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

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Boris Johnson told to self-isolate after coming into contact with Covid-positive MP

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. 

• Boris Johnson self-isolating after contact with coronavirus-infected MP
• Five Tory MPs self-isolating after No 10 meeting
• Brexit talks enter final week with time running out to avoid no deal

Key Points

• Boris Johnson self-isolating
• PM ‘in good health’ with ‘no symptoms’
• Five Tory MPs now self-isolating after meeting at No 10
• Time running out for Brexit deal, EU warns
• EU ‘determined’ and ‘patient’, Barnier says

[16 November 2020 17:44 · Chiara Giordano]

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:

[16 November 2020 18:24 · Chiara Giordano]

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