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Boris Johnson has been forced to roll back on the relaxation on some lockdown measures today after tthe Government’s chief scientific and medical advisers revealed there could be 50,000 cases a day by mid-October if action is not taken – and fast. The duo warned the UK could see a daily death toll of 200 or more by mid-November if the current rate of infection is not halted. Today, the Prime Minister said his Government must “act now to avoid still graver consequences later on”. 

He added: “We always knew that while we might have driven the virus into retreat, the prospect of a second wave was real and I’m sorry to say that, as in Spain and France and many other countries, we’ve reached a perilous turning point.”

New restrictions will be imposed in England, the PM said, added they will be rolled out “carefully judged to achieve the maximum reduction in the R number with the minimum damage to lives and livelihoods”.

He told MPs: “I want to stress that this is by no means a return to the full lockdown of March. We’re not issuing a general instruction to stay at home.

“We will ensure that schools, colleges, universities stay open because nothing is more important than the education, health and well-being of our young people.

“We will ensure businesses can stay open in a Covid-compliant way. However we must take action to suppress the disease.”

Prior to his statement in the House of Commons this morning, the PM chaired a Cobra committee meeting with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, her Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford, and Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster and her deputy Michelle O’Neill.

A Government spokesman said: “The Prime Minister set out the importance of all parts of the United Kingdom working closely together in response to the second wave of coronavirus.

“And following the Cobra meeting the Prime Minister spoke with the Mayor of London to discuss the situation there.”

With Mr Johnson expected to give another lockdown update this evening in a televised address at 8pm, what will Nicola Sturgeon say on the matter?

What time is Nicola Sturgeon daily briefing today?

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the times for her announcement on lockdown measures today.

She tweeted: “For info: there will be no scotgov briefing at 12.15pm today.

“Instead I will make a statement to ScotParl at 2.20pm. And I will make a TV address – setting out the current position in Scotland – at 8.05pm on BBC.”

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