Summary

  • Boris Johnson is addressing MPs over his plan for a new four-week lockdown across England from Thursday

  • The NHS could be overwhelmed if no action is taken, with medical staff having to choose who to treat, he warns

  • Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship will be affected by the lockdown

  • England will return to the regional tier system on 2 December when the measures end

  • Several senior Tory MPs oppose the move but Labour says it will back the new measures

  • Leaders from across the UK say they will "work together” on a "joint approach to the Christmas period" after diverging over Covid restrictions in recent weeks

  • Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford says two households can form a "bubble" when its firebreak lockdown ends on 9 November

  • Scotland's five-level system of Covid restrictions has come into force

  1. 'Risk' over keeping pubs open in Wales due to England lockdownpublished at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has said keeping pubs open could create a "risk" along the border between England and Wales, due to England's new lockdown rules.

    Asked when hospitality businesses would hear about measures from 9 November, he said: "I don't want to keep those places closed."

    But he said Boris Johnson's decision does "create a different context".

    "If pubs are closed along the border in England there is bound to be a risk," he said.

    "Because pubs here will be open and serving alcohol.

    "I don't want our police forces to be diverted to having to police the border."

  2. No more deaths from Covid-19 in Scotlandpublished at 12:35 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020
    Breaking

    Nicola SturgeonImage source, Getty Images

    The daily coronavirus statistics from Scotland have been announced.

    A total of 1,225 patients are in hospital with a confirmed case of Covid-19 - up 32 - with 93 being treated in intensive care, which is a rise of 12.

    There have been no more deaths of people who tested positive for the virus. It means the total number of deaths remains at 2,849.

    But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has reminded people that registration offices are largely closed on Sundays, so she expects the number to rise on Tuesday.

  3. New post-lockdown measures in Wales announcedpublished at 12:33 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Mark Drakeford says for two weeks after the firebreak lockdown "national measures will be designed to maximise the impact of everything we have done together during the firebreak period".

    He says officials will review the situation a fortnight later.

    The new measures from Monday 9 November will include:

    • Two households in Wales will be able to join together to form a bubble or extended household
    • Only this group will be able to meet in people's homes
    • There will be new arrangements to meet indoors in other settings, but because all these places will now be closed in England Mr Drakeford says officials are discussing further about how the hospitality businesses in Wales can continue to operate
    • Up to 15 people will be able to meet together to take part in an indoor activity, and up to 30 for outdoor activities
    • Schools will reopen in full
    • Working from home will become even more important
    • And all business venues that have been closed since 23 October will be able to open again
    • Local authority services will resume
    • Places of worship will be able to reopen
    • There will be no travel restrictions inside Wales, but during the lockdown in England travel will not be permitted outside Wales without a reasonable excuse
  4. Wales 'should not be an escape' for people from Englandpublished at 12:22 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Wales First Minister Mark Darkford says "our firebreak will end as planned and as promised on Monday 9 November".

    But he highlights that the English lockdown inevitably has an impact in Wales.

    "We will be coming out of our firebreak just as England begins," he says.

    He adds that "it is really important that as we open up, Wales doesn't become an escape" for people from England looking to circumvent the rules.

  5. Wales news conference beginspublished at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford is speaking now.

  6. Welsh Government lockdown update due shortlypublished at 12:17 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    We are expecting an announcement from First Minister Mark Drakeford shortly about what life will look like in Wales after the current firebreak lockdown ends.

    Speaking at this afternoon's press briefing, Mr Drakeford will outline the rules people will have to follow.

    He has already promised the lockdown will not be extended beyond its current end date of 9 November, and has said non-essential shops, gyms, places of worship and schools for Year 9 and above will reopen.

    Local county-wide lockdowns will not return.

    You can follow the news conference in detail on our dedicated live page here.

  7. Tracking the global Covid-19 outbreakpublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    A young child wearing a maskImage source, Reuters

    Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with more than 46 million confirmed cases in 190 countries and about 1.2 million deaths.

    The virus is surging in many regions and some countries that had apparent success in suppressing initial outbreaks are also seeing infections rise again.

    Here are some charts which give an overview of the situation globally:

    Coronavirus around the world chart
    Covid-19 cases compared by continent
    Number of daily cases and deaths in the US
    Coronavirus cases in European countries
  8. Cost of inaction would be greater than lockdown - UK business secretarypublished at 12:00 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Alok SharmaImage source, PA Media

    The "cost of inaction would be greater than the action" of implementing a month-long lockdown in England, Business Secretary Alok Sharma has said.

    Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry's annual conference, Mr Sharma said: "In the face of the evidence you have to act and of course it is regrettable that this is the action we have to take."

    Asked how many jobs will be lost and businesses go under due to the lockdown, Mr Sharma said the government “stand shoulder to shoulder with business” and that “support has evolved”, but reiterated it “will sadly not be able to save every single job".

    “We are doing absolutely everything we can to keep businesses afloat and get through to the other side," he said.

  9. Credit card freeze ahead of lockdownpublished at 11:51 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    A woman looking in her purseImage source, Getty Images

    Payment holidays on credit cards, car finance, personal loans and pawned goods have been extended ahead of the four-week lockdown in England.

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said customers who had not yet deferred a payment could now request one for up to six months.

    Those with short-term credit such as payday loans can defer for one month.

    The FCA says it's important that consumer credit customers who can afford to make repayments "continue to do so".

    "Borrowers should only take up this support if they need it."

    Read more on this story here.

  10. What are the new lockdown plans for England?published at 11:41 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    A woman wearing a maskImage source, Getty Images

    Boris Johnson has announced a new four-week lockdown across England in an attempt to try to keep coronavirus under control.

    The restrictions - which will be voted on in Parliament on Wednesday - are expected to come into force at 00:01 GMT on Thursday and last until at least 2 December.

    We're expecting to hear from the prime minister later, when he tells MPs more about the plans.

    But we do know that the lockdown is set to include the following rules:

    • People will be told to stay at home except for education, work (if it can't be done from home), exercise and recreation, medical reasons, shopping for food and other essentials, or to care for others
    • All pubs and restaurants will have to close (takeaways and deliveries can continue)
    • All non-essential shops will have to close (supermarkets can sell non-essential goods)
    • Households will not be allowed to mix with others indoors, or in private gardens
    • Individuals can meet one person from outside their household in an outside public space
    • Support bubbles for people who live alone and households made up of single parents and children can continue
    • Children will be able to move between homes if their parents are separated
    • Schools, colleges and universities will remain open
    • Workplaces will be asked to stay open if people cannot work from home - including construction and manufacturing
    • Outdoor exercise and recreation will be allowed, but gyms will have to close
    • Clinically vulnerable people are advised not to go to work if they are unable to work from home

  11. Farage to focus on fighting lockdownpublished at 11:31 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Nigel FarageImage source, Reuters

    Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage is promising to focus on dealing with the government's "woeful" Covid response.

    He has applied to change the Brexit Party's name to Reform UK, saying renewed lockdown will "result in more life-years lost than it hopes to save" and arguing that "building immunity" would be more effective.

    However, Mr Farage also says he will be "keeping a close eye" on Mr Johnson "to make sure he does not sell us down the river" in any trade deal with the EU.

    The UK has left the EU but is currently in a transition period while it negotiates a deal on its future relationship with the bloc. That period is due to end on 31 December.

  12. Ryanair's O'Leary hits back over 'false' listener claimspublished at 11:23 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Earlier this morning on 5 Live Breakfast, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary hit back at claims the airline hasn't refunded all passengers for flights earlier in the year, saying texts and emails from listeners to the programme were "false".

    He has told the BBC today that customers won't be refunded for November flights, but flights for March to July have all been reimbursed, he told 5 Live presenter Rachel Burden.

    "We have no backlog in our refund department - that's a fact," he said.

    Media caption,

    Ryanair's CEO says claims that the airline hasn't refunded all passengers are false.

  13. Watch: Coronavirus and schools - where are the risks?published at 11:11 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Media caption,

    Coronavirus and schools: What are the risks with reopening?

    Why are schools staying open during the second lockdown in England?

    The UK government says it wants to continue to prioritise the wellbeing and long-term future of young people.

    But many local leaders say colleges, schools and universities should be shut to stop covid spreading.

    Guidance has been given by individual governments, but it's down to headteachers and staff to decide what works best for their school, college or university.

    BBC health correspondent Laura Foster looks at where the riskiest parts of the school and some of the ideas being used to help stop Covid-19 spreading.

    Coronavirus and schools: Where are the risks?

    BBC health correspondent Laura Foster explains what schools are doing to keep pupils safe.

    Read More
  14. Church 'not an optional extra', Archbishop Welby sayspublished at 10:53 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    John McManus
    BBC News, London

    A person praying in churchImage source, Getty Images

    The Archbishop of Canterbury has written to Church of England clergy about the new lockdown provisions in England, which allow churches to remain open but ban communal acts of worship.

    In his letter, Justin Welby says he is grateful that the new provisions allow churches to remain open for private prayer.

    But he says worshippers not having access to the sacraments is a huge loss and that the Church was not consulted about the new provisions.

    He says he intends to speak to the government about why certain exemptions have been made, but not others, and adds that the sacramental life of the Church is not an optional extra.

    But he adds "we will abide by the law".

    The letter follows a statement from the leader of Catholics in England and Wales yesterday calling for the government to provide evidence as to why communal worship should be banned and a similar call from the Muslim Council of Britain. You can read more about their objections here.

  15. The latest UK coronavirus statspublished at 10:43 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Coronavirus statistic graphic

    The government announced 23,254 confirmed cases of Covid-19 on Sunday.

    There were also 162 further deaths. Of those deaths, 132 were in England, 16 in Wales, eight in Northern Ireland and six in Scotland.

    Coronavirus cases are rising quickly across large parts of England, with other spikes in areas of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    On Friday, the government said its estimate for the R number across the whole of the UK was 1.1-1.3.

    The "R number" is the average number of people an infected person will pass the disease on to.

    If R is below one, then the number of people contracting the disease will fall; if it is above one, the number will grow.

    Find out how the pandemic has affected your area and how it compares with the national average by clicking here.

  16. Watch: Coronavirus - the big issue that could hurt Trumppublished at 10:39 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Media caption,

    US election: The big issue that could hurt Trump

    Just ahead of the presidential election, the US is seeing what could be the largest outbreak of the pandemic so far.

    How will that affect how Americans vote?

  17. Prince William 'contracted coronavirus in April'published at 10:31 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    Prince WilliamImage source, Reuters

    The Duke of Cambridge contracted Covid-19 earlier this year, palace sources have told the BBC.

    It is believed he tested positive in April at a similar time to his father, the Prince of Wales.

    According to the Sun newspaper, external, which first reported the story, Prince William, 38, kept his diagnosis private to avoid alarming the nation.

    Kensington Palace, the office and home of Prince William, refused to comment officially.

    Prince William, second in line to the throne, did not tell anyone about his positive test result because "there were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone", according to the Sun.

    He was treated by palace doctors and followed government guidelines by isolating at the family home Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, the paper added.

    Read more on this story here.

  18. English lockdown restrictions will not apply in Jerseypublished at 10:15 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Jersey's chief minister is reassuring islanders that England's lockdown restrictions - due to come into force on Thursday - will not be applied on the island.

    Pubs, bars and restaurants will be forced to close again in England, with people advised to work from home wherever possible.

    Senator John Le Fondre says Jersey is in a "very different position" to the United Kingdom in terms of the lower prevalence of Covid-19 in the community.

    "Thanks to the preventative measures we have already implemented to contain and limit the spread of the virus, our excellent test, track and trace regime and the continued co-operation of all islanders, there is no need to introduce such wide-reaching measures at this time," he adds.

  19. Expand therapeutic Covid drug trial - Blairpublished at 10:00 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    A scientist holding a tubeImage source, Getty Images

    The UK should be looking at accelerating the deployment of possible Covid vaccines and therapeutic drugs to more people during the November lockdown period, says Tony Blair.

    The former prime minister also suggested a government minister should be appointed to oversee mass testing and that adopting better data systems would help tackle the spread of the virus.

    "November should be the month of organisation and preparation and I believe if we deal with those four aspects... we could be in a situation by December where we start to open up again," he told Radio 4's Today programme.

    But some scientists say the only effective way of finding out whether a treatment is safe and effective is by doing "randomised controlled trials".

    "Simply giving drugs to patients and watching to see what happens does not tell you whether or not they work because you have nothing to compare them with," says Professor Adam Finn of the University of Bristol.

    "Likewise you cannot tell whether there is a 'safety issue' in any particular group of patients until you evaluate the therapy in question in a controlled randomised blinded trial that is free of bias."

  20. Ryanair will not offer November flight refundspublished at 09:51 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2020

    A Ryanair planeImage source, Reuters

    Ryanair customers will not be refunded for flights in November, according to its boss, despite all but essential travel being banned under England's new lockdown.

    Michael O'Leary said if a flight was operating, passengers would not get their money back - but they could change to a later flight without paying a fee.

    From Thursday, all but essential travel will be banned under a second lockdown.

    Ryanair said the first lockdown and subsequent restrictions resulted in an 80% drop in passenger numbers.

    Read more on this story here.