News
Festive bubbles mean households will be able to meet up at Christmas for five days
Thoughts?
It has been reported that households will be allowed to meet in bubble over Christmas for a number of days.
It is understood that ministers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while not agreed on a final set of regulations, have endorsed a sharing objective of allowed ‘some limited additional household bubbling for a small number of days’ over Christmas.
Families will choose their bubble in advance and then be allowed to spend time indoors with them, including at the pub.
Number 10 is yet to confirm how many days the reprieve will be applied to but reports suggest it could last between December 22nd and 28th.
In a statement published on Sunday, the Cabinet Office and the devolved administrations emphasise that the public will have to remain ‘cautious’ and should avoid travel to minimise social contact wherever possible.
The news comes after the prime minister met with the cabinet virtually on Sunday to sign off a ‘Covid Winter Plan’.
It will reportedly see a return to a tougher version of the regional tiered system when England’s lockdown 2.0 ends on December 2nd.
It is expected more areas will be placed into the higher levels of restrictions, which could mean some regions will face a ban on household mixing until the Christmas period, following criticism from government scientists.
Mr Johnson is set to address parliament today with the proposals.
The Independent reports that Sunak has hinted the government will scrap the 10pm curfew measure on bars and restaurants following the fierce criticism from dozens of Conservative MPs and Sir Keir Starmer. However, the BBC reports the curfew will remain but an additional hour to drink up with be added.
It is expected those hospitality businesses in tier 3 will be able to offer takeaway services and those in tier 2 can serve drinks with substantial meals.
It is also understood that Mr Johnson is set to allow the reopening of non-essential shops in all three tiers in order to boost retail in the festive period.
On the government’s Christmas plans, the Cabinet Office added: “Welcoming the good progress made by all administrations over the past few days to design a single set of arrangements that can apply across the UK, ministers reiterated the importance of allowing families and friends to meet in a careful and limited way, while recognising that this will not be a normal festive period and the risks of transmission remain very real.
“In respect of Northern Ireland, ministers also recognised that people will want to see family and friends across the island of Ireland, and this is the subject of discussions with the Irish government.
“Work is continuing to finalise the arrangements, including relating to travel. The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland executive hope to conclude this work this week, subject to agreement by each administration.”
Last week, Public Health England warned that for every day restrictions are eased, five days of more stringent measures will be required to combat and keep Covid-19 infections under control.
The BBC added that the exception to the new tier rules will be Christmas, something the government deem as a ‘necessity’. Adding it is a recognition of the break the public need from the slog of the pandemic and that significant numbers of people will ignore any attempt to ban gatherings.
On Sunday, the UK reported another 18,662 new coronavirus cases and 398 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. This brought the UK total to 55,024 deaths.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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