matt hancock
The new restrictions will kick in on Boxing Day.
Matt Hancock has outlined measures to contain the spread of the "highly concerning" new strain.
One MP simply said the government was "utterly useless".
Health secretary Matt Hancock leads a Downing Street press conference as the R number in Britain rises following the discovery of a mutant strain of coronavirus.
It is believed that the new variant of coronavirus has already spread around the country.
These five stats show just how worrying the pandemic is right now.
A new variant of coronavirus, which causes Covid-19, has been identified in the UK and may be growing faster than existing variants of the virus, according to health secretary Matt Hancock. It’s thought the new variant could be the cause of rising infection rates in London and the south of England, which will be put under more stringent Covid restrictions from midnight Wednesday as a result.
Sir Charles Walker's outburst suggests an extraordinary breakdown of trust between ministers and some backbenchers.
Ministers and scientists have previously said they think the vaccine would become effective by spring.
Scary rise in cases adds to pressure on the PM.