Showing:
◈ coronavirus×
No 10 and Department of Health clash over access to EU pandemic warning system in wake of coronavirus
01/03/2020
Matt Hancock wanted to retain membership of EWRS as part of EU-UK future relationship deal, but Number 10 said no.
In total, European Commission has pledged €232M to help contain coronavirus outbreak, as Italy becomes an infection hotspot.
While large multinationals may be able to ride out the economic turmoil on the horizon, some smaller firms have more to worry about.
About 150 delegates were due to arrive next week for three days of talks.
DOWNING STREET ignored pleas by health chiefs to keep Britain in the European Union’s pandemic early warning system — because of Brexit.
The coronavirus should remind us of just why international cooperation is so important in reducing the threat of infectious disease.
Experts warn that European Medicines Agency membership would have had advantages.
Coronavirus: Raab accused of 'reckless insanity' for claiming pandemic strengthens case for speedy Brexit
17/03/2020
Foreign secretary rejects calls to 'urgently' extend the transition period to 'focus 100 per cent on the emergency' - arguing it 'makes the case' for a clean break in December.
Participation in the scheme is seen as a test of the prime minister's pragmatism on Brexit and Covid-19.
Majority of Britons support extending Brexit transition period amid coronavirus outbreak, new poll shows
21/03/2020
Latest round of negotiations delayed last week as governments scramble to contain outbreak.
Government clarifies position after critics accuse Boris Johnson of putting ‘Brexit over breathing’.
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson blames administrative error for failure to sign up to EU equipment help scheme
26/03/2020
Downing Street has blamed an administrative error for the UK's failure to sign up to an emergency EU scheme to help procure vital medical equipment to fight coronavirus.
Boris Johnson blames ‘email error’ for not joining EU ventilator scheme - but Matt Hancock says he got it
26/03/2020
After initially claiming it did not join an EU scheme for ventilators because of Brexit, it now blames an ‘email error’ for missing the invitation.
Brexiteer calls for pubs and restaurants to re-open as ‘majority don’t care about coronavirus’
23/03/2020
A Brexiteer politician has called for pubs and restaurants to re-open because he claims a ‘majority don’t care about the coronavirus’.
The Brexit transition period should be extended as the UK tackles the coronavirus outbreak, the Welsh Government has said.
Coronavirus: Two-thirds of Britons want UK to request Brexit extension to focus on pandemic, poll shows
29/03/2020
Two-thirds of people in the UK want the government to request an extension to the Brexit transition period in order to focus on the coronavirus outbreak, a new opinion poll indicates.
Head of Commons health committee also raises alarm over UK missing out on benefits of new clinical trials.
Hopes that political stability might lead to recovery dashed by Covid-19 crisis.
Coronavirus: Brussels rubbishes UK government claim it missed EU ventilator scheme due to 'communications problem'
27/03/2020
‘Member states and the UK had the opportunity to signal their interest to participate in any joint procurements,’ says EU spokesperson
Social security secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has urged the UK Government to be “sensible” and put tackling coronavirus before forthcoming Brexit talks.
“Under these extraordinary circumstances, I cannot see how the UK government would choose to expose itself to the double whammy of the coronavirus and the exit from the EU single market, which will inevitably add to the disruption, deal or no deal."
The EU continues to help EU Member States with the repatriation of their citizens stranded abroad due to increasing number of restrictions in third countries.