Matt Hancock ‘acted unlawfully’ by failing to publish Covid contract details

Coronavirus infections are falling across the UK, while the R rate of transmission is also below one in every region of England.

Leading scientists say the mass vaccination rollout is starting to have an impact, although they have warned the prevalence of the virus remains high.

The latest 24-hour government figures show a further 533 people are reported to have died with Covid, bringing the UK total to 119,920.

There have been another 12,000 new cases in the UK and another 450,000 people received their first dose of the Covid vaccine yesterday. Almost 17 million people have now received their first dose of a vaccine.

But the political row over the government’s handling of the crisis has continued.

Today, the High Court ruled that Health Secretary Matt Hancock acted “unlawfully” when he failed to publish details of contracts signed during the pandemic.