Politics latest news: Country in' race against time' as lockdown to last until March at earliest, says Michael Gove

Cat Neilan
Michael Gove: The UK faces 'very, very difficult weeks' before lockdown three is lifted
Michael Gove: The UK faces 'very, very difficult weeks' before lockdown three is lifted

The UK will be in full lockdown until March at the earliest, Michael Gove has warned. 

Last night Boris Johnson appeared to suggested that some restrictions in the third national lockdown could be lifted by the mid-February half-term, depending on the success of the vaccination roll out. However this morning the Cabinet Office minister stressed the lag time for immunity would add at least a couple more weeks to the point at which any freedoms could be restored. 

Mr Gove told Sky News the country faced some "very, very difficult weeks" with the UK in "a race against time", as cases continued to surge. 

"I think it's right to say that as we enter March we should be able to lift some of these restrictions but not necessarily all. We can't predict with certainty" what restrictions can be lifted by March, he added.

He acknowledged that the target of vaccinating the top four categories would be challenging, saying: "It is a significant, a stretching target, but it is one we can achieve."

Following discussions with the various First Ministers, Mr Gove will be "coming forward very shortly with new proposals for how to ensure our borders are safe", amid concerns that there is still no requirement for those arriving in the UK to produce a Covid-negative test. 

The Chancellor will also set out plans for more financial support this morning, however Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is not expected to offer clarity over the Government's plan for summer exams until tomorrow. 

Follow the latest updates below.

08:16 AM

Students told don't 'down tools' ahead of Education Secretary's statement tomorrow

Students, parents and teachers will have to wait another day before they find out how the Government is planning to replace end-of-year exams, Michael Gove has confirmed. 

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will address a recalled House of Commons tomorrow, following discussions with exams regulator Ofqual, to set out how to recognise "the immense hard work that students across the country have put in this year", his colleague said.

"Obviously we can't have A-levels, GCSEs or B-techs in the way that we have had them in the past but there are ways of ensuring that we can assess the work that students have done, give them a fair recognition of that and help them onto the next stage of their education," Mr Gove told Sky News. 

"The Education Secretary will be saying more about that but it is critically important that parents and students recognise that their work will be recognised at the end of this year - it is not the case that anyone would, or anyone would want to, down tools as it were."

Gavin Williamson - Shutterstock
Gavin Williamson - Shutterstock

08:07 AM

Chancellor Rishi Sunak to set out details of further financial support for third lockdown

Rishi Sunak will set out details of additional support for business in the third lockdown later today, Michael Gove has said. 

It is not known exactly what the Chancellor will set out, although Labour has been calling for additional business support as well as addressing the needs of the three million people who have been excluded from support throughout the pandemic. 

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds tweeted: "A lockdown on the same scale as last March makes further changes to economic support inevitable.

"This should have been set out last night - but yet again the PM kept people in the dark. Instead of waiting days to set the record straight, the Chancellor needs to act today."

Pressure is on Rishi Sunak to address the 3m excluded - Reuters
Pressure is on Rishi Sunak to address the 3m excluded - Reuters

08:04 AM

Government cannot 'predict with certainty' when lockdown will lift, says Michael Gove

Michael Gove has conceded that the Government cannot "predict with certainty" when the latest lockdown will be lifted, despite Boris Johnson's suggestion last night that restrictions could be eased by mid-February. 

The Cabinet Office minister told Sky News that it would not be a case that lockdown would be lifted overnight, with restrictions being lifted "progressively" and that process unlikely to start before early March. 

He said: "We will keep these constantly under review but you are absolutely right, we can't predict with certainty that we will be able to lift restrictions in the week commencing February 15-22.

"What we will be doing is everything that we can to make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated, so that we can begin to progressively lift restrictions.

"I think it is right to say that as we enter March we should be able to lift some of these restrictions but not necessarily all."

07:43 AM

England enters third national lockdown, with 'hardest weeks' ahead

Hospitals are under more pressure from Covid-19 than they have ever been, the Prime Minister warned as he ordered a new national lockdown across England.

Boris Johnson said that hospitals are 40 per cent busier than the first peak of the virus in April 2020. It comes as some doctors compared working in the NHS to being in a warzone.

The British Medical Association (BMA) welcomed the lockdown as it warned that hospitals are "stretched to breaking point".

Sir Keir Starmer said he supported Mr Johnson’s national lockdown plans. The Labour leader said: "Whatever our criticisms of the government, we’ve all got to pull together now to make this work."

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