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| UK coronavirus: alert level to be raised from 3 to 4; Northern Ireland bans mixing indoors | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Matt Hancock announces childcare exemption to local lockdowns in England; UK cases rise by 4,368, second highest daily total since early May | Matt Hancock announces childcare exemption to local lockdowns in England; UK cases rise by 4,368, second highest daily total since early May |
| The UK has “turned a corner” for the worse and is on course for up to 50,000 new daily cases of Covid-19 by mid-October, which could lead to 200 deaths a day by the following month, the government’s chief scientific and medical advisers have warned. A few hours after their briefing the Covid alert level was raised for the first time since the system was introduced in the spring; it is now back up at level 4, meaning “transmission is high or rising exponentially”. (See 5.44pm.) The statements seem intended to ready the public for an announcement from Boris Johnson tomorrow which is expected to see restrictions tightened in some way at a national level, not just locally as has been the case in recent weeks. Johnson will chair cabinet and a meeting of Cobra before announcing the measures in the Commons in the early afternoon. Today he spoke to the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in advance of the decision. Afterwards No 10 put out a statement saying the PM and the first ministers had “all agreed to act with a united approach, as much as possible, in the days and weeks ahead”. And Nicola Sturgeon, who will make her own announcement tomorrow, posted this on Twitter. | |
| Scottish ministers are considering far-reaching restrictions to combat the surge in Covid cases including local lockdowns linked to school holidays next month, travel restrictions, closing play parks and shutting down hairdressers, a leak has revealed. | |
| About a quarter of the Welsh population will be subject to local lockdowns after sharp rises in Covid-19 cases triggered restrictions in four new areas. | |
| Arlene Foster, the first minister of Northern Ireland, has announced everyone in the region will now be covered by a ban on mixing in other people’s homes. | |
| Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has announced that in England there will be an exemption for childcare from local lockdown measures. (See 3.46pm.) He also announced how people will be prioritised for testing. (See 4.59pm.) | |
| That’s all from me. But our coverage continues on our global coronavirus live blog. It’s here: | |
| The news that all people in Northern Ireland are to be banned from visiting each other’s homes will bring to 15.4m the number of people under some level of restriction in the UK from tomorrow. | The news that all people in Northern Ireland are to be banned from visiting each other’s homes will bring to 15.4m the number of people under some level of restriction in the UK from tomorrow. |
| The announcement, which follows on from that from Wales that four new areas are to be brought under local lockdown means that 23.1% of the UK population will be under curbs. | The announcement, which follows on from that from Wales that four new areas are to be brought under local lockdown means that 23.1% of the UK population will be under curbs. |
| More than a quarter of the population of Wales (27%) is now under local lockdown and a third of the population of Scotland reside in the seven local authority areas still covered by lockdown restrictions. | More than a quarter of the population of Wales (27%) is now under local lockdown and a third of the population of Scotland reside in the seven local authority areas still covered by lockdown restrictions. |
| In England from tomorrow those living in Merseyside, Warrington, Halton, Wolverhampton and Oadby and Wigston will all be under restrictions while the rules are being extended to cover all parts of Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale and those living in Lancashire county council area will face local lockdown (this excludes Blackpool). | In England from tomorrow those living in Merseyside, Warrington, Halton, Wolverhampton and Oadby and Wigston will all be under restrictions while the rules are being extended to cover all parts of Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale and those living in Lancashire county council area will face local lockdown (this excludes Blackpool). |
| This is equivalent to 10.9m people in England or one-in-six. | This is equivalent to 10.9m people in England or one-in-six. |
| Here is the full statement from the chief medical officers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the decision to raise the alert level. | Here is the full statement from the chief medical officers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the decision to raise the alert level. |
| The UK was placed at alert level 4 when the system was introduced in May. In June the alert level was lowered to 3. | The UK was placed at alert level 4 when the system was introduced in May. In June the alert level was lowered to 3. |
| PA Media has snapped this. | PA Media has snapped this. |
| That is the first time the alert level has been raised, not lowered, since the system was set up in May. | That is the first time the alert level has been raised, not lowered, since the system was set up in May. |
| Eight more emergency, ‘Nightingale’ courts have been announced to tackle the backlog of cases, including one that will operate in a Salford theatre. | Eight more emergency, ‘Nightingale’ courts have been announced to tackle the backlog of cases, including one that will operate in a Salford theatre. |
| Two of the new courts will be housed in hotels in Middlesbrough and York, the justice secretary, Robert Buckland, has confirmed. The other five will be in Chester, Liverpool, Bristol, Winchester and Cirencester; their precise locations have yet to be revealed. | Two of the new courts will be housed in hotels in Middlesbrough and York, the justice secretary, Robert Buckland, has confirmed. The other five will be in Chester, Liverpool, Bristol, Winchester and Cirencester; their precise locations have yet to be revealed. |
| When fully operational, there will be 17 extra court buildings holding socially distanced hearings in an effort to ensure that the justice system can continue to operate during the pandemic. Buckland said: | When fully operational, there will be 17 extra court buildings holding socially distanced hearings in an effort to ensure that the justice system can continue to operate during the pandemic. Buckland said: |
| Earlier this summer the Ministry of Justice announced an £80m funding boost for HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to deal with problems caused by the pandemic. | Earlier this summer the Ministry of Justice announced an £80m funding boost for HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to deal with problems caused by the pandemic. |
| The MoJ says magistrates’ courts are now seeing the number of outstanding cases falling. Plexiglass screens are being fitted in 300 courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms to enable them to operate jury trials safely. | The MoJ says magistrates’ courts are now seeing the number of outstanding cases falling. Plexiglass screens are being fitted in 300 courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms to enable them to operate jury trials safely. |
| Labour’s shadow justice secretary, David Lammy, has called for faster delivery of emergency courtroom capacity. Some lawyers point out that an austerity programme, which closed hundreds of courts after 2010, deprived the justice system of the necessary flexibility to respond to the crisis. | Labour’s shadow justice secretary, David Lammy, has called for faster delivery of emergency courtroom capacity. Some lawyers point out that an austerity programme, which closed hundreds of courts after 2010, deprived the justice system of the necessary flexibility to respond to the crisis. |
| Here is more on the press conference in Belfast where new restrictions were announced. These are from the BBC’s Darran Marshall. | Here is more on the press conference in Belfast where new restrictions were announced. These are from the BBC’s Darran Marshall. |
| In Northern Ireland Arlene Foster, the first minister, and Michelle O’Neill, the deputy first minster, have just announced that people in the whole of the region will be banned from visiting other people’s homes. This is from the BBC’s Emma Vardy. | In Northern Ireland Arlene Foster, the first minister, and Michelle O’Neill, the deputy first minster, have just announced that people in the whole of the region will be banned from visiting other people’s homes. This is from the BBC’s Emma Vardy. |
| In his statement MPs, as well as announcing a childcare exemption from local lockdown restrictions (see 3.46pm), Matt Hancock also announced that he is publishing details of who will get priority for testing. He said he would start prioritising access to testing because demand recently has far exceeded supply. | In his statement MPs, as well as announcing a childcare exemption from local lockdown restrictions (see 3.46pm), Matt Hancock also announced that he is publishing details of who will get priority for testing. He said he would start prioritising access to testing because demand recently has far exceeded supply. |
| Hancock told MPs that tests would be allocated where they were needed most. He went on: | Hancock told MPs that tests would be allocated where they were needed most. He went on: |
| Hancock did not give further details of how the prioritisation system would operate, and the short document he has published about the new rules does not explain this either | Hancock did not give further details of how the prioritisation system would operate, and the short document he has published about the new rules does not explain this either |
| Back in the Commons Matt Hancock says he has been told that test and trace website should no longer be telling people that they must travel hundreds of miles for a test. He says he has been told that problem has been resolved. | Back in the Commons Matt Hancock says he has been told that test and trace website should no longer be telling people that they must travel hundreds of miles for a test. He says he has been told that problem has been resolved. |
| Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland’s first minister, has confirmed that she has spoken to Boris Johnson today. | Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland’s first minister, has confirmed that she has spoken to Boris Johnson today. |
| The government has just updated its daily coronavirus dashboard. Here are the main figures. | The government has just updated its daily coronavirus dashboard. Here are the main figures. |
| The UK has recorded a further 4,368 coronavirus cases. This is the second highest daily total since early May (the highest was on Saturday) and only the third time this autumn the figures have topped 4,000. | The UK has recorded a further 4,368 coronavirus cases. This is the second highest daily total since early May (the highest was on Saturday) and only the third time this autumn the figures have topped 4,000. |
| The UK has recorded 11 new coronavirus deaths. This takes the official headline total to 41,788. But this figure only covers people who died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus. The total number of deaths attributed to coronavirus in the UK is over 57,000. | The UK has recorded 11 new coronavirus deaths. This takes the official headline total to 41,788. But this figure only covers people who died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus. The total number of deaths attributed to coronavirus in the UK is over 57,000. |
| The total number of patients in hospital in England with coronavirus is 1,261. Yesterday it was 1,141. Before this weekend the total had not been above 1,000 since late July. | The total number of patients in hospital in England with coronavirus is 1,261. Yesterday it was 1,141. Before this weekend the total had not been above 1,000 since late July. |
| The number of hospital patients in England on mechanical ventilation (ie, the most seriously ill) is now 154. That is more than double what it was just over a week ago (74 on Sunday 13 September). | The number of hospital patients in England on mechanical ventilation (ie, the most seriously ill) is now 154. That is more than double what it was just over a week ago (74 on Sunday 13 September). |
| In the Commons Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, says decisions about how to balance the need to protect lives against other considerations, like the economy, are political judgments. Does Hancock agree that political judgments will be improved if they are subject to scrutiny? | In the Commons Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, says decisions about how to balance the need to protect lives against other considerations, like the economy, are political judgments. Does Hancock agree that political judgments will be improved if they are subject to scrutiny? |
| Brady is campaigning for MPs to get more say on coronavirus restrictions. | Brady is campaigning for MPs to get more say on coronavirus restrictions. |
| Hancock says he does agree with this. But he says sometimes restrictions have had to be announced when parliament was not sitting. | Hancock says he does agree with this. But he says sometimes restrictions have had to be announced when parliament was not sitting. |