The testing system needs a rethink
When mass testing for Covid began in 2020 there was no realistic expectation of a vaccine arriving for years. In its absence, testing was to be the…
Covid testing in tatters as Sajid Javid blames huge surge in demand
During a visit to a vaccination clinic in Milton Keynes on Wednesday, Mr Johnson urged people to get tested before attending New Year’s Eve festivities. “Everybody should…
Shoppers face food shortages following EU border controls in new year
Households face fresh disruption to food supplies and empty shelves in supermarkets in the new year, as EU border controls come into force, industry chiefs have warned….
Boris Johnson’s difficult year is nothing compared with what’s coming next
It is no secret that Boris Johnson had a torrid end to 2021: all self-inflicted, it must be said. Over the past two years the public have…
Too many have cashed in on our Covid fear – and nothing will be ‘normal’ again
What do you normally do on New Year’s Eve? I ask because people tend to have traditions for these sorts of things – and, safe (as can…
When it came to revealing Covid plans, Nicola Sturgeon was more big bother than Big Brother
But I cannot be the only observer who reckons this is bonkers of the first order and wonders how many pubs and other hostelries, as well as…
No-deal Brexit back on table if UK triggers Article 16, Liz Truss warned
The Government and the EU have been at a months-long standstill in attempts to renegotiate the protocol, which Downing Street believes has had a chilling effect on…
Nicola Sturgeon ‘dithering’ over relaxation of Scotland’s Covid isolation rules
Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of dithering over a relaxation of Scotland’s strict self-isolation rules after she again delayed a decision over whether to cut quarantine to…
Cut taxes in the spring to ease cost of living crisis, Tory MPs tell Boris Johnson
Marcus Fysh, the Conservative MP for Yeovil, said: “The economy is facing substantial headwinds this year, including difficult cost pressures. “Reducing the cost of employment would be…
Don’t mention ‘Brexit’, civil servants are told
A Whitehall style guide advises civil servants to avoid using the word “Brexit” and instead refer to “31 December 2020”. The guide says government officials should only…
Questor: a year to forget as our tips fail to make money for readers in 2021
Questor has had a dismal year. The average return on our stock tips since Jan 1 has been a loss of almost 2pc, while the market, on…
‘I came into a £400,000 windfall from a mystery relation’
Six cousins have come into a share of a £400,000 windfall inherited from a long-lost relative. They were beneficiaries of the surprise legacy of Jacqueline Davidson, who…
How to reset your relationships this year
The pandemic has taken a toll on many couples, but not all have been equally affected. The general story, which I have seen in my psychotherapist practice…
Why it’s time to embrace ‘Plan Living With Covid’
These results have since been echoed by researchers in Edinburgh where, based on an admittedly small number of cases, researchers found a two-thirds reduction in rates of…
The pleasure pandemic: How lockdown helped our sex lives
Pictured: Anna Hushlak and Billie Quinlan “If you were in a relationship and plodding along and distracting yourself with dinners with friends… then suddenly you’re in the…
‘I’ve known lots of people who beat cancer and lots who didn’t – you can’t get to my age and not’
On a cold winter’s day, I’m greeted at the door of Maggie’s cancer centre in West London by actress Hermione Norris. It is warm inside, very warm,…
Biden’s weakness is a danger. The West needs Britain to keep him in check
As 2022 nears, Joe Biden and his party are in political trouble. Elected largely to restore pre-Trumpian normalcy, Biden campaigned as a safe pair of hands, promising…
This New Year could mark the beginning of the end for Covid restrictions
Could England face further restrictions early next year? At some level the answer must be yes. After all, omicron itself was a total surprise at a time…
In north London, a radical Victorian approach has solved a very modern crisis
Most agree that Britain does not have enough homes. Among the most affected areas is south Tottenham, home to a thriving Orthodox Jewish community. It is also…
History’s greatest whodunnit would be ruined if we solved it
The enigma of the Princes in the Tower was last year crowned History’s Greatest Mystery in a poll by BBC History Magazine. Millais’s tender painting of the…
We must confront Covid’s vested interests
The Christmas and New Year period, and the Prime Minister’s refusal to implement additional restrictions during it, may mark a turning point in the Covid-19 pandemic. I…
Ministers must be ready to cut the Covid isolation period
It is disappointing to learn that NHS track and trace is in some cases still wrongly telling people to isolate for 10 days. The decision by Ministers…
The 25 best-dressed women of 2021, aged 29 to 100
Iris Apfel’s maximalist style has nothing to do with trends and everything to do with pleasing herself. Those bold, round specs are her signature, while her neck…
How M&S stealthily became the UK’s number one activewear destination
If further proof were needed that we’re a nation which loves some specialised kit, the rise and rise of Marks & Spencer’s Goodmove range is it. Launched…
China calls on US to protect space station from ‘close encounters’ of the Elon Musk kind
China is calling on the United States to protect a Chinese space station and its three-member crew after Beijing complained that satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX…