“We have all already made huge sacrifices and we are in an increasingly precarious situation as hospital admissions grow each day."

The Prime Minister is expected to be joined by Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance in Downing Street at 5pm, following a meeting of his Cabinet earlier in the afternoon.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe said her solitary cell “gave me panic attacks” because she was claustrophobic, and that Iranian police had made threats concerning her young daughter Gabriella.

“Prevalence of the virus is currently lower in Scotland than in other parts of the UK and there are early signs that the tough restrictions in place since we moved quickly in late September have started to slow the rate of increase."

“The National Education Union called for a two-week circuit break over half-term to include schools, which the Wales Government and the Northern Ireland assembly have done – but the Government in Westminster has ignored this call."

“The self-employed cannot survive with no income. The newly unemployed cannot wait five weeks for Universal Credit. The sick cannot isolate on the pennies of sick pay."

“The government didn’t need a crystal ball – it just needed to listen to the scientists who warned repeatedly this would happen.

Nadine Dorries says only 'a crystal ball' could have predicted the need for second lockdown

He was 90-years-old