Monday in parliament. Hello and welcome to monday in parliament. Coming up in the next half hour, the secretary announces that london is among parts of england to be put into the toughest coronavirus restrictions. This action is absolutely essential, notjust to keep people safe, but because we have seen early action can help prevent more damaging and longer lasting problems later. But one mp wonders. The secretary of state doesnt want to be the grinch, but should he be reconsidering the christmas measures that are in place. Also on the programme, the future energy plans and proposals to cut admissions. And labour dismisses the government announcement of more and quicker compensation for those caught up in the wind rush scandal. Increasing the minimum payments for the impact the life to £10,000, with payment starting this week. But first, the Health Secretary has told parts of london and parts of essex and hertfordshire will move into englands highest tier of covid 19 restrictions on w
A0 days after the election. And the congressman from texas who is starring in his own actionman movie to save the two senate seats in georgia as if there is nothing else to be doing right now. Hello, im katty kay in washington. Christian fraser is in london. It is a good day here in the United States because americans are receiving their first shots of the Pfizer Vaccine. But we would be remiss in not pointing out that on the very same day, the covid death toll here has reached 300,000. It is a sobering reminder of the hill we still have to climb to get out of this pandemic. Here in the uk, where the Pfizer Vaccine was rolled out last week, the roller coaster journey continues. London is returning to tier 3, with much tighter restrictions, less than two weeks before christmas. There is also news from the Health Secretary that they have discovered a new strain of coronavirus, which may be associated with the much faster spread in the south east of england. Heres matt hancock and england
About the impact the relaxation of restrictions across the Christmas Period might have. Before that, though, he explained whats known so far about a new variant thats been linked to rising cases in southern england. In terms of the new variant, the reason this has been picked up is because there is a good Surveillance System in the uk, wider than in many other countries, and it does appear to be in an area of the country, particularly kent and bits of london, which are increasing rapidly. We do not know whats cause and effect. Is it getting more frequent because it is in a part of the country at which the rate of increase is going faster anyway, and therefore inevitably it is a higher proportion, or is it that this virus itself is possible to transmit more easily . That isnt really yet clear. There are two other things you always want to worry about with a new variant. The first one is. Three things, actually. The first one is is there any evidence this is actually more dangerous . And
Is badly affected. In the us, six weeks after the election, joe biden is formally confirmed as president elect by the voters of the Electoral College. And deta hedman is well known in the darts world but shes the first black woman to compete in the pdc world darts championship. And coming up in sport, on bbc news. Pedro neto scores a late injury time winner for wolves as they come from behind to beat chelsea 2 1 at molineux. Good evening. Theres growing pressure on the four home nations of the United Kingdom to make changes to the covid rules agreed for the Christmas Period. Further talks will take place tomorrow amid concerns that the guidelines as they stand will lead to a very significant rise in cases. Two leading medicaljournals have joined forces to warn that easing the rules for a five day period is rash and will cost many lives. Labour has called for the guidelines to be clearer and tougher. We start tonight with this report by our Health Editor hugh pym. Christmas mixing will
What effect would moving up a tier have on you . Should the government be reviewing the tiers at all . Do get in touch with me on twitter Annita Mcveigh and use bbcyourquestions, and ill try to read out some of your comments. Across europe, governments are imposing stricter measures following a surge in covid cases. Well be getting the latest from our correspondents across the continent. 32 years after the lockerbie bombing, authorities in the us are understood to be preparing fresh charges. And toy shops face stock shortages beause of delays at uk ports. Some orders will now miss christmas, costing business thousands of pounds in sales. Coronavirus appears to be spreading even more rapidly in wales than previously thought. Its emerged that thousands of positive test results have been left out from official figures. 11,000 covid test results were missing from official figures because of a computer problem with a system Recording Lab results which had been undergoing routine maintenance