Summary

  • Chancellor Rishi Sunak says there is 'no truth' in the claims PPE is being prioritised to England over Scotland

  • Scotland's health secretary has received assurances from Matt Hancock that PPE suppliers were not asked to prioritise England

  • The total official number of coronavirus-related deaths in Scotland stands at 615 - but the true figure is thought to be much higher

  • The latest UK figures show 778 more people have died in hospital

  • A new helpline has opened for vulnerable Scots at high risk of coronavirus

  1. Life after lockdown for London's battered economypublished at 09:42 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Marc Ashdown
    Work and Money Correspondent, BBC London

    BT TowerImage source, PA Media

    So the days of huddling round heaters are over. Indoors is the new outdoors.

    But for London's battered economy, the next stage of "life after lockdown" brings as many questions as answers.

    Firstly, how confident will people be to get out shopping, socialising and returning to the office?

    Even if there is demand, limits on capacity will be an issue for live venues. Masks, sanitising and social distancing will continue for some time, so how sustainable will it be for theatres, cinemas and concerts to operate with a fraction of the usual paying audience?

    What will it mean for jobs too? Thousands of EU nationals have left the capital during the pandemic, replaced by 'hiring' signs in many high street windows.

    Opportunities perhaps for the younger generation, who’ve tended to be hardest hit by redundancies over the past year.

    But as government financial support starts to wind down, businesses of all sizes will be doing some serious calculations to work out how to balance their books.

    Overseas visitors will also be few and far between for some time, a vital revenue stream reduced to a summer trickle.

    Businesses will be hoping they can return soon, but in the meantime with no queues and no crowds, will there be a better time to see some of London’s sights?

  2. Man afraid of heights to wing walk for NHS staffpublished at 09:38 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Gary Trigg is fundraising for Gloucestershire Royal Hospital staff who treated him for Covid-19.

    Read More
  3. Family ready for Portugal flight 'feel very safe'published at 09:23 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    BBC Radio WM

    Osama and Diana Masfary said they "do feel very safe" with all the Covid checks at Birmingham Airport.

    Osama and Diana Masfary with their daughter

    The couple, from Derby, and their one-year-old daughter Gabriella are among the 118 passengers on the first flight to Portugal as lockdown in England eases.

    They booked last Sunday and then had to wait until the ban on foreign holidays was lifted.

    Then it was "go, get your Covid test and we are here" and the pair said what they wanted from this trip was "sun, beach, sea water, a sun tan, everything."

  4. Thailand sees record cases as jail outbreaks growpublished at 09:08 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    The country last week admitted there were growing virus clusters in two jails outside Bangkok.

    Read More
  5. Scotland's first minister: 'Remember the virus is still a threat'published at 09:00 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    On "Happy Monday" morning, Nicola Sturgeon reminds Scots the virus is still a threat.

    The first minister tweeted as almost all of the country moved down a level.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  6. Holidaymakers 'never felt safer' ahead of Portugal flightpublished at 08:53 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    Political Reporter, BBC Radio WM

    Lots of checks are going on at Birmingham Airport as people prepare to fly on holiday for the first time in months.

    The first flight to Portugal leaves at 09:35 with 118 passengers expected to be on it.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

    There's a really excited vibe among holidaymakers and they've told me the pre-flight checks have been "really easy".

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post 2

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post 2
  7. 'It's another step closer to normality'published at 08:52 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Good Morning Scotland
    BBC Radio Scotland

    Stuart McPheeImage source, Siberia Bar
    Image caption,

    Stuart McPhee demonstrates the mandatory track and trace system

    Stuart McPhee, director of Siberia Bar in Aberdeen is getting ready to get back to serving alcohol indoors later.

    He told Good Morning Scotland there were new measures in place to make customers feel safe.

    "It's another step back towards normality," he said. "We have a healthy booking pipeline and people are keen to get back indoors and enjoy socialising again. We are looking forward to it."

    He said the outdoor opening had been encouraging.

    "People are not scared to get out and about," he said.

    Restrictions and Covid safety measures are still in place.

    He said: "We have everybody doing a mandatory track and trace at the front door and we have to display a capacity notice and we have a curfew time of 22:30. "Those times are quite restrictive and the sooner we can get back to normal the better things will be for us in terms of viability."

    safety measuresImage source, Siberia bar
    Image caption,

    The Aberdeen bar has a list of safety measures in place for reopening

  8. Three tests in five days, but holidaymakers keen to flypublished at 08:35 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    Political Reporter, BBC Radio WM

    Mum and daughter Caroline and Emily Ingalls-Tomb are excited to be jetting off from Birmingham to Portugal.

    Caroline and Emily Ingalls-Tomb

    The pair, from Warwick, said they had booked as soon as they had known which countries were on the green list.

    Mum Caroline said her daughter had rung her with the idea and they "could not believe the availability, quite surprised".

    Both were tested for Covid on Saturday, they will be tested again this week to come back on Friday and once more when they touch down in Birmingham.

    Emily said: "I am more excited about going away and would rather do three tests in five days than stay in England."

    As for the first thing they will do in Portugal? "Sunbathe - and a cocktail."

  9. Firms ask for more help after 'haemorrhaging cash'published at 08:21 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Despite lockdown easing, businesses say they need more support to manage the impact of the last year.

    Read More
  10. Early-hours pub-goers 'really up for it' in Coventrypublished at 08:19 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    About 100 people gathered for a drink in the early hours at a pub in Coventry which opened its doors at midnight.

    Customers at the The Oak Inn, CoventryImage source, PA Media

    Customers in England are able to get served indoors again as lockdown eases.

    The owner of the Oak Inn, Darren Lee, said the pub was not "overly busy" but the early opening had been well received.

    He said his locals were "really glad to be back inside - they're really up for it" and hoped larger numbers would build through the day.

    Customers at the The Oak Inn in Coventry,Image source, PA Media
  11. Weymouth sea swimmers 'long overdue' hugpublished at 07:38 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    BBC Radio Solent's Dorset reporter Laurence Herdman speaks to Weymouth sea swimmers Claire and Christian, who've hugged for the first time in months, just after 0700 this morning.

    And Dorset breakfast presenter Steve Harris spoke to holistic massage therapist Sarah MacDermot, based in Cattistock, about the physiological science behind human contact.

  12. Indian variant surge tackled as restrictions easepublished at 07:36 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    The government will increase testing in three English towns, as more of the economy opens up.

    Read More
  13. Big smiles and buzzing atmosphere at Birmingham Airportpublished at 07:35 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    BBC Radio WM

    The sound of suitcases rolling across tarmac is all around us at Birmingham Airport.

    Birmingham Airport this morning

    There are big smiles, the atmosphere is really buzzing and people are getting directed to the check-in desk where there was quite a big queue forming already at 07:15 BST.

    I have been here at the airport at times during the pandemic when it has been ghostly quiet, but today feels a lot more normal.

    Portugal is on the green list of countries people can visit and there are lots and lots of people here at the airport heading out on this morning's first flight to Faro at 09:35.

  14. Glasgow level 3 restrictions could be extendedpublished at 07:33 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    Cases have continued to rise and neighbouring East Renfrewshire has overtaken Moray for new infections.

    Read More
  15. I'm a Kashmiri goat... get me out of here!published at 07:20 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    They wreaked havoc in Llandudno - now they have been invited to the Welsh home of I'm A Celebrity...

    Read More
  16. India rolls out new Covid emergency drugpublished at 06:43 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    India says 2-DG will help those suffering in the deadly second wave, but critics question poor data.

    Read More
  17. India's Covid crisis hits vaccine-sharing schemepublished at 01:29 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    The largest single supplier to the international Covax scheme has made no shipments since March.

    Read More
  18. Post-lockdown socialising without breaking the bankpublished at 00:14 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    If your bank balance is looking anything but healthy right now, this might help.

    Read More
  19. YouTube launches vaccination ad campaignpublished at 00:10 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    The video-sharing site will pay for ads on buses, billboards and its own site to promote vaccination.

    Read More
  20. What will be different when cinemas reopen?published at 00:03 British Summer Time 17 May 2021

    The boss of Odeon on how her cinemas are adapting with extra Covid safety measures in order to reopen.

    Read More