Tory MPs attack Matt Hancock over 'grim' warning that lower tiers will be 'strengthened' after lockdown
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Coronavirus latest news: UK orders 5m doses of Moderna vaccine
Boris Johnson 'left door open' for Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings to return
Matt Hancock refuses to rule out making Covid vaccine mandatory
Nick Timothy: Johnson must not betray voters who made him PM
Conservative MPs have blasted the "grim" and "terrible" suggestion that lower tiers could be "strengthened" after national lockdown is lifted, with Boris Johnson on another collision course with his backbenchers.
Tories had hoped for a general loosening of restrictions ahead of Christmas, with those in the lower tiers particularly aggrieved at the blanket measures.
But, speaking from Downing Street this evening Matt Hancock noted it was "too early" to say whether the UK would be able to leave lockdown on December 2.
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to NHS Test and Trace, went on to suggest those in areas with lower case rates could emerge from current restrictions to find themselves under harsher rules than before.
Dr Susan Hopkins said: "We have recognised that the tiering of the country has had a different effect in each area... Tier 2 seems to hold in some areas and not so well in others, and so really it depends on how fast transmission is occurring and how well the individuals in the population are taking that advice in.
"We see very little effect from Tier 1 and I think when we look at what tiers may be there in the future we will have to think about strengthening them in order to get us through the winter months until the vaccine is available for everyone."
Conservative MPs said it was "terrible" news, creating a "grim" prospect for the run-up to Christmas and beyond.
One said it would go down "badly" among colleagues, adding: "Matt is the health secretary that just keeps giving."
Follow the latest updates below.
06:04 PMAnd that's it for another day...
And that's it for another day...
Matt Hancock might have hoped the good news about securing five million doses of a brand new vaccine would win people over - but he didn't count on being overshadowed by the threat of "strengthened" tiers.
The reaction from Tory MPs is still filtering in, but one thing is certain: those who have resisted restrictions so far will be furious at the thought of more draconian measures to come. You can hear Sir Desmond Swayne's howl from here.
Boris Johnson is out of the spotlight as he self-isolates, but it would be naive to think that he can escape the approbation of his backbenchers, as he tries to win them back over after the departure of Dominic Cummings. A meeting with representatives from the NRG could well see the rise of open rebellion if he is unable to confirm an exit strategy from lockdown.
The number of people self-isolating after Downing Street's super-spreader breakfast meeting last week is ticking up, giving further weight to the argument that MPs who are shielding should be able to contribute remotely. Jacob Rees-Mogg has promised to bring forward a motion - but many argued it needs to go further.
Nearly 900 of you voted in today's poll, with 67 per cent saying they understood why the PM held his face-to-face meeting, with just 33 per cent saying it was poor judgement.
That is it for today - I'll be back from 8am tomorrow for all the news from Westminster and beyond.
05:45 PMBoris Johnson still 'driving the agenda', says Matt Hancock
Boris Johnson still 'driving the agenda', says Matt Hancock
Boris Johnson will still be able to "drive the agenda forward" in a key week for Brexit negotiations, despite being forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with MP Lee Anderson, the Health Secretary said this morning.
David Frost is in Brussels for the next round of talks, with Michel Barnier tweeting that he would be "determined, patient, respectful"
Although no breakthrough is expected in the next couple of days, the Prime Minister's quarantine means he will not be able to act directly to unblock things as he did last summer.
However Matt Hancock insisted: "If the Prime Minister needs to speak to anybody in Europe, he will be able to do that by Zoom. He will be driving forward the agenda in the way he normally does."
The same was true of his plans to re-engage with Tory backbenchers this week, he added.
05:39 PMVaccine programme could 'dramatically change spring and summer 2021', says Prof Van-Tam
Vaccine programme could 'dramatically change spring and summer 2021', says Prof Van-Tam
Lastly, Matt Hancock is asked about freeing up GPs' workload to help with the vaccination programme.
He praises the country's GPs for all their work so far, noting the 10 percentage point increase in the normal flu uptake, and that there is a "really positive response" towards phone and virtual appointments.
He says there is "hopefully a vaccination programme ready to go", saying the first possible date would be December 1 - stressing this is not his central expectation. The bulk of the roll-out is likely to be in the new year, if one of the two early vaccines comes through, he adds, thanking "GPs in advance".
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam says the programme will be the "biggest and most important thing the NHS has done for a very long while", noting that primary care will be "front and centre stage".
He says he understands the workload pressures but says it will be "incumbent on every one of us" to make the programme a success, saying this is a big opportunity to "change.... dramatically what late spring and early summer look like".
"That is how big the prize is, which is why it is so important that everyone pushes forward with this".
05:35 PMNo comment on NHS staff pay rise from Matt Hancock
No comment on NHS staff pay rise from Matt Hancock
Matt Hancock is then asked about NHS staff pay, and if he will commit to an above-inflation pay rise.
The Health Secretary says there is an independent pay review process, and a three-year agreement with nurses has been agreed.
"Though you tempt me I am not going to pre-judge the outcomes of the independent review," he adds.
05:34 PMNo change to 14 day self-isolation period, says Matt Hancock
No change to 14 day self-isolation period, says Matt Hancock
The Telegraph's Gordon Rayner asks why Boris Johnson is self-isolating for two weeks, despite being "bursting with antibodies", and whether it is time to revisit the two-week period.
He also asks about plans to block people from going to work if they avoid vaccines, something which Matt Hancock rules out immediately.
On the first question, he says the Prime Minister going into self-isolation "is an absolutely clear demonstration that everybody needs to follow the rules".
The period is under review, but they are not at a stage to make any announcements yet, he adds.
05:32 PMDr Hopkins: Lower tiers could be strengthened to have more impact after lockdown
Dr Hopkins: Lower tiers could be strengthened to have more impact after lockdown
Matt Hancock is then asked what measures he is calling for "to avoid a winter of unparalleled difficulty" for the health service.
He pushes the question over to NHS boss Dr Susan Hopkins, who says the tiering system has had a different effect around the country. In the North West, under tier three, there has been a decline in cases. But in tier two there is a lot of variety, and no effect in tier one.
That means they will look at "strengthening" the bottom tiers to have more of an impact after the national lockdown, Dr Hopkins says.
05:30 PMCoronavirus vaccine protein 'a plausible target' for vaccines, says Prof Van-Tam
Coronavirus vaccine protein 'a plausible target' for vaccines, says Prof Van-Tam
Matt Hancock has defended the decision not to back Moderna's vaccine earlier in the process, saying there was no stockpile.
He notes the million doses on order from Pfizer and AstraZeneca, adding: "This process isn't over."
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam said it was "simply unknowable" as to whether any vaccine will work until the data has been produced.
However, "pretty much all of the vaccines" are targeting the coronavirus protein. "This really does begin to show us the spiked protein is a plausible target", he adds.
05:27 PMModerna vaccine 'second penalty back of the net', says Prof Van-Tam
Moderna vaccine 'second penalty back of the net', says Prof Van-Tam
Turning to questions from the media now, Matt Hancock is asked if he regrets not being able to buy more Moderna vaccination doses.
The Health Secretary says he is "delighted" that the UK's vaccine "portfolio" has expanded from six to seven, noting that the UK has 40m doses of the Pfizer vaccine. He pays tribute to the vaccines taskforce and Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary, for "getting this over the line today".
He notes that the Moderna vaccine won't come on stream until the spring, so the other vaccines are coming earlier.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam says the taskforce had to consider "a whole range of vaccines" to ensure they "spread our bets", at a time when there was no assurance any of them would work, how many could be produced or when they would be available.
"That is why we have ended up committing to 350m doses across multiple targets," he adds, saying he is "absolutely" encouraged by the "brilliant news".
"That is the second penalty now that has gone into the back of the net."
05:23 PMMatt Hancock: Too early to say if lockdown will be lifted on Dec 2
Matt Hancock: Too early to say if lockdown will be lifted on Dec 2
Matt Hancock is then asked about the prospects of lockdown being lifted on December 2.
He says it is "too early to know what the number of cases will be" at that point, but most of the positive cases are from the time that lockdown came in, so it is too early to see in the data what impact the lockdown is having.
But he says they "absolutely hope" to be able to replace lockdown with the tiered system.
Dr Hopkins says the key is cases falling, and they expect to see that in the next week. Hospital admissions will take longer, but if cases do fall then a decision can be taken about "opening up on December 2".
05:20 PMMatt Hancock: Priority list for vaccine not completed yet
Matt Hancock: Priority list for vaccine not completed yet
The first question from the public is about the priority list for vaccines and whether people who are shielding but not old will be high on the list.
Matt Hancock says a lot of work has been conducted on this very important issue, and a joint committee on vaccinations and immunisations offer the clinical advice that a final decision will be based on.
They have put out a provisional list, but it will be updated, he adds.
The clinical judgement does take into account those who are shielding to make sure they get the appropriate vaccination.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam says the data is not yet available on the vaccines to be able to make a final judgement on whether they are suitable for all groups.
He adds the extremely vulnerable are on the list, and says that many will already be high up on the basis of age or conditions.
05:16 PMHow lateral flow tests work
How lateral flow tests work
Almost 100,000 people have been tested in Liverpool and found more than 700 people with coronavirus who would otherwise not have been identified, Dr Susan Hopkins says.
She notes plans to extend the programme to students returning from university, as well as NHS staff.
She then turns to an animation showing what happens when people get the test.
05:12 PMMatt Hancock confirms UK has 'initial agreement' for 5m Moderna vaccine doses
Matt Hancock confirms UK has 'initial agreement' for 5m Moderna vaccine doses
Matt Hancock then turns to the vaccines, after more breakthroughs today.
He notes the "excellent " news from Moderna, whose vaccine has more than 94 per cent efficacy.
However he notes that they are not able to produce a vaccine at scale, but the UK has secured an initial agreement for five million doses.
It comes on top of the 40m doses agreed with Pfizer, he says.
"While there is much uncertainty, we can see the candle of hope, and we must do much to nurture the flame."
05:09 PMMatt Hancock: Megalabs will form part of new UK diagnostics industry
Matt Hancock: Megalabs will form part of new UK diagnostics industry
Matt Hancock also confirms plans for the two mega labs, which will double the current test capacity.
They will also create 4,000 new jobs and are another part in the move towards a major diagnostics industry within the UK, he adds.
This will help with other disease like cancer, heart disease or the flu, he says, as well as future pandemics.
The Health Secretary then thanks the Royal Mail for plans to speed up turnaround times for tests, thanking "our posties for doing their bit to help people".
He then turns to the care home mass testing pilot, which he says will "bring back some of those magical moments of human contact".
05:06 PMMatt Hancock reveals plans for 40 long Covid clinics
Matt Hancock reveals plans for 40 long Covid clinics
Matt Hancock has begun the press conference, updating with the latest coronavirus data.
There are 25,329 new cases daily, compared with 22,443 cases per day a week ago. These are rolling average figures.
He says there 14,915 patients in hospital with coronavirus in the UK today, up from 13,025.
Yesterday 168 deaths were reported, taking the average to more than 400.
The numbers make it "painfully clear" how much of a threat the virus remains, to anyone of any age, he adds, noting the long Covid symptoms that affects "many thousands of people".
The NHS will have 40 long Covid clinics in place by the end of the month, he reveals, to help those suffering with the long-term effects of the virus.
He urges people to do their bit to "fight back against the virus".
05:02 PMMatt Hancock to be joined with Prof Jonathan Van-Tam and Dr Susan Hopkins
Matt Hancock to be joined with Prof Jonathan Van-Tam and Dr Susan Hopkins
There is good news for Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, who is about to hold a press conference at No 10.
According to a poll for Savanta ComRes, only 15 per cent of Britons say they would be “reluctant” to get a coronavirus vaccine.
Some 57 per cent of people say they would be “keen” to have, while the rest are somewhere in the middle, or don’t know.
Mr Hancock will be joined by Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England, and Susan Hopkins, a deputy director at Public Health England and medical adviser to NHS Test and Trace.
04:45 PMHave your say: Was the Prime Minister wrong to host a breakfast meeting during lockdown?
Have your say: Was the Prime Minister wrong to host a breakfast meeting during lockdown?
Boris Johnson was hoping to reset his relationship with Conservative MPs this week, after the surprise departure of Dominic Cummings on Friday evening.
Pre-empting pressure that northern MPs are likely to bring over the need for post-lockdown support, the Prime Minister held a breakfast meeting on Thursday. At least eight MPs are now self-isolating, including Mr Johnson, after Ashfield MP Lee Anderson tested positive.
This morning Matt Hancock defended the meeting, saying face masks are not worn as a rule but Covid workplace guidance is followed. But Tory backbenchers are among those questioning whether the face-to-face meeting should have taken place under current restrictions.
So was the PM wrong to host the breakfast meeting - or has he just been unlucky? It's your last chance to have your say in the poll below.
04:43 PMFrom Blair and Campbell to Johnson and Cummings, what is it about PMs and their maverick advisers?
From Blair and Campbell to Johnson and Cummings, what is it about PMs and their maverick advisers?
Amisogynist and a liar.” These were among the more measured epithets given to Dominic Cummings as the curtain fell on his 16-month Downing Street reign of terror.
If the denouement to the ballad of the brilliant but maverick adviser brought low by his own hubris has a familiar ring, it’s because we’ve heard this song before.
04:35 PMTory MP attacks Jacob Rees-Mogg for making him 'a bauble of Parliament'
Tory MP attacks Jacob Rees-Mogg for making him 'a bauble of Parliament'
A veteran Tory and select committee chair has hit out at Jacob Rees-Mogg for making him "a bauble of Parliament" because of the restrictions banning him from participating fully.
Philip Dunne, the Conservative MP for Ludlow and chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, told the Commons Leader he had not been able to take part fully in proceedings since the middle of March.
He said he wanted to act "not as a bauble of parliament as the leader has just suggested... I do not feel I am fulfilling my function properly."
He noted that despite being a war graves commissioner he had not been able to participate in the Armistice Day debate, despite "having asked for a special dispensation" to do so.
He noted he had been unable to introduce "the only private members bill I was ever fortunate enough to be drawn in the ballot of", and asked Mr Rees-Mogg to "please give some urgency" to the reforms so he could do so in January.
04:26 PM11 MPs and counting: up to 15 thought to be self-isolating after super-spreader event
11 MPs and counting: up to 15 thought to be self-isolating after super-spreader event
Up to fifteen MPs including the Prime Minister could be required to self-isolate after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus, The Telegraph understands.
So far 11 MPs including Lee Anderson and the Prime Minister have already announced they will self-isolate after the incident, but several more are thought to have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
My colleague Tony Diver has the full story here.
04:16 PMGovernment should not say which backbenchers can take part in debates, says Tory MP
Government should not say which backbenchers can take part in debates, says Tory MP
Peter Bottomley, the Conservative MP for Worthing West, has said Parliament should be able to determine who participates in debates, rather than ministers.
"There is something inelegant... for the Government to say what backbenchers should be able to contribute in this House," he told Jacob Rees-Mogg.
"The sooner this review allows extra flexibility, the better," he added.
The Commons leader said it was "a matter for the House" as to how to proceed.
"The House always come to its own decision. The Government may propose, but it is for the House to dispose and I am sure the House will come to its conclusion in due course."
04:08 PMJacob Rees-Mogg 'suppressing and extinguishing' the voices of MPs and their constituents, Labour claims
Jacob Rees-Mogg 'suppressing and extinguishing' the voices of MPs and their constituents, Labour claims
Jacob Rees-Mogg has "excluded" MPs and prevented them from being able to do their jobs, shadow leader of the Commons Valerie Vaz has said.
The Labour frontbencher accused her counterpart of blocking MPs from representing the views of their constituents - "suppressing and extinguishing their voices" - adding that with his restrictions he has created a scenario in which "all members are equal but some are more equal than others", a reference to George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Ms Vaz pointed out that in restricting it to those MPs who are clinically extremely vulnerable, he was creating a privacy issue - a point he nodded to.
While wishing Lee Anderson a speedy recovery, she noted the MP for Ashfield had "exposed all hon members" who he voted alongside as she called for Mr Rees-Mogg to allow remote voting in the Commons.
He argues that in the Lords this has not worked, pointing to a technical failure.
But the system only broke down once, she replies, arguing the Lords are using remote voting successfully.
03:56 PMBan on remote voting 'created a hierarchy of MPs'
Ban on remote voting 'created a hierarchy of MPs'
Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay John Baron claims the Government's ban on remote voting had "created a hierarchy of MPs, however inadvertently".
The MP welcomed Jacob Rees-Mogg's move to widen participation for those MPs who are clinically extremely vulnerable, but called on to include colleagues who were "shielding with wives, husbands or partners".
"This exclusion is insensitive of family circumstances and I ask him to think again," he added. "There is little room for procedural purity in a pandemic."
The Commons Leader agreed to discuss the matter - either virtually or via the phone - to discuss the matter, saying he has "the greatest sympathy for him".
But Mr Rees-Mogg said there were "a number of constraints on what can be done practically".
03:53 PMJacob Rees-Mogg confirms plans to enable shielding MPs more Commons participation
Jacob Rees-Mogg confirms plans to enable shielding MPs more Commons participation
Jacob Rees-Mogg has confirmed that shielding MPs will be able to take part in Commons debates more fully, following outrage that a former minister undergoing chemotherapy was barred from participating in a debate about cancer.
Tracey Crouch had made a "brave and moving appeal" to be able to participate more fully, he noted, alongside many others.
As a result, the Leader of the Commons said he was planning to bring forward a motion allowing those who are "clinically extremely vulnerable" to enjoy "virtual participation in the Commons chamber".
However it would not apply to Westminster Hall debates because of "capacity constraints", he says.
Currently MPs are banned from voting remotely - despite the technology being put in place to do so - and can only participate through pre-agreed questions.
03:39 PMNRG to demand lockdown exit strategy in virtual meeting with Boris Johnson
NRG to demand lockdown exit strategy in virtual meeting with Boris Johnson
Northern MPs will ask for a "clear route out of lockdown" during a virtual meeting with the Prime Minister today, an ex-minister has confirmed.
Jake Berry, who leads the Northern Research Group (NRG) of more than 50 Tory backbenchers representing north of England constituencies, said he would be seeking answers from Boris Johnson about lifting the current measures, with some areas seeing little reprieve from restrictions designed to control the spread of coronavirus.
Mr Berry, a former northern powerhouse minister and one of the Prime Minister's key backers during the 2019 Tory leadership election, told Times Radio: "We've got three key messages.
"The first is that we need a clear route out of lockdown.
"Many northern communities have been in some form of lockdown since March, with no time off for good behaviour.
"We need a way out of lockdown for northern people in northern businesses."
03:25 PMCoronavirus giving 'pause for reflection' on planning reforms, says Housing Secretary
Coronavirus giving 'pause for reflection' on planning reforms, says Housing Secretary
Covid-19 has prompted a rethink of the Government's hated proposed planning system reforms, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.
Former prime minister Theresa May is among several Tory opponents of the planned housing algorithm to decide where to build 300,000 new homes each year, which could lead to big increases of building in rural areas.
Mr Jenrick told MPs that with a Covid-induced rise in working from home "we are seeing the most substantial change to our city centres and town centres since the Second World War, and that does give us pause for reflection.
"I think we now need to consider what those opportunities will be for the repurposing of offices into residential, for turning retail into mixed use and that will, I think, lead us to a different approach to distributing housing numbers across the country."
Mr Jenrick said a consultation on the reforms has closed, the responses are being considered and he will make a statement "in the weeks ahead".
03:09 PMFurther 190 people die with coronavirus in England
Further 190 people die with coronavirus in England
A further 190 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 36,512.
Patients were aged between 29 and 100 years old. All except three, aged 65-90, had known underlying health conditions.
Date of death ranges from 19 October to 15 November 2020.
The North East & Yorkshire was the worst-affected region, with 61 deaths, followed by the North West, with 45, and the Midlands, with 37. There were 25 deaths recorded in the South East, nine in the East of England, eight in London and five in the South West.
02:57 PMBrexit: UK urges EU to show 'realism' as Lord Frost says he is 'working very hard to get a deal'
Brexit: UK urges EU to show 'realism' as Lord Frost says he is 'working very hard to get a deal'
The UK has called for the European Union to show more "realism" in the negotiations on a post-Brexit trade deal as time runs out for a deal to be reached.
As he arrived at talks in Brussels this morning, Lord Frost said he was "working very hard to get a deal", but noted it was still a tall order.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The negotiations have resumed in Brussels. The discussions will be based on our largely common draft treaty texts. But significant differences do remain and key elements in the draft texts are not yet agreed.
"What we are working to do is seek solutions that fully respect UK sovereignty. Negotiators have been in contact almost every day since October 22 and they are continuing to work intensively to bridge the gaps that remain between us.
"But, although there has been some progress in recent days, there is much work to be done and time is now very short. So if we are to make further progress in the coming days, we need to see more realism from the EU on what it means for the UK to be an independent state."
02:35 PMMandatory vaccines 'not any part of our working assumption', says Wales' health minister
Mandatory vaccines 'not any part of our working assumption', says Wales' health minister
Mandatory vaccination as "the most extreme and most unlikely outcome possible", Wales' health minister has said, after Matt Hancock failed to rule it out this morning.
Vaughan Gething told a press conference that it was "certainly not any part of our working assumption" in Wales.
"I've never tried to mandate vaccine provision in the several years that I've been a minister in the health department, as deputy or as a Cabinet minister," Mr Gething said. "I don't think we're going to get anywhere close to that this time around.
"This is really about wanting to have safe and effective vaccines that are available for the public. I do not expect and I do not plan to try to mandate those, we want to make them available for the public."
Mr Gething said he had always been "deeply sceptical" about the benefits of mandatory vaccination and was not "particularly keen to try to change the law for that to happen".
02:32 PMTelegraph readers on Boris Johnson’s agenda reset: 'Deliver a meaningful Brexit or you're toast'
Telegraph readers on Boris Johnson’s agenda reset: 'Deliver a meaningful Brexit or you're toast'
Boris Johnson’s agenda ‘reset’ has been overshadowed by the news that the Prime Minister will have to self-isolate for 14 days after coming into contact with an MP who has tested positive for coronavirus. Nevertheless, Mr Johnson is set to make a series of announcements as he attempts to move on from the feuding that led to the resignation of Dominic Cummings.
Included in the Prime Minister’s new proposals will be an ambitious pledge to make a green industrial revolution the centrepiece of his Government’s focus over the coming months.
But what do you think the PM should focus on in his planned ‘reset’? Telegraph readers have had their say on what Mr Johnson should prioritise in the next stage of his premiership.
02:11 PMHave your say: Was the Prime Minister wrong to host a breakfast meeting during lockdown?
Have your say: Was the Prime Minister wrong to host a breakfast meeting during lockdown?
Boris Johnson was hoping to reset his relationship with Conservative MPs this week, after the surprise departure of Dominic Cummings on Friday evening.
Pre-empting pressure that northern MPs are likely to bring over the need for post-lockdown support, the Prime Minister held a breakfast meeting on Thursday. At least eight MPs are now self-isolating, including Mr Johnson, after Ashfield MP Lee Anderson tested positive.
This morning Matt Hancock defended the meeting, saying face masks are not worn as a rule but Covid workplace guidance is followed. But Tory backbenchers are among those questioning whether the face-to-face meeting should have taken place under current restrictions.
So was the PM wrong to host the breakfast meeting - or has he just been unlucky? Have your say in the poll below.
02:09 PMLobby latest: Downing Street praises 'hard work' of departing aide Dominic Cummings
Lobby latest: Downing Street praises 'hard work' of departing aide Dominic Cummings
Downing Street praised the "hard work" done by the Prime Minister's controversial aides Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain as they prepared to leave his Number 10 operation.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the former Vote Leave pair could continue to work on "specific projects" until they finally depart by the end of the year.
"The PM would thank both Dom and Lee for the service they have given to him and the hard work they have put in over recent months on projects such as mass testing and the Government's coronavirus response," the spokesman said.
02:07 PMWhy Covid-19 and lockdown has been so difficult for Boris Johnson and the Tory party
Why Covid-19 and lockdown has been so difficult for Boris Johnson and the Tory party
The advent of the coronavirus pandemic has slowly turned the libertarian Boris Johnson into a rather more protectionist Prime Minister.
While attempting to save as many lives as possible from Covid-19, Mr Johnson has tried to strike a balance between public health and keeping the economy alive. But in doing so, the Prime Minister has been repeatedly criticised for failing to do one or the other.
Before he has even completed 18 months in Downing Street, Boris Johnson is now facing serious threats to his leadership beyond coronavirus.
In Parliament the Prime Minister faces a competent Keir Starmer who is quick to expose the government's failures and U-turns; and behind him brews a damaging Tory revolt. All the while a familiar foe in the form of Nigel Farage threatens once again to sweep up disgruntled Tory votes.
Watch Camilla Tominey's analysis in the video below.
02:04 PMLobby latest: Downing Street fails to rule out mandatory Covid vaccines
Lobby latest: Downing Street fails to rule out mandatory Covid vaccines
Downing Street would not rule out making vaccination mandatory although officials stressed there were "no plans" to make a coronavirus jab compulsory, if one is approved.
Asked whether compulsion was being ruled out, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We want as many people as possible to take the vaccine.
"It will go through rigorous safety checks before it is cleared for use.
"But we are not proposing to make it mandatory."
Asked whether there could be restrictions - such as a public transport ban - imposed on people who refused a vaccine, the spokesman said: "We are not proposing to make it mandatory."
01:59 PMLobby latest: Boris Johnson intending to hold virtual PMQs
Lobby latest: Boris Johnson intending to hold virtual PMQs
Boris Johnson is hoping to take part in Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions session in the House of Commons virtually, Number 10 said.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Our firm intention is that that will happen but we are just speaking with the parliamentary authorities on the details."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said Boris Johnson was right to self-isolate after being contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
"This is frustrating for the Prime Minister, I understand that. It is important he self-isolates," he told reporters during a visit to Oxford. "It is important for all of us to say that we have got to comply with the advice and guidance."
01:56 PMLobby latest: Boris Johnson will 'carry out full duties' during isolation
Lobby latest: Boris Johnson will 'carry out full duties' during isolation
Boris Johnson has had at least one antibody test for coronavirus, Downing Street confirmed, after he boasted in a Twitter message on Monday morning that he was "bursting with antibodies".
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The PM has had an antibody test. He had that following the serious level of infection that he had earlier in the year."
Asked if the Prime Minister had had subsequent antibody tests, the spokesman said: "I don't know when the most recent test was."
He added: "The PM has been living in the flat above Downing Street full-time since we moved to the tougher national measures, so there is no change to that. In terms of where he is today, to enable the PM to carry out his full duties and with the agreement of medical advisers, he is working from his Downing Street office which he is able to access without any interaction with Number 10 staff."
The spokesman declined to comment on whether the Prime Minister's fiancee Carrie Symonds was also staying in the flat.
01:54 PMLobby latest: Downing Street names ninth MP forced to self-isolate
Lobby latest: Downing Street names ninth MP forced to self-isolate
Downing Street has named another MP forced to self-isolate after a breakfast meeting between the Prime Minister and several northern MPs last week.
Chris Clarkson, the MP for Heywood and Middleton, takes the total number of known politicians having to quarantine to nine. Other MPs present at the meeting included Katherine Fletcher (South Ribble), Andy Carter (Warrington South), Lia Nici (Great Grimsby), and Brendan Clarke-Smith (Bassetlaw).
Boris Johnson was emailed by NHS Test and Trace and told to self-isolate after he met MP Lee Anderson on Thursday. The MP for Ashfield subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.
Two of the Prime Minister's political aides were also present and have been told to self-isolate. Mr Johnson's spokesman declined to name the aides but suggested they were not Lee Cain or Dominic Cummings.
01:50 PMLobby latest: Social distancing observed during super-spreading meeting, No 10 insists
Lobby latest: Social distancing observed during super-spreading meeting, No 10 insists
Social distancing was "observed" at the meeting between MPs and Boris Johnson, Downing Street has insisted, despite all attendees now having to self-isolate.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Social distancing was observed at the meeting. It is also the case that Number 10 is a Covid-secure workplace.
"We take every possible step to ensure that hand sanitiser is made available to people as soon as they arrive at the building and it is available throughout the building as you travel through it.
"But as I say, factors such as the length of the meeting meant that it was the advice of Test and Trace that the Prime Minister should self-isolate and he of course will follow that instruction."
Asked about a photograph showing Mr Johnson and infected MP Lee Anderson standing less than two metres apart, the spokesman said: "They are stood side-by-side, rather than face-to-face.
"I wasn't present in the room myself but just to repeat the two points: Number 10 is a Covid-secure workplace and also social distancing was observed in the meeting."
01:48 PMBoris Johnson thanks teams after Dominic Cummings' departure
Boris Johnson thanks teams after Dominic Cummings' departure
Boris Johnson has given Number 10 staff an "address via Zoom", reassuring them that he is fit and well despite having to self-isolate once again.
He used the opportunity to thank his political and civil service teams for all of their hard work following the high profile departure of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain last week, saying "the ambition of this Government is absolutely undimmed and if anything growing the whole time".
As well as the response to coronavirus, which is being bolstered by "two indispensable weapons that we will use finally to pummel Covid into submission" - mass testing and the prospect of a vaccine, the Prime Minister emphasised the need to press ahead with manifesto pledges.
The government that is determined to deliver opportunity for everyone in all parts of the UK, he added.
01:35 PMScotland could see higher restrictions now ahead of 'limited and careful easing' over Christmas
Scotland could see higher restrictions now ahead of 'limited and careful easing' over Christmas
Parts of Scotland with "stubbornly high" levels of coronavirus could be placed in higher Level 4 restrictions for a time, to allow for a "limited and careful easing" of the rules over Christmas, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister said her Cabinet will make decisions tomorrow about any changes to where councils are in Scotland's five-tier system of coronavirus measures.
"Stubbornly high prevalence means that we might have less flexibility to offer some limited and careful easing of restrictions over the Christmas period which we are very keen to do," she said.
"Moving to Level 4 restrictions for a limited period in some areas, while not a decision we would ever take lightly because of the wider economic and social impact, would help us to address both of these concerns."
She added: "The end is not quite with us but we can see hope on the horizon now that we couldn't see just a few weeks ago."
01:25 PMBoris Johnson among eight Tory MPs self-isolating after Westminster outbreak
Boris Johnson among eight Tory MPs self-isolating after Westminster outbreak
Boris Johnson is among at least eight Conservative MPs having to self-isolate after meeting with a colleague who has since tested positive.
South Ribble MP Katherine Fletcher, Warrington South MP Andy Carter, Great Grimsby MP Lia Nici and Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith are all quarantining for two weeks after coming into close contact with Lee Anderson, the MP for Ashfield.
A further two MPs - Jacob Young and Maria Miller - are also isolating having come into contact with Mr Anderson during a debate.
In a video posted online this morning Mr Johnson said: "It doesn't matter that we were all doing social distancing, it doesn't matter that I feel fit as a butcher's dog and feel great, as so many people do in my circumstances, and actually it doesn't matter that I have had the disease and am bursting with antibodies. We have got to interrupt the spread of the disease."
He said he did it with a "high heart" because of the improvements in mass testing and the prospect of a vaccine, which he said could be distributed to "those who really need it before Christmas".
Mr Clarke-Smith tweeted: "In the words of Patrick Swayze... Ditto."
01:22 PMPlanet Normal: Why do ‘experts’ keep claiming the NHS will be overrun by Covid?
Planet Normal: Why do ‘experts’ keep claiming the NHS will be overrun by Covid?
Amid the doom graphs and lockdown gloom, last week’s news of a Pfizer vaccine was a welcome and much-needed ray of sunshine.
However, the newly-formed Covid Research Group of sceptical Tory backbenchers is concerned that signs of a vaccine may now encourage Johnson to maintain lockdown beyond early December – a view shared by many Planet Normal listeners, not least the medics among you.
“I’m not aware of a single student who has been hospitalised with Covid, nor become ill,” says Dr Jai Chitnavis, a fellow in medicine at Cambridge University. “Yet there is a virtual police state operating in most colleges – and for what? A phoney pandemic.”
01:01 PMGovernment in 'advanced discussions' over Moderna vaccine
Government in 'advanced discussions' over Moderna vaccine
The Government is in "advanced discussions" with US company Moderna to "ensure UK access to their vaccine", after the firm released data showing 94.5 per cent efficacy.
Any doses would not be available until Spring 2021 "at the earliest", a spokesperson said.
"As part of the ongoing work of the Vaccines Taskforce, the Government is in advanced discussions with Moderna to ensure UK access to their vaccine as part of the wider UK portfolio," the spokesperson added. "Moderna are currently scaling up their European supply chain which means these doses would become available in spring 2021 in the UK at the earliest.
"To date, the UK government has secured early access to 350 million vaccines doses through agreements with six separate vaccine developers.
"This includes 40m doses of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine, which is based on the same platform as Moderna's vaccine and if approved by the medicines regulator, is expected to begin delivery as early as December 2020."
12:57 PMDon't expect 'definitive statement' on Christmas plans soon, Welsh minister says
Don't expect 'definitive statement' on Christmas plans soon, Welsh minister says
People in Wales should not expect a "definitive statement" on Christmas in the next few days or weeks, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said.
Mr Gething told a press conference that he had seen images of people who had "forgotten about social distancing and are returning to a more normal way of behaving".
"If that continues, then we really will face difficult choices and we're likely to see the trend that we've already seen with reducing cases, that could easily reverse," Mr Gething said.
"This is a highly infectious virus that thrives on human contact. It's also why we can't have a definitive view at this point about what Christmas might look like.
"Whatever happens with Christmas and the festive season this year, it won't be like normal.
"We're still discussing issues about where we can get to with other governments across the UK on travel, and we're still looking at the evidence about what we might be able to do around contact, but it does rely on the picture that we'll see in the developing evidence over the coming weeks."
12:51 PMEight MPs self-isolating after coming into contact with Lee Anderson
Eight MPs self-isolating after coming into contact with Lee Anderson
The number of MPs self-isolating after coming into close contact with Lee Anderson, the MP for Ashfield who tested positive this weekend, has risen to at least eight.
Jacob Young, the Conservative MP for Redcar, and Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, are both now quarantining for two weeks.
While neither of them attended the breakfast meeting at Downing Street, they both came into contact with Mr Anderson, with Ms Miller sitting next to him during a parliamentary debate.
They join Boris Johnson and four other MPs, along with Mr Ashfield, in having to self-isolate.
12:36 PMScottish Covid figures down more than just weekend lag-effect, Nicola Sturgeon suggests
Scottish Covid figures down more than just weekend lag-effect, Nicola Sturgeon suggests
Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland's authorities believe the daily data shows a bigger drop that might usually be explained by the weekend lag effect.
The nation has recorded 717 further positive cases, down from 912 last Monday, she notes.
There are 1,227 people in hospital, the First Minister says, down 14 from yesterday. On Monday last week the figure was 1,226.
Across Scotland 36 deaths were recorded on Saturday and six within the last 24 hours, Ms Sturgeon adds.
12:21 PMMass testing pilot 'going in right direction', but more need to be done, says Defence Secretary
Mass testing pilot 'going in right direction', but more need to be done, says Defence Secretary
A pilot of mass coronavirus testing in Liverpool is "going in the right direction" but more people are being encouraged to take part, the Defence Secretary has said.
About 2,000 soldiers have been deployed to the city for the project, which was intended to run for an initial period of 10 to 14 days. After 10 days, 109,714 residents - 22 per cent of the population - have been tested.
Speaking on a visit to the testing site at Exhibition Centre Liverpool Ben Wallace said the Army would continue to assist for "as long as there is a need".
"The rollout's been good, the soldiers have been welcomed, the public have come from all over the city," he said.
"We'd like more people to come but some of that is a challenge for ourselves about do we move or shift and go to other parts of other communities where we're not seeing a high uptake, do we do more to publicise it? And I think that's a role for both public health and local authority to do alongside, but it's going in the right direction."
12:12 PMWhat's on the agenda today?
What's on the agenda today?
It might not be quite the start to the week that Boris Johnson had hoped for, but here is what is planned for the rest of the day:
12.15pm: Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is expected to hold a coronavirus briefing.
12.15pm: The Welsh government is expected to hold a coronavirus briefing.
12.30pm: Downing Street holds its daily lobby briefing.
2:30pm: Questions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
3:30pm: Urgent question with Jacob Rees-Mogg on virtual participation in the Commons.
5pm: Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, is holding a press conference at No 10.
11:59 AMBrexit talks can continue 'whatever the circumstances', says European Commission
Brexit talks can continue 'whatever the circumstances', says European Commission
The European Commission has said they are hopeful Brexit talks can continue "whatever the circumstances", after Boris Johnson announced he was self-isolating last night.
It is a critical week for negotiations, which have moved back to Brussels, a month after the original deadline was passed.
Responding to the news, the chief spokesman said: "Well the first thing to say is that we of course wish the Prime Minister, well, and we know how difficult it is for leaders to continue to conduct business in the current in the current circumstances.
"As you know, there are and there have been regular contacts in any case, by phone, between the president of the Commission and the Prime Minister so I'm sure that we will continue to have these contacts.
"I understand that the Prime Minister has, in any case said that he will continue to carry out business so we hope that this can be the case whatever the circumstances. "
11:43 AMMatt Hancock cannot rule out mandatory Covid vaccine
Matt Hancock cannot rule out mandatory Covid vaccine
The Health Secretary said he could not rule out making the Covid vaccine compulsory, but stressed he was hoping enough people would take it voluntarily.
Matt Hancock said making it mandatory would be "complex", because some people can't be vaccinated for medical reasons.
He told Talk Radio: "We're not proposing that it be mandatory, precisely for the reasons I set out. But we do want a very large proportion of people to take it. This year the biggest proportion of the population ever are taking the flu vaccine."
Asked again, Mr Hancock said: "I hope that a very large proportion to take the vaccine. We're not proposing at this stage making it mandatory.
"I've learnt not to rule things out during this pandemic because we have to watch what happens and you have to make judgments accordingly. We don't plan a mandatory element, not least because of the complications around that."
11:38 AMBoris Johnson 'frustrated' by self-isolation 'but that's the rules', says Defence Secretary
Boris Johnson 'frustrated' by self-isolation 'but that's the rules', says Defence Secretary
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he did not think the Prime Minister would be "in any way hampered" by his isolation.
On a visit to a coronavirus testing site in Liverpool on Monday, Mr Wallace was asked whether MPs needed to think more about social distancing following the news Mr Johnson would have to isolate following a meeting with Ashfield MP Lee Anderson.
He told the PA news agency: "Of course we've all got to be minded about proximity to each other and what it means and then we've got to follow the rules like everyone else.
"The Prime Minister is self-isolating. I'm sure he's incredibly frustrated, I'm sure lots of other people are, but that's the rules."
11:35 AMEU seeking to 'hamstring' UK over fears of competition after Brexit, says Andrew Bridgen
EU seeking to 'hamstring' UK over fears of competition after Brexit, says Andrew Bridgen
The EU is seeking to "hamstring" the UK because they are "scared of the prospects of the UK's economy" after Brexit, Andrew Bridgen has said.
The Brexiter MP told Sky News the "cold hard logic" would dictate that a trade deal was in the European Union's interest because the UK is the EU's biggest trading partner.
"If the EU won't do a straightforward free trade deal, it says more about the EU's confidence... they have to hamstring us with their regulations because they are scared of the prospects of the UK economy out-competing them in the future.
"And that is what we are going to do."
11:29 AMNo 10 has reassured MPs there will be 'no backsliding on Brexit', says Andrew Bridgen
No 10 has reassured MPs there will be 'no backsliding on Brexit', says Andrew Bridgen
Number 10 has told MPs there will be "no backsliding on Brexit" after Dominic Cummings' departure, Andrew Bridgen has said.
The Brexiter MP told Sky News he had been given reassurances by Downing Street following the surprise exit of one of the key architects of Leave.
He added: "Boris Johnson was the first advocate of Brexit at all the meetings I have been present at and Lord Frost continues his excellent job representing us in negotiations.
"The parliamentary party is, after the December election, far more Eurosceptic than it was before that election. The country wants to get Brexit done... it has to be delivered in full
"There won't be any backsliding - too much political capital has been invested in getting us to this position."
11:25 AMDominic Cummings: Political dragon slayer - but the dragon is no more, says Andrew Brigen
Dominic Cummings: Political dragon slayer - but the dragon is no more, says Andrew Brigen
Dominic Cummings was a "political dragon slayer, but the dragon is no more", a senior Brexiter has said in the wake of the adviser's sudden departure last week.
Andrew Bridgen told Sky News that he was not surprised by Mr Cummings' departure because "all advisers have a shelf life", which is shortened depending on how controversial they are.
"Dominic Cummings was absolutely critical in delivering the Leave vote," he added. "He is a political dragon slayer but the dragon is no more. We are leaving the European Union, we don't need a dragon slayer."
The MP for North West Leicestershire said: "The moment we leave, that removes that reason to vote Conservative", adding that the party needed "a new offering, based on rebuilding the economy, getting free trade deals, improving the prospects of the next generation... and that needs a new team."
11:12 AMHave your say: Was the Prime Minister wrong to host a breakfast meeting during lockdown?
Have your say: Was the Prime Minister wrong to host a breakfast meeting during lockdown?
Boris Johnson was hoping to reset his relationship with Conservative MPs this week, after the surprise departure of Dominic Cummings on Friday evening.
Pre-empting pressure that northern MPs are likely to bring over the need for post-lockdown support, the Prime Minister held a breakfast meeting on Thursday. He and at least two other MPs are now self-isolating, after Ashfield MP Lee Anderson tested positive.
This morning Matt Hancock defended the meeting, saying face masks are not worn as a rule but Covid workplace guidance is followed. But Tory backbenchers are among those questioning whether the face-to-face meeting should have taken place under current restrictions.
So was the PM wrong to host the breakfast meeting - or has he just been unlucky? Have your say in the poll below.
11:03 AMNigel Farage 'deeply concerned' about Brexit after Cummings departure
Nigel Farage 'deeply concerned' about Brexit after Cummings departure
Brexit is "in peril" after Dominic Cummings' and Lee Cain's early departure from Downing Street, Nigel Farage has said.
The leader of the Brexit Party posted a video where he said the departure of the two key advisers was "bad news", as it would allow Boris Johnson's fiancée and Allegra Stratton - his new spokesperson - to influence the Prime Minister, suggesting the Brexit deal would be softer.
Mr Farage also added that Joe Biden's victory in the US presidential race would mean the relationship between the UK and the US would depend on the deal struck with the EU.
10:55 AMNo 'political links' in Covid contracts to private firms, says Matt Hancock
No 'political links' in Covid contracts to private firms, says Matt Hancock
Matt Hancock has defended the "extraordinary broad range of companies" employed by the Government during the coronavirus pandemic, insisting contracts with private firms had "nothing to do with any political links".
The Health Secretary said reports over the weekend, that he had awarded £1.5 billion to companies linked to the Conservative party during the pandemic, was not a "fair or accurate reflection" of the process.
He told Times Radio: "We've brought in an extraordinary broad range of companies and many of them who haven't been working with Government before because we haven't had a pandemic of this scale before.
"It's nothing to do with any political links, it's all about building a massive testing capacity in this country that we haven't had in the past," he added.
"The scale of the operation - building something that's basically about the same size of Tesco in six months - has been incredible. So we absolutely have had to work with the private sector to have this happen."
10:45 AMNick Timothy: Boris Johnson must not betray the voters who made him Prime Minister
Nick Timothy: Boris Johnson must not betray the voters who made him Prime Minister
Amid all the confusion sown by briefing and counter-briefing, gossip and smears, the Tories face a remarkably simple strategic choice.
Do they want to become the party whose MPs are respectable enough to win back invitations to dinner parties in Islington and Notting Hill? Or make themselves the party of provincial normality – dependable enough to champion the values and interests of ordinary working people?
This choice – between becoming the Respectables or the Dependables – lies at the heart of the struggle we will witness in the coming weeks and months. It will determine not only Boris Johnson’s premiership, but the future of the Conservative Party and the shape of British politics for years to come.
As Nick Timothy argues, it will be a ferocious fight.
10:27 AMGrimsby MP third person to confirm she is self-isolating after No 10 meeting
Grimsby MP third person to confirm she is self-isolating after No 10 meeting
Grimsby MP Lia Nici has said she is self-isolating after the breakfast meeting at Number 10 last week.
She joins Andy Carter, MP for Warrington South, and Boris Johnson himself, in having to quarantine for two weeks after colleague Lee Anderson tested positive for coronavirus.
The number of Tories isolating as a result of the meeting is prompting questions about the extent to which Covid guidelines were being followed.
I have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace following a work meeting last week with Lee Anderson MP and the Prime Minister.
— Lia Nici (@lia_nici) November 16, 2020
As a result I will be self-isolating in line with the rules.
I currently have no symptoms and will be working from home
10:17 AMRishi Sunak: Prime Minister will not be thrown off course by self-isolation
Rishi Sunak: Prime Minister will not be thrown off course by self-isolation
Rishi Sunak has insisted that the Prime Minister will not be thrown off course by his two-week self-isolation, despite it coming at a critical period.
Boris Johnson had intended to regain the initiative in the wake of the turmoil in Number 10, but instead he will be confined to his Downing Street flat, cut off from his staff and unable to make planned public appearances.
This morning the Chancellor said his boss would still be heavily involved, however.
"The Government, like all other businesses and organisations in the last few months, has learned to do things differently. We are doing a lot of meetings online... we are getting on with delivering on the people's priorities," he said.
Mr Sunak said the Prime Minister would still be "publishing our plan for the green revolution" later this week, saying it was "an exciting set of opportunities.... as we transition to net zero."
Asked about reports that drivers could be charged for using roads, Mr Sunak replied: “Speculation that people might see - I would not comment on future fiscal policy.”
He was speaking as he opens the bidding process for free ports, which would have enhanced tax incentives and easier custom processes, saying it was "a perfect example of our levelling up agenda in practice."
10:07 AMTracey Crouch: Virtual parliamentary shift 'pre-PM self isolation news'
Tracey Crouch: Virtual parliamentary shift 'pre-PM self isolation news'
A change to rules preventing MPs from participating in parliamentary business remotely was decided upon before Boris Johnson was told to self-isolate, Tracey Crouch has said.
The former sports minister, who has been shielding as she undergoes chemotherapy, was unable to take part in a debate about cancer treatment during the pandemic last week, prompting widespread criticism of Jacob Rees-Mogg's insistence that MPs must be physically present in the Chamber.
Mr Rees-Mogg is to bring forward a motion as early as this week to allow “additional virtual participation” in the Commons, prompting speculation that it was in response to the PM's status.
However Ms Crouch insists the decision was taken ahead of that news.
The @CommonsLeader rang me yesterday morning to advise he would change rules for clinically extremely vulnerable to participate in debates in the Commons but in true @Jacob_Rees_Mogg style wanted to announce to House not press. This was very much pre-PM self isolation news.
— Tracey Crouch (@tracey_crouch) November 15, 2020
10:00 AMWarrington South MP self-isolates following meeting with Boris Johnson and Lee Anderson
Warrington South MP self-isolates following meeting with Boris Johnson and Lee Anderson
Warrington South MP Andy Carter has confirmed he is self-isolating after also coming into contact with Lee Anderson last week.
The MP said he was contacted by Test and Trace yesterday, following a breakfast meeting at Downing Street with his colleague, the MP for Ashfield, and a small group of other politicians including the Prime Minister.
"In line with the rules I am self isolating," he added.
Breakfast with the @BorisJohnson this morning, following up on his visit to #Warrington South in the summer. Discussed plans for driving levelling up agenda, jobs, infrastructure and public services. pic.twitter.com/G7rOAhErHl
— Andy Carter MP (@MrAndy_Carter) November 12, 2020
09:54 AMBrussels team will be 'determined, patient, respectful' in Brexit talks, says Michel Barnier
Brussels team will be 'determined, patient, respectful' in Brexit talks, says Michel Barnier
Michel Barnier has said his team will be "determined, patient, respectful" as Brexit trade talks resume in Brussels today.
The EU's chief negotiator is welcoming Lord Frost and his team after a week of talks in London.
Both sides say they are keen to break the deadlock which has led to discussions running more than a month over the original deadline of mid-October. However, precisely where this compromise will come is unclear as neither appear willing to shift on their red lines.
🇪🇺🇬🇧 The @vonderleyen @EU_Commission negotiating team is continuing negotiations in Brussels this week w/ @DavidGHFrost & team.
— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) November 16, 2020
With @Europarl_EN & all Member States, we remain determined, patient, respectful.
We want our future cooperation to be open but fair in all areas. pic.twitter.com/l54suVhY0I
09:45 AMNo 'formal role' for Carrie Symonds after Dominic Cummings' departure
No 'formal role' for Carrie Symonds after Dominic Cummings' departure
The Prime Minister’s fiance Carrie Symonds will not be given any formal role or taxpayer-funded office, Downing Street sources have insisted, as they applied the brakes to her expanding influence.
Ms Symonds has been praised across large swathes of the parliamentary party and in Government for her pivotal role in the removal of Dominic Cummings as Boris Johnson’s most influential aide. Lee Cain, Downing Street’s director of communications, was also ousted after Ms Symonds opposed his appointment as chief of staff.
The part played by Ms Symonds, a former director of communications in the Conservative Party, in their demise had led to speculation that the 32-year-old would be given an enhanced job at the heart of Government.
09:29 AMMatt Hancock: 'Too early' to say whether lockdown will end on Dec 2
Matt Hancock: 'Too early' to say whether lockdown will end on Dec 2
Matt Hancock has said it was "too early" to determine whether the lockdown measures in England would end after December 2.
Asked whether the lockdown would simply be "rebadged" after the deadline, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "You tempt me, but it is too early to say I'm afraid.
"We've seen in the last week that there is still a very high number of cases but we do absolutely want to come out of this national lockdown.
"That is our goal, everybody has a part to play in making that happen of course, following the social distancing rules and isolating when you need to, which is the critical thing."
He said one of the main goals now was to use the mass rapid testing roll-out to find those who are asymptomatic with the virus.
09:19 AMBoris Johnson self-isolating because 'people can catch it twice', says Matt Hancock
Boris Johnson self-isolating because 'people can catch it twice', says Matt Hancock
The Prime Minister is self-isolating because there is limited evidence as to how likely it is that people can be reinfected.
Boris Johnson was seriously ill with coronavirus in the spring, including a stint in intensive care, and is self-isolating again after coming into contact with Lee Anderson MP, who has since tested positive.
Asked why Mr Johnson was not considered to have immunity, Mr Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The answer is because some people do get it again. I've had it but I follow all of the rules because people can catch it twice.
"We haven't yet got the rigorous evidence we need on how likely people are to catch it twice, although we are working very hard on that," he added. "The Prime Minister is following exactly the same rules as every other person in the country."
This morning, Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London said people should not be "blase" about the disease if they have already had it (8:34am).
09:10 AMMatt Hancock tells of 'personal' experience with care home restrictions
Matt Hancock tells of 'personal' experience with care home restrictions
Matt Hancock has empathised with families who have loved ones in care homes, saying he knows from "personal circumstances" how tough coronavirus restrictions are.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is heart-breaking, isn't it? And really difficult. I know this from personal circumstances as well in terms of members of my own family ... who are in the same sort of situation. It is very difficult.
Restrictions were imposed because if the virus gets into care homes "it runs rife", but it must be done "in as a humane a way as possible".
Mr Hancock said he hoped to have testing for care home visitors in place for all care homes in England "by Christmas", with a pilot currently taking place in 20 homes.
"This roll-out will be a challenge but we've got to make sure the right rules and protocols are in place so that the testing keeps people safe," he said.
09:03 AM'We may not succeed', says UK's chief Brexit trade negotiator
'We may not succeed', says UK's chief Brexit trade negotiator
The UK’s chief negotiator has warned “we may not succeed” in securing a Brexit trade deal as he made a surprise arrival in Brussels for renewed talks.
Lord Frost signalled that he would not be deviating from Boris Johnson’s “red lines” amid speculation that the departure of Dominic Cummings from No 10 could herald concessions.
He said there had been “some progress in a positive direction” but admitted there were still “significant” differences between the UK and EU on fishing and the level playing field.
08:52 AMMass testing roll out aimed at opening up care homes by Christmas, says Health Secretary
Mass testing roll out aimed at opening up care homes by Christmas, says Health Secretary
The Government is aiming for care home visitors across England to be able to take a test to see their loved ones before Christmas, the Health Secretary has said.
On Friday night, ministers announced that relatives and friends of people living in care homes would receive access to regular testing to allow them to visit their loved ones. The pilot scheme will begin in 20 care homes across Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall today - although critics have said it comes too late.
Asked if there was a chance people could see their relatives in care homes before Christmas, Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast: "Yes... I understand how important this is.
"And yes, our goal is to ensure that we have the testing available in every care home by Christmas - to make sure that people can take a test and therefore see their loved ones safely, that is the goal.
"We're working closely with the social care sector to try to make that happen.
"We've rolled it out in a small number of parts of the country, Devon and Cornwall in the first instance, and then our goal is to have this by Christmas so that people can see and and be close to their loved ones."
08:38 AMMatt Hancock takes the reins from Boris Johnson on press conference
Matt Hancock takes the reins from Boris Johnson on press conference
Matt Hancock will host a No 10 press conference on Monday evening Downing Street has said, taking over from the Prime Minister.
Boris Johnson had been expected to lead the event before he was required to self-isolate after coming into contact with Conservative MP Lee Anderson who tested positive for the disease.
The Health Secretary will update the country on the latest on the coronavirus outbreak.
08:37 AMMatt Hancock insists he 'hasn't been away' as GMB boycott is lifted
Matt Hancock insists he 'hasn't been away' as GMB boycott is lifted
Matt Hancock is appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain for the first time in six months - the first working day after Dominic Cummings left Number 10.
He tells Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that it was the first time his diary allowed it, saying: "We haven't been away, I have been working incredibly hard... obviously this is a critical period in the crisis. I am ready to answer any questions you have."
But the journalists are not giving him an easy ride, asking him repeatedly if he supported the "boycott" of the programme.
'Where have you been for the last 201 days?' - @piersmorgan
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 16, 2020
Health Secretary @MattHancock responds to the question about why the govt boycotted GMB and its viewers for six months of the pandemic.
He says he is ready to answer questions.
Watch GMB now👉 https://t.co/yyUUJmzswF pic.twitter.com/dZitWAxSXm
08:34 AMDon't be 'blase' about chances of reinfection, says Imperial College professor
Don't be 'blase' about chances of reinfection, says Imperial College professor
Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, said the rules that mean Boris Johnson has to self-isolate "probably are sensible", despite the chances of reinfection being "not enormous".
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there have been more than 25 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reinfection globally, but added: "I think most of us think the rate of reinfection is quite a lot higher than that."
Prof Altmann said: "I think my bottom line is not to be alarmist because whatever the risk is, it is low. My sense from some of our data and other people's data is that it's the people who've made the poorest and most negligible antibody response the first time round who are most at risk of reinfection.
"So that's maybe 10 per cent of everybody out there who's been infected in the first wave."
He added: "If we've learnt anything since the beginning of 2020, it's that this is an incredibly infectious and scary virus and you can't take it too seriously... if you've got one take-home message from a reinfection discussion, it's not to be blase because you've had it or you think you've had it."
08:22 AMMatt Hancock dodges question on Cummings' Barnard Castle trip
Matt Hancock dodges question on Cummings' Barnard Castle trip
Matt Hancock has refused to comment on whether Dominic Cummings' trip to Barnard Castle in the spring had undermined the Government's public health message.
Mr Cummings left Downing Street with immediate effect on Friday evening, following a dramatic week which also saw director of communications Lee Cain resign.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I'm not going to go into that, what matters is what happens from now on in.
"The mass testing and expansion that we're announcing today is actually brought to life by the fact that this testing capacity matters for a reason.
"Lee Anderson, the MP for Ashfield, a brilliant local MP, he got a test within a couple of hours of phoning 119. He then got the test result incredibly quickly."
08:17 AMBoris Johnson can be 'incredibly effective' despite isolating, says Matt Hancock
Boris Johnson can be 'incredibly effective' despite isolating, says Matt Hancock
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Boris Johnson would be able to work fully from home and was "very sprightly".
He told BBC Breakfast: "The wonders of video conferencing mean that you can be incredibly effective even when self-isolating if you're in the sort of job where you can do that.
"I'd say probably the majority of my meetings with the Prime Minister are over video conference - of course I see him as well - and you can be really effective that way."
Asked if Mr Johnson and Lee Anderson were two metres apart during their meeting, including during a photocall, he said: "Well there is social distancing and there are rules around Downing Street being a Covid-secure workplace but the central point is that it doesn't matter who you are, if you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told to self-isolate that is what you must do.
"You could be the Prime Minister, you can be anybody in this country - we have the same rules and we all abide by them."
08:14 AMParliamentary authorities trying to enable remote PMQs, Health Secretary says
Parliamentary authorities trying to enable remote PMQs, Health Secretary says
Parliamentary authorities are "working" on a solution to Prime Minister's Questions, as a result of Boris Johnson's 14-day self-isolation, Matt Hancock has said.
During his first brush with coronavirus in March, Mr Johnson was replaced by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, however this time around it seems that the Prime Minister is hoping to participate.
The Health Secretary told Times Radio: "I don't know what will happen with PMQs and I know the parliamentary authorities are working on it.
"Actually we're all getting used to being able to live our lives, in some cases remotely.
"I know that the Prime Minister will still be making announcements, talking publicly, and you can absolutely do that - the power of Zoom," he added. "The majority of my meetings with him are on Zoom and it's more convenient for both of us. That's now a pretty standard and regular part of Government business. And in fact, I find Zoom much more convenient sometimes.
"He'll still be able to operate perfectly effectively across Zoom. The whole Downing Street is set up for remote working now. "
08:10 AMBoris Johnson and Lee Anderson did not break Covid workplace guidance, says Matt Hancock
Boris Johnson and Lee Anderson did not break Covid workplace guidance, says Matt Hancock
Mat Hancock has insisted Boris Johnson and Lee Anderson did not break official guidelines when they met last week, despite being pictured without face masks.
The Health Secretary noted they were "socially distanced", and pointed to the fact that MPs do not wear face masks in the Commons chamber, despite it being advised as they move throughout the estate.
He told Sky News: "As Prime Minister you do meet people... and when you are in close contact with somebody you need to self isolate.
"There are Covid-secure guidelines for how you operate at work, and that is true of Downing Street or any other work environment...Rules are set out for each workplace in the whole country, but there are different rules according to what is appropriate there."
08:05 AMBoris Johnson self-isolating despite being 'fit as a butcher's dog'
Boris Johnson self-isolating despite being 'fit as a butcher's dog'
Boris Johnson tweeted that he was "in good health and have no symptoms" after being instructed to self-isolate.
In a video posted to Twitter he said: "Hi folks, the good news is that NHS Test and Trace is working ever-more efficiently, but the bad news is that they've pinged me and I've got to self isolate because someone I was in contact with a few days ago has developed Covid.
Hi folks, I’ve been instructed by our NHS Test & Trace scheme to self-isolate for two weeks, after being in contact with someone with Covid-19.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 16, 2020
I’m in good health and have no symptoms, and will continue to lead on our response to the virus & our plans to #BuildBackBetter pic.twitter.com/yNgIme8lOz
07:47 AMBoris Johnson isolating after Covid warning
Boris Johnson isolating after Covid warning
With Boris Johnson having to self-isolate after coming into contact with an MP who had coronavirus, the Prime Minister must spend the next fortnight cut off from staff.
It means he will have to oversee the final days of Brexit trade deal negotiations from his Downing Street flat He had also intended to set out his "personal ambition" for the country this week.
The last time Mr Johnson self-isolated he was heavily reliant on Lee Cain, his director of communications, to run his office, but Mr Cain is no longer working in No 10, having resigned last week.
The self-isolation has thrown his plans for a "reset" of his Downing Street operation into disarray.
Mr Johnson was contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told that Tory MP Lee Anderson had tested positive for Covid-19.
The news has put Downing Street's Covid-secure measures under scrutiny after the Prime Minister was in close proximity to a small group of visitors during a 35-minute meeting that put him at risk of infection.
On Sunday night, in a message to Tory MPs about his self-isolation, Mr Johnson said: "It doesn’t matter that I feel fine - better than ever - or that my body is bursting with antibodies because I have already had the damn thing. The rules are the rules and they are there to stop the spread of the disease."
