Prime Minister Boris Johnson has raised the possibility of military involvement to ensure new Covid restrictions in England are complied with.

Outlining the new rules to MPs in a Commons statement, he said: "We will provide the police and local authorities with the extra funding they need, a greater police presence on our streets, and the option to draw on military support where required to free up the police."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party supports the new Covid restrictions for England as they knew "from bitter experience what happens next" after hearing a stark picture from government advisors.

However he said the restrictions had not been inevitable, referring to the troubled testing system.

Sir Keir asked if restrictions would be effective at suppressing the virus. And if they did not work, when would the prime minister change them?

What emergency support would be made available to those who will be hit hardest by the measures, he also asked.

Pubs must close earlier, higher fines for not wearing masks, and weddings will again be restricted in new Covid rules for England, the prime minister has told MPs.

Boris Johnson also indicated that the governments for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would be "taking similar steps".

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford is due to make a statement on the matter later today.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "unless we palpably make progress" then the restrictions in England "will remain in place for perhaps six months".

He said the country had "reached a perilous turning point" and that this was the moment to act to “curb the number of daily infections and reduce the reproduction rate to one".

Mr Johnson stressed that "this is by no means a return to the full lockdown of March" and he was "not issuing a general instruction to stay at home".

Boris Johnson also said:

• the "rule of six" would be extended to all adult indoor team sports
• large sporting events, conferences and business events would not be opened up from 1 October as had been planned
• fines for failing to wear a mask will double to £200 for a first offence
• there will be a greater police presence and there will be the option to draw on military support where necessary.

Mr Johnson said the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were "taking similar steps".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced tightened coronavirus restrictions for England, including:

• Everyone who can work from home should do so unless they need to go to a workplace.
• From Thursday all pubs and restaurants will close at 22:00 and there will be table service only, except for takeaways.
• All retail staff and those using taxis must wear masks. The mask rule is being extended to indoor hospitality settings, except for when people are actually eating and drinking.
• Businesses will have a legal obligation to follow the coronavirus rules.
• A maximum of 15 people will be allowed to attend weddings and receptions, but up to 30 people will still be allowed to attend funerals.

Image source, Reuters

BBC Health has taken a look at how effective varying lockdowns in parts of England have been.

More than 10 million people around the UK are now under some form of extra curbs because of Covid.

Given that many local restrictions have been implemented so recently, it is difficult to assess how effective they've been.

However, data from Leicester, Leicestershire and Greater Manchester, which have been subject to restrictions for longer periods, provide some insight.

In Leicester, action was taken fairly late, once cases had surpassed 140 per 100,000 people.

However, once they were brought in, the measures were stringent, preventing shops and pubs from opening, and households from gathering indoors.

And that lockdown had a visible impact on cases.

You can read more here.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The Vale of Glamorgan has its “last chance” to prevent a local lockdown as cases of coronavirus are rising, the leader of the local council has said.

Six council areas in south Wales will be under extra restrictions from 18:00 BST, with no-one allowed to leave or enter those areas without a "reasonable excuse" such as work or education.

Public Health Wales said another eight council areas - including the Vale of Glamorgan - are being closely watched, sparking concerns that further local lockdowns may be necessary.

Vale council Leader Neil Moore said: “My message for residents of the Vale is a simple one.

"This is our last chance to prevent similar measures being imposed on our towns and villages.

“Slowing the spread of the virus is not difficult, but it requires us all to work together and follow the same basic guidelines.

“Wear a mask when indoors in public places; observe social distancing; wash your hands regularly; if you meet another household, outside your extended household, stay outdoors; and get tested if you have symptoms.”

According to the council, the infection rate for the Vale was at 22.5 cases per 100,000 population, on September 18.

“I know the vast majority of Vale residents want to do what is right," Mr Moore said.

"Earlier this year we all made great sacrifices to stop the spread of Covid-19 and protect our families, friends, and the most vulnerable in our communities.

“We have made huge progress towards a return to life as we once knew it in the months since. We must not now undo all of this hard work."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is about to give an update on the coronavirus situation across the UK to the House of Commons.

It follows a Cobra meeting with leaders of the governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You can watch the statement live on the BBC Parliament channel.

Image source, EPA

First Minister Mark Drakeford will announce further coronavirus measures in Wales later on Tuesday, the Welsh Government has said.

A statement said a “series of UK-wide actions” were discussed at Tuesday morning’s Cobra meeting, which Mr Drakeford attended alongside the first minister of Scotland, and the first minister and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland.

Some of the UK-wide measures, such as the need to work at home, “are already in force in Wales”, the statement said.

"The First Minister will set out which further measures will be implemented in Wales later today."

The statement added that Mr Drakeford "welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to having a regular and reliable rhythm to UK-wide decision making – with the devolved governments having a clear and important role in that process”.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a reminder from the Welsh Government of the rules on meeting up with people.

Visitors who had arranged to attend a now-cancelled Elvis Festival have been warned they will be breaking the law if they still turn up.

The annual gathering in Porthcawl, in Bridgend county, which had been due to be held this weekend, usually attracts about 35,000 fans and 100 impersonators.

Bridgend is also one of four new council areas of south Wales going into a local local lockdown at 18:00 BST on Tuesday.

People in the affected areas need a "reasonable excuse" to travel outside of their county boundaries.

But those under similar restrictions in England can still go on holiday.

The discrepancy has fuelled concerns over lockdown tourism.

The Welsh Government said: "The measures in England are a matter for the UK government."

Image source, Getty Images

Trials of spectators at live sport events in England will be "paused", the UK government has said.

There were plans for pilot events to begin from 1 October, with no more than 1,000 people allowed in.

However with the UK's Covid-19 alert level moving to 4, meaning transmission of coronavirus is high or rising exponentially, these have now been put on hold.

A few trials had already taken place in the summer, with 2,500 football fans at a friendly between Brighton and Chelsea held in the seaside town's Amex Stadium.

Limited spectators were also allowed at the snooker World Championship final, a Women's Super League match between Arsenal and Chelsea, and the first day of the St Leger horseracing meeting at Doncaster.

First Minster Mark Drakeford has re-emphasised the message that Wales has never moved away from advice to people to work from home.

He was speaking after Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said people from England should work from home if they could, reversing a previous move by the UK government to get people there back to workplaces.

Mr Drakeford told Sky News: "Here in Wales we've never changed our message on working from home.

"We have said all the way through that if you can work successfully from home, that's exactly what we want you to do.

"The fewer people you meet, the less distance you travel, the less risk you pose to yourself and to others, so we will reinforce that message today alongside the renewed message at a UK level."

Everyone working in schools in Wales should be prioritised for coronavirus testing, education unions have said.

They said staff planning proved difficult without the "ongoing threat" of absences caused because employees cannot find out if they have Covid-19.

The UK's testing infrastructure has come under pressure in recent weeks with people unable to access tests or directed long distances away.

The Welsh Government said every school was being provided testing kits.

Dozens of schools across Wales have sent children home after cases of Covid-19, with entire classes or even year groups being sent home in some instances.

Image source, PA Media

A second UK lockdown to tackle coronavirus outbreaks would be “a sign of government failure, not an act of God”, the Labour leader has said.

Boris Johnson “has had months to prepare for this”, said Sir Keir Starmer in an online speech, replacing the traditional annual conference address to delegates.

Sir Keir said the government’s testing scheme had “collapsed”, adding: "This is the time for leadership.”

Officials on Anglesey are pleading with local residents to leave clear contact details at pubs after track-and-trace teams were unable to contact people potentially exposed to coronavirus.

A person who later tested positive for the virus had visited a Holyhead pub, but when track-and-trace staff got contact lists from the management, they found many pubgoers had either left incorrect details or their handwriting was illegible.

Anglesey council's chief executive Annwen Morgan said the island county could face another lockdown if the virus was able to spread.

"If you’re going to the pub or restaurant – please make sure you leave the correct contact details and that they are clear for all to understand," she said.

"It’s not difficult and you could ultimately help Anglesey avoid a local lockdown and much more stringent measures, as we’ve seen in a number of other Welsh counties in recent days.”

Image source, David Dixon/Geograph

In Wales, there was one death involving Covid-19 registered in the week ending 11 September - a hospital death in Wrexham, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is three fewer than the week before and 0.2% of all deaths, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

England had 97 deaths involving Covid-19, followed by Northern Ireland with seven deaths and Scotland with five.

The total number of registered deaths involving Covid-19 in Wales up to 11 September now stands at 2,570.

So-called excess deaths – which compares overall deaths with the five-year-average – is at about the same level as we’ve seen in 2015-19.

There have been more than 2,000 excess deaths in Wales so far this year.

People in England should work from home "if they can" to reduce social mixing and slow the spread of the virus, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has said.

It comes as pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues in England are told they must have a 22:00 closing time from Thursday.

Full details will be set out by the prime minister in Parliament later.

In July Boris Johnson had encouraged people to go back to work, but Mr Gove denied the latest advice represented a U-turn.

The firm which owns Premier Inn and Beefeater restaurants has warned that 6,000 staff could lose their jobs.

Whitbread blamed the cuts on a slump in hotel guest numbers since lockdown.

It comes as the government's furlough scheme, which still pays 27,000 Whitbread staff, ends next month.

The company said hotel stays in August had halved and diner numbers fell by more than a third, though said it had been helped by the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Image source, Whitbread