Boris Johnson is facing a showdown with Conservative backbench COVID-19 lockdown rebels in the second Commons recall of the Christmas recess.
– Warning over fraudulent messages about vaccines
People in the UK should be wary of fraudulent messages offering them access to coronavirus vaccinations, trading standards authorities have warned.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said that text messages had been sent out including links to fake NHS websites that asked recipients for bank details, supposedly for verification purposes.
Such messages were first reported at the end of December on the Western Isles of Scotland, but the CTSI says they are “by no means limited to the region”.
– Quarter of all deaths in England and Wales in week to Christmas Day involved Covid
A total of 2,912 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending December 25 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is down slightly from 2,986 deaths in the week to December 18, but the ONS said that the number of registrations will have been affected by the Christmas Day bank holiday.
A quarter (25.3%) of all deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to December 25 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate.
– Teachers should be vaccine priority, says Tory MP
Robert Halfon, chairman of the Education Select Committee, called for teachers and support staff to be added to the vaccine priority list alongside NHS workers.
The Conservative MP told Times Radio: “I think there is an argument about supporting one group of workers over another, but my view is that children – educating our children – is the most important thing we can do.
“We are damaging their life chances every day that they are not in school, we’re increasing mental health worries, we know there are safeguarding hazards for children being at home, so the priority must be to get our kids back into school.
“Surely teachers and support staff must be made a priority alongside NHS workers for vaccination.”
