The total deaths as a result of Coronavirus now stands at 44,220, an increase of 516 as of Sunday 5 July.

Pubs, restaurants and hairdressers reopened on Saturday as part of the Government’s plans to ease the lockdown. Saturday night saw large crowds outside of pubs across the country. The chair of the police federation has said that it is “crystal clear” that drunk people are unable to socially distance. 

Concerns have been raised about the workplace practices of the company Boohoo, whose factories are located in Leicester, after the companies’ exploitative work practices were linked to the increase of local cases of Coronavirus. Authorities including the National Crime Agency are investigating Leicester’s garment industry, which has for a long time been accused of paying illegal wages and pushing staff to work throughout the lockdown. On Sunday Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, told the press that the government was “not just asking nicely” and said that authorities could fine and shut down premises that were failing to abide by health and safety standards. This comes as The Sunday Times’ investigation found that Boohoo offered £3.50 an hour to its workers. 

The EU and the UK have failed to meet the 30 June deadline for completing assessments of each other’s financial services regulation. Completing these assessments are a prerequisite for mutual market access