covid-19
Britain’s Covid economic bounce back is less impressive than it seems
The UK economy is rebounding at the fastest rate in Europe, and faster even than the United States: that is…
Google's war on home workers was inevitable
Tapping out some code in the back garden. Working on a sales presentation while watching the school sports day. Or…
Can Australia escape its Covid lockdown cycle?
In the early days of the pandemic, Australia was the envy of the world. The country was lauded as a…
Heroes and villains of the pandemic in America
The most alarming aspect of living in America is the recurring sensation that no one is in charge. This is…
New York’s vaccine passport scheme could have a nasty side effect
The latest French export to the United States is a requirement that people show proof of vaccination to visit indoor bars,…
Should Boris pay people to take the jab?
The steady stream of mixed messages coming from government ministers have been one of the few constants during the pandemic. Boris…
Boris Johnson's popularity problem
The Westminster rumour mill is in overdrive today on the question of whether Rishi Sunak will be Boris Johnson’s successor in…
Macron's vaccine passport is uniting French anti-fascists and nationalists
Saturday was what is known in France as the Chassé-croisé, the busiest day of the year on the roads, when…
Vaccine passports could threaten the employment recovery
Alongside the UK’s latest step in reopening, optimistic forecasts have been rolling in concerning the economy’s timeline for returning to…
Macron's war on Covid meets resistance
A manager of an attraction park in France was reportedly assaulted on Sunday after he denied entry to a customer.…
No vax, no vote? Macron's vaccine passport plan sparks fury
Will it be necessary to produce a passe sanitaire (vaccination passport) to be allowed to vote in France? With 221…
When will Boris get serious about balancing the budget?
Should we be pleased that net government borrowing for June came in below expectations, at £22.8 billion – £5.5 billion…
Can Boris and his ministers agree on the point of the Covid app?
What is the point of the Covid-19 app? Ministers seem to be as in the dark about the answer to…
Is Boris brave enough to confront the truth about the NHS?
If a government does not wish to break a manifesto promise it should punt fewer such ‘promises’ into its manifesto.…
Boris Johnson's sombre 'freedom day' press conference
On the day that nearly all legal Covid restrictions go, one could be forgiven for presuming ministers would be in the…
The art of selling vaccines
I was bemused when I first saw the photograph of spaced-out chairs and vaccination booths in the Turbine Hall of the…
Has Boris got cold feet over ‘freedom day’?
A very strange ‘freedom day’ greets us on Monday. Legally, almost all restrictions will be lifted. But practically, ministers are…
Whitty's lockdown warning will trouble Boris
In a Science Museum webinar yesterday, Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, warned about the increasing number of people in…
Macron's Covid crackdown is a risky bet
Will the French accept compulsory vaccination against Covid? Health passports to get on a plane or train? Children of 12…
Johnson urges caution ahead of final easing
How different will life be after 19 July? Not very, if the Prime Minister’s press conference this evening was anything…
North Korea's cryptic crisis
For years, the West has tried to cajole the North Korean regime using sanctions, much to the frustration of Kim…
Follow the science – it's time to unlock
Shortly before Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer were slugging it out in PMQs — debating whether the mass-lifting of restrictions…
What is the purpose of test and trace?
At yesterday’s press conference, Boris Johnson announced that his government was shelving plans for domestic ‘Covid certificates’ (i.e. vaccine passports),…
Labour's unlocking problem
Labour is unhappy with the government’s plan for unlocking, with leader Sir Keir Starmer calling it ‘reckless’. In the Commons…
Boris's 'freedom day' spells misery for many
The projection from Sajid Javid that Covid-19 infections could surge to a record 100,000 per day in a few weeks,…
