In her final visit to UK as German chancellor, Merkel says Brexit is ‘good opportunity to open a new chapter in our relationship’
Kim Leadbeater wins narrow victory in Batley and Spen byelection
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Anger over Hancock a factor in Labour byelection win, says Tory co-chair
Kim Leadbeater: political novice who will not toe the line in Westminster
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3.08pm BST
“I’ve got a bloody long list here, lads,” said Kim Leadbeater as she bounded away from a voter in the early days of the Batley and Spen byelection campaign.
On this occasion, parking was the issue that Leadbeater had added to her little notebook of voters’ complaints. As a local resident, she quickly grasped the issues often overlooked in the national narrative.
Related: Kim Leadbeater: political novice who will not toe the line in Westminster
3.01pm BST
Johnson has said sporting events are being opened up in a “very careful and controlled manner” after Merkel expressed concern about the numbers attending Euro 2020 matches at Wembley.
Johnson said:
The crucial point is that here in the UK we have now built up a very considerable wall of immunity by our vaccination programme.
In the UK almost 85% have had a first dose and more than 63% have had two jabs. Since you get more than 80% protection from one dose and 93% protection from two doses there is a very great degree of resistance to (the) virus in the UK population.
I want to stress that we have been very cautious at every stage. But that’s why I think it’s been effective and it’s why it’s been an irreversible road map (out of lockdown).