Inquiry into Boris Johnson’s Remarks on Burqa-clad Women: An inquiry into racism in Britain’s ruling Conservative Party has come to the unsurprising conclusion that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s remarks in an article written in 2018 that women in burqa look like “bank robbers” or “letter boxes” gave the impression that the ruling party was “insensitive to Muslim communities.” But it still does not call the remarks insensitive, suggesting only that they give an impression of insensitivity. The finding in a study conducted by Professor Swaran Singh from the University of Warwick becomes nevertheless significant because an earlier inquiry by the Conservative Party had found that Boris Johnson had not broken the party code of conduct. The report finds instances of anti-Muslim feelings at local and individual levels within the party. The party has declared its resolve to get rid of such prejudices.
Cases of B.1.617 Variant Cross 5k-Mark: The number of cases of infection with the B.1.617.2 mutation of Covid-19, first found in India, has crossed 5,000 in the UK. Most of those cases are in a few clusters. As it happens, many of these clusters happen to be areas with a high concentration of Indians, as in Hounslow and Hillingdon in London and Leicester in the east midlands. Not all of these cases have been linked to travel from India, though. But they have led to a controversial new advisory from the government for restrictions over meetings beyond the national guidelines, even though an advisory on travel out of these areas has been withdrawn. The opposition Labour party has accused the government of introducing local lockdowns through the back door.
Review of Covid Norms Delayed: The spread of the Indian variant in Britain has led to a delay in a government review of social distancing rules. These are due to be lifted on June 21, when a full end to lockdown in Britain is due, with only some cautionary advice from then onwards. The delayed review is leading to some apprehensions that the June 21 lifting of lockdown could itself be delayed. Several rules have been relaxed already, even though there is no data yet on how far the vaccines being administered can go in preventing serious disease. Britain is still short of full inoculation; people in their early thirties are now being vaccinated, and second doses for older people are still underway. Some of the tabloids have been warning against any delay to the lifting of the lockdown on June 21 because that date is now “burned” in people’s minds.
Trade Deal with India: The British government has begun a 14-week consultation period with the public and with businesses on what they would like from a trade deal with India. This follows an agreement on an Enhanced Trade Partnership agreed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Johnson at their virtual summit held on May 4. The aim is to gain more market access both ways. But India may find it difficult to accept two principal British demands — a 150 per cent cut in duty on Scotch whisky and up to a 125 per cent cut on import of British cars, up to 125 per cent.
Indian Restaurants Join Covid Relief Campaign: A rapidly growing number of Indian restaurants are joining the ‘1 billion breaths’ campaign to raise money to deal with the Covid crisis in India. Participating restaurants are pricing set meals to fund the supply of oxygen to India. The money raised will be sent to India principally through the Give India Oxygen channel set up to send in donations. In the first instance, restaurants are offering specially prepared meals up until May 30, with the aim of raising a quarter of a million dollars. The meal deals will also do their bit no doubt in attracting customers back into restaurants after an easing of the lockdown now underway. Attendance at restaurants is still low despite the easing because of fears around the B.1.617 variant of the Covid-19 virus.
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