Scotland in full lockdown from midnight

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has imposed a full lockdown across the mainland from midnight tonight.

In a statement to an emergency session of the Scottish Parliament, the first minister said schools would remain closed until February at the earliest, with a legal requirement for everyone to stay at home, except for essential reasons.

The lockdown already in force in Wales is likely to be extended until at least the end of the month, with schools closed until 18 January, while Northern Ireland’s executive is meeting tonight and is expected to endorse similar restrictions to the rest of the UK.