which is that there is no adam fleming, because he is on his holidays.e got an upgrade to the actual studio. what, do you mean that we let you out of the cupboard? yes, the cupboard is shut. and, there is loads of news about. yes, there always seems to be, just in time for thursday. even if you are thinking at the beginning of the week, oh, it is a bit quiet, what are we going to have to talk about? late on thursday night. what does it feel like right now? exactly. adam's tradition, throughout the brexitcast, when he would go skiing or whatever and then there would be a load of news. gadding around... and here we are on thursday night with talk of, quote unquote, levelling up, big conversation, this whole question about how to go about putting us off unhealthy food and how much should a government intervene in that kind of stuff. it was only last week that we were talking about how hawaiian pizza! maybe they heard that! tax pineapple chunks. and, of course, after the football, notjust a disappointment for so many youngerfans, but all of the questions tha

grapple with no matter who you are, over the next few months. 0ur chief political correspondent adam flemingthe prime minister to lead the downing street coronavirus news briefing at 5pm. we'll bring that to you live here on the bbc news channel. the queen has awarded the george cross to the nhs as the health service marks its 73rd anniversary today. in a personal message, the queen said nhs staff across the uk had worked "with courage, compassion and dedication" for more than 70 years. 0ur royal correspondent nicholas witchell reports. the national health services in all four nations of the united kingdom have faced the most exceptional challenges over the past 16 months of the covid pandemic. it has been the most demanding period for its staff since the nhs was established, 73 years ago today. the award of the george cross to the nhs is an exceptional mark of gratitude. the medal ranks second only to the victoria cross as a means of recognising outstanding heroism. it has only been awarded to a collective body on two previous occasions. in another unusual move, the queen has handwritten a

first, newsy chat and analysis from adam fleming, laura kuenssberg, chris mason and guests on newscastu heard the news? what news? about the triple lock? it's coming home. 0h! oh, look at you with your flag. that's lovely. that's top quality merch right there. also i've been taking fashion advice, as i always do, from the prime minister, cos i've got a suit on here. then underneath, because we broadcast to all corners of the uk and not everyone has bought into all of this like in england, i've got, just to play to your affiliations, laura and adam. underneath my suit. you've got a scotland shirt on underneath your suit. hang on, you say you are taking fashion tips from the pm, did you see last night? you might have missed. you might not know what fashion advice chris is referring to. i mean, the prime minister did have an england shirt over, it looks like, his shirt and tie, and under his suitjacket. it was then done up. i thought a natural football fan? not quite. equally, there is royalty in that box. so, you may be think, prince george was fully suited up when he was there the other

we're joined now by our chief political correspondent adam fleming. ion will the government face on this plan to ban un—vaccinated clubbers? mps were talking about covid at exactly the same point as the prime minister was announcing this policy on television. i think at the moment, opponents will focus on trying to get the evidence from the government for why they want to do this later in the year, and what happens politically will depend on a few things. what actually is the policy here? because it is quite sketchy at the moment, for example, what venues will actually apply to? then of course there willjust be the context of how does the pandemic feel in september, how serious is it, what is the number of cases, doesn't feel a bit out of control? that will affect how people feel about it. and then, of course, what does the party do about this idea of covid certificates? because even if there are quite a lot of conservative mps who are concerned about it, normally there are not enough to defeat the government when it comes to actually passing a low aro

our chief political correspondent adam fleming is in westminster. rnment is facing criticism from the people who are helping us to get through this pandemic. how will they respond? what will happen announced that the unions will consult their members, that will take a couple weeks, and in theory, you could see some nhs workers going on strike if they are really angry about the size of this pay award, even though even though the government has increased it quite a lot from where its initial position was. when matt hancock was the health secretary, remember him? it was going to be a i% increase. it is now a 3% increase under the new health secretary. some questions about how this information came out as well, unions said they were expecting it last week, then the middle of this week, then early yesterday, then we got the health minister coming to make an announcement that we thought was the announcement that we thought was the announcement of pay, and it wasn't, and then it came out in a written statement at about 5.30. mps will be wondering why they h

let's find out more from our chief political correspondent, adam fleming. pay review body who looks at it and makes a recommendation, the health secretary added javid has to decide whether to accept or reject that. we are at the third stage of the process now where it is still a decision on the desk of the health secretary. the government because my opening bid at the start of the year was 41% increase for nhs workers in england, the royal college of nursing wanted a 12.5% increase, the scottish government went ahead with a 4% increase, and there is speculation that the government in england might decide to go for a 3% increase. but thatis decide to go for a 3% increase. but that is still speculation, because the final decision hasn't been made. we have been waiting for it for quite some time, but it is definitely going to happen either today or tomorrow because the government is committed to making the decision in parliament, and parliamentary holidays start on thursday. so the clock is ticking, we will keep an eye on that, thank you, adam. and we will be

we can speak to our chief political correspondent, adam fleming.t necessarily an announcement about isolation, but what did you read into the comments and how significant are they? the government _ and how significant are they? tue: government has and how significant are they? tte: government has been getting in trouble from the speaker of the house of commons for making announcements to the media before mps. ministers are more reticent to preview what they are doing. what we think is at lunchtime we will get a series of statements, one of them from the department of health about changes to the isolation rules for people who are notified to be close contacts of people who test positive for covid—19. at the moment, if you get a call from test and trace you have to isolate for ten days even if you have no symptoms. it looks like that will now change, if you have had both doses of the vaccine you will not have to isolate. and here is how the health secretary hinted at it earlier. tia is how the health secretary hinted at it earlier-— at it earlier. no

correspondent adam fleming. covid cases. especially the vulnerable will be at great risk from the virus. that is why when it comes to wearing masks, the legal... the actual restriction where you have got to wear a mask on public transport will be replaced by advice. i think it will be strong advice. i think it will be strong advice that it is still a good idea to wear a mask and that is what you should be doing. that is what they mean by taking personal responsibility. a few technicalities. the actual decision from july the 19th will not be taken till next monday. there are a few things we will not get today changes to the traffic light system for travel will not be announced today and changes to what happens with school bubbles and isolations when there is a positive case in a class. we will get a hint about what ministers will like to do but no details or confirmation about what is likely to change. all of us will have to be grappling with this thing that there are many, fewer restrictions and instructions but

our chief political correspondent, adam fleming, is at westminster. hello to you.its entirety now, or are we going to get more sectors available, able to use these tests instead of self—isolating. these tests instead of self-isolating.- these tests instead of self-isolating. these tests instead of self-isolatinu. . , ., ., self-isolating. that is it for now, but i imagine _ self-isolating. that is it for now, but i imagine there _ self-isolating. that is it for now, but i imagine there will - self-isolating. that is it for now, but i imagine there will be - self-isolating. that is it for now, i but i imagine there will be pressure from other sectors experiencing a shortage of workers because of isolation, i am sure there will be pressure on the government to expand it a bit more, but of course it expand in a big way on august 16th, thatis expand in a big way on august 16th, that is when it will apply to everyone in the uk, where if you are pinged by the app or cob tacted by test and trace, and you are fully vaccine fateed then you will be able to do a single test a

with more on that, i'm joined by our chief political correspondent adam fleming from westminster.s a broad coalition of ministers in favour of relaxing the restrictions on travellers into the restrictions on travellers into the uk from the us and the eu. we are at the moment only talking about travellers from the us and the eu who have been fully vaccinated. although i am told a decision might be fairly imminent in the next few days, fairly lightly, it might take a little bit longer to actually operationalise this and actually work through the logistics of how the uk will recognise vaccine certificates from other countries, and also the airlines that will have to check these documents, the departing airports will have to look at them, too. it might not be as soon as people are speculating. of course, than the rest of the world is a different matter.— is a different matter. adam, the prime minister _ is a different matter. adam, the prime minister has _ is a different matter. adam, the prime minister has been - is a different matter. adam, the prime minister has been doing i is a d

in universal credit introduced during the coronavirus crisis. 0ur chief political correspondent adam flemingwork and pensions secretary is have urged the government not to do this, to keep that additional £20 payment to people in receipt of universal credit so what has the chancellor been saying?— been saying? this increased universal— been saying? this increased universal credit _ been saying? this increased universal credit of - been saying? this increased universal credit of £20 i been saying? this increased universal credit of £20 a i been saying? this increased i universal credit of £20 a week been saying? this increased - universal credit of £20 a week which amounts _ universal credit of £20 a week which amounts to— universal credit of £20 a week which amounts to £1000 extra a year for about— amounts to £1000 extra a year for about 6— amounts to £1000 extra a year for about 6 million families was first introduced in spring 2020 and then extended _ introduced in spring 2020 and then extended after a bit of a discussion in government in spring 2021 but it is ending _ in government in spr

expected wage bill. 0k, adam, thank you very much for that, adam | thank you very much for that, adam flemingn of the royal college of nursing. he is an rcn council member for the west midlands. thank you very much forjoining us. as we pointed out, this is well below the offer of 3%, the the 12.5% that the rcn have been asking for. how minded are members of the rcn at the moment to actually go and take the moment to actually go and take the step of taking industrial action? . ~ the step of taking industrial action? ., ~ ., ., , , action? talking to our members up and down the _ action? talking to our members up and down the country, it _ action? talking to our members up and down the country, it is - action? talking to our members up and down the country, it is very - and down the country, it is very clear that they were bitterly disappointed at the i% being offered. the reason for 12.5% is to take into account the fact that since 2010, it has been below inflation rises given to nurses. when you take into account inflation, nurses have lost 15% of the salary they should have been on if things

adam fleming joins us from westminster. maybe this requires explanation.ation now? it emerged from legal action taken against the i legal action taken against the government over covid contracts. some had sent e—mails from their private e—mail account rather than official work ones. the information commissioner is concerned that means those e—mails may not be labelled and saved in the same way official government e—mails would do, which means they would not be included in responses to freedom of information requests. the commissioner said the public will be concerned about that also. she has launched an investigation. the department of health said they would comply and ministers are aware of the rules and followed them at all times. i am not sure this will be a speedy process. we might have to wait months for and outcome. . , we might have to wait months for and outcome. ., , ,., ., we might have to wait months for and outcome. ., , ., , outcome. that is important, but ma be outcome. that is important, but maybe people — outcome. that is important, but may

let's speak now with our chief political correspondent, adam fleming. are mr cummings�* claims given he has fallen out badly with the pm? jeremy farrar, the boss of the welcome trust and a member of sage has a book out and he said he considered resigning from the scientific advisory group at around about the same time over these issues about the leadership of the country being too slow to grasp what was happening with covid and new restrictions were required. you could say mr cummings is a rogue former advisor but not necessarily rogue opinions he has got. he has a track record as a very effective campaigner and track record as a very effective campaignerand he track record as a very effective campaigner and he is running a campaigner and he is running a campaign at the moment to try and paint the prime minister as a bad leader and a person who has got bad judgment. look, yet again, he's got us all talking about decisions that were made on october 2020 and we are still talking about them injuly 2021. and we will talk about them in 2022 because this will

he said the effects would last for months to come there is no adam fleming, he is on his holidays. i got an upgrade to the studio. yes, the cupboard is shot. and there are loads of news about. , ., , , , ., shot. and there are loads of news about. , , , ., , about. yes, there was seems to be time for thursday, _ about. yes, there was seems to be time for thursday, even _ about. yes, there was seems to be time for thursday, even if - about. yes, there was seems to be time for thursday, even if you - about. yes, there was seems to be | time for thursday, even if you think at the beginning of the week, so quiet, taking the lead on thursday. when does it feel like right now. so, the tradition throughout the process, and then there will be a load of news. and here we are in thursday night with talk of quote unquote, leveling up with big conversations and how were going to go about putting this off unhealthy foods and how much the government should intervene in all that stuff. it seems like last week were talking about pizza. tax on pineapple chunks. and of course, after the football, no

our chief political correspondent adam fleming has more from westminster.ult 72 hours before they arrive in the uk and they will still have to carry out a series of tests when they are in the uk. i think this will be very much welcomed by the tourism industry here in the uk, who are crying out for more arrivals from abroad. less clear is whether all these countries will reciprocate and let british people turn up in them because remember when president biden was in the uk for the g7 summit earlier in the summer with great fanfare, he and borisjohnson, the british prime minister, announced they would have a task force to re—establish transatlantic travel. earlier this week, the white house said british people would still be barred from entry to the united states. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we take a look at extreme weather events in europe — as wildfires threaten parts of greece and strong winds fan the flames through the countryside north of athens. the world health organization has called for e—cigarettes to be regulated, warning they are harm

i asked our chief political correspondent adam fleming whether there might be any further expansion ofng a shortage of workers because of isolation. so i am sure there will be pressure on the government to expand it a bit more, but then of course it expands in a big way on august 16th, because that is when it will apply to everyone in the uk, where if you are pinged by the app or contacted by test and trace, and you are fully vaccinated, then you will be able to do a single test, and you will not have to isolate. but what happened yesterday represents a big expansion of the test to release scheme, as it is called, in two ways. you mentioned the first one, which is there are a lot more testing sites now. there was initially going to be 800, now there will eventually be 2,000 of them, and an expansion of the sectors that can apply to be in it. it now includes things like refuse collection, people that work in hmrc, in the tax office, and even people working in the space sector, so a lot more people are covered by it. ad it is quite labour intensive thing, because the way it is being done

adam fleming joins us now. good morning. really nice to speak to you this morning.l from test and trace, you are obliged to isolate for ten _ trace, you are obliged to isolate for ten days. according to the latest — for ten days. according to the latest statistics, one week in june that was— latest statistics, one week in june that was about 183,000 people in a week _ that was about 183,000 people in a week we _ that was about 183,000 people in a week. we have known for a little while _ week. we have known for a little while now— week. we have known for a little while now that ministers want to change _ while now that ministers want to change that because it is very disruptive and they think it might be quite — disruptive and they think it might be quite low risk. it looks like we will get _ be quite low risk. it looks like we will get an— be quite low risk. it looks like we will get an announcement today from the health _ will get an announcement today from the health secretary in the house of commons, _ the health secretary in the house of commons, sajidjavid, the

adam fleming, bbc news.s? yeah, i think that's absolutely right. - tells us about wider politics? yeah, i think that's absolutely right. it - i think that's absolutely right. it has been — i think that's absolutely right. it has been a pretty vicious campaign. at times _ has been a pretty vicious campaign. at times we — has been a pretty vicious campaign. at times we have heard a lot of stories— at times we have heard a lot of stories about allegations of harassment and intimidation. kim leadbeater made a big thing about being _ leadbeater made a big thing about being a _ leadbeater made a big thing about being a local candidate. it does have _ being a local candidate. it does have a — being a local candidate. it does have a really important national ramifications too for the labour leaden — ramifications too for the labour leader. we saw in hartlepool are a couple _ leader. we saw in hartlepool are a couple of — leader. we saw in hartlepool are a couple of months ago, labour losing a seat _ couple of months

effective at preventing people having to be treated in hospital. 0ur chief political correspondent adam fleminge now on what borisjohnson could say later. if the data analyses next monday when the decision will be made, on the 19th ofjuly most of the legal restrictions on people in england will be elected. 0ne restrictions on people in england will be elected. one will remain, that will be the obligation to isolate for ten days if you test positive for covid—19. many of the others will disappear and things that were specific prohibitions by the government laid down in legislation will become advice and guidance and state for people to base their own personal decisions on using their own judgment. 0ne base their own personal decisions on using their ownjudgment. one of base their own personal decisions on using their own judgment. one of the examples as facemasks. currently mandatory on public transport, that will become advice about thinking about the risk posed to you by covid—19 and the risk you pose to other people and i will be your choice whether you wear a facemask are not. it opens up so

earlier, our chief political correspondent adam fleming gave us the latest.st introduced in spring 2020 and then extended after a bit of a discussion in government in spring 2021. but it is ending in september this year. and mr sunak has been doing interviews this morning where he has been giving the rationale for that. it was always the intention, this was a temporary measure, it was always intended to be a temporary measure and much like all the other things that we have done, there were the things that we put in place to deal with the crisis, to deal with the very difficult situation that we faced that started last year. and those things will come to an end, much like the furlough scheme, for example, which will also come to an end in september but it is only one part of our overall package of support and the reason i'm here talking to you today is a year ago today i outlined our plan forjobs and the good news is we have stuck to that plan and that plan is working. out and about, i'm here today at covent garden market, i was in the west midlands yesterday

to challenges and in some cases shortages of food and goods. 0ur chief political correspondent, adam fleminge uk or the eu, then part of the brexit deal relating to northern ireland can be suspended. the uk is going to warn that the circumstances exist in the uk that would justify the use of that. they say, that if such a change to trade between great britain and northern ireland that the uk could use article 16 if it wanted to but they will not use it in the short term, there are going to keep it in the locker for if things go wrong. it is a bit of a pressure move to try to encourage the eu to change how the northern ireland protocol is operating so there is, that it is less onerous for the traders operating it. the northern ireland protocol means that eu law applies in northern ireland when it comes to things like the trade of goods, and also the trade in plant and animal products across the irish sea. also there is a role for the european court ofjustice that there is any dispute and that is in the brexit deal that both sides signed up to, but there is a difference of interpretation, whic

pension secretaries are among those calling for it to continue. 0ur chief political correspondent adam flemingm westminster. just tell us a little more around this. it has attracted quite a bit of criticism, this decision. it of criticism, this decision. it attracted quite a lot of pride at the start of the pandemic —— praise at the start of the pandemic of the government increased the universal credit by £1000 per year and it benefited 6 million families and a lot of people were affected by this. at the start of this year it was due to run out, the increase, and there was a bit of a discussion at the top of government between the department for work and pensions, the treasury and number 10 about extending it. the decision was made to extend it but it was a one—off and it was definitely going to end in september, october definitely going to end in september, 0ctoberthis definitely going to end in september, october this year. the government has confirmed that is definitely happening. that will disappoint some people including the six former work and pensions secretary is who wrote a letter at