UK News

Pubs in England permitted to stay open until 11:15pm for Euro 2020 final

Ministers have made the announcement in anticipation of the game going to extra time and penalties.

The Manc The Manc - 6th July 2021

Pubs in England have been given the green light to stay open until the later time of 11:15pm for the Euro 2020 final on Sunday.

The decision was confirmed by Downing Street today.

Gareth Southgate’s England squad will face Denmark in the semi-final of European football’s flagship tournament tomorrow evening – but regardless of whether they defeat their opponents to make it through to the final, pubs will be permitted to remain open for the full duration of the match on Sunday (11 July).

The extended closing time of 11:15pm has been chosen in the event that the highly-anticipated final match should be taken to extra time and penalties.

“We are taking forward plans to allow pubs to open until 11.15pm on Sunday,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson confirmed.

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“The entire nation has been gripped by the Euros and this will ensure people can get together to enjoy the final in pubs, should they wish to do so.

“I’m sure everyone will want to wish England well in the semi-final.”

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Wembley will host 60,000 fans for the final of Euro 2020 on Sunday / Credit: UEFA

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night urged the nation to support the Three Lions “enthusiastically, but in a responsible way”.

Pubs in England normally have to shut at 10:30pm on Sundays, but it was reported that officials feared chaotic scenes if fans were thrown out before the conclusion of the final at Wembley.

An emergency “tweak” of the law is set to be brought forward in Commons imminently to change opening times for one day.

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Wembley will host 60,000 fans for both semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020 on 11 July.

Featured Image – The Oast House

UK News

Holly Willoughby delivers honest and emotional statement addressing Phillip Schofield scandal on This Morning return

Danny Jones Danny Jones Holly Willoughby statement Phillip Schofield scandal

Holly Willoughby has officially addressed the ongoing Phillip Schofield scandal on her return to This Morning on Monday.

Making her first appearance since the pair both dropped off the show following Schofield’s admission that he had a relationship with a younger man who worked on the show, his former co-presenter jumped straight into the issue at the top of the show.

“Firstly, are you OK? I hope so. It feels very strange sitting here without Phil and I know that you might be feeling a lot like I have: shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing on all sides of what’s been going on, and have lots of questions.

“You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt they had to resign from ITV and step down from a career they loved. That is a lot to process and it’s equally hard to see the toll that has taken on their own mental health.”

Holly Willoughby’s opening statement on her This Morning return.

The 42-year-old went on to say, “I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and wellbeing of everyone. I hope that as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other.

“From my heart, can I just say thank you for all your kind messages and thank you for being here this morning. Myself, Josie, Dermot, Alison, Craig and everyone who works on this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you the show that we love.”

Stand-in host Josie Gibson then hugged Holly and said: “All we can do now is be the family that we are”.

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After making it through the statement, Holly and Josie then jumped back into the regularly scheduled programming as usual.

As for the scandal itself, Schofield recently gave an exclusive interview with the BBC admitting that his “career is over” and had “suicidal thoughts” after the story broke, as well as insisting that he hasn’t spoken with Holly since apart from sending her an apology via text following his own statement.

The 61-year-old continues to deny allegations that he groomed the man he maintained a relationship with for a number of years but ITV has stated that they are continuing to investigate the situation following his resignation.

ITV to launch external review into Phillip Schofield’s controversial This Morning exit

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Featured Image — ITV

UK News

UK to trial new £1,600 per month Universal Basic Income payments

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

Plans are being made for the first trial of Universal Basic Income payments in England, it has been revealed.

UK think tank Autonomy is seeking financial backing for a two-year pilot programme that would pay individuals a set monthly salary of £1,600 – a figure roughly in line with the living wage – regardless of their means.

The no-obligation payments will be paid to around thirty participants in north-east England and north London, with anyone living in the areas able to put themselves forward.

Following the success of the furlough scheme in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic calls for the adoption of Universal Basic Income schemes have picked up serious momentum.

Scottish Liberal Democrat politician Christine Jardine previously commented that the pandemic “has meant that we’ve seen the suggestion of a universal basic income in a completely different light”.

Autonomy said it hopes its proposed pilot will “make the case for a national basic income and more comprehensive trials to fully understand the potential of a basic income in the UK”.

“No one should ever be facing poverty, having to choose between heating and eating, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world,” said Cleo Goodman, co-founder of Basic Income Conversation, a programme run by the work-focused think tank.

Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, said: “All the evidence shows that [a UBI] would directly alleviate poverty and boost millions of people’s wellbeing: the potential benefits are just too large to ignore.”

Participants can either elect to apply or they will be drawn at random, with people able to remain anonymous throughout.

The organisers have also planned for the trial to use a representative group, made up of 20% of people with disabilities.

Two years of community consultation has taken place in the area where the trial will be held in the lead up to its launch.

Universal Basic Income is not a new concept and trials have already been run successfully in other parts of the world.

Closest to home, a trial currently taking place in Wales means that 500 care leavers are now being given £1,600 a month as part of a £20m experiment.

Elsewhere, Iran saw a huge reduction of poverty and inequality in 2010, without people leaving the labour market, after giving citizens transfers of 29% of the median income each month. The country found that people used the extra money to invest in their businesses which led to the growth of small enterprises.

However, some critics of the concept in the UK say it could be extremely costly, divert funding away from public services, and might not help to alleviate poverty.

Featured image – Hhippopx.

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