Summary

  • Boris Johnson faced weekly question time with MPs

  • The PM confirmed that council leaders in boroughs of Greater Manchester will get £60m government support

  • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer challenged Boris Johnson on the need for a "clear exit" from tier 3 coronavirus restrictions

  • South Yorkshire will move in to tier 3 lockdown measures from Saturday

  • Former head of the civil service has told the BBC, the government 'didn't have exact measures' in place for coronavirus

  • Labour has called on the government to extend free school meals provision during the holidays

Live Reporting

Justin Parkinson and Paul Seddon

  1. Watch: Johnson and Starmer on tier 3 restrictions

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  2. PM backs women's football scheme

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    TimpsonHoC

    Joining quesiton time by video link, Tory MP Edward Timpson says Covid has "disproportionately" affected women's participation in sport.

    The PM says he backs a Cheshire FA initiative to encourage more women and girls into football.

  3. Watch: Johnson and Starmer on exit from lockdown restrictions

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  4. Labour wants to turn the lights out, says Johnson

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    JohnsonHoC

    Sir Keir accuses Boris Johnson of treating Greater Manchester in a "miserly way".

    He says a "take it or leave it" approach to local support packages, pitting "region against region," has been "corrosive of public trust".

    He says "endless local battles" should be replaced with national criteria on economic support.

    In reply, the prime minister says "no other country in Europe" has provided "so much help and support" to its populations to help them weather the impact of restrictions.

    He accuses the Labour leader of wanting to "turn the lights out" across England with his policy of a two to three week "circuit break" lockdown.

  5. PM 'proud' of Covid support

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    StarmerHoC

    Labour's leader says the PM has "crossed a rubicon" in the "grubby" way he has treated Greater Manchester. He calls for "proper support for jobs".

    But the PM says he is "proud" of the "one-nation support" the government has given. No other country in Europe has given so much help, he adds.

  6. Analysis: Starmer tries to pin PM down on exit from lockdown

    Vicki Young
    Deputy Political Editor

    While we’ve all been concentrating on areas entering tighter restrictions Keir Starmer is trying to pin the PM down on the criteria for escaping.

    It's a good line to pursue because many Conservative MPs want to know this too.

    The PM is defending his approach by listing the financial help available, including the £60m for Greater Manchester.

    But that’s a very strong attack from Starmer accusing him of “bargaining with people’s lives.”

  7. Starmer: Councils need 'clear exit' from restrictions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    PMQsHoC

    Sir Keir Starmer says he is "confused" by the prime minister's description of how tier 3 areas can get out of the new restrictions.

    He says a "clear exit" is required for local areas, to avoid "months and months" of disruption.

    Boris Johnson says tier 2 restrictions are reviewed every 28 days, and regions in these restrictions are "already making progress" towards suppressing the virus.

    He accuses the Labour leader of being "incoherent" by criticising regional rules, whilst also wanting to put all of England into a "damaging lockdown", with "no clue" how it would end.

  8. 'Lots of data' will influence tier 3 decisions - Johnson

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    StarmerHoC

    Sir Keir Starmer asks if the infection - "R" - rate in a tier 3 area has not come below 1, would it be possible for the area to end those restrictions.

    The PM says "lots" of data, including hospital admissions figures, will be taken into account. When areas "make progress" they will "of course be able to come out of tier 3", he adds.

  9. 'Simplest' way to come out of tier 3 to get R number down - PM

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    JohnsonHoC

    For his first question, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asks how an area that goes into tier 3 restrictions can come out of them.

    Boris Johnson replies "simplest and most effective" way is to get the R infection number down to 1 or below.

    You can read our guide how the R rate is calculated.

  10. PM: London mayor is 'bankrupt'

    Catherine WestHoC

    Labour's Catherine West says her constituents Hornsey and Wood Green, north London, are "reeling" from the 9.1% contraction in the economy since before the Covid crisis. She urges more money for Transport for London (TfL) and no increase to the congestion charge.

    Boris Johnson says London Mayor has left a "black hole" in the organisation's finances, calling him "bankrupt".

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said a new government funding proposals for TfL are "ill advised and draconian"

  11. PMQs begins

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    HoyleHoC

    Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has called the PM to the despatch box for this week's PMQs.

    Here we go...

  12. PM leaves No 10 for the Commons

    Boris Johnson in a face maskReuters

    PM leaving N 10 a few minutes ago

    Boris Johnson has just left Downing Street for Parliament.

    We'll take that as our cue to crack our knuckles for the start of this week's PMQs.

  13. Labour to call for 'clear criteria' on economic support

    PubPA Media

    In the fallout of negotiations with Greater Manchester yesterday, there has been much discussion over whether deals to support shut-down businesses in English tier-3 regions are fair.

    Later today, Labour will seek to keep up pressure on the government on this issue by calling for a "one nation" approach to how support is worked out.

    They have tabled a non-binding motion calling on ministers to publish "clear and fair" criteria to set out how economic packages are calculated.

    Ministers say a "consistent and fair" formula for future talks with other regions will be outlined on Thursday.

    Read more.

  14. Analysis: Negotiating the new local tier system

    Nick Eardley
    Political correspondent

    It’s worth remembering some of thinking behind the local tier system.

    It was supposed to allow rapid interventions in areas where the virus was spreading - and to get the backing of local leaders, sharing expertise but also responsibility for decisions.

    Neither has proved easy.

    Negotiations have taken a long time – around ten days in some areas.

    The row with Greater Manchester shows getting local backing for restrictions is far from guaranteed.

    The announcement of a deal in South Yorkshire will allow ministers to say some Labour politicians – like Sheffield’s Dan Jarvis – are being more pragmatic and realistic when it comes to deals.

    But the new strategy has not always gone according to plan.

  15. Key developments ahead of PMQs

    BBC Politics

    SheffieldPA Media

    It's already been a busy morning in Westminster ahead of PMQs - here are the main developments:

    • South Yorkshire will move to tier 3, the toughest Covid restrictions, from Saturday, after local leaders agreed a total £41m funding package with ministers
    • But a standoff over support for businesses in Greater Manchester, which is also due to enter tier 3 this weekend, continues between government and local leaders
    • Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has criticised "draconian" conditions attached to a proposed government bailout of struggling Transport for London
    • Mark Sedwill, the ex-head of the civil service, has said the PM's adviser Dominic Cummings's lockdown trip to County Durham was a "mistake"

  16. Good Morning

    BBC Politics

    PMQsJessica Taylor/ UK Parliament

    Last week's PMQs

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

    Boris Johnson will be at the despatch box at 12:00 BST.

    We'll bring you all the details of his exchanges with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and other MPs, with analysis from our deputy political editor Vicki Young, and our colleagues at BBC Reality Check.

    Do stay with us.