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Boris Johnson will not take part in prime minister’s questions on Wednesday after his partner Carrie Symonds gave birth to a baby boy.
It would have been his first PMQs since recovering from Covid-19, an illness that left him in intensive care for three nights earlier in April.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, is due to stand in for the PM and will face Labour leader Keir Starmer in the Commons for the second week running.
Johnson returned to No.10 on Sunday evening to take charge of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
A spokesperson for Johnson and Symonds said: “The prime minister and Ms Symonds are thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy at a London hospital earlier this morning. Both mother and baby are doing very well.
“The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team.”
A number of MPs shared their congratulations.
Health secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: “So thrilled for Boris and Carrie. Wonderful to have a moment of unalloyed joy!”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: “Wonderful news. Many congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds.”
Johnson had been recuperating at Chequers following his discharge from hospital, where he had spent three nights in intensive care.
In a speech in Downing Street on Monday morning, the PM warned the UK was now at the point of “maximum risk” in its battle with coronavirus.
He acknowledged frustrations over the continuing lockdown but insisted he would not risk a second peak in the disease by relaxing restrictions too quickly.