NEW: Visa centre in Lille will be a 'pop-up'. It will NOT offer appointments or walk-in access for those seeking to come to the UK. The most vulnerable cases in Calais will be taken there for biometrics but Home Office will not publicise location and capacity will be small It will be up and running properly tomorrow but I understand those who are not deemed to be vulnerable and who turn up at Calais anyway will be told to go to Paris or Brussels to fill out correct forms. (You might ask who isn't vulnerable after fleeing a war zone, really?)

NEW: Trudy Harrison, PM's PPS, contacted a private charter company on 25 Aug 21 (same date as FCO letter) to secure plane to evacuate animals and staff for Nowzad. A private sponsor funded, but she made clear her role with PM and told staff he was keen to get animals out quickly. Source at the company said Harrison was keen to get press on the plane to watch animals being evacuated to turn it into a good news story. They added she repeatedly talked about "the boss" and they felt it was obvious her requests came with his backing.

NEW: PM confirms he has spoken to Sue Gray inquiry. In a pool clip with @BethRigby Boris Johnson looks visibly shaken & teary. He denies he was told about BYOB party ahead of time and maintains he believed it was a work event. On his resignation: "Let's see what report says" Big questions remain over how an event of that size with alcohol and food could have been allowed under the rules even in a work capacity.

What happened to Sarah Everard has hit home hard for so many women because we make the calculations she did every day too. We take the longer, better-lit route, push the fear aside for the voice that says ‘don't be daft, you've every right to walk home alone at night and be safe’ Tell friends ‘it’s fine, it’s just around the corner, I’ll text when I’m back’ …but still we make a plan - Keys gripped between fingers we map the corner shops we could duck into en-route. Swap shoes for trainers in case we need to run. Keep our music low or turned off.

Worth reading this full report on adherence to isolation and quarantine in the UK between May and August. Some fascinating/worrying insights including that only 48.9% of participants could identify the main symptoms of Covid 19: medrxiv.org/content/10.110… Those least likely to be able to identify cough, temperature and loss of taste/smell were: "Male
gender; younger age; not identifying as White British; thinking you have had COVID-19; and
not knowing that you can spread COVID-19 to others if you are asymptomatic"

Jon Ashworth asks why so many labs have huge backlogs and some are having to "void" (bin) tests. Says the UK is sending tests to Italy and Germany because labs here can't cope with the number of tests which need to be checked. Government has admitted that it shuts down the online test request system when demand is overwhelming to prevent tests being carried out and later binned because the labs can't cope.

Oof. EU post meeting statement on UK Internal Market Bill - remove the clauses which break international rules by the end of the month or we'll take legal action against you: ec.europa.eu/commission/pre… Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič: "The EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft Bill is to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite."

Big push on borders and managing migration across the channel this week from ministers. An RAF plane is currently monitoring the UK coastline after lots of people made the dangerous crossing over the last few days: flightradar24.com/RRR4998/252c79… The UK wants France to intercept more boats as they begin their journey and wants to step up the number of migrants returned to France to make asylum claims there. Home Office minister meeting with French tomorrow to discuss.

Pressed on whether it’s contradictory to ask people to go out to eat while telling them to lose weight Minister Nadhim Zahawi says no. Adds he could cut a few pounds himself but it’s essential to support hospitality sector staff too. On why studies show many people still don’t fully understand the Gov rules to combat Covid and what we’re allowed to do Mr Zahawi denies messaging has been unclear. Says virus is complex and hard to combat.

Labour has apologised to antisemitism whistleblowers and a journalist for 'defamatory and false allegations' in a statement issued by the party's press office over a Panorama prog. It will also pay damages to the claimants. The bill will hit six-figures including costs. The BBC has welcomed the decision after staff and subjects of the programme were "subject to an extraordinary and vitriolic attack by the Labour Party" - BBC spokesman

Have been looking into this chart in the test and trace data because I am confused by it. I think I have an answer. When you add up the numbers in this table you get 5,278. Having spoken to experts in the Department of Health, that is a chunk of the 26,985 contacts who were reached as a result of tracing.

Have been speaking to people in Government about how test track and trace could work in the UK (especially now we know app won't be ready by June 1). A call-centre and online system would allow people to report potential symptoms to tracers. One third of the 25k tracers would be trained medical professionals to help with this. Once a case is suspected a test is ordered (promised on a fast-turnaround basis) and you then hand over your contacts to the tracers for them to follow up.

Michael Gove says if children contract Covid-19 the impact is “significantly less” but measures must still be taken to protect them and teachers when schools return #Ridge Gove: “Entirely understandable” that unions should be pushing for extra measures. Ongoing conversation between Gov and unions to make sure children are safe. Need to make up on progress lost through lockdown, he adds.

Is Matthew Vickers the first MP to ask his Zoom question while standing up, as you would in the Commons? (While you have to respect the dedication, it did make for a slightly odd angle...)

FCO's Sir Simon McDonald stating UK decision not to join EU procurement scheme was a "political decision" does not sit well with No10 response on 26 March, when PM spox said "absolutely no ideology involved" in not joining in. In fact, the reason No10 gave for not participating was a "mix-up" which meant UK gov did not get emails from the EU about the scheme - designed to jointly procure not just ventilators but PPE too.

Why the focus on lockdown measures? 1. Review: Law says government must review every 21 days (the first deadline is 16 April - next Thursday). Measures v unlikely to be lifted as scientists say it's too soon to tell if they are working effectively. 2. The wider issue of how to move out of lockdown: Ministers and scientists grappling with this Q - lots of trade-offs and no country has really navigated a clean path through (China? But it's complex). Key is to avoid second peak and overwhelmed NHS.

Bit more info on these numbers. These are the number of tests conducted in the 24 hours to 9am Saturday. They're not necessarily the number of patients who have been tested.

https://twitter.com/PHE_uk/status/1244538754452332545

In many cases each patient is tested more than once, so the actual number of people tested in this 24 hour period could be lower than 9,114. I am waiting to find out how many people have been tested.

For those asking/concerned about PHE figures on covid-19 deaths and why the number yesterday was low/why the way it is reported has changed, here is some more information: NHS has been providing figures to PHE on covid deaths by 9am every day and PHE then publishing stats at 2pm. That was the intention. But as deaths rise it has become difficult to collate and verify the numbers in time.

Lots asking why there seem to be two different things being said on antibody testing (this is NOT testing if you currently have the virus, but if you have had it). Earlier today in a select committee a Public Health England director said test would be ready "within days" She also confirmed that the test would be available at Boots or via Amazon. (You can read her evidence here: itv.com/news/2020-03-2…).

Prime Minister says coronavirus is not the same as the flu and "many more families" will lose loved ones before their time during this outbreak. Boris Johnson says he wants to level with the British public. Government wants to delay the peak of virus and stretch it over a longer period in order for the NHS to cope better. Have to deploy changes at the right time and protect elderly in peak.

The Government has updates advice about coronavirus as the UK moves to the delay phase. The latest info on what to do if you think you might have it is here: gov.uk/government/pub… In this delay phase anyone with coronavirus-like symptoms should self-isolate for 7 days (there are tips on how at that link). You are unlikely to be tested if you have mild symptoms.