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Boris Johnson news : Self-isolating PM ‘in good health’, as UK warned time running out in Brexit talks

Follow the latest updates from Westminster

Samuel Osborne,Chiara Giordano
Monday 16 November 2020 13:43 EST
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Boris Johnson told to self-isolate after coming into contact with Covid-positive MP

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At least five Conservative MPs, including Boris Johnson, and two Downing Street aides are self-isolating for 14 days following a meeting at Number 10 last week.  

The prime minister, who was admitted to intensive care with coronavirus in April, on Monday announced he was isolation after meeting with a Tory MP who had since tested positive for Covid-19. He said he was notified by NHS Test and Trace that he must self-isolate on Sunday, but said he had “no symptoms”.  

Health secretary Matt Hancock told a Downing Street press conference on Monday that the UK had bought five million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine developed by US-led biotech firm Moderna, hours after the company reported promising results in its ongoing trial.  

During the televised briefing, Mr Hancock refused to guarantee a post-Covid pay rise for NHS staff in response to a question from The Independent.  

Talks on a future trade relationship between the UK and European Union post-Brexit are continuing this week, with the UK’s Brexit negotiator, Lord David Frost, in Brussels ahead of a European Council video summit on Thursday which has been touted as a deadline for a draft deal.  

Lord Frost warned “quite a lot” remains to be done if a trade deal is to be sealed with the EU, with just days to go before the effective deadline for agreement.  

The Scottish National Party has claimed Boris Johnson is taking the UK “on the path to catastrophe”, while Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney has warned talks could collapse if there is no movement from the UK on fisheries, where he said London was asking for major concessions from Brussels in return for access to its waters for EU ships. 

Hancock refuses to guarantee NHS staff pay rise

Matt Hancock refused to guarantee a post-Covid pay rise for NHS staff.

More on that here:

Hancock refuses to promise pay rise for NHS staff

Health secretary Matt Hancock has refused to guarantee a post-Covid pay rise for NHS staff.

Chiara Giordano16 November 2020 17:44

That’s the end of our Westminster coverage for today. Join us tomorrow for more live updates.

Chiara Giordano16 November 2020 18:24

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