NEWS
With a quarter of UK population under some form of lockdown, 15,000 protest in Trafalgar Square against virus restrictions
15,000 anti-lockdown protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday as part of a rally against coronavirus measures in the UK. Maskless crowds at the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally carried placards reading ‘Is this freedom?’ and ‘End the crazy rules’. Sixteen arrests were made despite generally peaceful proceedings – Mail on Sunday
Lockdown ‘could kill 75,000 over five years’ – that’s the official projection of non-Covid deaths caused by missed cancer diagnoses, cancelled operations and health impacts of a recession. The virus death toll? 42,000 – Mail
Days after the government boosted its funding pledge to the World Health Organisation by 30 per cent, making Britain the body’s largest state donor, arch-critics of the BBC Paul Dacre and Charles Moore were tipped for top jobs in TV, creating the impression that the Prime Minister is attempting both to please the Chinese-controlled WHO whilst also buying off his critics on the right – Sunday Times
The weekend brought forth a number of announcements regarding action on the right, including Laurence Fox’s launching of his new political party, with which he hopes to fight the culture wars, and Andrew Neil’s position as chair of the soon-to-be BBC rival GB news.
MPs try to ban ‘harmful’ words from the internet in a free speech row as critics argue new laws will ‘seriously threaten freedom and democracy’ – Mail on Sunday
Navigation data proves French military routinely enter UK waters as they oversee trafficking and we do nothing to stop them – Mail
More firearms are finding their way on to UK streets, Police Federation warns – Observer
US
Trump plans to designate Antifa and the KKK as ‘terrorist organisations’ – Epoch Times
Trump Nominates Judge Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court – National Review
COMMENT
Boris’s great idea? Burn down the house twice to get rid of a wasps’ nest, then stand in the ruins and blame everyone but himself for this futile catastrophe – Peter Hitchens, Mail on Sunday
The source of our Covid paranoia? Modern society has forgotten that life is a lottery – Simon Heffer, Sunday Telegraph
Misogyny is moronic, but making it a hate crime is the justice of the Mad Hatter – John Humphrys, Mail
Good judgment is stifled by the big state – Matthew Parris, Times
