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| No 10 says '8m hospitalised' is planning assumption, not what government expects - UK politics live | No 10 says '8m hospitalised' is planning assumption, not what government expects - UK politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| The Green party is calling for the government to extend the Brexit transition, which is due to end on 31 December 2020, because of coronavirus. In a statement the Green deputy leader Amelia Womack said: | |
| Womack says the transition period should be extended for a year. This is allowed under the withdrawal agreement, provided a decision is taken before July. | |
| It seems inevitable that the transition will have to be extended, although ministers are not saying that at this point. Only last Thursday Michael Gove was telling MPs that an extension was being ruled out. (See 11.22am.) | |
| According to Sky’s Sam Coates, the government is considering implementing a scheme being tried in Ireland that would involve flat-rate payments to workers whose employers can no longer carry on paying them because the economy has ground to a halt. | |
| Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, a thinktank focusing on low pay issues, thinks the Irish scheme has merits. | |
| Northern Ireland has recorded seven new cases of Covid-19 since Sunday, Stormont health minister Robin Swann has said. | |
| If the over-70s are told to mainly stay at home in future, there are 24 MPs who will be covered by the advice, according to the Election Maps UK Twitter feed. | If the over-70s are told to mainly stay at home in future, there are 24 MPs who will be covered by the advice, according to the Election Maps UK Twitter feed. |
| Boris Johnson will be under pressure to clarify what the government’s advice for the over-70s will be in the weeks and months ahead when he holds his press conference later. It has not been very clear over the last 48 hours or so. (See 9.56am.) Simon Hewett-Avison, director of services at the Independent Age charity told the Press Association that this was causing confusion for the elderly. He said: | Boris Johnson will be under pressure to clarify what the government’s advice for the over-70s will be in the weeks and months ahead when he holds his press conference later. It has not been very clear over the last 48 hours or so. (See 9.56am.) Simon Hewett-Avison, director of services at the Independent Age charity told the Press Association that this was causing confusion for the elderly. He said: |
| The government’s attempt to get manufacturers to switch their production lines so that they can start making ventilators for the NHS has a touch of desperation about it. Here is Matt Hancock, the health secretary, putting an appeal on Twitter. | The government’s attempt to get manufacturers to switch their production lines so that they can start making ventilators for the NHS has a touch of desperation about it. Here is Matt Hancock, the health secretary, putting an appeal on Twitter. |
| Campaigners from Pause the System have staged a protest outside No 10. They want a more proactive response to coronavirus, including the closure of all schools and non-essential businesses and the introduction of a universal basic income. | Campaigners from Pause the System have staged a protest outside No 10. They want a more proactive response to coronavirus, including the closure of all schools and non-essential businesses and the introduction of a universal basic income. |
| From the BBC’s Mark Easton | From the BBC’s Mark Easton |
| For the first time a coronavirus patient has died in Wales, the country’s chief medical officer, Frank Atherton, has announced. | For the first time a coronavirus patient has died in Wales, the country’s chief medical officer, Frank Atherton, has announced. |
| Angela Rayner, favourite in the contest to be next deputy Labour leader, has a suggestion for Richard Branson. | Angela Rayner, favourite in the contest to be next deputy Labour leader, has a suggestion for Richard Branson. |
| Thousands of people have called for frontline NHS workers to be tested for coronavirus as a matter of priority, the Press Association reports. An online petition has earned more than 34,000 signatures calling for health workers to be tested, so they can keep on working instead of going into isolation if they have a cold. Junior doctor Rebecca McCauley, who wrote the petition, said staff wanted to work with “a clear conscience”. She explained: | Thousands of people have called for frontline NHS workers to be tested for coronavirus as a matter of priority, the Press Association reports. An online petition has earned more than 34,000 signatures calling for health workers to be tested, so they can keep on working instead of going into isolation if they have a cold. Junior doctor Rebecca McCauley, who wrote the petition, said staff wanted to work with “a clear conscience”. She explained: |
| Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, says the Scottish government and the UK government (which doubles up as the English government for health policy purposes) are not giving different advice to elderly people. | Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, says the Scottish government and the UK government (which doubles up as the English government for health policy purposes) are not giving different advice to elderly people. |
| As explained earlier, the impression that Edinburgh and London are giving conflicting advice has been created largely by news reports and Matt Hancock using the term “self-isolate” in a loose, general sense, rather than a narrow, specific sense. (See 9.56am.) | As explained earlier, the impression that Edinburgh and London are giving conflicting advice has been created largely by news reports and Matt Hancock using the term “self-isolate” in a loose, general sense, rather than a narrow, specific sense. (See 9.56am.) |
| Here are the main points from the Downing Street lobby briefing. | Here are the main points from the Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| The prime minister’s spokesman said the government does not expect 8 million people to be hospitalised because of coronavirus. Asked about a Guardian story quoting a confidential Public Health England briefing saying “as many as 80% of the population are expected to be infected with Covid-19 in the next 12 months”, the spokesman said: | The prime minister’s spokesman said the government does not expect 8 million people to be hospitalised because of coronavirus. Asked about a Guardian story quoting a confidential Public Health England briefing saying “as many as 80% of the population are expected to be infected with Covid-19 in the next 12 months”, the spokesman said: |
| The spokesman said Boris Johnson has asked Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, to chair a cabinet committee meeting to consider the impact on business of coronavirus. See 11.46am. | The spokesman said Boris Johnson has asked Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, to chair a cabinet committee meeting to consider the impact on business of coronavirus. See 11.46am. |
| The spokesman defended the government’s coronavirus testing policy. Last week it said it would prioritise testing people admitted to hospital, instead of testing those with milder symptoms. There has been particular concern about NHS workers not being tested. But the spokesman said key workers such as NHS staff were an “important focus” for the coronavirus testing regime. He added: | The spokesman defended the government’s coronavirus testing policy. Last week it said it would prioritise testing people admitted to hospital, instead of testing those with milder symptoms. There has been particular concern about NHS workers not being tested. But the spokesman said key workers such as NHS staff were an “important focus” for the coronavirus testing regime. He added: |
| The spokesman said George Eustice, the environment secretary, will hold a conference call with food suppliers and supermarkets early this afternoon. | The spokesman said George Eustice, the environment secretary, will hold a conference call with food suppliers and supermarkets early this afternoon. |
| The spokesman said there was no need for shoppers to panic buy. He said: | The spokesman said there was no need for shoppers to panic buy. He said: |
| Asked if Johnson believed some shoppers were being selfish, the spokesman said: | Asked if Johnson believed some shoppers were being selfish, the spokesman said: |
| The FTSE 100 was down 7.2% at midday, my colleague Graeme Wearden reports on his business live blog. At 4,976 points it’s at its lowest point since late 2011, and down from 7,404 points just over three weeks ago. | The FTSE 100 was down 7.2% at midday, my colleague Graeme Wearden reports on his business live blog. At 4,976 points it’s at its lowest point since late 2011, and down from 7,404 points just over three weeks ago. |
| Surveillance testing for coronavirus in Scotland will be significantly expanded to GP practices covering a total of 1.2m people to give a clearer picture of the spread of the disease, authorities have announced. According to the Press Association write-up of the briefing mentioned earlier (see 12.39am), the number of GP practices taking part in the “sentinel” surveillance system will be expanded from 41, covering 240,000 people, to 200 around the country this week to help experts track how the situation is developing. | Surveillance testing for coronavirus in Scotland will be significantly expanded to GP practices covering a total of 1.2m people to give a clearer picture of the spread of the disease, authorities have announced. According to the Press Association write-up of the briefing mentioned earlier (see 12.39am), the number of GP practices taking part in the “sentinel” surveillance system will be expanded from 41, covering 240,000 people, to 200 around the country this week to help experts track how the situation is developing. |
| The Scottish Government announced at the weekend that people showing coronavirus symptoms will no longer be routinely tested for the infection, PA reports. Only those admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms and breathing difficulties, NHS staff and “key workers” will be routinely tested for Covid-19 as part of the updated testing policy. | The Scottish Government announced at the weekend that people showing coronavirus symptoms will no longer be routinely tested for the infection, PA reports. Only those admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms and breathing difficulties, NHS staff and “key workers” will be routinely tested for Covid-19 as part of the updated testing policy. |
| Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said: | Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said: |
| In fact, we should get the Matt Hancock statement at around 5.30pm, the leader of the Commons’ Twitter account says. | In fact, we should get the Matt Hancock statement at around 5.30pm, the leader of the Commons’ Twitter account says. |
| According to Labour whips, the Matt Hancock statement may come later than 3.30pm, to allow him to update MPs on the conclusion of the Cobra meeting, which will start at 3.15pm. | According to Labour whips, the Matt Hancock statement may come later than 3.30pm, to allow him to update MPs on the conclusion of the Cobra meeting, which will start at 3.15pm. |
| Matt Hancock, the health secretary, will make a statement to MPs about coronavirus. It is due at 3.30pm. | Matt Hancock, the health secretary, will make a statement to MPs about coronavirus. It is due at 3.30pm. |