Inside Politics – Coronavirus special: Matt Hancock reveals antibody test ready for roll-out

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Coronavirus briefing: Government signs contracts to supply 10 million antibody tests

No sign of diminishing enthusiasm for the mass clapping for health and care workers on Thursday night. One 23-year-old pilot from Scotland called Mr Tuna (yes really) went the extra mile or twenty by using a small plane to trace the letters “NHS” over the Yorkshire Dales – with his spectacular stunt picked up on flight tracking websites. It seems optimism in the air. Health secretary Matt Hancock announced the imminent roll-out of 10 million antibody tests, while trials for quicker-than-ever, on-the-spot swab tests will also soon begin. I’m Adam Forrest, and welcome to The Independent’s daily Inside Politics briefing during the coronavirus crisis.

Inside the bubble

Our policy correspondent Jon Stone on what to look out for in the day ahead:

Home secretary Priti Patel will announce the details of the UK’s first mandatory quarantine order shortly after 5pm today, and is expected to confirm travellers arriving in the UK by air, sea or rail must self-isolate at home for 14 days. Elsewhere, the Commons’ science and technology committee will be hearing from the top officials at Public Health England, who will no doubt be asked about the decision to end community testing in mid-March.

Daily briefing

PRONTA SWAB: Matt Hancock actually had some interesting things to say at the latest Downing Street press conference, announcing that a coronavirus test which provides results in 20 minutes is being trialled over the next six weeks. “You get the result on the spot … If it works, we’ll roll it out as soon as we can.” The health secretary also revealed over 10 million antibody tests – confirming if someone has previously had the virus – will be rolled out next week, initially to health and care staff before wider distribution. Hancock said sample testing suggests 17 per cent of people in London and around 5 per cent across the rest of the country have virus antibodies. A note of caution amid the excitement: WHO has said there’s no evidence people who have antibodies are protected from re-infection. Hancock said he still hoped antibody tests could still help us develop “systems of certification” so people with have antibodies know “what they can safely do”.

U-TURN IF YOU WANT TO: As good old-fashioned political U-turns go, this one was pretty quick. Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the PM had told the Home Office and Department for Health to make sure foreign NHS and care staff were exempt from paying a surcharge to use the health service. Johnson, a little over 24 hours earlier, had told the Commons the fee was “right”. Upon reflection, he decided it was wrong. Labour leader Keir Starmer said it was “a victory for common decency”, while SNP’s Westminster chief Ian Blackford said he was “pleased to see the change of heart after pressure”. Starmer has now called for more investment in mental health services to help the UK respond to “the hidden cost” of the pandemic. In a piece for The Independent, the Labour leader warned of the “long-term effects” that will be felt by key workers.

THE DELETED FRIENDSHIP: Johnson will be relieved he won’t have to face a criminal investigation into his dealings with US entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri. The Independent Office for Police Conduct announced it would not be taking the matter forward – but did state that there was “some evidence” the friends had an “intimate relationship” and also found evidence needed to establish whether or not there was misconduct was deleted. The PM now faces a separate inquiry by the Greater London Assembly. Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Fox – criticised for furloughing himself to get a government subsidy while continuing to claim a daily allowance from the House of Lords – has apologised and promised to pay the money back. And first minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed a slight easing in Scotland’s lockdown measures from 28 May.

MAN WITHOUT A MASK: Donald Trump decided to ignore pleas from Michigan’s governor and attorney general that he wear a mask while touring a Ford Motor Company factory producing ventilators. The president said he didn’t want to give media members the “pleasure” of seeing him in it – but claimed to have worn on in a “back area” of the plant. The United Auto Workers union shared their disappointment that “some in his entourage” declined to wear face masks. The state’s attorney general Dana Nessel had warned of legal action against companies that allowed the president to jeopardise workers by failing to insist he masks up.

DOWN UNDER DEAL? With home secretary Priti Patel all set to confirm the 14-day quarantine for travellers arriving into the UK, Australia has pleaded to be exempt from the policy. “Australia has led the world in the successful containment of Covid-19, which clearly means that travellers coming from Australia would pose a low risk to the rest of the world,” said trade minister Simon Birmingham. Could the country’s fortunes in controlling the virus and the old Commonwealth ties prevail? Australia now have just over 600 active coronavirus cases.

‘LITTLE FLU’ GETS BIG: Brazil has experienced another record in daily deaths from the Covid-19, as fears grow the country could become the global hotspot for the disease. The death toll has now surpassed 20,000 after 1,188 fatalities were recorded in 24 hours. President Jair Bolsonaro has described the virus as a “little flu”. In Italy meanwhile, the coronavirus co-ordinator for Sicily and nine other healthcare officials have been arrested on suspicion of corruption and rigging of health sector contracts. Italian police have alleged Antonino Candela was part of a “power base made up of businessmen and corrupt public officials”.

On the record

“This is a victory for common decency and the right thing to do. We cannot clap our carers one day and then charge them to use our NHS the next.”

Keir Starmer welcomes the government’s U-turn on the NHS surcharge fee.

From the Twitterati

“Kudos to Robbie Savage for getting stuck into the Govt at today’s briefing with more fire in his belly than I’ve seen from most of the journalists in two months.”

Piers Morgan is pleased the ex-Wales midfielder got to ask a question...

“For my friends outside the UK wondering how we’re getting on – Robbie Savage is currently the country’s top political journalist.”

…while ICL academic Mamzi Roshid is puzzled.