PRIME minister Boris Johnson intends to set out plans next week to remove self-isolation requirements for people infected with Covid-19, his office said on Saturday (19).
Britain would become the first major European country to allow people who know they are infected with Covid-19 to freely use shops, public transport and go to work - a move many of his health advisers think is risky.
"Covid will not suddenly disappear, and we need to learn to live with this virus and continue to protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms," Johnson said in a statement.
Johnson will also give more details on how Britain will guard against future coronavirus variants through ongoing surveillance, amid reports that the government wants to end free testing and scale back public health studies.
Currently, people in England are legally required to self-isolate for at least five days if instructed to by public health officials and are advised to isolate even without a specific order if they have Covid-19 symptoms or test positive.
Removing the Covid-19 self-isolation legal requirements and replacing them with voluntary guidance would bring the disease in line with how Britain treats most other infections.
Some 85 per cent of Britain's population aged 12 or above have had at least two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, and two-thirds of the population - including the vast majority of those most at risk - have had three.
Britain's death toll of more than 160,000 fatalities within 28 days of infection is the second-highest in Europe after Russia's. Relative to the size of Britain's population, it is 6 per cent higher than the average for the European Union.
Covid-19 restrictions are unpopular with many members of Johnson's Conservative Party, who view them as disproportionate given widespread take-up of vaccines.
"Pharmaceutical interventions, led by the vaccination programme, will continue to be our first line of defence," the government said.
"An awareness of public health guidance should remain, as with all infectious diseases such as flu."
UK will not impose a sales tax on private healthcare, health secretary Wes Streeting said on Tuesday, following reports that the government was considering the option ahead of the November 26 budget.
"It's not happening," Streeting told the BBC.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to raise taxes in the November budget to address a fiscal gap that economists estimate at tens of billions of pounds.
This has led to speculation about where cuts or increases might be made.
Reeves said on Monday that she would honour Labour’s manifesto pledge not to increase sales tax, known as value added tax (VAT), national insurance contributions or income tax rates.
She added that there would still be hard choices to make in November.
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The plinth of the statue, which depicts Gandhi in a seated pose, was marked with graffiti. (Photo credit: X)
THE INDIAN High Commission in London has condemned the vandalism of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Tavistock Square, which was found defaced on Monday. The incident comes just days ahead of the annual Gandhi Jayanti event scheduled at the site on October 2.
The plinth of the statue, which depicts Gandhi in a seated pose, was marked with graffiti. The mission said the matter has been reported to local authorities and its officials are working at the site to help restore the monument.
“The High Commission of India in London is deeply saddened and strongly condemns the shameful act of vandalism of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square in London,” the mission said in a statement on social media.
“This is not just vandalism, but a violent attack on the idea of non-violence, three days before the International Day of Non-Violence, and on the legacy of the Mahatma. We have taken this up strongly with local authorities for immediate action, and our team is already on site, coordinating with authorities to restore the statue to its original dignity,” it added.
Gandhi Jayanti, marked as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations, is observed at the London monument every year with floral tributes and renditions of Gandhi’s favourite bhajans on October 2.
The bronze statue was unveiled in 1968 with the support of the India League as a reminder of Gandhi’s student days at University College London. The plinth carries the inscription: “Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948.”
The Metropolitan Police and Camden Council confirmed they are looking into the reports of vandalism.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Starmer’s personal ratings have fallen since he took office, prompting speculation about whether he can reverse Labour’s decline. (Photo credit: Reuters)
Starmer to tell Labour members to stay committed to his long-term plan
Labour faces pressure from Reform UK under Nigel Farage
Opinion polls show Labour trailing Reform despite four years to next election
Leadership questions emerge as Starmer’s ratings fall
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer will ask Labour members to stay committed to his plan for Britain when he addresses the party's annual conference in Liverpool on Tuesday.
Starmer has been in office for 14 months but is already facing pressure as Labour struggles against growing support for Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage.
In his speech, Starmer will say that Britain "stands at a fork in the road" between "renewal" under Labour and "grievance" under Reform, according to excerpts released in advance.
"It is a test. A fight for the soul of our country, every bit as big as rebuilding Britain after the war, and we must all rise to this challenge," he will tell delegates, while calling for patience.
The four-day gathering is focused on countering Reform, with Starmer aiming to sharpen his attack on the party while setting out Labour's vision.
"We need to be clear that our path, the path of renewal, it's long, it's difficult, it requires decisions that are not cost-free or easy, decisions that will not always be comfortable for our party.
"Yet at the end of this hard road there will be a new country, a fairer country, a land of dignity and respect," the 63-year-old leader is expected to say.
Labour has faced difficulties since returning to power in July last year. Opinion polls now show it behind Reform, though the next general election is four years away.
Leadership questions
Starmer’s personal ratings have fallen since he took office, prompting speculation about whether he can reverse Labour’s decline.
Andy Burnham, regional mayor, has urged Starmer to present a more left-leaning vision. Burnham has also said some lawmakers want him to stand as leader, though he would first need to return to parliament and there is no vacancy at present.
Talk has grown that poor results in local elections next May, including in Scotland and Wales, could trigger a leadership contest.
At the conference, views among Labour members were mixed.
Jacob Hamer, 18, supported Starmer’s call for patience. "The old phrase is a week is a long time in politics, but I'd say a year is a short time in government. Frankly, policies take time," he told AFP, pointing to pledges on health services and house-building.
But Jonathan Farr, 53, who has a disability, expressed frustration over the government’s handling of disability payments.
"I think people voted for change and they don't feel like they're getting it, unfortunately," he told AFP.
"I fear that come the day after the (May) elections, there will be a leadership challenge, or he'll resign, but either way, I can see something happening."
(With inputs from agencies)
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Smoke billows from a burning market area at Guimara in Khagrachari district of Bangladesh on September 28, 2025, after it was set ablaze during a clash between Hill and Bengali residents over the alleged rape of a female student. (Photo: Getty Images)
AT LEAST three people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday in clashes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeastern Bangladesh after protests over the alleged gang rape of a schoolgirl.
Violence spread from Khagrachhari town to Guimara despite restrictions and the deployment of security forces.
Police confirmed the deaths but did not disclose the identities of the victims. Witnesses reported homes and businesses were set ablaze during the clashes between Indigenous groups and Bengali settlers.
The home ministry said 13 army personnel and three policemen were among the injured.
Protesters alleged that the army fired on demonstrators, while the military denied responsibility and blamed the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), a rebel faction, for the violence. The interior ministry said weapons were being smuggled into the region from outside the country.
The unrest adds to political tensions as interim leader Muhammad Yunus prepares for elections in February, the first since Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted in 2024.
Key takeaways:
Three deaths and dozens injured: Clashes broke out in Khagrachhari district following protests over the alleged rape of a schoolgirl. The violence spread to Guimara, 36 km away, despite the deployment of army, police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel.
Victims not identified: Police confirmed three fatalities, but doctors at Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital did not clarify whether the dead were Indigenous people or Bengalis.
Rape case triggered unrest: The alleged gang rape took place on September 23. A Bengali teenager has been arrested with army assistance and is being held on six-day remand for questioning.
Blame and counter-blame: Protesters accused the army of opening fire on demonstrators. The army denied this and instead accused the UPDF rebel faction of instigating the clashes and firing shots.
Government response: Interior ministry chief Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said arms were entering the region from abroad. The home ministry pledged legal action against those responsible and urged residents to remain calm.
Background of unrest: The Chittagong Hill Tracts saw a decades-long insurgency that ended with the 1997 peace accord. Rebel groups like the UPDF rejected the deal and continue to demand autonomy, contributing to sporadic violence in the region.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Reeves said that while no companies had signed up yet, several business organisations support the initiative.
CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves will offer guaranteed paid work placements to young people who have been unemployed or out of education for 18 months, with those refusing the offer facing possible loss of benefits.
She is expected to outline the plan in her speech to Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, promising "nothing less than the abolition of long-term youth unemployment."
Reeves told the BBC that while no companies had signed up yet, several business organisations support the initiative. The scheme builds on a “youth guarantee” announced last November, which promised 18 to 21-year-olds access to apprenticeships, training, education opportunities, or help finding a job.
Under the new plan, every young person on Universal Credit for 18 months without "earning or learning" will be offered a paid placement. Those who decline without a reasonable excuse could face sanctions such as losing benefits.
The placements aim to help young people develop skills for full-time employment. Around one in eight 16 to 24-year-olds, roughly 948,000 people, are currently not in education, employment, or training.
The scheme will involve private companies, with government subsidies to cover some wages. Costs will be met from existing budgets outlined in this year’s spending review, with full details in the November Budget.
Reeves said, "We're not immune to any of those things," referring to global economic pressures. She also pledged to fund a library in every primary school in England.
The Federation of Small Businesses welcomed the announcement. Policy chair Tina McKenzie said, "Reprioritising spending from employment programmes which aren't working to this type of scheme is exactly the way to get much-needed bang for taxpayer cash."