The Joint Biosecurity Centre has recommended the Covid-19 alert level for the UK be increased to level 4, meaning transmission of the virus is "high or rising exponentially".
The UK's coronavirus numbers are "heading in the wrong direction", the government's most senior advisers have warned ahead of a live briefing on what could happen next.
Labour would back Boris Johnson on imposing a second national lockdown if it was deemed necessary, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Matt Hancock has urged people to report their neighbours for flouting coronavirus rules as he announced heavy new penalties for those who fail to self-isolate when asked.
Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds has expressed concern the government has "something to hide" as the findings of an inquiry into the home secretary's behaviour are still to be released after seven months.
Coronavirus hotspots across the UK have been subjected to localised lockdown restrictions in a bid to slow the spread of the virus—use PoliticsHome’s interactive map to find out what restrictions apply where.
Amal Clooney has resigned as a UK special envoy in protest at what she calls a “lamentable” plan to “violate an international treaty signed by the Prime Minister less than a year ago”.
Matt Hancock has refused to rule out putting the whole of the UK back into lockdown amid a spike in coronavirus cases, saying it “isn't something that we ever take off the table”.
Two private firms handed almost £200m to run part of the government’s test and trace system will not face any financial penalties if they fail to deliver the services properly.
Plans by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) to use Israeli military-grade drones to replace helicopters and aeroplanes have raised concerns among privacy campaigners.