Rishi Sunak is pledging to make jobs his "number one priority" as he sets out his first Spending Review against the backdrop of an economy ravaged by the effects of Covid-19.
In his Commons statement on Wednesday, the Chancellor will announce the launch of a three-year Restart programme, worth £2.9 billion, which will help more than a million unemployed people get back into work in the wake of the pandemic.
Last night it was confirmed that three households will be allowed to form Christmas bubbles for five days between December 23 to December 27.
For five days only, people will be able to ditch social distancing and spend time with a limited number of loved ones in the "exclusive" bubbles of up to three households.
The plans were slammed by SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward, who feels they will fuel a third wave in the new year.
Meanwhile the row over post-lockdown rules is growing, with reports saying the Government may not place any parts of England in the most lenient Tier 1.
This concludes our live coverage
This concludes our live coverage.
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We will have further updates about the Chancellor’s announcement and the pandemic at Mirror.co.uk.
UK spent £10billion extra buying coronavirus PPE due to 'inadequate' stockpiles
The Government spent an extra £10billion buying PPE at inflated prices due to failure to stockpile vital safety kit before the pandemic, a scathing new report has found.
Health bosses paid 1,300 per cent more for some items compared to 2019 prices, as global demand soared in the first wave of the pandemic, the National Audit Office (NAO) found.
Analysis by the spending watchdog found the Department of Health and Social Care racked up a £12.5billion bill for 32 billion items of PPE during the first wave of the pandemic.
Click here for the full story.
Some parents face having to choose which of their kids can come home for Christmas
Parents of three children living away from home face having to choose which can come back for Christmas as part of No10’s winter coronavirus plan.
Boris Johnson has been warned by experts the planned UK-wide relaxation of restrictions could lead to a third wave of the pandemic.
The UK Government and devolved administrations have agreed a temporary easing of measures which will allow three households to mix in a bubble from December 23 to 27.
Social distancing will be relaxed within the bubbles, giving people the chance to hug friends and family for the first time in months.
The restrictions mean if you have more than two grown-up children living away from home, they can’t all come to meet you.
Click here for the full story.
Christmas bubble losers - from fuming pub owners to 'heartbroken' care home residents
Families will be able to meet up for Christmas after the Government confirmed that three households can form a festive bubble, but many people will miss out.
The relaxed measures across the UK will be in place from December 23-27 and grandparents will be allowed to give little ones a hug as social distancing within the bubbles will not be required.
People will be able to travel to different areas of the country, and the rules will be the same regardless of what lockdown tier your local area is in.
But while many have reacted positively to the news, there will be some families left with tough decisions to make as the bubbles must be “exclusive” involving a fixed three households.
And there are some people and industries who have not been catered for well by the new rules.
Click here for the full story.
Care homes told to get family permission to give coronavirus vaccine to residents
Care homes have reportedly been told to get permission from families to vaccinate residents.
A spate of successful trials, showing vaccinations could be up to 95 percent effective, has led to increased optimism they could be ready by Christmas.
And with the elderly and vulnerable to be amongst the first to be given the jabs, care homes across the UK are preparing to inoculate residents - with the sector having been severely hit during the pandemic.
Click here for the full story.
Rishi Sunak promises £3bn 'Restart' jobs scheme in Spending Review
Rishi Sunak has promised billions in funding for a new scheme to help people back into work in his first Spending Review.
Ahead of his statement on Wednesday, the Chancellor said his “number one priority” is to protect jobs and livelihoods in the wake of the economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic.
The review will include £2.9 billion over three years for a new Restart scheme designed to help more than a million unemployed people find jobs.
Click here for the full story.
Latest coronavirus rates offer lockdown clues - with no areas in Tier 1 'possible'
All of England could be thrust into Tiers 2 and 3 from next week as lockdown is lifted - meaning no mixing of households indoors.
With Boris Johnson having already laid out his Covid Winter Plan - which will see the return of the tier system, though with harsher restrictions - what areas will be in what tier will be announced tomorrow.
Some within the Tory party have accused the Prime Minister of simply introducing another lockdown, but under a different name - with one source saying nowhere in England might end up in the most lenient Tier 1.
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Christmas survey - tell us what you think about three households forming bubbles
The Mirror’s Christmas bubbles survey gives readers the chance to tell us what you think about three households being allowed to mix.
The UK Government and devolved administrations have agreed a temporary easing of measures which will allow three households to mix in a bubble from December 23 to 27.
Our survey asks readers whether they agree with the plans, if they’ll hug their family and if they plan to stick to the rules.
Click here to take the survey.
Couple pay double asking price for £200k cottage without kitchen during pandemic
A couple paid double the asking price for a £200,000 cottage - and it doesn’t even have a kitchen.
ME sufferer Dee Rand was forced to shield at home in London when the coronavirus pandemic struck in March, leading to the 50-year-old and husband Philip, 49, quickly re-evaluating their city lives.
On finding their dream home - a run-down two-bed cottage 200 miles away in the Shropshire countryside - the couple entered a cut-throat bidding war with more than a dozen other hopeful buyers.
Click here for the full story.
Parents of three kids living away face choosing which come home for Christmas
Parents of three children living away from home face having to choose which can come back for Christmas as part of No10’s winter coronavirus plan.
Boris Johnson has been warned by experts the planned UK-wide relaxation of restrictions could lead to a third wave of the pandemic.
The UK Government and devolved administrations have agreed a temporary easing of measures which will allow three households to mix in a bubble from December 23 to 27.
Click here for the full story.
Christmas bubbles to 'throw fuel on Covid fire' and lead to deaths, SAGE member warns
The UK’s five-day Christmas bubble plan will “pour fuel on the Covid fire” and lead to more deaths, a SAGE member has warned.
Professor Andrew Hayward said the four nations’ approach to Christmas risks triggering a third wave of the pandemic in the new year.
Earlier it was announced that three households will be able to mix indoors from December 23 to 27, regardless of existing lockdown tiers.
Click here for the full story.
Son's Facetime pep talks helped save life of grandad during eight-month Covid battle
A grandad who spent eight months fighting for his life in hospital with coronavirus pulled through with the help of his son’s regular Facetime pep talks.
Gary Dissington, 57, was in a coma for much of his stay at Royal Oldham Hospital and then Rochdale Infirmary - during which time doctors and nurses saved his life multiple times.
But he does remember the talks his truck driver son, also named Gary, gave, in which he told the grandfather-of-six: “Come on dad! Get through this! Crack on!”
Click here for the full story.
Rishi Sunak promises £3bn 'Restart' jobs scheme
Rishi Sunak has promised billions in funding for a new scheme to help people back into work in his first Spending Review.
Ahead of his statement on Wednesday, the Chancellor said his “number one priority” is to protect jobs and livelihoods in the wake of the economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic.
The review will include £2.9 billion over three years for a new Restart scheme designed to help more than a million unemployed people find jobs.
But it comes as low-paid workers were expected to face a double whammy, as the Chancellor plans to both squeeze public sector pay and row back on a planned rise to the minimum wage.
Care home residents over 65 banned from spending Christmas with family
Care home residents over 65 will not be able to join their families for Christmas under the new rules.
People across the UK are being granted a festive reprieve from coronavirus restrictions, allowing three households to form a “Christmas bubble” together between December 23 and 27.
Families will be allowed to travel across the UK - regardless of the tier they live in - to spend the five-day period with loved ones.
Guidance is due to be published on how care home residents under 65 can safely spend Christmas with their families in England.
But older residents will be expected to stay in their care home due to the increased risk.
Family to 'break Nana out of care home' for Christmas
A family say they will ‘break their Nana’ out of her care home for Christmas - even if it means they are threatened with jail.
Marion Panzica, 82, lives in a care home in Droylsden, Greater Manchester - where she suffers from leukemia, lung condition COPD and it is suspected she has the first signs of dementia.
Her desperate family say she has become despondent, confused, and no longer recalls the name of her beloved great-grandson during lockdown.
Despite her family feeling strongly she needs a stay at home with them for her mental well being, because of her prescribed cancer medication, Marion has a ‘Deprivation of Liberty Order’.
This means the care home has told Marion’s daughter Lisa Cowan that she needs to meet with a social worker to arrange to bring her home for contact with her loved ones.
Christmas bubble coronavirus rules in full
Lockdown rules for Christmas across the whole UK have been confirmed by the government after a four-nation coronavirus summit.
Three households will be able to join together under one roof in an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ for five days UK-wide, between December 23-27.
Bubbles can gather in private homes, outdoor public spaces, or places of worship together - but not the pub.
The new rules will let many people who are under the toughest Covid rules see their families for the only time before Easter.
But it’s clear it won’t be a total knees-up - and the government is already shifting the blame to individuals if things go wrong.
Boris Johnson has warned people “’tis the season to be jolly careful” while ministers can’t rule out more deaths due to the move.
So what do the rules look like, and should you see your family? Here’s a quick guide.
Family coronavirus victim, 10, say pain 'indescribable'
The devastated parents of a 10-year-old boy who died after contracting coronavirus say they did everything they could to protect him.
“Brave fighter” Fehzan Jamil, from Bradford, was laid to rest yesterday after dying in hospital.
The parents of the West Yorkshire boy, believed to be one of the youngest victims of Covid-19 in the UK, told Channel 4 News of their “indescribable pain” at his loss.
The couple told the broadcaster Fehzan had a number of underlying health issues, including epilepsy.
Tayyaba and Mohammed, said Fehzan was a happy, cheerful boy who was always smiling despite his health problems.
They said: “He was a really brave fighter, he was a soldier.”
Latest on coronavirus in numbers
The coronavirus has claimed the lives of another 608 people in the UK - taking the total to 55,838.
There have also been a further 11,299 cases reported in the latest daily figures, down by almost half from a week ago.
A total of 1,538,794 have now tested positive in the UK since the pandemic began.
Three households allowed to celebrate Christmas together
Families from three households will be able to celebrate Christmas together across the UK, the Mirror understands.
Three households will be able to bubble together between December 23 and 27 in a festive relaxation of the coronavirus rules.
The plans were approved by leaders of all UK nations at a COBRA meeting on Tuesday afternoon, led by Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.
School attendance plunges
School attendance has plunged due to coronavirus as more than a fifth of secondary pupils are now stuck at home.
Grim new figures show 22% of all state secondary pupils in England missed classes on November 19 - up from 17% in a week.
And almost three-quarters of secondary schools have at least one pupil self-isolating due to a suspected coronavirus case in the school.
The number of secondaries with at least one Covid-19 case is now 73% - up from 64% in just a week.
The figures are less dramatic for primary schools, where attendance was 87%, while 29% of primaries have at least one case.
Italy records highest daily death toll since late March
Italy has recorded a further 853 deaths today - the highest daily toll since march 28.
The figure soared from 630 yesterday, with a further 23,232 new coronavirus infections, up marginally from 22,930 the day before.
There were 188,659 coronavirus swabs carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 148,945.
Italy was the first Western country to be hit by the virus and has seen 51,306 coronavirus fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February, the second highest toll in Europe after
Britain’s.
It has also registered 1.455 million cases.
Christmas travel chaos looms as Tories warn of train 'problem'
Brits face the prospect of Christmas travel chaos after they were urged to consider not going by train - despite lockdown easing.
The UK’s four governments meet this afternoon to agree a UK-wide suspension of the rules over the festive break.
That could allow up to three households to meet under one roof, reuniting families that were apart since March.
But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today warned there could be a “problem” if everyone tries to get trains in the short window.
He warned services could be limited due to engineering works and the need to maintain social distancing on the railways.
UK coronavirus death toll soars by 608
The coronavirus has claimed the lives of another 608 people in the UK - taking the total to 55,838.
There have also been a further 11,299 cases reported in the latest daily figures, down by almost half from a week ago.
A total of 1,538,794 have now tested positive in the UK since the pandemic began.
Read more on the latest figures and regional statistics here
No changes to coronavirus restrictions in Scotland
No further changes will be made to coronavirus restrictions in Scotland this week despite evidence the virus is in decline, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
East Lothian moved from Level 3 to Level 2 of the Scottish Government’s five-tier system on Tuesday morning but the First Minister told MSPs in the Scottish Parliament this will be the only change.
The majority of Scots remain in the first of three weeks of strict measures that have closed all non-essential shops and prevented travel to other areas.
Ms Sturgeon told MSPs that 41 deaths and 771 positive tests have been recorded in the past 24 hours.
Enough was known about Covid in January to act then, expert claims
Enough was known about coronavirus in January to act straight away, but the response was delayed, a leading scientist has said.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said that while information about the virus was “uncertain”, action could have been taken.
At the start of January the World Health Organisation was aware of a cluster of pneumonia cases - with no deaths - in Wuhan, China, and shared detailed information with member states.
Speaking at the Imperial College London’s Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics’s (J-IDEA) symposium on a post-Covid world, Sir Jeremy said the response to the information was delayed.
He said: “The information you have early may be uncertain, but it’s enough to act on.
“I would say that at the end of January we knew enough to have acted. And we waited. We waited out of uncertainty, we wanted to be more certain than we needed to be.
MP voices fury after anti-lockdown protester arrested
The Prime Minister has been urged to “end these injustices now” after a Conservative MP said he witnessed an “elderly lady peacefully protesting” about Covid restrictions get arrested outside Parliament.
A video has emerged on social media website Twitter of Broxbourne MP Sir Charles Walker witnessing an arrest in Westminster on Tuesday afternoon.
Raising a point of order, Sir Charles told the Commons: “I have just witnessed an elderly lady peacefully protesting with a handful of other people be arrested and carried spread-eagle to a police van just outside the precinct of the House of Commons. “This is a disgrace. This is un-British. It is unconstitutional and this Government, our Prime Minister needs to end these injustices now.
Lockdown is 'mental health catastrophe waiting to happen', menopausal women warn
Seven in 10 menopausal women feel the latest national lockdown has increased their symptoms of anxiety - in what has also been described as “a mental health catastrophe waiting to happen”.
A poll of 2,000 women over 40 found that half think the pandemic has made their menopause symptoms worse.
It is particularly affecting their sleep, with three quarters of respondents aged 45 to 54 having disrupted nights due to anxiety and sweats.
For the full story, click here
Midlands endures highest number of Covid-19 hospital fatalities in latest daily figures
NHS England has provided a breakdown showing where the most recent Covid-19 deaths occurred.
The Midlands saw the highest number of casualties, followed by the North East & Yorkshire and the North West.
In total there were 353 deaths in England, 41 in Scotland, 21 in Wales and seven in Northern Ireland.
- East of England - 21
- London - 21
- Midlands - 101
- North East & Yorkshire - 80
- North West - 71
- South East – 35
- South West - 24
Child, 10, becomes one of latest coronavirus victims as 422 more die in UK hospitals
The number of lives lost to the coronavirus pandemic in UK hospitals has risen by 422 - with a ten-year-old among the latest casualties.
Health authorities today confirmed there had been 353 deaths in England, 41 in Scotland, 21 in Wales and seven in Northern Ireland.
Victims in England were aged between 10 and 100, with a 31-year-old with no known underlying health conditions among those who died.
More than 100 deaths occurred in the Midlands, the highest number in any region.
For the full story, click here
Boris Johnson 'Jolly Careful' Christmas cards hit the shelves
Christmas cards inspired by the Prime Minister’s “jolly careful” speech have hit the virtual shelves less than 24 hours later.
Boris Johnson used the expression at a press briefing on Monday night while advising the public to take precautions over the festive period - and by Tuesday card-makers across the country were capitalising on his Christmas catchphrase.
Mr Johnson warned the nation that December is “not the moment to let the virus rip for the sake of Christmas parties”, adding: “’Tis the season to be jolly, but it is also the season to be jolly careful, especially with elderly relatives.”
He added that the months ahead “will be hard” and “they will be cold”, but this foreboding speech has since been evoked in illustrations designed to spread Christmas cheer by retail giants as well as independent illustrators.