Covid-19: 'We cannot continue with Christmas as planned' says Boris Johnson

The prime minister has announced a planned relaxation of Covid rules for Christmas has been scrapped for large parts of south-east England, and cut to just Christmas Day for the rest of England.

A new tier four will be introduced in areas such as London, Kent, Essex and Bedfordshire from midnight.

A stay-at-home order will be issued to residents there, and all non-essential shops must close.

For the rest of the country, the three household mixing limit has been cut from five days to just Christmas Day.