Wednesday newspaper round-up: Lockdown rules, Coronavirus passport, G4S

(Sharecast News) - A Cabinet row has thrown a major overhaul of local lockdown rules into disarray as the leaders of the worst-affected cities warned that the current measures are "not working". A "traffic light" system of different levels of restrictions was due to be announced on Wednesday - but an intervention by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, is threatening to delay the plans. - Daily Telegraph
The world's first coronavirus passport is being launched on Wednesday to enable people to travel without having to quarantine. Passengers using two of the world's biggest airlines - United Airlines and Cathay Pacific - and travelling through London Heathrow will be the first to test the technology, which is backed by the US government. The volunteer passengers will upload their coronavirus test results from a validated laboratory onto a digital health passport up to 72 hours before departure. - Daily Telegraph

The Canadian security firm mounting a hostile takeover bid for British rival G4S renewed its attack on the board, as it began its charm offensive with shareholders. Security firm Garda World, which is backed by private equity giant BC Partners, said unforced errors by bosses have helped wipe £1billion off the company's valuation. It questioned if G4S had enough cash to pay for litigation that was 'potentially crippling'. - Daily Mail

A cross-party group of MEPs has written to Amazon's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, demanding information on the online retailer's monitoring of trade union activists and politicians in response to deleted job postings that described unions as "threats". The letter, from 37 members of the European parliament, said they were concerned Amazon deliberately targeted workers seeking to organise, and also questioned whether the company had "spied" on politicians. - Guardian

Rishi Sunak will take on new powers to block companies from listing on the London Stock Exchange on national security grounds. The chancellor is understood to be preparing to launch a consultation on the details in the coming weeks in response to demands from MPs. The limitations of the rules were exposed three years ago when the stock exchange listed EN+, an energy company associated with Oleg Deripaska. - The Times

Surging coronavirus infection rates have put Britain on the brink of tougher lockdown measures, overshadowing Boris Johnson's attempt yesterday to focus on life after the pandemic. The government's scientific advisers called for "urgent and drastic action" after cases doubled in 11 days to 14,542 and deaths doubled to 76 in the same period. - The Times

Taxpayers stand to lose up to £26bn on the government's most popular Covid-19 business loan scheme because of fraud or an inability to repay the money, Whitehall's spending watchdog has warned. The concerns were raised in a National Audit Office (NAO) report into the 100% government-backed bounce-back loan scheme (BBLS), which was designed to quickly distribute cheap loans of up to £50,000 to small businesses hit by the Covid-19 crisis. - Guardian