Daily Mirror - 04.03.2020

mirror.co.uk WEDNESDAY 04.03.2020 DAILY MIRROR^5

DM1ST

Coronavirus Crisis: nhs on highest inCident level

at a

glanCe

12 new UK

cases takes

the toll to 51

NHS declares

highest level

of emergency

PMs unveils

‘battle plan’

for the worst

case scenario

Army could

be drafted in

to help police

prison Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

by dan bloom

Low-paid face

self-isolation

cash misery

no CHanGEs Boris Johnson

NEARLy two million low-paid

workers will be ineligible for

statutory sick pay in the crisis,

union chiefs warn today.

SSP, worth £94.25 a week, is

paid to people in self-isolation

but not the self-employed or

those on under £118 a week.

Tory ministers yesterday said

the ineligible can claim universal

credit or employment and

support allowance instead.

but MPs said it is not good

enough as UC has a five-week

wait and ESA needs claimants to

have paid National Insurance.

boris Johnson said he was

aware of the problem and “we’re

going to keep all options under

review” but did not announce

any solid changes to the system.

TUC general secretary Frances

O’Grady is demanding an

emergency law. She said: “No

one should be out of pocket for

doing the right thing. As it

stands, many people won’t be

able to meet basic living costs if

they stay home from work.

“This is an impossible choice

that has serious implications.”

Nazanin may

be released

NAZANIN Zaghari-Ratcliffe may

be temporarily released from

Iranian prison, but her family say

they have heard nothing.

Hampstead MP Tulip Siddiq

cited the Iranian ambassador to

the UK as saying that Nazanin

“may be released on furlough

today or tomorrow”. If released

it is believed she would be sent

to her mother’s house in Iran.

Coronavirus may have killed

as many as 210 people in Iran.

Husband Richard Ratcliffe has

heard nothing and is sceptical

about the offer. He said: “Our

experience of furlough last time

was negative. The family were

exposed to threats from the

HandsHaKE Charles gives award Revolutionary Guard.”

AWARD

Queen gives

an MBE to

Harry

Billinge

yesterday