UK Covid live: rules on mask wearing, social distancing and working from home in England set to end, PM says — as it happened

That’s it from the UK politics blog. You can follow our global coronavirus coverage here -

Boris Johnson has urged football fans and businesses to act “in a responsible way” as large crowds are expected to gather in England for the closing matches of Euro 2020.

More than 60,000 fans will be allowed into Wembley for the two semi-finals and the final next Sunday, PA reports.

Johnson said: “I think my advice to everybody would obviously be to support England enthusiastically but in a responsible way.

“The events at Wembley clearly have particular conditions attached to them with particular testing requirements that we will insist on.”

Italy play Spain in the first semi-final on Tuesday with England facing Denmark in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

Maintaining the current Covid restrictions through the summer would only delay a wave of hospitalisations and deaths rather than reduce them, the chief medical officer for England has warned.

Prof Chris Whitty told a Downing Street briefing that while scientific opinion was mixed on when to lift the last remaining restrictions in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, he believed that doing so in the summer had some advantages over releasing in the autumn.

“At a certain point, you move to the situation where instead of actually averting hospitalisations and deaths, you move over to just delaying them. So you’re not actually changing the number of people who will go to hospital or die, you may change when they happen,” he said.

Sacha Lord, night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, said he was “thrilled for all involved in the night life sector” following the latest update from the government but said ministers must ensure businesses remain supported, PA reports.

He added: “We must recognise that with the crippling debt burdens accrued over the past 18 months, these same businesses will be fighting for their survival for the next three years at least.

“It is imperative that the government continues to support the sectors most affected by this crisis in order to stave off a generation of unemployment and bankruptcy.”

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of the New West End Company which represents 600 businesses on London’s Oxford Strett, Bond Street, Regent Street and in Mayfair, said: “The hard won progress toward ‘freedom day’ is to be welcomed, and London’s West End and its visitors, shoppers and employees are very much looking forward to a further easing of restrictions having proven they can live safely with Covid.”

He added: “What the West End cannot continue to live without are our office-based customers and overseas visitors, and we urgently need a roadmap to open up the UK to international tourism and more than a lifting of working from home guidance, we need positive encouragement to return to the office.”

The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said details around masks in workplaces must be clarified along with changes to rules on sick pay and enshrining rights to flexible working in law.

She also called on the government to consult with unions and employers on workplace safety guidance to avoid “widespread confusion” following the PM’s announcement on the easing of restrictions, PA reports.

The British Chambers of Commerce director general, Shevaun Haviland, said that more detail was needed to avoid confusion.

She added: “This is a much-needed step on the road to normality and we welcome the prime minister setting out the direction of travel in advance of reopening.

“But businesses in England still do not have the full picture they desperately need to plan for unlocking.

“Much remains in the balance, firms do not yet know the future of self-isolation rules, if testing will remain free for them, or when international travel will open up effectively.

“Without clear guidance for businesses around the new proposals, there could be real uncertainty on how they should operate going forward and what they should be doing to keep staff and their customers safe.”

The government has laid out plans to scrap mandatory mask-wearing and lift social distancing requirements despite scientists warning that ongoing measures will be needed to control a resurgence in infections, PA reports.

Documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) state that as current measures are lifted, transmission will “almost certainly increase”, with modelling suggesting it is highly likely infections will peak at some point after Steps 3 and 4.

One paper from the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, the Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours (Spi-B) and Environmental Modelling Group (EMG), and dated April 22, says a package of “baseline” measures should be considered, as individual measures are likely to have limited impact.

The document also says: “There is significant risk in allowing prevalence to rise, even if hospitalisations and deaths are kept low by vaccination.

“If it were necessary to reduce prevalence to low levels again (e.g. VoC become more pathogenic for others previously less affected), then restrictive measures would be required for much longer.”

The scientists say another wave would be expected to occur even if the assumed baseline measures reduce transmission by 25%, but that it would be much higher without these.

As well as wearing face coverings, the baseline measures considered include symptomatic testing and isolation (following a positive test), contact isolation, certification to show negative testing or vaccination, and physical distancing.

On physical distancing, the document says: “Close range transmission [is] likely to be highest individual exposure risk, so explicit measures to address are likely to be beneficial.”

Prof Stephen Reicher, a scientist advising the government, has warned that Boris Johnson’s plans to end the remaining coronavirus restrictions present a “very big risk” particularly to young people.

The member of the Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours said there is a “very real risk prospect” that there could be nearly a million cases per week by the end of the month.

He told Channel 4 News: “I do think it is a big risk and I think it is gambling with people’s welfare.

“I really do fear that if we were to get up to those high numbers of infections there is a risk of causing huge damage primarily to young people because they’re the ones that aren’t vaccinated.

“I think that’s a very big risk indeed, it’s not a risk I would take and I earnestly, I genuinely hope that I am wrong and it doesn’t happen but I wouldn’t be taking the risk.”

He added “very clear messaging” is necessary on the wearing of masks.

Charities representing those with weakened immune systems have expressed dismay that people will be able to ditch face masks in England after 19 July.

The MS Society and Blood Cancer UK said the government had offered no support plan for those still vulnerable to Covid-19, and the day did not mark “freedom day” for many.

Phillip Anderson, head of policy at the MS Society, said: “Emerging evidence shows vaccines may not work as well for people with suppressed immune systems, including some living with MS.

“This is especially concerning given many of the same people are defined by the government as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ to Covid-19.

“Yet as the country prepares to take less precautions, the prime minister has failed to make clear how those most at risk will be supported to stay safe.

“It is imperative the government ensures vulnerable people are not pressured to stop working from home, as well as ensuring they can get food and medical care without facing crowded shops or hospitals unnecessarily.”

During a Downing Street briefing, Boris Johnson said he himself would continue to wear a mask in crowded spaces but that people should be given the discretion to make their own decisions.

But Gemma Peters, chief executive of Blood Cancer UK, said the move could make more vulnerable people feel less safe in public.

“People with blood cancer are both at high risk from Covid and the vaccines are unlikely to have worked as well for them because of their compromised immune systems,” she said.

Families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus have said it feels “like an error to act like we’ve got Covid beaten” as the government prepares to lift restrictions, PA reports.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group accused the government of having “skewed priorities” as it set out its plans for the next stage of the road map.

The unlocking is expected on July 19, with a final decision due next Monday.

Co-founder of the group Jo Goodman, who lost her father Stuart to the virus, said: “It feels like they’re repeating many of the same mistakes they made last summer.

“It’s a gut-churning deja vu for those of us whose loved ones paid the ultimate price for those mistakes.

“The race to vaccinate people feels pretty finely in the balance at the moment and, with cases surging, honestly it feels like an error to act like we’ve got Covid beaten.”

Goodman said the scrapping of mandatory mask wearing was “particularly horrifying” to the families of transport workers who have died.

Catherine Mallyon, the executive director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, said: “We are delighted that the government announcement feels the progress of the pandemic is such that they are trailing the likely easing of restrictions post-July 19.

“We are heading towards the opening of our new outdoor theatre; the Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre and we look forward to receiving confirmation of the proposed changes.
“We know that our audiences want to return to live performances, and also that there is some nervousness about the full easing of restrictions. Our focus is to make sure that everybody is safe, and feels safe, when visiting the RSC, whilst planning for the return to full capacity so we can welcome more of our audiences back.”

But Paul W Fleming, general secretary of actors’ union Equity, said the government announcement left questions unanswered.

He said: “Today’s announcement is a veneer of order atop a sea of chaos. The government is privatising public health decisions by pushing them on to producers, venues, and working people. There’s no word on insurances for theatre and live entertainment, and no meaningful guidance as to what a new testing and isolation regime should mean.

“Businessmen can now fly in and out of the UK unfettered, but British creatives working abroad can’t. There’s no word on extending SEISS [the self-employment income support scheme] - which barely covered the creative workforce.

“There’s no confidence that future lockdowns won’t happen and no strategy to engage the unions - or even the bosses - to figure out a backup plan. The pandemic of precarity is set to get worse, Equity wants to deal with it - does [the culture secretary, Oliver] Dowden?”

Reaction from the live music industry trade body to the government’s announcement. The plan for 19 July will be the first time since the start of the pandemic that the £4.6bn industry will be able to reopen its doors to the public.

Greg Parmley, CEO of LIVE said: “The live music industry is very pleased with the prime minister’s statement, and it seems we will finally see a return to full capacity performances on 19 July.
“We have watched the rest of the economy reopen while our doors have been forced to remain closed since the start of the pandemic, but today’s announcements will generate considerable excitement amongst music fans across the country.”

Mark Davyd, CEO of MVT, said: “This is obviously extremely welcome news for millions of live music fans, for artists, crew, venues and local communities who have been deprived of music for so long.

“We have been working alongside the grassroots music venue sector throughout to identify methods by which we can do that, regardless of any current government guidelines and resulting limitations and restrictions.”

Phil Bowdery, chairman of Concert Promoters Association, said: “While we absolutely cannot wait to safely welcome back our fans, we are missing one piece of the puzzle – insurance.

“We need a government-backed scheme to provide the security needed to start investing in events over the coming months, shoring up our industry and stimulating the wider economy as we build back following the pandemic.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber has welcomed the announcement that restrictions are to be eased from July 19th and announced a special performance of his West End show Cinderella.

Commenting on the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions on 19 July, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director-general, Tony Danker, welcomed the reopening of the economy but said businesses must continue putting safety at the heart of their approach to operations.

He said: “Firms will be placing a premium on close dialogue with their employees in boosting confidence and will be demonstrating to customers how they are reopening safely and with their interests at the forefront.

“Meanwhile government and the Health and Safety Executive should continue to play a critical role in helping to inform good decision-making and risk assessments.

“In the coming days we need government to put in place further measures to create this much-needed confidence.

“Knowing whether workplace testing will continue beyond July, gaining clarity on mask wearing for public transport and understanding how a test and release scheme can support both domestic industry and our international travel sector can provide a further boost for firms as we all move from crisis to recovery.”

Tamzen Isacsson, chief executive of the Management Consultancies Association, said: “There will be no rush back to the office for our sector as we have always worked remotely or on client site and firms will continue to stagger staff visits to the office through the summer.

“Additionally, many firms have also reduced their available office space already.

“Given the current trends of higher infection rates there will inevitably be more disruption to staff who will have to self-isolate, not be able to travel and may have to support children isolating from school and it’s important all businesses encourage staff to adhere to the guidelines.”

In the Commons earlier, Sajid Javid said in case of a local Covid-19 breakout, contingency measures and powers for local authorities will be in place.

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas also highlighted her opposition to the removal of mandatory mask-wearing in public from July 19th:

Labour MP Ben Bradshaw asked Sajid Javid about when travel restrictions will be eased:

In a statement responding to the PM’s announcement, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, suggested that he has not ruled out trying to ensure mask-wearing remains compulsory on buses and tube trains in the capital. He said:

The wearing of face coverings on public transport helps to reduce the spread of Covid, and crucially gives Londoners confidence to travel on the network, which is vital to our economic recovery. Further discussions are now planned with Transport for London, the Department for Transport and other transport providers before we decide our next steps.

Jeremy Hunt tells the Commons he supports the government’s measures and says if we want to prevent another lockdown, apart from a booster jab, the government should improve the way test and trace works. He said in Korea it worked but in England it failed to prevent three lockdowns.

Javid responded: “There have been many successes in the last year and many improvements that can be made. I look forward to talking to him about this in the future.”

Javid announced to the Commons the date school isolation bubbles will end is 19th July and exempt under-18s who are identified as close contacts from the requirement to isolate.

The Alba party’s Neale Hanvey called for Javid to apologise to the SNP’s Philippa Whitford for his “absolutely outrageous comments” and for comments about the case rate in Scotland.

“I do not agree,” Javid said.

In the Commons, the SNP’s Dr Philippa Whitford expressed her surprise at the announcement that all measures will be removed, citing the Delta variant and half of the population not being vaccinated.

She suggested Javid said Covid is like flu and that we should learn to live with Covid.

An irate Javid responded “her points degenerated into political point-scoring” and said she should know better than to engage in scaremongering.

Javid also highlighted that Scotland has the highest case rate is higher in the UK and denies saying Covid is similar to flu.

In response to Ashworth’s comments, Javid said: “We have taken the best public health advice.

“We expect people to behave sensibly and think of others around them. If on a crowded tube, it would be sensible to wear a mask.”

In a response to the government’s announcement, the shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, asked Javid what does the phrase he used “learning to life with Covid” mean, how many deaths are acceptable, how many cases of long Covid are acceptable? What risk assessment has he done of new variant emerging, why is the government collapsing all mitigations completely?

Ashworth said that “masks don’t restrict freedoms in a pandemic, they ensure those that go to the shops or who take public transport can do so safely because it protects others”.

Ashworth added: “Who suffers when masks are removed, it’s those who work in shops, those who drive buses, drive taxis, those who work in hospitality, low paid workers without access to decent sick pay, who live in overcrowded accommodation, who have been savagely disproportionately impacted from the virus since day one.”

Over in the House of Commons, meanwhile, the health and social care secretary, Sajid Javid, told MPs earlier that “we can reasonably expect” that by 19 July that the number of daily cases of Covid will be higher than today, in a similarly sombre tone to Boris Johnson.

Here is my colleague Jessica Elgot’s story about Boris Johnson’s announcement.

Q: Are you worried the remaining Euro 2020 matches could be super-spreader events?

Johnson says he would advise people to support England, but in a responsible way.

Vallance says most super-spreading events are indoors, not outdoors.

Q: What is your estimate of the number of deaths opening up could cause?

Vallance says the modelling is being made public. It is just modelling, he says. But he says it has been accurate in terms of the timing of trends. He says more modelling is being published next week.

And that’s it. The press conference is over.

Johnson says he thinks there will be a strong recovery. The roadmap and the vaccines have contributed to that, he says.

Q: Will we need restrictions to deal with flu?

Whitty says no one has ever proposed restrictions to deal with seasonal flu. But it would be different if there were a flu pandemic, he says.

But measure like washing hands, which reduce the risk from Covid, also reduce the risk from flu, he says.

Q: Can you get population immunity without vaccinating children?

Vallance says the more people are vaccinated, the better.

But, as Whitty explained earlier, there is a particular issue with children. (See 5.17pm.) The JCVI is still looking at this, he says.

Q: Even if you have to reimpose restrictions next winter, can you guarantee you won’t close schools en masse?

Johnson says they have a massive catch-up plan to help pupils.

But parents want to see a different approach to outbreaks in schools. The government will be announcing that later this week.

Whitty says the winter is likely to be tricky. It might get “very difficult” for the NHS because of Covid and other respiratory diseases.

Whitty says there was a clear degree of consensus amongst scientists that some degree of social distancing should be maintained after opening up. That is in the roadmap, he says.

There was a high degree of support that delaying opening up for four weeks was a good idea, he says.

But he says, after a certain point, delaying opening up only delays further deaths, and does not reduce them.

He says there was a strong view among scientists that opening up in the summer has advantages.

Q: You have said more people will get Covid and will die? How bad could it get?

Johnson says they have to be cautious. But they always said opening up would lead to more cases and more deaths.

If they do not go ahead now, when the “summer firebreak” is coming up - the school holidays and other advantages from the summer - then when will you go ahead? The virus has “an edge” in the colder months, he says.

Alternatively, you would have to postpone opening up until next year.

He stresses the final decision will be taken on 12 July.

Q: Are you confident hospitals can cope?

Whitty says the NHS is an emergency service. So it will cope with anything.

But if admissions continue to double, then before too long you can get to large numbers.

He says the modelling suggests admissions will peak before they reach the level they were in January. But with modelling there is always some uncertainty.

Q: In what circumstances will you still wear a mask?

Johnson says it would depend. There is a big difference between travelling on a crowded Tube train, and travelling late at night on in a virtually empty carriage.

He says he wants people to exercise their personal responsibility.

Whitty says he would wear a mask in three situations. First, in any situation that was indoors and crowded. Masks protect others.

Second, he would do so if required to.

And, third, as a point of courtesy, he would wear a mask if someone was uncomfortable with his not wearing a mask.

Sir Patrick Vallance echoes this. He says indoor, crowded places are places where masks are of most value.

Q: You have said we will be able to live with Covid like flu. So will children be vaccinated?

Johnson says the JCVI is looking at this.

Whitty says this is a really important question.

They are trying to work out the balance between the relative protection provided to children - it will probably protect them to a high degree - versus any safety issues.

Because children are unlikely to become seriously ill from Covid, the JCVI needs to be even more sure than it is for adults that there are no risks.

He says the data is coming in on this.

Q: How confident are you that vaccines protect against long Covid?

Whitty says long Covid is probably several different syndromes.

Vaccines stop people getting infected, which helps.

But he says it is not yet clear if they prevent people who do get infected from long Covid.

Johnson says the UK has the highest proportion of the population vaccinated of any country in Europe, apart from Malta.

He says the government must decide whether it is safe to open up.

If it does not open up now, he says it might be worse opening up later, when the autumn is getting closer.

The Downing Street lobby briefing took place later than usual today. The prime minister’s spokesperson was asked about the claim from Dominic Cummings that government scientific advisers have told No 10 not to go ahead with what is being announced today. (See 3.48pm.) That was “not accurate”, the spokesperson replied. He went on:

Obviously the chief scientific adviser and chief medical officer will be alongside the prime minister later.

The spokesperson said he did not intend to engage with every allegation made by Cummings, but he did say that he did not accept Cummings’ claim that Johnson could not distinguish between truth and lies. (See 12.08pm.)

The spokesperson also rejected suggestions that Johnson was going for a full unlocking in England from 19 July because he wants to develop herd immunity among the younger, unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated population. He said:

Herd immunity is not in any way a government goal. You know our approach, which is to vaccinate the adult population. We are still waiting on advice from the JCVI [Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation] as regards children.

As well as publishing his Boris Johnson essay (see 12.08pm and 1.45pm), Dominic Cummings conducted a Q&A today with subscribers on his Substack account. It was relatively short on news, but he claimed that Downing Street has been told by its scientific advisers not to do what it is announcing today.

He also said Boris Johnson would privately liked to reverse devolution. Asked about Johnson’s view of devolution, he said:

He’s an unthinkign [sic] unionist. Thinks devolution/Scottish parliament was a disaster, wd like to reverse it but wont dare try ...

(I left the wording as posted, complete with typo.)

Cummings also said he would subsequently write a blog to explain why he wanted to force Sajid Javid to resign as chancellor last year. Javid was “just a yes man who will follow what Boris wants and spend all day on the media”, Cummings said.

Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, and Sir Patrick Vallance, its chief scientific adviser, will join Boris Johnson at the Number 10 press conference where Johnson will give details of the plans to lift all remaining restrictions in England on 19 July – two weeks today.

At the same time Sajid Javid, the health secretary, will be unveiling the plans in the Commons.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has also expressed reservations about lifting the requirement for people to have to wear face coverings on public transport. A spokesperson for Khan said:

On the continuing wearing of face masks, it is important that we continue to follow the science around the extent to which they limit transmission on transport and in busy indoor spaces.

Evidence shows that the wearing of face masks gives many Londoners the confidence that they can travel safely on public transport.

People feeling confident they can travel on our tubes, buses and trains as they get busier will be a vital part of encouraging more people into central London as restrictions are lifted further, and it is something that we will continue to look at closely.

Ministers have been accused of giving mixed messages about where people should continue to wear masks, as the government prepares to end their compulsory use in most places across England.

My colleague Aubrey Allegretti has the full story here:

Sir Simon Stevens, the outgoing NHS chief executive, addressed the congregation during the thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the 73rd anniversary of the NHS, PA Media reports. PA says:

Stevens described the occasion as an opportunity for “cautious pride in science, treatments and our vaccines” but also a time for some “anger and regret” over the millions who have died with coronavirus around the world.

He described the NHS as an example of “building back better” and “an inspiring example for our generation of how out of adversity can come strength”.

He addressed socially distanced guests including frontline NHS workers, the Duke of Cambridge, Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer and Ed Davey.

Visiting care homes in England is unlikely to “completely go back to normal” after the final stage of easing restrictions on 19 July, Helen Whately, the care minister, said this morning. She told Sky News:

We will be taking some more steps as part of step 4 of the roadmap. I don’t think visiting will completely go back to normal. There will still have to be some precautions.

It’s step by step, getting things as close to normal as we can while still protecting people who are at greater risk from Covid.

She said that in health and care settings she expected the requirement to wear face masks to continue after 19 July.

The Duchess of Cambridge was due to attend the service of thanksgiving for the NHS at St Paul’s Cathedral this morning with her husband. But she is having to isolate having been in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid. Kensington Palace said:

Last week the Duchess of Cambridge came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.

Her Royal Highness is not experiencing any symptoms, but is following all relevant government guidelines and is self-isolating at home.

Sajid Javid’s statement to MPs about Covid will be at 5pm, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, has announced. That means Boris Johnson can hold a press conference at 5pm as usual and not worry about Javid announcing the news first.

This arrangement follows complaints from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, that No 10 used to make Covid announcements via press conferences without MPs being notified formally. Under the ministerial code, major government announcements are meant to be made first in parliament.

Over recent week ministers have repeatedly said that the vaccine programme has effectively broken the link between coronavirus infections rising and hospital cases and deaths also rising. “It looks ever clearer that the vaccination programme, the speed of that vaccine rollout, has broken that link between infection and mortality,” Boris Johnson said only last Thursday.

Interestingly, the overnight press release from No 10 is more cautious on this point. It just says:

The latest data and scientific modelling suggest that cases will continue to rise as restrictions are eased, but the link to hospitalisations and deaths has been weakened due to the vaccination programme.

Good morning. In September last year, announcing his winter economy plan, Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, gave a speech saying the country had to start getting back to normal because it could not live with restrictions forever. “We must learn to live with it [coronavirus] and live without fear,” he said. With its implied refusal to defer to the “health and safety” science lobby, its worldly realism about risk and its focus on the interests of the economy, the speech delighted Conservative MPs.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be premature. There were two more lockdowns to come.

But this afternoon Boris Johnson is essentially going to resurrect Sunak’s message from last autumn when he explains what the government wants to happen in England from 19 July, the date set for the final lifting of restrictions. As Aubrey Allegretti and Linda Geddes report in our overnight splash:

[Johnson] is expected to announce that with 86% of adults in the UK having had at least a first jab, the government will move from relying on legal curbs to control people’s behaviour to letting individuals make their own decisions.

Changes to be announced include allowing fully vaccinated adults to travel to amber list countries without having to self-isolate when they return; making the wearing of face masks voluntary, apart from in hospitals and other healthcare settings; and no longer requiring fully vaccinated adults to self-isolate if they have come into contact with an infected person.

As Aubrey and Linda report, some government science advisers have already warned that they think the government is opening up too fast.

And it is not just the scientists; the TUC thinks the government cannot just leave it up to individuals and employers to decide what is safe. Paul Nowak, its deputy general secretary, told the Today programme this morning:

I don’t think the government’s got it right, unfortunately ...

It’s vital when [people] do return to work that they have confidence that their workplace is as Covid-secure as possible, and that it’s as safe as possible.

I just don’t think it’s acceptable for government to simply outsource its responsibilities to individuals, and indeed to individual employers.

Of course personal responsibility will have a role to play, but government can’t just wash its hands of this issue.

And there is particular concern about the plan to stop making the wearing of face coverings on public transport compulsory. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is calling for a rethink:

I will post more reaction as the day goes on.

Here is the agenda for the day.

11am: A service of commemoration and thanksgiving to mark the 73rd anniversary of the NHS is held at St Paul’s.

12pm: Downing Street is expected to hold its daily lobby briefing.

12pm: Dominic Cummings, the PM’s former chief adviser, holds a Q&A for subscribers on his Substack account.

12.30pm: Eluned Morgan, the Welsh government’s health minister, and Dr Andrew Goodall, the chief executive of NHS Wales, hold a press conference.

Afternoon: Boris Johnson gives a press conference to announce plans for the lifting of Covid restrictions in England from 19 July. Also, Sajid Javid, the health secretary, is making a statement to MPs about the changes. The exact timings have not been confirmed yet. Commons statements are normally at 3.30pm, and No 10 press conferences are normally at 5pm, but Johnson will probably want to announce the changes first, and the Javid statement may be scheduled to start after 5pm.

Politics Live has been a mix of Covid and non-Covid news recently but today I will be mostly be focusing mostly on Johnson’s announcement about the easing of remaining restrictions in England on 19 July.

For more coronavirus developments, do follow our global Covid live blog.

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