Retired Met Police officers asked to return
The Metropolitan Police commissioner, Cressida Dick, is writing to former officers who have retired within the last five years asking them to re-join the force as it tries to cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
Former PCs and sergeants will be offered work in a paid or voluntary capacity. The force also wants those nearing retirement to consider staying on.
The BBC has more on this story.
Dick said:
Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see the Met is here for them.
I am hopeful that these exceptionally experienced and knowledgeable former colleagues choose to come and be part of our team and support London at this extraordinary time – either as a re-employed police officer, special constable or a volunteer.
Metro Bank has joined a growing number of providers in offering customers temporary relief on overdraft charges, PA reports.
The bank said personal current account customers would not be charged any interest for using their overdraft for a period running from the start of March until the end of June.
This applies to both new and existing customers. It will happen automatically and customers do not need to contact the bank.
Here is a round-up of what other providers have announced:
Yesterday, Nationwide Building Society said it would not charge overdraft interest from 20 April until 1 July for those financially affected by Covid-19.
Barclays UK said overdraft interest would be waived from 27 March to the end of April, meaning no charges for customers to use their agreed overdraft.
Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland have announced that from 6 April, customers will be able to access a £300 interest-free overdraft.
And as of yesterday, HSBC UK introduced a temporary £300 interest-free buffer on overdrafts for customers with its Bank Account and Advance Account for a period of three months.
Updated
The Labour MP, Angela Rayner, announced on Twitter that she is self-isolating as a result of experiencing coronavirus symptoms. She urged everybody to remember to stay at home to save lives at this time.
Angela Rayner 🌈
(@AngelaRayner)I am now in self isolation as l have the symptoms of #Coronavirus they started last night and have gradually got worse. I will be a bit quieter than usual but will still be keeping in touch with people as best as l can. #KeepSafe everybody and remember #StayHomeSaveLives
In true silver linings spirit, council workers have taken advantage of the empty streets to repaint the iconic Abbey Road zebra crossing featured on the cover of the 1969 Beatles album.
A maintenance team takes advantage of the lockdown and quiet streets to re-paint the iconic Abbey Road crossing. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images
You can read the full story from our deputy music editor, Laura Snapes, here.
Good morning. Councils in England have been asked to house all rough sleepers by the weekend, Sky News is reporting, though the government has yet to confirm this. The charity Crisis, which supports the homeless, told Sky the “unprecedented” move was made in a letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to local authorities yesterday.
Sky News
(@SkyNews)The government has written to local authorities in England asking them to house all people sleeping rough by the weekend in an attempt to help stop the spread of #COVID19.
Sky’s @inzyrashid reports.
For the latest on #coronavirus, click here: https://t.co/WQK0JMIjfi pic.twitter.com/2CJ0q8Jfyj
It follows heartwarming scenes last night as people took to their front doors and windows to applaud, whoop, bang on cooking pots, let off fireworks and toot their car horns in a collective act of gratitude for those in our NHS working on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus. More than 670,660 people have now signed up serve as NHS volunteers.
Meanwhile, the economic impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt as the housing market was effectively suspended last night. The government warned that house buyers should postpone their completion dates and anyone in the early stages of buying or selling a property should delay purchases. The Times (paywall) has the story.
Also, following Rishi Sunak’s awaited announcement of an income support scheme for the self-employed yesterday, food manufacturers, who desperately need labour, have actually suggested the chancellor’s bailout package might have the unintended consequence of causing serious shortages. This is because it means furloughed workers are unable to plug gaps in production lines as that would mean losing out on receiving the 80% contribution to their old salaries. Buzzfeed’s Alex Wickham has the story.
Parliament is not sitting today and has risen early for the Easter recess.
We will be covering all UK coronavirus developments throughout the day. You can read all the latest Guardian coronavirus articles here, you can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here and here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @lucy_campbell_.
Updated