - but I don't think it is the reason they conceded so many goals last season; that was a wider defensive issue. I have a feeling they may concede just as many this season, but will score a hell of a lot more.
Man Utd - Set to spring a big surprise or still missing something?
This is the first season since 2017-18 that anyone has tipped Manchester United to be champions. Last year only one of 24 pundits thought they would make the top three and only 29% thought they would make the top four - they finished third. This time, 96% think they will make the top four although 17 of the 24 votes they received placed them in fourth.
Chris Waddle: There are a lot of games jammed into this season and I am looking at the teams with the biggest squads as the ones who will do well. I don't think Liverpool will cope. City will, of course, but I just have a sneaky feeling United will spring a surprise. They already have a lot of quality on their books, and they might sign a couple more.
Gossip: Can Man Utd sign Jadon Sancho & Jack Grealish this summer?
Danny Murphy: United have progressed tremendously well. They look a side full of confidence now and they have got loads of creativity. Donny van de Beek is a great signing and it is going to be interesting to see how they fit him into their team.
Jermaine Jenas: I know Bruno Fernandes came in and lifted them and they are playing lovely stuff but that effect can disappear really quickly. An injury here or there could really hurt them - it is going to be a weird season where teams are going to have to use a lot of their squad, and United will need to add to theirs to be sure of making the top four.
I need to be 'much better' before Cantona comparisons - Fernandes
Sue Smith: I was really impressed with United after the season's restart - you could see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's strongest XI and he was able to break teams down, not just hit them on the counter. As well as Fernandes, Mason Greenwood was excellent - add in a fully fit Paul Pogba and new signing Van de Beek and they have a top quality midfield. If they get Sancho, another defender and a centre forward, they are title challengers.
Joleon Lescott: I've heard the argument they don't need Sancho - but, really, who doesn't need him? Every Premier League club would take him if they could, including Liverpool. He would impact the United team in a big way.
Karen Carney: United have been building and building. Their defence is better than those of Arsenal and Tottenham and that will be the difference in terms of them in getting a top-four spot. The key thing for me in the top six is who has the best defence, as they have all got that one player they still need apart from Liverpool, who have Virgil van Dijk. If they can sort that issue out, United would be right up there.
Arsenal - Not quite ready, but their identity is in place
Last season, more than half of the 24 BBC pundits thought Arsenal would qualify for the Champions League - they finished eighth. This year, only two out of 25 think they will finish fourth or higher.
Alex Scott: They are not in my top four, but they will not be far away. We've already seen such a big turnaround from them in such a short space of time under Mikel Arteta and I am expecting them to keep on improving too. I just think when you look at the other four teams, they are all stronger. We can compete with them in one-off games, like we showed when we won the FA Cup, but not yet over the course of a league season.
Matt Upson: Leaving them out of my four was a very difficult decision. I don't have one question mark over Arteta - he is the main positive, who has made them harder to play against and has improved his players individually. They have made some good signings too, but maybe the squad is not quite ready this year.
Jermaine Jenas: They are the only other team I can see challenging for the top four, because of the shift in mentality under Arteta and the young players he is bringing through. They look solid and adaptable at the back, which gives them a great foundation.
Rob Green: The way they play may not always be the Arsenal way but Arteta has very quickly got his players on board with what he is doing - and the ones that aren't, he is getting out. There is a lot on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's shoulders for goals, though. They can't afford for him to have an off-day at the moment.
Martin Keown's prediction for the 2020-21 season Premier League champions: Liverpool Rest of top four: Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd Champions League winners: Bayern Munich FA Cup winners: Liverpool Carabao Cup winners: Chelsea Relegated: Fulham, Crystal Palace, West Brom Europa League winners: Arsenal Golden Boot: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Joleon Lescott: Out of all the sides with new young managers - Lampard at Chelsea and Solskjaer at United - Arsenal's players probably have the best idea of what their manager wants. You can see Arteta's impact and input the most, and their identity as a team is already there.
Tottenham - in a top-six battle with Leicester, Wolves, Everton... and Southampton?
Last season, 21 of 24 BBC pundits thought Spurs would finish third and only two thought they would finish any lower than fourth. They ended up in sixth spot. This time, none of the 25 think they will make the Champions League places.
Chris Sutton: Nobody really knows what Jose Mourinho is going to do with Spurs, and whether they can find some consistency. Yes, they have got some talented players, but I don't think he really improved them after taking over.
Crystal Palace 1-1 Tottenham: My teams always qualify for Europe - Jose Mourinho
Matt Upson: When I watch Spurs play, I have got questions over them but Mourinho clearly knows how to win matches and accumulate points - the stats show that if last season had started when he took charge, Spurs would have finished fourth. That shocked me a bit but it showed why you cannot discount him.
Chris Waddle: Jose actually played on the front foot more than I expected last season but this is his team now and we will not know how he is going to set them up until the new campaign gets started. There is no reason why he can't win games and entertain with the players he has got, but his priority has to be finding a back-up for Harry Kane.
Gossip: Can Jose Mourinho lure Callum Wilson and Ivan Rakitic to Spurs?
Jermaine Jenas: Spurs will be organised and get results but we are talking about a top-six finish rather than the top four. Even that will be a battle because Leicester and Wolves are going to be strong again, and Everton have made some good signings.
Jermaine Jenas joins Micah Richards and Mark Chapman on MOTD2 at 22:30 BST on Sunday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website for highlights of Tottenham vs Everton and West Brom v Leicester.
Danny Murphy: Wolves are going to have another good season but it is difficult for them to get to the next level because they don't have quite the same creativity going forward as the four sides I have gone for.
Pat Nevin: I would love to say Everton will make fourth but I can't. It is lovely to see what they are building, though, and James Rodriguez just added to it and makes it so exciting. They could well land a cup this year, but in the league I think we are looking at the usual suspects.
Chris Waddle: Leicester will still be dangerous and, if they can get off to a flyer, Southampton could be the surprise package. I don't see them getting into the top four but I have watched them a lot and they will upset a few teams.


bbcuk--2020-09-11--Coronavirus: Soldiers go from the car park back to combat exercises

About 250 soldiers are engaged in operations under safety procedures to prevent the spread of the virus .
Soldiers are arranged in household groups of 10 to 15 people to try to minimise the risk .
Major Adam Champion , the officer commanding C Squadron , explained the steps being taken during the exercise over the next three weeks .
`` Each of us will be distinguished by various signs such as wristbands to identify who everyone is and which cohort and household they are in , '' he said .
`` There are about 250 soldiers in total in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ most ] of those are socially distanced from each other so actually for the most part we only see a small number of us on any one day . ''
The exercise - Solway Eagle - is the first for the regiment since lockdown , and Major Champion said its purpose was to return troops to their `` core soldiering skills '' .
`` It 's not difficult to retool for that sort of thing as we are generally quite agile in our thinking , '' he said .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can and is needed .
`` We handed over that task to the Scottish Ambulance Service who are doing great work in carrying on those mobile testing units , but if we are needed in future then of course we are happy to help . ''
Trooper Troy Clark took part in an exercise to conduct a night ambush and said they had implemented different measures due to Covid-19 .
`` If you come into contact with someone who is wearing a different coloured band you know to keep the two metres distance @ @ @ @ @

"There are about 250 soldiers in total in the exercise that are deployed here but [most] of those are socially distanced from each other so actually for the most part we only see a small number of us on any one day."


bbcuk--2020-09-11--Bethesda landslip: 120 years since 'narrow escape' in 1900

It could have been a headline following Storm Francis last month , but in fact it came from the Evening Express of 8 August 1900 .
It 's 120 years since the A5 near Bethesda suffered the worst in a history of landslides along its route .
Heavy rain drove hundreds of tonnes of mud and rock from Carnedd Dafydd down the Nant Ffrancon Pass , between Bangor and Ogwen Lake , with villagers below narrowly escaping disaster .
Boulders weighing up to six tonnes narrowly missed about 60 residents in the village of Tyn y Maes , and miraculously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had even reached the River Ogwen some half-a-mile ( 0.8km ) away .
As with Storm Francis in 2020 , and an earlier 1879 incident , the landslide came amid unusually inclement August weather .
• Why Wales is prone to landslides However , Dr Hazel Pierce of Bangor University explains that - unlike this year 's landslides - the 1900 near-disaster had an unseen cause .
`` After the landslide a Mr Evans , surveyor for Caernarfonshire County Council , was sent out to assess the damage , and confirmed that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
`` In his opinion , owing to the heavy rain , the rising water table had caused a 'waterspout ' to burst on the slopes of Carnedd Dafydd , leading to water building up behind rocks , until this 'barrier ' finally gave way and the mass of water coursed down the slope 'carrying everything before it ' . ''
The landslip was so immense it was said that the outline of Carnedd Dafydd was `` considerably changed '' afterwards .
Although no lives were lost - then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected .
`` In 2020 , the people of Bethesda were relying on a good summer season to help rescue the economy after coronavirus , whereas in 1900 they needed tourism to help bolster their incomes as times grew harder in the slate quarries , '' said Dr Pierce , from the university 's Stephen Colclough Centre for the History and Culture of the Book '' In 1900 , tourism was no longer purely the preserve of the Victorian wealthy , and the area was benefiting from an increase of 'ordinary ' visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a considerable time after the landslide , this lifeline was cut off from them . ''
She added : `` Nant Ffrancon Pass was a popular tourist route for omnibus trips from Bethesda to Llyn Ogwen and Capel Curig ; even some Bethesda publicans made extra money by taking visitors on excursions up the valley , so the loss of these trips would have been a blow . ''
The 1901 census shows the scale of the disaster which was so narrowly avoided .
50 people lived in 15 properties in Tyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ varying number of hands at nearby Tyn y Maes Farm .
The majority of the inhabitants were quarrymen who worked at Penrhyn Slate Quarry , and they were among the 200 or more who came to clear the road , quite possibly in their own time without pay .
Just three months later these quarrymen would face a different kind of storm as they walked out in protest at working conditions , in a three-year strike , which became one of the longest in British history .
`` As with the mountain rescues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up their Saturday afternoons , or took unpaid leave , to search for those lost on the hill and help others in trouble , '' Dr Pierce said .
`` Along with other locals , they were the forerunners of today 's mountain rescue team volunteers .
`` When the side of the mountain collapsed in 1900 , they came forward to help move by hand rocks which , after another fall in 1954 , only explosives could shift .
`` Without their efforts the quarry would have been affected too , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them so soon afterwards must have felt like a massive slap in the face . ''
To commemorate the start of the Great Strike/Y Streic Fawr in November 1900 , Dr Pierce has created a number of virtual tours for the History Points ' website .

"In 2020, the people of Bethesda were relying on a good summer season to help rescue the economy after coronavirus, whereas in 1900 they needed tourism to help bolster their incomes as times grew harder in the slate quarries," said Dr Pierce, from the university's Stephen Colclough Centre for the History and Culture of the Book


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Brexit: EU can't threaten integrity of UK, says Michael Gove

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has defended the government 's Internal Market Bill , which would give ministers powers to @ @ @ @ @ movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland .

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has defended the government's Internal Market Bill, which would give ministers powers to modify rules relating to the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--The Papers: PM 'warned on Brexit deal', and virus 'alert'

It details how Mr Johnson mounts a robust defence of alterations to the Brexit divorce deal , and appeals again to Tory MPs not to stage a rebellion .
Its leader column reserves judgment , noting there is `` a fine line between liberty and legality '' and that the two main issues of the year - Brexit and Covid - have muddled an administration in favour of `` live and let live '' , but responsible for unprecedented restrictions of personal freedoms .
The Financial Times claims Mr Johnson was explicitly warned months ago about the implications of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen a briefing document given to the government in January , which detailed the impact on UK sovereignty .
The Daily Express hails the securing of what it describes as a `` historic '' first trade deal with Japan as proof that Britain will thrive outside the EU .
The International Trade Secretary , Liz Truss , tells the paper it is `` just the start '' with officials suggesting `` good progress '' is also being made in discussions with Australia , New Zealand , Canada and the USA .
Growing concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate is reflected on many of the front pages .
`` Virus Alert '' is the Daily Mirror 's headline - as it suggests Liverpool could be next to go into lockdown .
The Times reports the government is drawing up plans to fine anyone breaching self isolation rules , after evidence showed advice was being widely flouted .
The Daily Mail 's focus is its own poll showing 40 % of respondents want a U-turn on the `` rule of six '' .
And there is widespread coverage of the modest celebrations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years for the quiz Who Wants To Be A Millionaire , after the show aired last night .
The Times reports that history teacher , Donald Fear , whisked his wife away on holiday ... to a caravan in Whitley Bay .
The Sun says the father of four will give most of his million away , but that he is planning to splash out on a brand new motor home .

Its leader column reserves judgment, noting there is "a fine line between liberty and legality" and that the two main issues of the year - Brexit and Covid - have muddled an administration in favour of "live and let live", but responsible for unprecedented restrictions of personal freedoms.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Man charged with murdering wife in Bexley home

A man has been charged with murdering his wife in south-east London .
Police discovered Suzanne Winnister , 66 , @ @ @ @ @ Bexley at about 21:15 BST on Tuesday .
Despite treatment , she was pronounced dead @ @ @ @ @ post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as severe neck and head injuries .
Leslie @ @ @ @ @ charged with her murder on Friday evening .
He will appear in custody at Bromley @ @ @ @ @ .

Despite treatment, she was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as severe neck and head injuries.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Firearm and ammunition seized during police investigation into INLA

Two men , aged 35 and 34 , have been arrested after a gun and ammunition were found in west @ @ @ @ @ Task Force was conducting an investigation into the criminal activities of the INLA .
A @ @ @ @ @ Falls Road at about 21:20 BST on Friday .
A property in Whiterock was then @ @ @ @ @ ammunition , which have been taken away for further forensic examination , were found .
@ @ @ @ @ suspicion of possessing a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances .
Both men remain in @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton said the seizure had `` made the community of west Belfast , and indeed @ @ @ @ @ place following this investigation . ''
`` The Paramilitary Crime Task Force will continue to @ @ @ @ @ act on the information they provide , '' said Det Insp Hamilton .

A property in Whiterock was then searched and the firearm and ammunition, which have been taken away for further forensic examination, were found.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Coronavirus: Cardiff nightlife 'responds well' but responsibility urged

People need to take an `` individual and collective responsibility '' to help curb a Covid-19 case rise , say community leaders .
From Monday , new rules mean groups of six must be part of the same extended household whether at home or in pubs and restaurants .
Cardiff council said checks on pubs and clubs on Friday night showed people following rules to socially distance .
It comes after five bars were ordered to comply with Covid-19 safety rules .
But social-distancing was in evidence outside the clubs and bars in the city 's St Mary Street , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It was much better than the scenes we saw last Friday and Saturday , said Dave Holland , director of public protection at Cardiff council .
`` We went out and spoke to the licensees and said is clearly not acceptable , it is not good for their business .
`` The city centre needs to be a place where people can go in have a meal , enjoy themselves , meet their friends and feel safe . ''
He said so far the compliance was `` much better '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael said : `` The people running the bar need to stick to those rules but , at the end of the day , it comes down to individual and collective responsibility . ''
• Wales ' mask rule 'to get ahead of gathering storm' • How many coronavirus deaths in Wales ?
Mr Holland added : `` We know the virus is not transmitted necessarily in commercial premises , it 's transmitted in small gatherings , social gatherings you 're not getting it off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will get the virus from people that you know , and that you have close contact with . ''
Mr Holland said it was role of the council and police to enforce the rules on social distancing with commercial premises ensuring compliance , such as ensuring customers ' names were recorded as part of test and trace requirements `` because , if something goes wrong , that 's how I stop the disease '' .
Cardiff 's case rate has steadied over the last week and has risen by 12.8 cases per 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest rate for cases in Wales remains in Caerphilly county , with the area currently in lockdown .
There are also concerns about an increase in cases in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil .
Mr Michael told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast programme : `` It comes down to the individual , every one of us .
`` The local authority has a role , the police have a role , employers running bars have a role , but , essentially , this is only going to work if we all recognise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wales .
`` The trouble is once you go out as a group , people tend to come closer together , forget that they 're supposed to be distancing socially .
`` The answer is , let 's all stick to the rules . ''

Mr Holland said it was role of the council and police to enforce the rules on social distancing with commercial premises ensuring compliance, such as ensuring customers' names were recorded as part of test and trace requirements "because, if something goes wrong, that's how I stop the disease".


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Newquay attack: Man charged with assault of police officer

A man has been charged with assaulting a police officer who sustained severe burns in an incident in Cornwall .
@ @ @ @ @ faces charges of arson with intent , GBH with intent against a police officer , @ @ @ @ @ .
The 51-year-old officer was airlifted to Royal Cornwall Hospital from Trevenson Road , Newquay @ @ @ @ @ Hadjigueorguiev , of no fixed address , is due to appear at Truro Magistrates ' @ @ @ @ @ officer is said to be in a `` stable condition '' at Derriford Hospital .

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Truro Crown Court on 13 October.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--Coronavirus: Oxford University to resume vaccine trial after pause

Trials of a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will resume after being paused due to a reported side effect in a patient in the UK .
On Tuesday , AstraZeneca said the studies were being paused while it investigated whether the adverse reaction was linked with the vaccine .
But on Saturday , the university said it had been deemed safe to continue .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the news that the trials would resume .
`` This pause shows we will always put safety first .
We will back our scientists to deliver an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he added .
The university said in a statement that it was `` expected '' that `` some participants will become unwell '' in large trials such as this one .
It added that the studies could now resume following the recommendations of an independent safety review committee and the UK regulator , the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency .
• UK 'must avoid party weekend ' ahead of new rules It would not disclose information about the patient 's illness for confidentiality reasons , but the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis , an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and can be caused by viral infections .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) says nearly 180 vaccine candidates are being tested around the world but none has yet completed clinical trials .
Hopes have been high that the vaccine might be one of the first to come on the market , following successful phase 1 and 2 testing .
Its move to Phase 3 testing in recent weeks has involved some 30,000 participants in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Brazil and South Africa .
Phase 3 trials in vaccines often involve thousands of participants and can last several years .
The government 's chief scientific adviser , Sir Patrick Vallance , told the Downing Street press conference on Wednesday what had happened in the Oxford trial was not unusual .
The news comes after Prof Sir Mark Walport , a member of the government 's scientific advisory group Sage , warned the UK was `` on the edge of losing control of the virus '' .
He told BBC Radio 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only got to look across the Channel to see what is happening in France and what 's happening in Spain . ''
Official figures released on Saturday showed a further 3,497 people have tested positive with the virus in the UK .
It is the second day in a row that number of daily reported cases has exceeded 3,000 .
It brings the overall number of confirmed cases so far to 365,174 .
Meanwhile , the government figures revealed that a further nine people have died within 28 days of testing positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 41,623 .
Official figures indicate the UK 's coronavirus epidemic is growing again , after the R number - the reproduction rate of the virus - was raised to between 1 and 1.2 for the first time since March .
Meanwhile , daily coronavirus cases in Scotland have reached a four-month high , according to the Scottish government 's latest data .
A total of 221 people tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours - the highest daily figure since 8 May , when there were 225 positive tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions intended to halt the rises are due come into force on Monday .
In England indoor and outdoor gatherings of more than six people will be banned , except in certain circumstances such as for work or school .
Those breaking the rules could be fined .
In Scotland , socialising will be limited to a maximum of six people inside and outside - but unlike England they must be from two households , and children under 12 are exempt .
In Wales , also from Monday , it will be illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended household to meet indoors - but up to 30 can still meet outdoors .
Localised restrictions for parts of Northern Ireland , including Belfast and Ballymena , are to come into force on Monday , aimed at reducing contacts between people in homes in the affected areas .
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove agreed fines might be necessary to ensure people self-isolate when required .
He told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme : `` I do n't want to see fines being levied , but even more I do not want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that puts the most vulnerable at risk . ''
• TESTING : What tests are available ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• LOCAL LOCKDOWNS : What happens if you have one ?
• TEST AND TRACE : How does it work ?

It would not disclose information about the patient's illness for confidentiality reasons, but the New York Times reported that a volunteer in the UK trial had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and can be caused by viral infections.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--'Divorce boom' forecast as lockdown sees advice queries rise

The coronavirus pandemic is creating an `` enormous strain '' on relationships , an advice charity has warned , with family lawyers predicting a `` post-lockdown divorce boom '' .
Citizens Advice said divorce guidance searches had risen since April after a drop in visits when lockdown started .
It said views on its divorce webpage on the first September weekend were up 25 % compared with the same date in 2019 .
Slater and Gordon said the pandemic had `` exacerbated '' marriage problems .
The law firm said an increase in conveyancing instructions was `` signalling an increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their properties '' .
It said September was `` ordinarily a busy month for family lawyers '' as couples would often `` attempt a last-ditch summer holiday '' before ending their relationship .
Family lawyer Georgina Chase said about 30 % of matrimonial enquires she had received had been from couples separating because of issues in relationships being `` exacerbated '' during the lockdown .
`` It 's an extreme change of circumstances for spouses and any issues in the marriage have been compounded by lockdown , that 's where we are seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's the straw that broke the camel 's back . ''
Ms Chase said the increase in cases meant a `` backlog '' was forming in courts ' administration .
• How many coronavirus cases in your area ?
• Is it safe to go to the pub ?
• How close are we to finding a vaccine ?
Citizens Advice data showed searches for advice about getting a divorce peaked on Sundays , with the designated web page being in the top two most-viewed on its website for the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of September , its advice webpage amassed more than 2200 views , a 25 % rise on the same weekend in 2019 .
Tom MacInnes , chief analyst for Citizens Advice , said : `` We know that this pandemic has put an enormous strain on people financially but our data shows that strain is also being felt in people 's relationships . ''
He said the types of advice sought differed on weekdays and weekends at a time where the charity has seen record-breaking demand .
The charity said data showed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the summer people continued to search for advice on `` essential '' issues such as benefits and redundancy but then switched to advice on divorce , wills and noisy neighbours at weekends .
The analyst said there had been a `` surge '' in the number of people with concerns about returning to work and an `` immediate spike '' in views on advice around meeting following the new guidance issued by the government .
Throughout the pandemic , Citizens Advice said online traffic decreased during key press conferences and broadcasts by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afterwards .

The analyst said there had been a "surge" in the number of people with concerns about returning to work and an "immediate spike" in views on advice around meeting following the new guidance issued by the government.


bbcuk--2020-09-12--After covid: 'Working from home' is long term ambition

Nearly a third of people should still be working from homes , even when coronavirus restrictions have eased , says the Welsh Government .
Ministers said its ambition is to see about 30 % of the workforce in Wales staying at or near home in the long term .
They said it was a chance to adopt culture that `` supports remote working '' .
The move could reduce congestion and pollution , and improve work-life balance , they argue .
`` The UK Government instruction for everyone to go back to the office is not one we are repeating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Transport and Economy , Lee Waters .
`` We believe many people will want to continue to work remotely in the longer term and this could be a step-change in the way we work in Wales . ''
• What does my boss do to keep me safe ?
• Working from home : How to cut your tax bill The Welsh Government said it wanted to give workers `` more flexibility to work remotely '' and claimed this could `` drive regeneration and economic activity in communities '' .
The ministers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance of learning lessons on issues such as mental health support , childcare arrangements and more innovative housing design '' .
As part of its policy , officials said they were exploring how to develop a network of `` community-based working hubs '' .
The hubs would be office-like environments within walking or cycling distance of homes , and shared by public , private and voluntary bodies .
`` The intention is to develop a hybrid workplace model , where staff can work in the office , at home , or in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials .
A recent report by academics at Cardiff and Southampton universities suggested the majority of people working from home are as productive as those working in office bases , it not more productive .
The Understanding Society Covid-19 Study also said nine out of 10 those who had worked from home during lockdown would like to continue in some form .
The UK government has pushed for people to return to office , with a campaign asking employers to reassure staff it is safe to return by highlighting measures taken to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' organisation the CBI has warned city centres could become `` ghost towns '' if the prime minister does not do more to encourage staff back , with businesses relying on passing trade from office workers .
The Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government , Hannah Blythyn added : `` Home working will change how we use our town centres and high streets .
`` As part of our work to support and revitalise our high streets and town centres we will be asking organisations , businesses and individuals to contribute to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensuring more people are living , working , shopping and learning there . ''

"As part of our work to support and revitalise our high streets and town centres we will be asking organisations, businesses and individuals to contribute to a major piece of work aimed at ensuring more people are living, working, shopping and learning there."