Coronavirus news: Northern leaders attack new lockdown plans for lack of clarity amid pub closure fears

Good morning, thank you for joining us for today’s coronavirus live blog. 

We’ll be keeping you up to date with the latest news and statistics as the government looks set to announce new lockdown restrictions for parts of England next week.

Pubs and restaurants in North to close again

It looks like there will be another hard blow to the hospitality industry in parts of northern England as the government is reportedly poised to order pubs and restaurants to close again.

The much-talked-about three-tier system is also rumoured to be on the horizon for the rest of the country, with places such as Merseyside, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle likely to fall into the highest category.

Jenrick refuses to confirm pub closures

And so the plot thickens, with housing secretary Robert Jenrick refusing to confirm whether pubs and restaurants in parts of northern England will be forced to close again.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said it “was not sensible” for him to speculate about the possible measures, despite being repeatedly asked.  

Although he did tell the programme: "It is correct to say the number of cases in the North West and the North East and a number of cities, particularly in the Midlands like Nottingham, are rising fast and that is a serious situation.  

"We are currently considering what steps we should take, obviously taking the advice of our scientific and medical advisers, and a decision will be made shortly.”

UK at ‘tipping point’

A health expert has warned the UK is at a “tipping point”, while the variation in lockdown rules are “difficult” and “confusing” for people.  

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard stressed she was not “scaremongering” in an interview with BBC Breakfast as she pleaded with the public to follow the rules in local lockdown areas ahead of a “difficult winter”. 

Pandemic inquiry

Number 10 is to come under the spotlight as two former Tory cabinet ministers have launched an inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic.  

Greg Clark, chair of the Commons science and technology committee and Jeremy Hunt, chair of the health committee, said “important lessons need to be learned” to help inform decisions through the next phase of the crisis as infections soar once again.  

They hope to put together a joint report by spring. 

If you’re just joining us this morning or are in a hurry, this round-up of key coronavirus news pulled together by my colleague Kate Ng is handy for catching up:

Shadow business minister Lucy Powell, who represents Manchester Central, has responded to the news that pubs and restaurants in northern England could be closed from Monday

Coronavirus killing three times more people than flu and pneumonia combined

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that Covid-19 was the underlying cause in over 48,000 deaths, three times as many deaths than those caused by flu and pneumonia between January and August.

Our Health Correspondent, Shaun Lintern, reports on the new data:

What are the figures from the ONS?

January 2020 saw the highest numbers of deaths due to flu and pneumonia, but these numbers were below the five-year average in all months from January to August, says the ONS.

Covid-19 mortality rates skyrocket for all age groups compared to influenza and pneumonia.

The picture worsens in care homes, where the proportion of deaths due to Covid-19 nearly doubled compared to those due to flu and pneumonia.

Donald Trumps thanks Boris Johnson for support through his Covid-19 experience

The US president has sung his praises for prime minister Boris Johnson, thanking him for the “friendship and support” he received during his recent infection with coronavirus.

Donald Trump said in a tweet, in which he referred to Covid-19 as “the China virus”, that he was looking forward to working with Mr Johnson for “many years to come”, reports Harry Cockburn.