UK Edition
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PM apologises for confusing his own lockdown rules
Does the Prime Minister know his own lockdown rules? Boris Johnson has apologised for having "misspoke" after he incorrectly described what he thought were the new restrictions applying to the North East. The Prime Minister was asked to clarify the rules after a junior minister admitted this morning she did not know whether the ban on different households mixing indoors applied to outdoor environments. Mr Johnson got into a muddle, mixing up the household ban with the rule of six. His confusion over the rules was described as "grossly incompetent" by Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner. The Prime Minister has since apologised, and issued a clarification. In case Mr Johnson is reading, here is a guide to the new rules in the North East. Ross Clark details why the Prime Minister's gaffe captures the chaos of local lockdowns.
Mr Johnson's error came as he set out a package of measures to help people gain new skills, including the promise of free courses for those who lack A-level equivalent qualifications. Meanwhile, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has promised in the House of Commons that "every student will be able to spend Christmas with their family" following warnings from Health Secretary Matt Hancock that students could be forced to remain on campus over the Christmas holidays if the coronavirus situation does not improve. Read on for details.
'I'll sack BBC stars airing political views,' says new boss
BBC stars face the sack or having their Twitter accounts taken away if they air party political views, the new director-general has said. Tim Davie said guidelines to be published in the coming weeks will make clear that staff must appear strictly impartial - even if, like Gary Lineker, they do not work in news or current affairs. "I'm prepared to take the appropriate disciplinary action all the way to termination," Mr Davie told a committee of MPs today. Read on for his full comments.
Goodbye ambulance: Paramedics to arrive by jetpack
Paramedics could soon arrive at accidents by jetpack after a trial in the Lake District saw their response time cut to 90 seconds. It would normally take 25 minutes to reach a casualty in Bowfell, Cumbria. The trial of the device follows a year of discussions between the Great North Air Ambulance Service and the firm Gravity Industries, which has developed the technology used. Paramedic Andrew Mawson said the jet pack flights "send a message of optimism and innovation". Click here to see the jet pack in action over the mountains of the Lake District.
At a glance: Latest coronavirus headlines
- 'Circuit breaker' | Two week lockdown could be imposed in first city
- Travel latest | Four countries face quarantine restrictions
- Job losses | Greggs issues warning as furlough scheme winds up
- NHS Test and Trace | Former Sainsbury's boss takes key role
- America's answer to Sweden | The US state that refused to lock down
Also in the news: Today's other headlines
Meghan loses legal skirmish | The Duchess of Sussex has lost the latest stage of her High Court battle, as a judge rules the Mail on Sunday can rely on a recent biography of the Sussexes in its defence. Finding Freedom can be used by the tabloid newspaper in its defence of her privacy claim, the High Court heard today. The Duchess is suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over its publication of a "private and confidential" letter sent to her estranged father. Read on for the latest.
- Brexit trade talks | Germany demands 'British pragmatism'
- Bloody Sunday | No more former soldiers to be charged
- 5G deal | BT teams up with Nokia to hasten Huawei's demise
- 'Migrants needed' | Shortages of care workers and nurse assistants
- Duchess of Cambridge | Kate named new president of Scouts
Around the world: Trump and Biden's first TV debate
Donald Trump and Joe Biden go head-to-head for the first time tonight with the start of the US presidential debates. The debates could become a pivotal moment in the election campaign, offering a chance for voters to assess the two candidates during a live, televised battle. Rozina Sabur sets out the seven things to watch out for, while Nigel Farage details why Mr Trump does not get the credit he deserves. In a must-read piece of analysis, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard considers what happens to the markets if the president refuses to leave office after November 3.
Tuesday interview
'It's fun playing horrible and self-centred people'
'Motherland' star Anna Maxwell Martin tells Francesca Steele about smut, sourdough, co-parenting in lockdown and her latest ambition
Comment and analysis
- Norman Tebbit | Commanding Sunak in pole position to succeed PM
- Benedict Spence | Only person untaxed by this bombshell is Trump
- William Hague | PM's chance to restore our green and pleasant land
- Jeremy Hunt | Will democracy’s golden age survive Covid?
- Chris Bennion | Honour's simplistic view of good and evil is disservice
Editor's choice: Features and arts
- The bleak reality | Finding work after 50 in today's jobs wasteland
- Mini John Cooper Works GP review | Hang on tight for a white-knuckle ride
- 'It's like Van Dyck doing paintball' | Simon Heffer's week watching IPL's 'vulgar slogfest'
Business and money briefing
Pent-up demand | Lockdown stopped the housing market dead for several months. Yet a property market boom over the summer has pushed mortgage lending to a record high. These eight charts show where consumers are spending big, and where they are more cautious. Meanwhile, a report has found house buyers are paying over the odds in the mad dash for properties during the stamp duty holiday.
- Discount shop splurge | Surging B&M Bargains to open 45 new stores
- Tax hacks | Eight things you didn't know about death duties
- On top of markets | Live stocks and shares updates 24 hours a day
Sport briefing
Transfer window final week | The transfer window closes on Monday. Read on for a club-by-club guide to each side's priorities and who they will sell. You may also be interested in two fantastic newsletters giving weekly analysis and insight. Chris Bascombe's Liverpool briefing and James Ducker's Man Utd briefing arrive in your inbox every Tuesday.
- Analysis overload | When did assists become more vital than goals?
- Antonio Rudiger | Tottenham line up Chelsea defender
- Fitting send-off | Chris Robshaw schools future of England back row
Tonight's TV
Life, BBC One, 9pm | Another emotional-rollercoaster drama series from Mike Bartlett, the writer behind Doctor Foster. Here he's on top form again. Read on for more.
And finally... for this evening's downtime
Children's Britannica | More than three decades since it was last in book shops, the youngsters' version of the famous encyclopedia has been reimagined in print. Claire Allfree reports on the return of the Children's Britannica for the first time in 36 years and how it offers a fantastic voyage through the history of the world.