Latest updates: guidance that travel to Bolton and seven other areas should be avoided ‘unless essential’ apparently put online without announcement
Ministers urged to clarify travel advice for England’s Covid hotspots
Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid in English hospitals
Coronavirus global updates – live
See all our coronavirus coverage
10.17am BST
The Conservative party’s review into alleged Islamophobia in the party is just out. It’s here.
PA Media has published this snap from it.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s comments about women wearing the burka have given an impression that the Tories are “insensitive to Muslim communities”, an independent review into alleged Islamophobia and discrimination in the Conservative party has said.
10.10am BST
Total trade in goods (imports and exports) with EU countries fell by almost a quarter (23.1%) in the first three months of 2021, after the Brexit transition ended and the new Brexit trading arrangements took effect, an Office for National Statistics report says. Over the same period total trade in goods with non-EU countries fell by just 0.8%.
We have seen trade with non-EU countries overtake trade with EU countries for the first time in quarter 1 2021. However, trade was already at depressed levels because of the ongoing pandemic and recession. It is therefore too early to assess the extent to which the transition period reflects short-term trade disruption or longer-term supply chain adjustments. We will continue to assess this over the coming months.
All entirely predictable and predicted except by those whose self professed love of free trade doesn’t include the EU. Increased trade barriers decrease trade. https://t.co/ACk36g0zRa pic.twitter.com/VKjBQZKWQG