UK government and Greater Manchester deadlocked over Covid restrictions

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told MPs that deaths from Covid-19 in the UK have doubled in the last 12 days, describing the situation as “perilous”.

But amid Labour calls for a similar national ”circuit breaker” to Wales, Mr Hancock defended England’s three tier system of local restrictions for England insisting it made sense. Talks to put Greater Manchester into the strictest set of measures still haven’t been resolved.

Across the UK there have been another 18,804 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. A further 80 deaths have been reported, which brings the total to 43,726.