Britain will explore every avenue for a trade deal with the European Union but progress to bridge significant gaps needs to be made in the coming days, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.
Leaders of major cities in northern England on Saturday asked for more generous economic support for workers and businesses facing local lockdown, saying the government's current proposals would wreak economic hardship on their citizens.
British finance minister Rishi Sunak took fresh steps on Friday to try to stave off a surge in unemployment, offering extra help for businesses and people who are forced to stop work during local coronavirus lockdowns.
British finance minister Rishi Sunak announced his latest programme to stave off a surge in unemployment on Friday, offering extra help for businesses and workers who are forced to stop work during local coronavirus lockdowns.
English doctors are to be given extra supplies of this winter's flu vaccine in a bid to reduce the pressure on the health service amid rising numbers of coronavirus cases.
The United Kingdom recorded 13,864 new daily cases of COVID-19 on Friday, down from the 17,540 it reported the day before, government data showed.
The average daily number of COVID-19 cases in England has doubled in a week, a survey showed on Friday, as scientists warned that action was needed to avert a calamitous and unnecessary spike in deaths.
The UK's reproduction "R" number of COVID-19 has edged down to 1.2-1.5 from 1.3-1.6, government scientists said on Friday, adding there was still widespread growth of the epidemic across the country.
There are as many as 45,000 new COVID infections in England each day, the largest study on prevalence of the coronavirus in the population said on Friday, adding that a resurgence in the north of the country could be replicated elsewhere in weeks.
European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier wants a few more concessions from Britain before entering the last intense phase of negotiations on a trade deal, an EU diplomat said on Friday, as an Oct. 15 deadline looms.