Summary

  • The isolation period for people who test positive for Covid has been cut to five full days in England

  • From Monday, people will be able leave isolation from the start of day six after two negative tests

  • While the UK is "learning to live with Covid" the NHS will remain under significant pressure, health secretary Sajid Javid says

  • In a fiery exchange, his opposite number Wes Streeting questions why Javid has defended Boris Johnson over parties

  • The PM continues to face calls to resign from Labour and some senior Tories over a drinks party during lockdown

  • He earlier cancelled a visit to Lancashire because a family member tested positive

  • France is relaxing its travel rules for vaccinated Brits, who will no longer need a compelling reason to go there

  • Travel firms say they have seen a sharp rise in bookings to French skiing destinations

  • And England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam is leaving his role

Live Reporting

Edited by James Clarke

  1. The papers: PM's future 'on knife edge' and 'Operation save Boris'

    Guardian and Daily Mail front pages

    It's another tough set of front pages for the prime minister this morning.

    Boris Johnson's future is "on a knife edge", according to the Guardian.

    It says his carefully worded apology for attending a Downing Street party during lockdown has not prevented Conservative MPs openly calling for his resignation, and that his premiership is "hanging in the balance".

    The Sun says he is only "clinging on" to his job.

    The Daily Mirror's headline labels the prime minister a "disgrace", while the i says his explanation of his actions has been "greeted with public derision".

    The Daily Mail says the cabinet was mobilised in what it calls "Operation Save Boris", but it reports that the chancellor and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are "on manoeuvres" to succeed him.

    Read more from the papers.

  2. Senior Tories urge PM to quit after party apology

    Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said the prime minister's position was "no longer tenable"

    Our main story this morning is the reaction to the prime minister admitting he attended a drinks party during lockdown.

    Boris Johnson has apologised for the way he handled the event in the Downing Street garden in 2020 and said he understood the public’s “rage”.

    Cabinet members including deputy PM Dominic Raab have rallied round their leader, calling for people to wait for the results of an inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray.

    But Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross and MPs William Wragg, Caroline Nokes and Roger Gale have called on him to stand down.

    Read the full story here.

  3. Good morning

    Boris JohnsonReuters

    Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are the main stories this morning: