The Guardian - Sept 9 2020

2020·14.67 MB·English

Dawn Mellor on painting
How
George Michael
Covid
 G2
changed
Wednesday
9 September 2020
the way £2.20
From £1.75 for subscribers
we think
about
home
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We are breaking law with Emergency
action to
Brexit bill, minister admits stem virus
resurgence
Peter Walker
Simon Murphy
The government a nnounced emer-
gency action last night to try t o
stem a feared autumn resurgence of
c oronavirus, tightening laws to ban
almost all gatherings of more than six
people in England.
Amid concerns that the current
rules are both widely misunder-
stood and too diffi cult for police to
i mplement, Boris Johnson will hold a
hastily arranged Downing Street press
conference t oday to outline the new
restrictions.
The dramatic change of approach by
No 10 follows a sudden increase in the
number of people being infected with
the virus, with n early 8,500 p ositive
tests recorded in England in the past
three days.
M inisters yesterday added Bol-
ton to the number of cities and towns
under local lockdowns, r estricting res-
taurants and pubs to takeaways and
forcing all venues to close from 10pm
to 5am. Bottlenecks in laboratories
processing Covid tests have ham-
pered the government’s attempts to
keep on top of the pandemic, with the
Labour leader, Keir Starmer, 6 
warning yesterday that the
Civil servant who led Braverman, both of whom have taken ▲ Boris Johnson y esterday. No 10 is withdrawal agreement under all cir- Royal Mail
oaths to uphold the rule of law. poised to amend the withdrawal cumstances. Who would want to agree
government’s legal
Their positions were put in the deal agreed with the EU in October trade deals with a country that doesn’t The end of
department resigns spotlight after the departure of Sir PHOTOGRAPH: WILL OLIVER/EPA implement international treaties? It
Jonathan Jones, who is understood to would … be a self-defeating strategy.”
Saturday
have become exasperated that minis- and have huge negative consequences T he Guardian has been told that
ters intended to ignore his advice that on the current talks ,” the source said. Jones, h ead of the UK government’s
Jessica Elgot any changes to the new internal mar- “It would be in Britain’s best inter- legal department, disagreed with deliveries?
Rajeev Syal ket bill would p robably be illegal. ests to clarify its plans now urgently Braverman’s interpretation of the legal
Daniel Boff ey The Guardian understands the gov- and assure the EU that it will continue implications of a no-deal Brexit.
ernment sought independent legal to honour its commitments under the This raised questions a bout
Senior Tory MPs and a n umber of l egal advice from a leading barrister – whose whether government plans to over- Royal Mail may ask
experts have urged the government to advice concurred with that of Jones. ride the Brexit withdrawal agreement
‘How can the regulator Ofcom
r everse plans t o drive through a change But their opinions were overridden b reached t he ministerial code, which
to the Brexit agreement on Northern by ministers. government reassure obliges ministers to follow the law. for permission to
Ireland after a minister conceded it One EU diplomat suggested the A Whitehall source s aid Jones was
future international drop Saturday letter
would break international law. minister’s admission that the UK was also aware that stepping outside the
The remarkable admission by the prepared to break international law partners that the UK law would b reach t he civil service deliveries - while
Northern Ireland secretary Bran- c ould have an immediate impact on code, by which he is expected to abide.
can be trusted?’ expanding parcel post
don Lewis followed the resignation the talks in London between the UK’s Jones’s departure came just hours
of the most senior legal civil servant chief negotiator, David Frost, and the before Lewis astonished the House to seven days a week
and r aised questions over the future EU’s Michel Barnier. of Commons. He told MPs: “Yes, this
of the justice secretary, Robert Buck- “If true, it would be a massive blow Theresa May does break international 2  News Page 5(cid:3)
•land, and the attorney general, Suella to the UK’s international reputation Former prime minister law in a very specifi c and
••• The Guardian Wednesday 9 September 2020
Inside 9/9/20 News
Four sections every weekday ▼ Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliff e with her
daughter, Gabriella, who is now six
and lives with her f ather in London
PHOTOGRAPH: AFP
News and Sport charitable arm of the news agency. The
new charges came after the UK defence
secretary, Ben Wallace,s aid in a letter
to the family the British government
did owe the Iranian government an
Two wheels good
outstanding debt on a payment the late
Sales of electric bikes have Iranian shah Mohammad Reza Pahl-
avi made for Chieftain tanks that were
tripled as commuters stay
never delivered. He had said the gov-
away from public transport
ernment was looking at every legal
Page 4 avenue to pay the debt, thought to be
as much as £400m.
Bronze in blue The shah abandoned the throne in
1979 and the Islamic revolution soon
City star reunites with old installed the clerically overseen sys-
Sunderland pals in quest tem that endures today.
The UK says the issue of the debt,
for Super League glory
which Wallace for the fi rst time for-
Page 41
Shock as Zaghari-Ratcliff e mally acknowledged the government
owed , r uns parallel with the detention
of dual nations by Iran. Iranian offi cials
Journal Outside G2 to face new charge in Iran had responded to the Wallace letter by
ACPeo rtvoeibrd oK-1t9i wn cgrao, sjtaeezs tz ah sriaes•x  raoirsptiinhcgloe.n .H Sisehtro eau nisldd w cwhoema tb pteoo f sdreiogr h DOtebevinit ueSdar?ird iGehsPa, Trp,- ap3ga, peg a6eg 4e 3 psIeDlunaicGfalsrteliit2oid ls&oyuen t Opinions and ideas swaiytihn tgh hee dr edbette isnstuioen. was nothing to do
The Guardian W20e2d0nesday 9 September The fresh charges may be an attempt
aOnpdi indieoans information,” Siddiq said. S ince her by hardliners to underscore this point,
Dwoe’nv’et fgroett Fabroosutty t thhee B Nroe xMita dneal: Who says Britain can’t Patrick Wintour release from Tehran’s notorious Evin or to gain further leverage over the
Diplomatic editor prison she has been wearing an ankle UK government. F actions within the
negotiate a Brexit deal?
Right at the start of Gladiator, tag that limits her movements to Iranian government take diff erent
there’s a bit where Russell We have Frosty the No Man Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliff e will appear within 300 metres (984ft) of her par- approaches to the use of political pris-
Crowe’s forces are waiting for Marina Hyde in an Iranian court on Sunday after the ents’ home in Tehran. She had been oners and the Islamic Revolutionary
the return of the negotiator
they’ve sent to do a deal with country’s state media said she faced a hoping to be reprieved of the fi nal year Guards a re the most hardline about
Page 1
the barbarians . The negotiator’s new and unspecifi ed charge. of her sentence on the basis that she the need to detain security prisoners.
horse is heard returning,
leading to a brief soar in hopes, The news came as a bombshell to qualifi ed for an amnesty under general The shadow foreign secretary, Lisa
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Page 3 of her of her fi ve-year sentence. ard, in London, even though the Iranian offi cials including the foreign
The new charges, confi rmed to possibility of being charged with fur- minister J avad Zarif.
Zaghari-Ratcliff e’s MP in London, ther off ences had never disappeared. T he former foreign secretary Jer-
T ulip Siddiq, have not yet been Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested emy Hunt said: “Nazanin has already
G2 Centre pullout revealed. She was informed of them during a holiday with her d aughter served most of her sentence for a
when she appeared yesterday before Gabriella, now six, in April 2016. Her crime she didn’t commit. This is hos-
Features and arts ThHeo pwa ncodreomniacv hirouuss e a branch of the country’s revolution- family says she was in the country to tage diplomacy and Iran needs to know
changed our ary c ourt in Tehran , where she was visit family, a nd denies a ccusations that Britain will not stand for it.”
sense of home
fi rst sentenced in 2017. she was plotting the “soft toppling” Nandy said the news was deeply
Auf wiedersehen, techno
“I know many people are concerned of Iran’s government. concerning. “The UK government
Can Berlin’s legendary about her welfare and I’ll keep eve- Zaghari-Ratcliff e worked for the must take every possible step to get
ryone updated when we have more Thomson Reuters Foundation, the her home safely.”
Berghain club successfully
reinvent itself as a gallery?
Page 9 (cid:2) Continued from page 1 The Welsh government’s minis- act would be unlawful, but the client
ter for European transition, Jeremy insists on doing it anyway, the barris-
We are breaking law
It’s a dog’s life Miles, described the bill as an “attack ter may not continue to represent that
on democracy”, a plan to “sacrifi ce the client. The barrister is professionally
with Brexit U-turn,
Rebecca Nicholson on a future of the union by stealing pow- embarrassed and should resign. I’m
show that fi nds pets love minister tells MPs ers from devolved administrations”. sure Robert Buckland knows this.”
O ther c ritics included the veteran Government sources claimed the
us more than sausages
M P Roger Gale, who said attempts to move would not breach the ministerial
Page 10
Wednesday 09/09/20 limited way. We’re taking the powers re write the protocol would be seen code because the obligation t o comply
of this to apply the EU law concept of “worldw ide as an act of bad faith”. with international law was removed
direct eff ect … in a certain very tightly The former minister George Free- i n 2015 by David Cameron. B ut L ord
Weather Cartoon defi ned circumstance.” man said the supreme court would be Anderson, a barrister and member of
The former prime minister Theresa “preparing to remind m inisters that the House of Lords justice committee,
Page 36 Journal, page 4 May questioned whether Boris John- intentionally breaking the law – even said the code still mandated that min-
son was risking the UK’s reputation. in a very specifi c and limited way – is, isters uphold international law a fter an
Quick crossword Cryptic crossword “How can the government reassure well, unlawful.” appeal court ruling in 2018 said min-
future international partners that the Lord Falconer, the shadow attorney isters had an “overarching” duty to
Back of G2 Back of Journal UK can be trusted to abide by the legal general, said the positions of Braver- comply with t he law.
obligations of the agreement itself ?” man and Buckland should now be in Trade expert David Henig, director
she said in an exchange with Lewis. question, as members of the govern- of the European Centre for Interna-
Furious Tory MPs have urged the ment t hat has admitted it intended to tional Political Economy thinktank,
Contact Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, government to reconsider breaking break the law but who had taken an said it looks like “there are issues”
London N1 9GU. 020-3353 2000. Fax [phone].
international law, including the c hairs oath to uphold the rule of law. over the Northern Ireland protocol,
In Manchester: Centurion House, 129 Deansgate,
For missing sections call 0800 839 100. Manchester M3 3WR. Telephone Sales: 020-7611 9000. of three select committees. Bob Neill, Dinah Rose QC said: “If a barris- while law experts suggested it was an
For individual departments, call the Guardian The Guardian lists links to third-party websites, but c hair of the justice c ommittee, said: ter advises a client that a particular attempt to re write the rules on state
switchboard: 020 3353 2000. does not endorse them or guarantee their authenticity
For the Readers’ editor (corrections or accuracy. Back issues from Historic Newspapers: “Any breach, or potential breach, of aid in Northern Ireland.
&  clarifi cations on specifi c editorial content), call 0870-165 1470 guardian.backissuenewspapers.co.uk. international legal obligations is unac- In a statement from the North-
020 3353 4736 between 10am and 1pm UK time Published by Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, ceptable, regardless of whether it’s in ‘Intentionally ern Ireland Offi ce, the government
Monday to Friday excluding public holidays, or 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, and at Centurion House,
email [email protected]. 129 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WR. Printed at Reach a ‘specifi c’ or ‘limited’ way . Adherence breaking the law – is promising to deliver “true unfet-
Letters for publication should be sent to Watford Limited, St Albans Road, Watford, Herts to the rule of law is not negotiable.” tered access … without paperwork”
[email protected] or the WD24 7RG; Reach Oldham Limited, Hollinwood Avenue, even in a limited way
Concerns were also raised by Tom for trade between Northern Ireland
address on the letters page. Chadderton, Oldham OL9 8EP; Reach Saltire Ltd,
110 Fifty Pitches Place, Glasgow G51 4EA; and by Tugendhat, foreign aff airs chair, and – is, well, unlawful’ and Great Britain.
Irish Times Print Facility, 4080 Kingswood Road, by Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the It also said that “while Northern Ire-
NEWSPAPERS Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24. No. 54,134,
SUPPORT Wednesday 9 September 2020. Registered as a defence committee. Tugendhat said: land will remain subject to the EU’s
RECYCLING
newspaper at the Post Office ISSN 0261-3077. “Our entire economy is based on the state aid regime for the duration of the
The recycled paper
c ontent of UK newspapers perception that people have of the George Freeman protocol, GB will not be subject to EU
in 2017 was 64.6%
UK’s adherence to the rule of law. ” Former Tory minister rules in this area”.
Wednesday 9 September 2020 The Guardian •
News 3
Legal (cid:2) A member
reads his
newspaper in
the lounge of
challenge
London’s
Garrick C lub
PHOTOGRAPH: CORBIS
aims to
call time
on club’s
men-only
policy
‘If this was a
tiny club in
Amelia Gentleman the back of
beyond that
would be one
A businesswoman has launched a thing, but this
legal action against one of London’s club has MPs
last remaining gentlemen’s clubs, the as members’
Garrick, arguing that its men-only
membership rules are a breach of Emily Bendell
equality legislation. Businesswoman
Emily Bendell, chief executive and
founder of a successful underwear
brand, was looking for a members’ club
earlier this year where she could meet
people after work, and was surprised female guests into the club, but women a response within 28 days. “I couldn’t 1831, last voted on whether to include
to discover that a number of clubs in are not able to pay for themselves when believe these clubs existed that were women in 2015, when a majority of
central London still exclude women. they attend, become members them- men-only,” she said. “I was r eally 50.5% voted in favour of introducing
Disturbed by their continued selves, book the facilities that men can surprised and shocked. If this was a female membership. However, club
existence, s he contracted lawyers to book, access certain parts of the club at tiny little club with four members in rules require a two-thirds majority
issue a discrimination claim against all, or access exclusive member events. the back of beyond, then that would before any change can be introduced.
the Garrick, which has a place at the In essence, women are only able to be one thing, but this is a club in the Members such as the actors Stephen
heart of the British establishment, access the club’s services as second - middle of London with QCs and MPs Fry, D amian Lewis and H ugh Bonne-
with cabinet ministers, supreme court class citizens, ” the letter states. as members; these are people who are ville had said before the poll that
judges, academics, diplomats, senior B endell is seeking an injunction pre- running the country. It is really, really they were in favour of extending
civil servants, journalists, a ctors and ▲ B usinesswoman Emily Bendell, venting the Garrick from continuing to concerning.” membership to women, as did the
writers among its members. wwhhoo iiss bbrriinnggiinngg tthhee lleeggaall aaccttiioonn ooppeerraattee iittss p poolliiccyy,, aanndd hhaass requested Garrick members protest that then justice secretary, Michael Gove ,
A pre-action letter was sent ttoo no networking happens on the former justice secretary K en Clarke
the club yesterday by Leigh Daayy ppremises , and that work meetings and broadcasters Trevor McDonald
solicitors, arguing that the clubb’’ss aare discouraged . They stress that since and J eremy Paxman. Three former
refusal to admit women representss aa mmany members are retired, concerns Conservative MPs and 11 QCs were
breach of the 2010 Equality Act. Thhaatt tthat vital connections are forged there among those who said they would
act allows the existence of single-seexx aare misplaced . One member described vote to continue to exclude women.
organisations, such as women-onnllyy tthe club as “like an old people’s home The former president of the s upreme
choirs or men-only rugby clubs, bbuutt wwith wine”. court Lady Hale has expressed anger
prohibits discrimination by businessseess Bendell said these arguments were at the club’s continued exclusion of
which provide services to customerrss.. ddisingenuous. “Even if you don’t women. “I regard it as quite shocking
Lawyers argue that because the cluubb ttalk about work, it’s about having that so many of my colleagues belong
runs a restaurant and guest rooms,, iitt tthat secret connection because you to the Garrick, but they don’t see
is discriminatory not to allow womeenn ssocialise together. We all know how what all the fuss is about,” she told a
to make use of them. iimportant these invisible connections law diversity forum in 2011. She said
“Only men are able to becommee aare, and in this case women are judges “should be committed to the
members of the Garrick Club and maakkee Garrick members Stephen Fry, eexcluded. That’s why I wanted to do principle of equality for all”.
full use of the services that it provideess.. Damian Lewis, Hugh Bonneville ssomething about this,” she said. The Garrick Club was approached
Male members are allowed to brinngg and Kenneth Clarke The club, which was founded in for comment.
‘It rattled my TV’: Bedfordshire Head of seismology at B GS Dr worried residents of Leighton Buzzard confi rm that an earthquake occurred
Brian Baptie told the BBC that the UK regarding the tremors felt due to the just over the border in Bedfordshire.
stirred by small earthquake tended to get only one earthquake of earthquake. We did attend one site to While not a major incident it has been
such a size each year , but rarely in the reassure occupants that their struc- confi rmed that extra resources have
Bedfordshire area. ture was safe. been drafted in to clean up the mess
He said: “Leighton Buzzard is not “None of our callers had ever created by the duty inspector’s coff ee.”
Leighton Buzzard at about 8.45am and an area that has been known for earth- experienced an earthquake before so Hannah Booth, a writer at the
Aamna Mohdin was magnitude 3.3 at a depth of 10km. quakes in the past. There have been a were concerned that there may have Guardian who was in the area, said:
Bedfordshire police said the few historically nearby. There was a been an explosion, etc, nearby.” “There was a loud bang, and the whole
force had received a large num- magnitude 3 near Oxford in 1986 and Thames Valley p olice tweeted: “Felt house shook strongly for about three
A 3.3 magnitude earthquake was yes- ber of calls from the public but no then you have to go back to the 18th the earth move this morning? We can seconds. I thought perhaps a wardrobe
terday recorded in Bedfordshire, i njuries had been reported. A tweet century to look at Oxford in 1764 for had collapsed upstairs, or something
3.3
which one local described as feeling said: “Our c ontrol room are currently another event of that size. large had landed on the roof.”
“like a convoy of HGVs driving past experiencing a large number of calls “Most of the earthquake areas in Usha Chapman, from Luton, said: “I
my front door at great speed”. due to an earthquake which was felt the UK are a little bit further north, or was on a video call with my mum when
Initial data on the B ritish Geolog- across the county. We have currently west, or down in the Dover Strait area.” The Bedfordshire earthquake’s I felt a sideways push. The door rattled
ical Survey (BGS) website suggested received no reports of any injuries or Bedfordshire fire control said: magnitude meant it was minor, with and the TV fi xed to the wall also rat-
the earthquake was felt in the region of major structural damage.” “We received a number of calls from 5 considered moderate and 6 strong tled. It lasted for fi ve seconds.”
• The Guardian Wednesday 9 September 2020
4 News
Britons get on their (electric) bikes as virus local governments to make sure this
isn’t squandered, and build the s afe
routes everyone is happy to use.”
The search for s ustainable and
leads commuters to spurn public transport
corona virus-proof modes of trans-
port has also made e-scooters an
increasingly common sight on Britain’s
roads. R ental e-scooters are now legal
71% in August and t he more expen- UK, e-bikes are becoming as popular to ride on the UK’s streets, although
Zoe Wood sive electric bikes, typically £400 to as standard bikes.” privately owned ones are not.
£500, being increasingly sought after. Around one in 10 English adults “It’s certainly a growing market but
“ Electric bike [sales] growth has cycle regularly, according to the there will be a restriction to how big it
S ales of electric bikes and scooters been significant,” Stapleton s aid. N ational Travel Attitudes Survey, gets, whilst e-scooters aren’t legal to
h ave more than tripled in the summer “Nearly one in three of our adult bikes a ccounting for 2% of all trips. Road ride ,” said Stapleton.
months, according to Halfords, as the are electric against just 14% last year. safety and traffi c are the most common However, the strong Halfords
health crisis has prompted people to I think that’s important because with reasons cited for not cycling more. fi gures , with overall sales now up on
stay away from public transport. electric bikes, it is not just leisure, it is T he government has trumpeted the equivalent period of 2019, also
While many retailers are strug- for essential use in terms of getting t o a “golden age” of cycling, with local herald the return en masse of cars.
gling during the economic upheaval work. On some of these bikes you can authorities invited to bid for cash from After four dismal months, with sales
caused by the p andemic, the car and travel from 40 miles on one charge.” a £250m fund to create infrastructure down as much as 62% in April, the
bicycle parts company is enjoying a U K consumers bought 2.5m bikes such as cycle lanes. staycation boom saw Halfords’ motor-
purple patch as shoppers invest in new last year, spending an average of “Lockdown has shown there’s a ing arm return to growth in August.
wheels as well as s prucing up old bikes £380, according to market researchers huge appetite for cycling in the UK , not Motorists snapped up roof boxes and
that have been languishing in sheds. Mintel. Just 100,000 w ere e-bikes, a just in terms of riding for pleasure but roof bars, and fi tted new tyres. A big
Over the last fi ve months, the retail- fi gure that was up 40% on 2018. also for making those short essential increase in demand for services and
er’s sales of bikes and cycling gear John Worthington, senior analyst at journeys people might have used maintenance also pointed to cars being
were nearly 60% higher than in 2019 Mintel, said: “The e-bike market has public transport for previously,” said used for shorter journeys, resulting in
230%
as people bought bikes to get fi t as well been growing rapidly over the past two Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head more wear and tear, the company said.
as to get to work. D emand for e lectric years and consumer interest is high. of campaigns. “The garage business is seeing very
bikes and scooters soared 230%. While accounting for a fractio n of bike “We now have to grasp the strong growth as more cars get back on
Halfords’ chief executive, G raham sales, the scale of potential growth is opportunity to change the way we T he increase in demand for electric the road,” said Stapleton. “ A lot more
Stapleton, said bike sales accelerated huge. In European countries with move in our cities and towns for the bikes and scooters this summer, people are using cars, I think, to get
over summer, with growth reaching much higher rates of cycling than the better, and it’s down to national and according to retailer Halfords to work rather than p ublic transport.”
Give theatres a (cid:2) Cleaning
protocols at
date to reopen the London
Palladium, part
of new measures
properly,
trialled to let
theatres reopen
Lloyd Webber PHOTOGRAPH: ANDY
PARADISE/PA
urges MPs
‘We have to
Helen Pidd get our arts
sector back
open and
A ndrew Lloyd Webber y esterday running. We
warned that the arts sector was “at are at the
the point of no return” as he pleaded
point of no
with the government to give it a date
return really’
to reopen properly.
S peaking to MPs on the digital, cul- Andrew
ture, media and sport committee, Lord Lloyd Webber
Lloyd-Webber said he had been t est-
ing measures at the London Palladium
that could allow the theatre business
to return after a production of Phan-
tom of the Opera was able to continue
in South Korea wwiitthh ssttrriicctt hhyyggiieennee
measures and noo ssoocciiaall ddiissttaanncciinngg..
He told MPs: ““II’’mm aabbssoolluutteellyy ccoonn--
fident that thee aaiirr iinn tthhee LLoonnddoonn
Palladium and iinn aallll mmyy tthheeaattrreess iiss
purer than the aiirr oouuttssiiddee..””
Giving evidenccee aalloonnggssiiddee ootthheerr kkeeyy TThheeaattrree iiss aan incredibly labour-inten- is hos ting the annual BBC P roms con- if successful, will arrive in December.
arts promoters, LLllooyydd WWeebbbbeerr ssaaiidd tthhee-- ssiivvee bbuussiinneess. In many ways putting on certs without an audience, told MPs Later, Melvin Benn, the managing
atres needed funnddss ttoo rreeooppeenn ssaaffeellyy aa sshhooww nnooww is almost a labour of love. 80% of its staff were on furlough. director of Festival Republic, a UK pro-
and turn a profi tt wwiitthh ssoocciiaallllyy ddiissttaanntt VVeerryy ffeeww sshhows hit the jackpot in the There w ere “huge consequences moter of festivals including Reading
audiences. Evenn aa ffoorrtthhccoommiinngg mmuussii-- wwaayy aa HHaammilton, Lion King or Phan- to venues not being able to put per- and Leeds, Download, Wireless and
cal version of Frroozzeenn,, tthhee hhiitt DDiissnneeyy ttoomm o o ff t t hhee Opera do.” formances on … serious financial V, told MPs that festivals were impos-
fi lm, would struggggllee ttoo bbrreeaakk eevveenn,, hhee HHee aaddddeed that theatre shows were consequences … all venues are on sible with social distancing.
said : “Disney woouulldd bbee lluucckkyy ttoo mmaakkee ““nnoott lliikkee cciinema, you can’t just open their knees fi nancially,” she added. Testing could be the solution, he
their investmenntt bbaacckk oonn tthhaatt sshhooww tthhee bbuuiillddiinng”, estimating that a pro- Yesterday, the Kensington venue said: “In June I published a report
for two or three yyeeaarrss.. TThhee mmaarrggiinnss aarree dduuccttiioonn s s uucch as Phantom o f t he Opera called for donations totalling £20m to … the Full Capacity plan, which was
incredibly tight..”” wwoouulldd ttaakkee “between three or four help it weather C ovid-19. I t has lost based on testing people before they
He s aid a Pubblliicc HHeeaalltthh EEnnggllaanndd mmoonntthhss”” ttoo get up and running again. £18m in income, refunded more than arrive at the festival, or before they
official visitingg tthhee LLoonnddoonn PPaallllaa-- ““WWee ssiimmppllyy have to get our arts sec- £6.5m in ticket sales and exhausted its arrive at the event.” He said it was
dium had told hhiimm p peeooppllee ““wwoonn’’tt ttoorr bbaacckk ooppen and running. We are at reserves in the six months since clos- about creating a space where every-
want to wear maasskkss iinn tthheeaattrreess””.. HHee tthhee ppooiinntt oof no return really,” he said. ing its doors in March, according to its body h ad been tested and had “tested
disagreed: “Theaattrreeggooeerrss tteenndd ttoo bbee aa AAsskkeedd aabbout his fi nal message for c hief executive, Craig Hassall. negative in order to get an entry, there-
very responsiblee bbuunncchh.. PPeeooppllee wwiillll bbee tthhee ggoovveerrnnmment, the theatre boss said: The h all i s not eligible for an emer- fore are unable to transmit the virus to
very respectful ooff aallll tthhee mmeeaassuurreess,,”” hhee A masked-up usher at ““GGiivvee uuss aa ddate.” gency grant from the government’s other people because everybody in the
insisted, add ing:: ““TThheerree ccoommeess aa ppooiinntt the London Palladium LLuuccyy NNoobble, artistic and commercial £1.57bn arts rescue package, and has place is tested and clear. It gets rid of
when we really ccaann’’tt ggoo oonn aannyy mmoorree.. ddiirreeccttoorr ooff tthe Royal Albert Hall, which been advised to apply for a loan which, the need for social distancing.”
Wednesday 9 September 2020 Thhee GGuuaarrddiiaann •
Get yer wallets outt Alive and well
5
Retail Satisfactionnn 80-year-old hiker
for Stones fans in Dales drama
Page 11 Page 15
Royal Mail could
halt letter delivery
on Saturdays to
focus on parcels
particularly urgent parcels, and urgent
Mark Sweney letters,” said K eith Williams, interim
Julia Kollewe executive chairman at the Royal Mail
Group, in a letter to staff as the busi-
Royal Mail has signalled that it may ask ness held its annual general meeting
the regulator to drop Saturday letter yesterday.
deliveries as the pandemic accelerates “But to be clear, this does not mean
the long-term decline in volumes of following other countries such as New
letters posted and online shopping Zealand or Italy that have reduced let-
drives a boom in parcels. ters delivery to three days a week in
Royal Mail, which delivered 1.1bn some areas, for example,” he said. “We
fewer letters year on year in the fi ve will keep delivering letters to every
months to the end of August, hinted part of the UK, for one price. And we
that it is likely to question whether Sat- would like to deliver the items that
urday letter deliveries should continue customers want more often, not less.”
when it contributes its fi ndings about Royal Mail said that it would be
what consumers need from its ser- meeting m ore customers and other
vice to a review being conducted by stakeholders to “explore these issues
the postal regulator, Ofcom. in greater detail”.
The group, which is facing strong Under its universal service, Royal
resistance from unions over a fi ve- Mail is required to deliver to every
year plan to m ove t owards becoming address in the UK, six days a week, at
a parcels business, revealed the head- a standard price.
line insights on where the business Ofcom is currently conducting a
should focus f rom surveys of thou- “user needs” review of Royal Mail,
sands of customers and hundreds of which is due for publication in the
sessions with staff . autumn, while a wider review of the
W hile there w as still a demand for fi nancial sustainability of the regula-
an aff ordable next-day letters service tory framework governing the postal
– “especially important for businesses market is due by 2022.
during the working week” – there was “Any substantive change is a mat-
an indication that a Saturday service ter for the regulator, government and
is potentially n o longer seen as a core ultimately parliament,” said Williams.
service, the group said. It is also look- “But we need to make sure this
ing into providing a seven-day parcel review process is considered swiftly
service to meet growing demand. given the rapidly changing customer
Priti Patel calls
“These fi ndings tell us the best way needs and the fi nancial sustainability Patel branded the g roup a n “emerg- ▲ Activists take part in a march
to ensure the ‘universal service’ con- of the u niversal s ervice.” ing threat” as she addressed the annual organised by Extinction
tinues to meet our customers’ needs R oyal Mail h as reported a big boost XR protesters conference of the Police Superinten- Rebellion i n central London
is to rebalance our service model more to parcel services during the corona- dent s’ Association. PHOTOGRAPH: HENRY NICHOLLS/REUTERS
towards the growing parcels market, virus pandemic, but has also run up ‘criminal threat She claimed its campaign of civil
extra costs of £160m, and w arned it disobedience was “a shameful attack non violent but committed to civil dis-
would make a “material loss” in the on our way of life, our economy and the obedience, which is time-consuming
Weighing the fi gures current fi nancial year. to national life’ livelihoods of the hardw orking major- and costly for offi cers to deal with.
It will not return to profi tability ity” . “I refuse point blank to allow that One senior police source said: “The
unless it changes outdated working kind of anarchy on our streets,” P atel powers are there. They [XR] are not
1.1bn
practices, it said. told the virtual conference. an organised crime group. Part of the
Royal Mail delivered 177m more Vikram Dodd “The very criminals who disrupt defi nition of an OCG is they commit
parcels in the five months to 30 Police and crime correspondent our free society must be stopped. violence in achieving their aims, and
Year on year fall in the number August, up 34% year on year, with And together we must all stand fi rm no one seriously suggests XR com-
of letters delivered i n the fi ve revenues up 33 %. At the same time, The home secretary, Priti Patel, has against the guerri lla tactics of Extinc- mit violence.” Police who dealt with
months to the end of August it delivered 1.1bn fewer letters, w ith c alled Extinction Rebellion “ so-called tion Rebellion.” the XR weekend action described it
revenues down 21.5%. Total revenues eco-c rusaders turned criminals” who Over the weekend, government as s ophisticated and “a very well-
177m
rose by £139m. threaten key planks of national life. briefi ngs fl oated the idea of classing prepared military operation”.
Royal Mail said the shift from let- The government’s rhetorical venom XR as an “organised crime group” . Sarah Lunnon , a spokes woman for
ters to parcels drove up costs by against XR was triggered by the b lock- X R i s seen by the police as XR, said: “Our media and our govern-
Rise in number of parcels delivered in £85m. It incurred additional costs ading last weekend of newspaper ment are captured by vested interests.
fi ve months to 30 August, up 34% year of £75m related to the Covid-19 pan- printworks, which disrupted the dis- ‘These vested interests They do not want to see change. Three
on year, with revenues up 33% demic from increased staff absences, tribution of some newspapers. companies alone own 87% of the
are the true threat
s ocial distancing measures and per- But the Guardian understands that national newspaper market.
£139m
sonal protective equipment, with a despite heated government remarks to our democracy’ “These powerful vested interests
f urther £65m to come o ver the next threatening a new crackdown on the are the real organised criminals. They
seven months. climate emergency group, m ore than a are the true threat to our democracy
Revenue rise in that period – but costs In June it revealed a cost-cutting year of talks between police and minis- … We will not allow them to criminal-
rose by £85m due to shift to parcels, plan that will see 2,000 management ters about c hanges to the law h ave yet Sarah Lunnon ise the noble tradition of nonviolent
and by £75m due to pandemic jobs go by March 2021. to produce any public plans. XR spokeswoman civil disobedience.”
• The Guardian Wednesday 9 September 2020
6 News
Coronavirus
Test and trace ‘on verge of collapse’,
UK Covid-19 hotspots
warns Starmer as next wave looms New cases in the past week
per 100,000 people
10 20 30 40
infection numbers shot up to nearly PH
Peter Walker 3,000 for two consecutive days. OT
Simon Murphy While the latest daily UK total, OGR
Ian Sample released yesterday, fell slightly to just AP
H
over 2,400, ministers announced new : A
N
Keir Starmer has warned that the measures in Bolton following a surge DY
coronavirus test-and-trace system is in infections there. But there is a risk BU
C
“on the verge of collapse” as ministers that eff orts to prevent cases growing H
A
conceded that the lack of laboratory in a utumn w ill be t hwarted by p rob- NA
N
capacity t hat has prevented many lems with the test-and-trace system. /G
E
p eople getting a test could take a fort- After several days in which p eople TT
Y
night to be resolved. reported being told that the only IM
The hold-up in processing r esults, a vailable test was hundreds of miles AG
E
which has seen some people being away, or being unable to get one at S
asked to travel from London to Scot- all, a senior NHS official issued a
Western 1
land for tests, prompted alarm from “heartfelt” apology yesterday morn-
Scotland
council leaders, who said it could be ing. Sarah-Jane Marsh, the director
calamitous in the period that pupils of testing, tweeted: “All of our test-
and students return to education. ing sites have capacity, which is why
With some care homes also warn- they don’t look overcrowded – it’s we can handle in terms of requests 1 Western Scotland ▲
ing about a lack of tests for staff and our laboratory processing that is the for tests, then make that public and Restrictions in the Glasgow, East
residents, the London mayor, Sadiq critical pinch point. We are doing all issue a call to arms to labs to help in Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire,
Khan, said the country faced “a criti- we can to expand quickly.” any way they can,” he said. “Clearly we East Dunbartonshire and
cal moment” in avoiding a r esurgence Professor Alan McNally, who helped are looking at the beginning of another Renfrewshire council areas bar
in the virus. set up the Milton Keynes Lighthouse exponential increase in virus cases. ” people from visiting separate
Addressing the weekly cabinet l ab, one of three “megalabs” s upport- Question ed by the Commons health households and prohibit visits to 46
meeting y esterday morning, Boris ing the testing initiative, called on and social care committee, Matt Han- homes in areas t hat have not been
Belfast
Johnson reiterated warnings for young ministers to clarify the problem. “If cock said there had been “operational impacted. I ndoor visits to hospitals
people to socially distance after daily we have genuinely hit the peak of what issues”, adding: “It’s a matter of a cou- and care homes are also limited.
121
ple of weeks until we can get all of that
sorted in the short term.” Bolton
‘ Critical pinch point’ The h ealth secretary highlighted
5
Why are people having to drive miles for tests? that the government had moved to
ensure that no one had to travel more
than 75 miles for a test but conceded: There were 121
What is the problem with t ests? “affl uent” 17- to 21-year-olds, “I appreciate 75 miles is far longer than cases per 100,000
Many people with s ymptoms have Hancock said. While they are less you’d want to go.” people recorded
struggled to obtain a test i n recent likely to die, the virus can h ave Starmer said that while he accepted in Bolton in the
weeks. Reports have emerged long-term i mpacts, and a rise in the full return of schools would bring seven days to 6
of people being asked to drive cases among the young will s pread some risks , ministers should have September
long distances to test centres. the virus to the old and vulnerable. e nsured the testing system was prop-
The problem is nationwide, with erly operational beforehand.
people in Manchester being sent to What is UK test capacity? “What we’re now seeing is stories
test sites in Scotland and Leicester; The UK has a stated capacity of over the past few days s howing the
people in Loughborough being about 250,000 t ests per day, but testing regime is on the verge of col-
sent to Wales; and others in Surrey this is d ivided up into hospital lapse,” he told the BBC. “Heartbreaking
being sent to the Isle of Wight, tests, tests for those who develop stories from people who need a test
despite the need to hop on a ferry. symptoms in the community, and being told no tests are available, or 2 Caerphilly ▲ PHOTOGRAPH: BEN BIRCHALL/
PA WIRE
T he Labour MP H elen Hayes said other tests performed as part of the website is crashing, or people are Local lockdown w ill not be lifted
that one of her constituents in national surveillance programmes. being told to go miles and miles for a until at least October. People m ust
south London was told to get a test Substantially fewer tests, test. Nobody can argue that is good not enter or leave the county Data from Public Health England; NI Dept of
in Fife. about 175,000 daily, have been governance.” borough without a reasonable Health; Public Health Scotland, for the seven days
to 6 September. Note: Scottish data only available
performed t his month. In a parallel warning, Khan said excuse. Anyone over 11 must wear
by health board
What has gone wrong? the government risked squandering a face covering in shops. Indoor
S arah-Jane Marsh, the director of What is the hold-up? its “window of opportunity over the meetings a re not allowed, extended
testing at NHS Test and Trace, said S ome scientists contacted by the summer” to put in place an eff ective households can’t be created and
yesterday that the problem was Guardian say that the Deloitte- test-and-trace system before schools overnight stays are banned.
not a lack of capacity at testing run network of Lighthouse labs, and universities returned, and ques-
centres, but at the labs that process which perform community tests, tioned why ministers were still
the swabs, which she described as are being less than open about e ncouraging workers back into offi ces. (cid:2) Continued from page 1 UK to 2,400 or above for three consec-
“a critical pinch point”. She added their diffi culties a nd speculated “To prevent this turning into a tragic utive days. The fear is that currently
Emergency action
that further NHS, Lighthouse, that the problems may be driven second wave of Co vid deaths, the gov- low levels of hospital admissions for
university and partner labs would by a shortage of reagents, staffi ng ernment need to urgently get a grip on Covid-19 could also shoot up, as older
aims to prevent
open “imminently”. The health issues, or testing capacity being the test-and-trace system and level relatives and other more vulnerable
secretary, Matt Hancock, said it overstated. The Department of with the public about the s everity virus resurgence people are infected.
would take “a couple of weeks” to Health and Social Care has been of the situation,” he said. “Sending Under p resent rules for England,
boost capacity and solve the issue. contacted for comment. out confusing mixed messages and guidelines limit most outdoor gath-
berating people into returning to the erings to six people, or no more than
Why has this happened now? Are there other ways to test? offi ce is the wrong approach given the test-and-trace system is “on the verge two households or household bubbles
Demand h as risen with the easing One procedure b eing looked at current state of the virus.” of collapse”. if people are meeting indoors.
of lockdown restrictions. O n is testing saliva from hundreds T eaching unions also warned that With the government saying The law allows for a higher limit of
Sunday, the number of people of people a t once. If the result delays in testing could hamper the d elays to tests could take two weeks 30 people, but this is supposed to only
testing positive i n the UK leapt comes back negative, all those return of schools, with students and to address, headteachers and care be in place for a community event, or a
65% from the previous day’s who contributed saliva can be teachers who would test negative homes have warned of potential gathering such as a wedding. Up until
fi gure to 2,988 . reasonably sure they are free staying off unnecessarily. Paul White- knock-on eff ects in trying to contain now the police have had no powers
from infection. If the batch tests man, general secretary of the National new outbreaks. to stop gatherings of up to 30 and
Who is getting the virus? positive, all those who supplied Association of Head Teachers, said: Ministers have been increasingly ministers believe it has been widely
The surge seems to be driven saliva would have individual tests. “The government assured us that this worried that younger people ignoring abused. This will change from Monday
by the under-25s, particularly Ian Sample would be ready, but at the fi rst sign of the rules h ave helped push the daily to reduce the default maximum to six,
stress it seems to be falling over.” rate of positive coronavirus tests in the making it easier for police to identify
Wednesday 9 September 2020 The Guardian •
7
‘Everybody’s bent the rules’
Confusion, worry and anger
on the streets of Caerphilly
alarm already. I expect ther e’ll be
Steven Morris more over the winter.”
I At a press conference in Cardiff ,
the Welsh health minister, Vaughan
PHOTOGRAPH: CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/ 6 Blackburn, Oldham and Pendle ▲ t had been a good few weeks Gething, said the Covid rate in
GETTY IMAGES
Two diff erent households are for Trevor and Susan Parry. Caerphilly had risen to 72.9 c ases
banned from mixing indoors or in They caught up with their per 100,000 people – the highest
a garden. Visits to care homes are grandchildren and took a in Wales and one of the highest in
banned, other than in exceptional brief holiday on the coast at the UK. He put the blame on house
circumstances. In specifi c areas with Porthcawl in south Wales. parties and people returning from
extra restrictions, people should not Y esterday they were t aking in the a broad and said other parts of Wales
socialise with people they do not view of Caerphilly Castle, f eeling were on a “watch list”. Community
live with at indoor or outdoor public gloomy at the idea of their area testing is getting under way in the
London venues, such as parks. heading into t he fi rst local lockdown nearby Rhondda Valley.
in Wales. “ I think in our heart of Avril Thomas, 69, a retired
43 hearts we knew it was coming,” said independent social worker, said the
Trevor, 65, a retired caretaker. “Over lockdown came as no surprise. “You
Greater Glasgow
the past few weeks the pubs have only have to drive through town
and Clyde. Includes
been heaving and the hor des have and you see so many people out and
Glasgow, Renfrewshire
been coming back from abroad. It about enjoying themselves. I think
and Dunbartonshire
was inevitable.” people have been confused over
S usan, 66, a r etired carer, said: what they can and cannot do.”
60 “We’re going to be stuck inside Michael Roberts, who runs the
again. It was hard not seeing our Urban Bar BQ Co, took the decision
59 Sunderland
grandchildren properly. They could last week to only off er take aways.
Blackburn only knock on the window and wave “We saw this coming and acted
with Darwen at us. That hurt.” to protect customers, staff , the
69
6 “People have brought it on community and our business,” he
Bradford themselves,” said Dean Evans, 52, said. Roberts said not all licensed
54 who was shopping with his mother, premises had been so active. “We
Anne Williams, 75. “They haven’t know some haven’t bothered with
Leeds
been listening. We’ll end up being trace and track,” he said.
stuck in the house all the time. It’s a M any parts of the community
4 Greater
nightmare. You get so depressed.” will be aff ected. Will Rees, the
Manchester PHOTOGRAPH: CHRISTOPHER THOMOND/ 5 Bolton ▲ T here are a reas of severe volunteer director of Bedwas rugby
THE GUARDIAN
Hospitality venues are r estricted deprivation in the Caerphilly county club, said the club w as struggling
to takeaway-only. The council has borough and many people have because of lack of income. It fears
a sked people not to mix with other signifi cant health problems. John losing youngsters who would have
households indoors or outdoors, Beechey, 65, a labourer, had just taken the sport up and worries about
and to only use public transport placed a bet in one of the town’s older members who are missing
67
for essential purposes. It aims to bookies. “I’ve got a bad heart and s eeing their f riends. “It’s potentially
3 49
Birmingham prevent a local lockdown, after the diabetes. I’ve had one Covid false disastrous,” he said. “2020 has been
Leicester City town’s infection rate increased to the most challenging year in the
99 cases per 100,000 people per club’s 130-year history.”
2 78 week – the highest in England. ‘People have brought J ackie Stephens, 56, who has
Caerphilly it on themselves. learning disabilities, s aid she had not
been able to go to a day centre she
There were 78 cases per 3 Leicester 4 Parts of Greater Manchester, They haven’t been liked to visit since February. “I’ve
100,000 people recorded in
Caerphilly between 30 People should not have visitors East Lancashire, Preston and listening. We’ll end up been crying at this new lockdown,”
August and 6 September to their homes or socialise with West Yorkshire she said. “I want to see my friends.”
stuck in the house’
people they do not live with in People must not host others they At 25, Rhydian Birkinshaw, w ho is
other indoor public venues such do not live with at home or in their on furlough, said it wasn’t fair to put
as pubs, restaurants, shops, places garden unless they have formed a Dean Evans, 52 all the blame on the young . “ Equally,
Data from Public Health England; NI Dept of of worship or leisure venues. They support bubble – w here a household Shopper in Caerphilly elderly neighbours continued to
Health; Public Health Scotland, for the seven days also should not visit friends or with one adult joins with another go around to friends’ houses in
to 6 September. Note: Scottish data only available
family in care homes, other than in household. People in the same lockdown. Everyone has been doing
by health board
exceptional circumstances. bubble can s tay overnight. something that has bent the rules.”
and disperse illegal gatherings. to see simpler rules on social distanc- In Wales, the outdoor limit is still 30, some pubs where the virus had spread. want to do but it is clear the virus is
In comments released in advance of ing. The new limit, which comes into but indoors people are discouraged Unveiling the measures t o be imposed currently moving round the borough
the press conference by No 10, Johnson eff ect on Monday, applies across all from all contact with people outside immediately, Hancock said: “We will uncontrolled and so we need to halt
said: “We need to act now to stop the England and in private and public their household. restrict all hospitality to takeaway the transmission rate”.
virus spreading. So we are simplifying spaces, including parks, pubs and res- In parallel with Johnson’s press con- only, and will introduce a late night “ If we do not get control of the virus
and strengthening the rules on social taurants. It c overs all ages, meaning ference, the government will launch restriction of operating hours which now we will continue to put our most
contact – making them easier to under- children will be prevented from gath- a new public information campaign will mean all venues will be required vulnerable residents at risk and delay
stand and for the police to enforce.” ering in larger groups, for example to today to reiterate messaging on hand- to close from 10pm to 5am. any return to normality,” he said.
Downing Street had hinted at a play informal games of football. washing and mask use. It follows new “We’ll introduce urgently further Leaders across much of northern
possible change to the rules, but it The only exemptions are when rules for Bolton unveiled by Matt Han- measures that put the current guid- England p leaded with residents yes-
had not been expected immediately. households or support bubbles cock, the health secretary, which ance that people cannot socialise terday to “do their bit” to avoid further
The accelerated timetable follows a are larger than six people; where means guidance barring people from outside their household into law.” lockdown measures.
cabinet meeting yesterday morning g atherings are for work or education ; socialising outside their households B olton council said on Saturday it Representatives of every local
where Chris Whitty, the chief medi- or for weddings, funerals, and organ- will also be made law. was introducing tougher measures authority in the north-east wrote an
cal offi cer for England, and Sir Patrick ised team sports conducted safely. There are an average of 120 Covid-19 “with immediate eff ect”, asking peo- open letter to lambast the “ signifi cant
Vallance, the government’s chief sci- Detailed explanations of the cases per 100,000 of the population in ple not to mix with other households minority” of residents having house
entifi c adviser, told ministers that changes are yet to be published. For Bolton – t he highest rate in the country. in any setting and to u se public trans- parties and ignoring the rules, saying
urgent action was needed. now, rules elsewhere in the UK remain The rise t here is “partly due to social- port only for essential purposes. they were “deeply concerned” at
It also comes after an online meet- unchanged. In Scotland, gatherings ising by people in their 20s and 30s”, The Conservative leader of Bolton the increasing number of positive
ing Johnson held with police forces last are limited to fi ve households out- Hancock told the Commons, explain- council, David Greenhalgh, said the coronavirus cases, particularly among
week, where offi cers said they wanted doors, or three households indoors. ing that contact tracers had identifi ed measures were “not something we young adults.
• The Guardian Wednesday 9 September 2020
8 News
Coronavirus
Spending sector, making welfare payments and private fi rms worth billions of pounds, single most expensive intervention
Richard Partington investing in infrastructure, the £210bn including for the purchase of personal i n the NAO tracker, with more than
Pandemic bill Economics correspondent sum, the NAO said, was t he offi ce’s protective equipment (PPE) and for the 9.6m jobs furloughed since March at
latest estimate of the cost of the gov- government’s t est-and-trace system. a cost of £35.4bn so far . The chancellor,
The government response to the p an- ernment response. According to the NAO, £1bn of the R ishi Sunak, is weighing options for
since March
demic is on track to cost the public The analysis covers spending promised £10bn funding package for scaling back the emergency pandemic
purse £210bn for the fi rst six months of promises made by ministers up t o 7 Test and Trace had been spent by response and raising taxes to combat
up to £210bn, the crisis, Whitehall’s spending watch- August, indicating t he fi nal costs of the the end of July. The government has a sharp increase in public borrowing.
dog has said. Covid-19 crisis could be much higher. awarded contracts for the scheme to Driven by the increase in spending
watchdog says The National Audit Offi ce (NAO) The NAO had previously estimated a private-sector fi rms, including Serco and weak tax revenues , public- sector
said ministers had i nstigated more price tag of more than £120bn for the and Capita. The organisation said net debt has increased by £227.6bn
than 190 m easures in response to period up to 4 May. about half of the £15bn earmarked for over the past year to more than £2tn
the crisis s ince March . Equivalent to The analysis comes as pres- PPE had been spent by the end of July. for the fi rst time. National debt h as
almost a quarter of the government’s sure mounts on ministers to reveal The Treasury’s furlough scheme, reached 100.5% of GDP for the fi rst
annual budget for running the public the details of contracts awarded to with a price tag of £47bn, was the time since March 1961.
Parkrun may return in
England as ‘benefi ts
outweigh Covid risks’
of all abilities and backgrounds, to
Helen Pidd come together and be active.”
He added: “While therefore it is
absolutely critical we all remain cau-
R unners in England w ere celebrat- tious, and closely follow government
ing the possible return of parkrun guidance, we can say that the chances
towards the end of October yesterday of an infectious person being in attend-
after organisers said they believed the ance at a specifi c parkrun event is
benefi ts outweighed the risks. The free relatively low.”
weekly timed runs were s uspended Parkrun, which started in 2004 with
across the UK on 18 March, shortly 13 runners in B ushy Park in London,
before the country e ntered lockdown. now operates in 22 countries . Four mil-
In a recent survey , almost 80% of UK lion people have taken part in one of
p arkrunners said they would return the free timed runs, with an estimated
in four weeks, given the opportunity. 350,000 people turning out each week-
“Everything in life comes with a risk, end for either the main 5km run or the
and we know and accept that we can- junior version, which is 2km.
not remove all risks from the parkrun No date has yet been set for
environment,” said Nick Pearson , the p arkrun’s return to Wales, Scotland
event’s g lobal chief executive offi cer. and Northern Ireland o wing to current
“However, it is also important to restrictions . The English events would
balance the public health benefi ts restart “toward the end of October this
of reopening our events, against the year” he said, not giving a fi rm date.
associated public health risks. We now The news was greeted with joy by
believe, having spent considerable many runners, including Oliver Dow-
time gathering and understanding the den, the secretary of state for culture,
evidence, that the benefi ts to reopen- media and sport . “Great news that @
ing p arkrun far outweigh the risks.” parkrunU K is coming back. Outdoor
The timing may be in question sport is low risk & there will be addi-
following the government’s announce- tional safety measures ,” he tweeted .
ment of new restrictions last night, In preparation , parkrun commis-
however. sioned a rapid review of the evidence
Getting communities running again by Canterbury Christ Church Uni-
was more important than ever, said versity, led by Prof Mike Weed . It
Pearson. “The last six months have concluded that, with evidence-based
increased inequalities around health mitigations in place, it would be pos-
and wellbeing, with many people more sible to deliver outdoor events and
isolated and less active than ever in activities across a range of sectors, and
their life … Across many communities of varying sizes and formats, in a way
our events provide the most accessible that did not signifi cantly increase risk
and inclusive opportunities for people, of t ransmission, said Pearson.
▲ People enjoying a parkrun in Bushy Park, London PHOTOGRAPH: NEIL HALL/REUTERS
Wednesday 9 September 2020 The Guardian •
9
▼ Young people eating out in Soho,
London, after the early July easing of
lockdown restrictions across England
PHOTOGRAPH: MATT CROSSICK/EMPICS
Mixed messages
P ublic trust in the government’s
ability to handle the coronavirus
crisis has been tested by a summer
of mixed messages .
R eturn to normal by Christmas
B oris Johnson said: “I t is my strong
and sincere hope that we will be
able to review the outstanding
restrictions and allow a more
signifi cant return to normality
from November, at the earliest,
possibly in time for Christmas.”
C hris Whitty, chief medical adviser
to the UK government, said: “T he
reality is distancing remains an
important part of this mix, and
how it’s interpreted in diff erent
environments has evolved, but it
has not gone away. [They] need to
continue for a long period of time.”
F ace masks in schools
Department for Education i n July:
“Public Health England does not
currently recommend the use of
face coverings in schools as pupils
and staff are mixing in consistent
groups, and because misuse may
inadvertently increase the risk of
transmission. There may also be
negative eff ects on communication
and thus education.”
Department for Education,
Young blame Tories over a month later : “ While the
In north London, 17-year-old Matthew government is not recommending
Woolf, who attends the Jewish com- face coverings are necessary,
munity secondary school, said Tory schools will have the discretion
‘hypocritical’ approach messaging throughout the pandemic to require face coverings in
had been consistently contrasting and communal areas if they believe
hypocritical. that is right in their particular
“For them to blame our age group circumstances. ”
while telling us to get back to school,
that we can now see friends and that L ocal lockdown rules
dying in hospital , even though there be,” he said. “At the end of the day, we we can play full contact football, is typ- The rules state: i t will be illegal for
Rachel Obordo were probably plenty of young peo- have to learn to live with this. ical of their strategy,” he said. people who do not live together to
Mattha Busby ple at the time who may have had it “I think any comparisons with the Woolf claimed the government ha d meet in a private home or garden,
but couldn’t get tested. number of positive tests during lock- been “deliberately vague” through- except for limited exceptions to
Young people have hit back against “The government has actively down and now is trivial, too, given out the coronavirus crisis as part of a be set out in law. You should not
the suggestion from senior politicians encouraged people to socialise, and the disparity between positive cases ploy to “reappropriate blame at every host or visit people you do not
across the UK that they may be respon- being less vulnerable, surely young per test in mid-March compared with opportunity”. live with, unless they are in your
sible for spikes in coronavirus cases. people have been best placed to re- now. “It’s really infuriating that they’re support bubble. If you live in the
England has e xperienced the larg- stimulate the economy ,” she said. “The narrative at the moment blaming us for the rise now,” he added. aff ected areas, you should not
est rise in confi rmed Covid-19 cases “Also, house parties and other such appears to just be an excuse for the “The government relaxed the regula- visit someone’s home or garden
since May and there are fears of a sec- gatherings are only being attended by government to continue its draconian tions but didn’t really say what you regardless of whether this is in or
ond wave across the four nations, with a minority. restrictions, especially on young peo- couldn’t do … We were so restrained outside of the restricted area.
the Conservative mayor of the West “I feel that this is a time for unity, ple, who are already having their lives for so long and I didn’t see people at
Midlands, Andy Street, highlighting a and unfairly reprimanding young and futures drained more and more.” all for at least three months , and then Health secretary, Matt Hancock,
marked increase in cases in Birming- people will only lead to fewer people only did so outside. Then, [suddenly] said o n BBC Breakfast: “T he law
ham and Solihull among under-40s. following the guidance.” pubs were jam-packed.” that we’re bringing in is that two
‘Reprimanding the
He raised the f ear of “very stringent Moby Wells, who is studying his- In Derbyshire, a 17-year-old sixth households cannot meet in the
restrictions preventing people enjoy- tory at the University of Cambridge, young unfairly will former, David Chan, said it felt a s area identifi ed but obviously any
ing the things they’ve been looking echoed her remarks, saying he feels though young people were doomed two households who are meeting
only lead to fewer
forward to” if younger people did not young people are being undeservedly if they stayed in, because of the men- [outside the area] should follow
follow the coronavirus p recautions, cast as “careless and selfi sh” as a diver- people following tal health consequences, and doomed the social distancing guidelines.”
while Scotland’s fi rst minister, Nicola sion f rom the government’s failings. if they w ent out,– as individuals could
the guidance’
Sturgeon, pleaded for older people “We didn’t l ock down early enough be potentially spreading the virus. Going to work in a n offi ce
to “be even more vigilant” if spend- and now the government is just “For some people it might be quite Johnson said: “ E verybody has sort
ing time with young relatives who diverting the blame on to us,” said Alice Hope hard to self-isolate,” he added. “I of taken the ‘stay at home if you
might have recently visited pubs and the 19-year-old from South Norfolk. PPuubblliicc eennggaaggeemmeenntt ccoooorrddiinnator was allowed to go into school during can’ – I think we should now say,
restaurants. “Only recently have I grown comfort- lockdown. well, ‘go back to work if you can’.”
However, Alice Hope, a 24-year- able meeting my friends, and unlike “It just feels wrong that I could be
old public engagement coordinator some people, I wear my mask fre- asymptomatic and you would feel a Hancock said on Times Radio:
in Didcot, Oxfordshire, thinks blam- quently, especially outside.” sense of guilt that there is a chance that “W hat I care about is how
ing young people is unfair, particularly In Sunderland, 19-year-old Callum, you could pass it on.” eff ectively people work and
following the “eat out to help out” who did not wish his surname to be Chan, who is half Chinese and half obviously people should come
scheme, which lured people to high published, has been working 65 hours English and considers himself Brit- back to the offi ce if that is what
streets with the promise of half-price a week at a walk-in coronavirus test ish, drew parallels with the onset they need to do their job …
food. centre and believes the government of the pandemic, when there was The people I work with – some
“There are so many diff erent prob- is seeking excuses to extend “draco- a rise in hate crime against people of them have been working from
lems with comparing data across the nian” restrictions. of Asian origin, and now, with the home … have been delivering at
pandemic,” said Hope. “Previously “Yes there has been a rise among focus on young people. He said that an unbelievable rate.”
the government was looking at peo- young people, but I don’t think it’s as the government had eased lockdown Haroon Siddique
ple with serious symptoms and those concerning as it’s being made out to prematurely.
••• The Guardian Wednesday 9 September 2020
10 National
Starmer to A Labour source said: “Unlike the number of s elected participants, the record but not fi lmed or photo-
Peter Walker prime minister, Keir doesn’t duck the who are often not allowed to follow graphed. Since lockdown, these have
Political correspondent diffi cult questions or hide from the up their questions. been replaced by a once-daily confer-
push Labour
press. That’s why we’re up for doing However, Downing Street is trying ence phone call event.
Keir Starmer is to launch his own regular press conferences.” to recruit an experienced broadcaster Downing Street has yet to outline
agenda with series of regular press conferences, Boris Johnson and fellow cabinet to become a spokesperson and face of the format of the new televised event
in an attempt by Labour to high- ministers held daily, televised press the government in m ore general daily and whether, as with the lobby brief-
light i ts priorities ahead of Downing conferences during the peak of the press briefi ngs intended to begin in ings, all parliamentary media can
regular press
Street’s planned new televised media c oronavirus lockdown, from mid- the autumn. attend and ask as many questions
briefi ngs. March until June, often including a These are intended to replace one of as they want.
conferences While the schedule and venue is yet s enior medical or scientifi c adviser. what was, before Covid, the two daily It is understood that if the No 10
to be determined, it is expected that The government’s press briefi ngs “lobby” briefi ngs, in which accred- briefi ngs are carried daily by broad-
the Labour leader’s press conferences now take place only intermittently, ited parliamentary journalists quiz casters, Labour would expect the same
could be held monthly, with the aim usually to coincide with a signifi cant the prime minister’s spokesman or level of coverage for Starmer’s events,
that they would be open to all media. policy change. The re are a limited spokeswoman, a process which is on to guarantee fairness.
▲ Hummingbirds can enter a state known as torpor in which their temperature
falls dramatically. One recorded a low of 3.3C PHOTOGRAPH: LUIS ACOSTA/AFP/GETTY
Chilled-out Andean
hummingbirds set
temperature record
but also to hibernate. “It would be
Nicola Davis big news if they did,” he said. “Only
one avian hibernator has ever been
reported.”
H ummingbirds have scooped another McKechnie said the mechanisms
record: not only are they the s mallest behind torpor were also of interest
b irds, but they are also literally the for biomedical applications. “At one
coolest. stage Nasa was quite seriously asking
The birds are among a number of whether it would be possible to induce
small animals, including certain bats, a torpor-like state, or hibernation-like
that can enter a state known as daily state, in humans in order to get beyond
torpor – a phenomenon where they the vicinity of Earth.”
turn down their metabolism and body W riting in the journal Biology
temperature to save energy. Letters, McKechnie and colleagues
Unlike hibernation, this is not report how in Peru in March 2015
a p rolonged state: after a night in they captured 26 hummingbirds of
torpor, the metabolic rate of hum- six diff erent species and placed them
mingbirds rises again, with their in tents without food for at least
body t emperature reaching about one night, tracking changes in body
40C (104F). Now researchers studying t emperature and mass. Air temp-
six species of the b irds in the Andes, eratures fell to as low as 2.4C.
about 3,800 metres above sea level, The team found that 24 of the 26
have found the body temperature of birds, covering all six species, entered
the black metaltail hummingbird can torpor . However, the lowest body tem-
fall to as low as 3.3C. perature varied between individuals
Prof Andrew McKechnie of the Uni- and between species. O ne individual
versity of Pretoria, a co-author of the black metaltail hummingbird’s level
study, said torpor w as vital to the hum- of 3.3C set a new record not only for
mingbirds’ survival, noting that they hummingbirds, but for all birds and
would have to burn large amounts of non-hibernating mammals.
energy to maintain a body temper- The previous record for birds
ature of about 40C during the cold was 4.3C, reported for the common
Andean nights. “ They wouldn’t be poorwill, the only species of bird
able to store up enough fat at the end known to hibernate.
of the day to provide suffi cient fuel to The time spent in torpor also v aried:
last them for the entire night,” he said. the giant hummingbird spent, on
M cKechnie said t he discovery that average, 5.7 hours in torpor at night
b ody temperatures of hummingbirds compared with 10.6 hours for the black
can fall to values more characteristic of metaltail. The longer hummingbirds
hibernating animals could mean that spent in torpor, the lower the loss of
they are not only able to enter torpor, body mass.