House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

"For someone who has been an opportunist all his life this might be difficult to understand," says Sir Keir Starmer.

"But having read the Sage advice I have genuinely concluded that a circuit break is in the national interest."

"Can the PM tell us what is his alternative plan to get R below 1", he asks.

Boris Johnson replies that the plan "is to seize this moment now to avoid the misery of a national lockdown" through a regional solution.

"Opportunism is the name of the game" for the Labour, he adds.

And he urges the Labour leader to work with him to "keep in kids in school" and "the economy going".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Sir Keir accuses Mr Johnson of "being behind the curve again", quoting local leaders as supporting a circuit break, adding: "Keep up prime minister."

He then moves onto test and trace, quoting the Sage documents again, which said the current system had only had a "marginal impact" and risked "further decline".

Sir Keir asks: "Let's have a straight answer, why does the prime minister think it has gone so wrong?"

The PM says the NHS Test and Test system has tested more people than any other country in Europe.

Then he attacks Sir Keir, saying he "wants to close bars and pubs across areas where the virus is low... and voted to do nothing last night in areas where incidents are highest".

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

The PM has doubled down on his regional approach – getting the virus under control, where it is surging and seeks to blame local Labour politicians for resisting more stringent measures

As predicted he also attacks Labour MPs for abstaining on the current measures

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Sir Keir Starmer says the PM's approach doesn't go far enough.

He notes that the R rate - the infection rate, hospital admissions and deaths have gone up.

"That is the cost of rejecting Sage advice," he says.

"Why does the PM think the numbers are heading in the wrong direction," he asks.

Boris Johnson says the disease is appearing more strongly in some parts of the country compared to others.

That is why the three-tiered approach is "the right way forward" he says.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Unsurprisingly, Keir Starmer goes on the need for a ‘circuit break’ but emphasises scientific advice to protect himself from charges of opportunism.

The PM suggests the SAGE advice is more subtle than painted by the Opposition.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Sir Keir Starmer begins his line of questioning to the prime minister.

The Labour leader, perhaps unsurprisingly, leads on his call for the government to introduce a "circuit break" to get on top of rising numbers of coronavirus cases.

He asks the PM why did he "reject the advice" of the Sage group and "abandon science?"

Mr Johnson said the government "will do whatever it takes to fight this virus and to defeat it".

But he points to page one of the group's report, which says all the interventions "have associated costs in terms of health and well-being" and economic impacts.

He stands by the "regional approach" the government is taking.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

And we're under way...

Boris Johnson rises to take the first question of today's PMQs.

Stay with us for the latest news and analysis.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Before PMQs Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle makes a short statement stating that decisions on introducing a virtual Parliament is one for the House.

The decision to bring forward a motion on this is a matter for the government, he adds.

Image source, Reuters

There have been a fair few changes to the rules recently and it can be a bit confusing.

To check what restrictions are in place in your area - have a look at our postcode tool here.

The prime minister has left Downing Street and is heading to the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions, due to start at 12:00 BST.

Image source, Reuters

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Image source, Jessica Taylor/ UK Parliament

Boris Johnson isn’t out of ammunition for Sir Keir Starmer.

The PM will openly wonder why the Labour leader has ordered his MPs to abstain, rather than vote in favour of current restrictions.

He’ll question the logic of locking down areas with relatively low infection rates.

He’ll probably accuse his opponent of playing politics in the midst of a pandemic.

And if he is also forced more explicitly to argue the government wants to defend livelihoods as well as save lives, he will cheer many of his own restless backbenchers - who believe nationwide lockdowns would shatter an already fragile economy.

So, for once, the midday Commons clash will feel a little like High Noon.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Image source, Jessica Taylor/ UK Parliament

If you regularly watch PMQs, you’ll know there is little love lost between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer.

The Labour leader has attacked the prime minister for being too slow to act and accused him of incompetence, while the PM has dubbed his opponent "Captain Hindsight".

But, in substance, Labour hadn’t opposed the government’s coronavirus measures or put forward a set of alternative proposals.

Any clear blue water between government and opposition had been more like a stream than a sea, with Sir Keir calling for more local consultation and specific improvements to Track and Trace.

But now, Labour’s call for a circuit break has broken any semblance of consensus.

Politically, Sir Keir's strategists believe he can’t lose.

If the infection rate forces Mr Johnson to follow suit, the Labour leader can re-brand himself as "General Foresight".

And if the government sticks with its tiered approach, but the virus isn’t brought under control, Labour’s charge of being slow to act will have greater resonance.

Image source, PA

Vulnerable MPs are being urged to stay away from Parliament as cases of coronavirus rise across the country.

A spokeswoman for Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle confirmed he told “a number of Members” in a recent phone call to avoid travelling to Westminster.

In a statement, she said: “The advice we have given all staff, which is to work from home if they can, is the same for MPs, particularly those who are under medical supervision.

“As Covid cases are rising across the country, the last thing the Speaker wants to do is encourage MPs who are vulnerable to take risks by travelling into Parliament.

"This is exactly what he told a number of Members during a recent phone call.”

MPs can still take part in debates via video link.

Read more here.

Image source, PA Media

It is not just local leaders that are unhappy over the threat of new restrictions.

A number of the government's own MPs are expressing their anger over any further limits on people's lives.

Last night, 42 Tory MPs made a symbolic point about their concerns by voting against the 22:00 curfew for pubs.

It made no difference to the rules - the new tier system, including the curfew, went through the Commons unopposed, and the government still won the vote the MPs rebelled on.

But many backbenchers wanted their voice to be heard and to show the government they could have the numbers to vote down future policies.

Read more about last night's vote here.

Image source, Reuters

The government has repeatedly said it will work with local authorities in the areas affected when it comes to bringing in restrictions.

But that jars with the message from those councils, who claim they are not being included in the decisions.

For example, an official from Greater Manchester told the BBC's political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, external, that they were frustrated about being left out of talks over moving the area to "very high".

"There are a lot of media reports about the government having discussions about Lancashire and Greater Manchester moving into Tier 3," they said.

"It’s a shame they’re just not having those discussions with us."

An official statement from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority - including all 10 council leaders and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham - has also said they do not believe they should be placed in the highest tier.

Discussions are ongoing today, but it isn't clear when a decision will be made - or who will make it.

Image source, NI Assembly

As we write, over Stormont, First Minister Arlene Foster is outlining new restrictions in Northern Ireland.

Schools will close for two weeks from Monday and pubs and restaurants face tighter curbs from Friday, in a bid to stem the coronavirus infect rate.

Sounds very similar to how a circuit break could work elsewhere...

You can read more here about the current situation in Northern Ireland.

Image source, Reuters

A circuit break is designed to break the trajectory of coronavirus cases rising.

That should result in cases falling, but how far they drop would be uncertain and would depend on how severe the specific restrictions were.

Dr Mike Tildesley, from the University of Warwick, is part of the government's disease modelling group of scientists SPI-M, which has discussed circuit breakers as a concept.

"With a managed short-term lockdown you buy yourself some time."

But the problem is once the circuit break is over, cases would begin to rise again.

Dr Tildesley says: "You may find yourself in a cycle of short-term lockdowns until you have an exit strategy like a vaccine or herd immunity."

You can read more about circuit breaks - including where else they have been tried here.

Image source, Reuters

Sir Keir Starmer could use his questions to ask the PM about the possibility of introducing a "circuit break".

This would be a period of maybe two or three weeks, where tighter restrictions are introduced in order to stem the rise in coronavirus cases.

The suggestion would be that - unlike the full lockdown we all had in the spring - schools and workplaces remain open, but the hospitality sector would shut.

On Tuesday the Labour leader called for a circuit break over the half term school holidays in England.

A senior government source accused Sir Keir of "playing political games in the middle of a global pandemic".

Image source, Jessica Taylor/ UK Parliament

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this week's PMQs.

We're here to bring you all the details, with analysis from our political correspondent Iain Watson and the BBC Reality Check team.

As always, Boris Johnson will be at the despatch box at 12:00 BST - do stay with us.