The Government is facing a mounting backlash over its response to the coronavirus pandemic while the death toll of Covid-19 in UK hospitals has passed 16,000.
Reports in the Sunday Times claimed the Government missed a series of opportunities to reduce the impact of the outbreak in February and March, with Boris Johnson accused of not attending multiple Cobra meetings.
The PM is currently recuperating at Chequers, where he is said to have had some contact with Ministers, after being hospitalised with Covid-19. But a Downing Street spokesman insisted Mr Johnson remains at "the helm of the response" and that ministers have been working "day and night" since the "earliest stages of the outbreak" to protect the NHS and save lives.
Meanwhile, the Education Secretary said he wanted “nothing more” than to see children return to school but stressed that lockdown measures could only start to be eased once five key tests have been met.
Follow our live updates below...
