16:01
UK government briefing under way
The UK government's daily briefing begins withTransport Secretary Grant Shapps making his opening remarks.
He's standing alongside England's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries.
UK death toll rises to 36,675
A further 282 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died across the UK.
The figures from the Department of Health and Social Care for up to 09:00 BST today brings the total death toll to 36,675.
Announcing the new figures, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says: "This is not just a list of statistics but a devastating reminder of the cruelty of coronavirus."
Shapps: New investment for public transport
Grant Shapps announces new investment of £283m to "start moving back to a full timetable" of public transport.
However, he says it does not mean we can go back to using public transport "whenever we like".
Shapps: Covid must be 'catalyst' for better transport
Shapps says they are managing transport to make sure it is safe for the public.
He says from 1 June at the earliest, the government will start to deploy twice as many marshalls at stations, to give "reassurance and friendly advice" for users.
The transport secretary says it is not just about dealing with transport now, but "building it for the future too".
He says: "Transport is not just how we get from place to place, but it shapes the places.
"We now have opportunity to use power of transport to improve longstanding national weaknesses."
He says the "mission is to level up Britain", adding: "The Covid outbreak must be the catalyst for getting it done."
Shapps: New plans for rail and road
Shapps talks about the government's plans to reverse Beeching cuts to the railways.
He says the next 10 schemes to benefit have been announced today, saying it is development funding, "but if it stacks up we are going to build it fast".
They include the Ivanhoe line from Leciester to Burton, a line on the Isle of Wight and a new station at Wellington.
Shapps adds: "No matter how great we make the railways of the future, millions will still rely on cars."
As a result, he confirms a new dual carriageway, the A66 from Scotch Corner to Penrith.
He says these are the "first of many projects binding our country together."
Shapps: Hoping to 'enjoy an outdoor summer' from July
Shapps says the government is now looking at "creative ways" for business to re-open in July.
He says he knows restaurants and bars want to start trading again, and the government was working with them to so people can enjoy "an outdoor summer... in a safe and responsible environment" - but only if conditions allow.
The transport secretary says the measures are "not just to get through [the crisis] but come out of the recovery stronger by permanently changing how we use transport".
He concludes his remarks by announcing a new bicycles maintenance voucher which he says will help half a million people "drag bikes out of retirement".
Harries: Keep your distance even outside
Dr Jenny Harries, England's deputy chief medical officer, tells the briefing people are now increasingly visiting parks following a change of guidance in England.
She warns that people should continue to observe social distancing even when outside.
Data from Google suggests people are increasingly travelling to parks and workplaces following the change in rules to allow unlimited exercise in England - and after Boris Johnson encouraged people back to work.
We'll post all the slides seen at today's briefing here shortly.
Harries: 12% of ventilator beds used by Covid-19 patients
Harries says across all of the UK, demand for mechanical ventilator beds in hospitals has come down.
She says that 12% of such beds are occupied with Covid-19 patients - meaning there is now "significant capacity" available.
Harries: Deaths continuing to come down
Harries says the rise in UK deaths of 282 brings the total to 36,675. She says that a positive note from that number is that deaths are starting to come down and that, over a rolling seven-day average, it is continuing to come down.
"We will be looking to expect that to come down further," she adds.
Harries: Downward trend in new cases continues
Harries says there were 2,959 confirmed coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to 09:00 BST on Saturday.
It takes the total confirmed cases in the UK to 257,154.
She says that - encouragingly - the country is maintaining a downward trend in new confirmed cases.
Shapps: Quarantine rules in place in UK and Ireland
The first question comes from a member of the public - Gordon from Gosport.
He asks how the government is going to prevent travellers staying in Ireland coming to the UK and bypassing the new 14-day quarantine rule for all new entrants to the country.
Grant Shapps says: "Ireland has a travel ban effectively as well so they also have a quarantine in place."
He admits that may change in the future, and the UK will keep its rules "under review, but he adds: "For the time being, whether someone travels to Dublin or London, quarantine applies."
Harries: Tests for under-fives could come in future
Sarah from Newbury asks about testing for children under five years old. Currently, tests are available for the over-fives - she asks when that might change.
Harries says most of the children going back to school next month will be around five years old. She says that it is important that the tests are calibrated and interpreted correctly for a small child.
She says that "we are still learning" about Covid-19's effect on children. "We're getting a signal that transmission from children is also reduced," she says.
For the under-fives, tests will progress going forward, she adds.
What did the PM know about Cummings' movements?
The BBC's Iain Watson is next up, asking the minister and expert to clarify the rules around lockdown and travel - as the PM's chief adviser has faced criticism for travelling to Durham from London.
Dr Jenny Harries says the scientific and medical advice behind the self-isolation rules is "to take people symptomatic out of the public domain and those likely to develop symptoms" and "that is very clear".
She says there is "always an element safeguarding" but the "interpretation... is probably for others".
Asked if the PM knew about Dominic Cummings' movements, Grant Shapps says: "The important thing is that everyone remains in the same place while in lockdown, which is exactly what happened, so the PM would have known he was staying put."
He adds that the government asks people living with children to "keep following the advice", but they are "aware not all these measures will be possible depending on circumstances".
What was the official advice when Dominic Cummings made his trip?
Reality Check
Boris Johnson’s top aide has defended making a 260-mile journey from London to north-east England with his family during lockdown at the end of March.
Dominic Cummings says he did the "right thing" to be near relatives. His wife had coronavirus symptoms, and Downing Street says he wanted to ensure he had childcare if he got sick too.
The UK Government advice on essential travel at the time,
which still remains in place, includes:
- Not visiting second homes, whether for isolation purposes or holidays- Not leaving your home, the place you live, to stay at another home- Remaining at your primary residence, to avoid putting additional pressure on communities and services at riskRead more about social distancing and self-isolation
Shapps: Welfare of Cummings' child important
Sam Coates of Sky News asks Grant Shapps how he can be sure Dominic Cummings did not infect others on his journey from London to County Durham.
Shapps says that "everybody has been impacted by this crisis and everyone has tried their best to do the right thing".
He says the guidance "essentially" encourages people to follow the rules as best as possible - and that this situation involved the welfare of a four-year-old child, Cummings' child.
"The fact of the matter is the four-year-old child's welfare is the important thing," he says.
He also says: "Parents ask themselves what they would do if they had if they no one else around and eventually you would have to turn to external support or try and be close enough to your family to provide that care, which is what happened in this case here."
Harries: Guidance requires common sense
Asked what public health advice was - and is - for parents who become unwell, Harries says she would expect "common sense" to be applied if two adults were ill and unable to care for a small child.
"All of the guidance has a common sense element," she says, adding that would account for Cummings' decision to travel to seek support of his family members.
Shapps: It is for the individual to make the decision'
The next reporter from ITV says throughout this lockdown, people have been making "very difficult choices" about seeing their families, and asks the minister if they should they have been using own interpretation of the rules.
Grants Shapps says: "The reality is people should of course follow the guidance... and it clearly says to the best of your ability.
"Then it is for an individual to make the decision of how do I ensure I have enough support around the family."
The transport secretary says Dominic Cummings took the decision to go to that location and "stay in that location - he didn't move around from there."
Jenny Harries says the "key public health message is if you have symptoms, self-isolate immediately and stay in your homes".
She adds: "The only exception is around safeguarding."
Shapps: Don't know when PM knew about Durham trip
Asked again when the PM knew Dominic Cummings had travelled to Durham, Shapps says he does not know when Boris Johnson became aware but that the PM did know Cummings was unwell and "locked down".
"Mr Cummings has produced a statement which you will have no doubt read," Mr Shapps adds.
Harries: Self-isolation remains important
Jenny Harries tells Christopher Hope of the Daily Telegraph it is a really important message that people who are unwell should isolate.
"If you’re symptomatic, you stay at home, you take yourself out of society with your household as quickly as you can and stay there, unless there is an extreme risk to life."
She says that message continues to be important and will be crucial to the UK's test, track and trace strategy.
Shapps: Cummings has PM's full support
A Sun on Sunday journalist says there have already been two resignations from officials who have "broken the rules", so ask what is different for Dominic Cummings.
Grant Shapps says: "What most people will be thinking is, 'what would I do in that situation?'
"I have a young child, my wife is unwell, I am worried about ability to support child as father."
Comparing the senior aide to others who have resigned, Shapps adds: "This wasn't visiting a holiday home or going to visit someone.
"This was to stay put and remain in isolation to deal with what I hear was a significant bout of coronavirus and then return to London only when well.
"There is every difference."
He is asked again whether the PM knew of Cummings' whereabouts, and said: "The prime minister knew that he was quite properly staying put in one place with his family, which is the right thing to do.
"The prime minister gives Mr Cummings his full support."
Shapps: 53 transport workers have died with coronavirus
Asked by Geo News about protecting front-line workers, including those staffing the transport network, Shapps says he has written to transport operators to ensure they are aware of the correct equipment and procedures required for the next phase of the coronavirus response.
Shapps confirms 53 transport workers have died with coronavirus since the outbreak began.
"It's a great concern," he adds. He also says there will be a review into the effect of the virus on people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
"It is heartbreaking to see how this virus developed and many of the people, as you mention, on the front line are from BAME backgrounds," he says, adding he wants to ensure all the right lessons are learned after the epidemic has passed.
Shapps: Stay alert over bank holiday weekend
Grant Shapps brings the press conference to a close by saying: "We have come a very long way through this disease and we are taking whole range of different steps."
The transport secretary says he is trying to make sure travel is "safe and secure", but says it is "absolutely crucial to remember" the transport system cannot take its normal number of passengers.
He asks the public to "please look for alternatives", such as walking or cycling, and not travelling at peak times.
Shapps concludes: "It is a bank holiday weekend, so please look after everybody and stay alert."
We will have a round-up of today's briefing shortly.
What does the law say is a 'reasonable excuse' to travel during lockdown?
Reality Check
Dominic Cummings, the PM’s top adviser, says he behaved “reasonably and legally” when he made a trip to an address in Durham at the end of March to be near relatives.
He says it was because his wife had Covid-19 symptoms and he was worried about childcare if he became ill as well.
The UK Government’s
official advice says you shouldn’t visit another property - whether for isolation purposes or holidays.
But in law, the definition of a “reasonable excuse” has never been clear.
Read more about what powers the police have.
Labour calls for Cummings inquiry
The Labour Party has called for an inquiry into Dominic Cummings' trip from London to County Durham during the UK's coronavirus lockdown.
In a letter to Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Labour's Rachel Reeves says: “The British people have made important and painful sacrifices to support the national effort, including being away from family in times of need.
"It is therefore vital that the government can reassure the public that its most senior figures have been adhering to the same rules as everyone else.”
The letter dissects an
earlier statement from Downing Street - contrasting its words with those of government spokespeople, Boris Johnson and medical and scientific guidance.
And it asks Sir Mark 10 questions, including when Johnson was made aware of his aide's trip to Durham.
Can a badge really protect you from coronavirus?
Reality CheckSocial media is awash with posts containing fake and misleading information about the coronavirus pandemic.
We've been fact-checking some of those claims most widely shared this week.
So-called "protective" badges which ward off viruses are being sold around the world.
Some of the badges, featuring a white cross design, appear to be of the type falsely marketed as "virus stoppers" in Russia. Some members of the Russian parliament wore them at a recent meeting of the State Duma.
However, the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) says the substance released by such badges - the bleaching agent chlorine dioxide - is harmful. It says claims that it helps protect against Covid-19 are "fraudulent".
See here for more fact-checking on Covid-19 cannabis treatment, virus origin speculation and claims of a "mass execution" in Yemen. Who is Dominic Cummings?
At the Downing Street Brexit night party on 31 January, Johnson hailed Cummings as a “genius”.
The "dishevelled rule-breaker" who masterminded the Vote Leave campaign has become Boris Johnson's right-hand man.
Many credit him with "getting Brexit done" and detect his handiwork in the cabinet reshuffle which saw Sajid Javid resign as Chancellor.
So just who is Dominic Cummings - and how did he become one of the most talked-about figures in contemporary British politics.
Read more in our in-depth profile, first published in February.
Who else faced calls to quit over alleged UK lockdown breaches?
UK virus experts Prof Neil Ferguson (bottom left) and Dr Catherine Calderwood resigned from their roles, while government adviser Dominic Cummings (top left) and minister Robert Jenrick have defended their actions (top right)As we've been reporting, the UK Prime Minister's chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, is facing calls to resign after making a 260-mile trip to visit family during lockdown.
Other public figures - charged with leading the country's response to the virus - have faced similar calls for other alleged breaches. Here are the most-prominent cases:
Professor Neil Ferguson - resigned from his role as a key government adviser after admitting that he had undermined social-distancing rules amid reports he meet his "lover" at his own home
Dr Catherine Calderwood - resigned from her role as Scotland's chief medical officer in April after twice breaking lockdown restrictions to drive to her second home - about an hour from her Edinburgh property
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick - The cabinet minister
defended his decision to travel from London to Shropshire, via his second home in Hertforshire, to visit his parents - saying he went to deliver food and medicine.
What did we learn from today's briefing?
Today's UK government coronavirus briefing was held by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who was joined by Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England.
Much of it was dominated by the news the PM's chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, had travelled from London to County Durham during the lockdown to self-isolate near family.
Here is what we learnt:
- The prime minister gives Dominic Cummings "his full support" following criticism of his lockdown journey, Shapps says
- Public health advice on self-isolation remains the same - those with symptoms should stay at home for seven days, but where there is a "safeguarding" issue, interpretations may differ, Harries advises
- Lockdown guidance requires common sense, Harries says, and should be applied if two parents were ill and unable to look after a small child. For context, No 10 said Cummings made the journey to ensure he had childcare for his son after his wife became ill and in case he showed symptoms himself
- The welfare of Cummings' child, who is four years old, is important in this case, says Shapps. He tells reporters: "It is for an individual to make the decision of how do I ensure I have enough support around the family."
- Shapps announces £283m to start moving public transport back to a full timetable, but warned a fully-restored service "will only be capable of conveying one-fifth of normal capacity" when allowing for social distancing
- The Covid outbreak "must be the catalyst" to fixing the rail infrastructure", Shapps says
- The total number of deaths across all settings in the UK is 36,675.
Cummings issue has resonance way beyond Westminster
Iain Watson - Political correspondentMinisters are rallying around Dominic Cummings and it's clear the PM does not want to lose a trusted adviser with whom he first worked closely on the Vote Leave campaign.
The hope is that this will be seen as a "Westminster bubble" story and that the bubble will soon burst. Also, after a U-turn on the NHS surcharge for migrants this week, No 10 will not want to look as though it is on the run.
But this is an issue that has resonance way beyond Westminster.
Other parents will have been sick during the pandemic and stuck to what they thought were the guidelines to self isolate for up to 14 days.
So, the danger for the government isn’t just the prospect of political attacks from opponents.
It is the perception the rules that apply in your street don't apply to Downing Street. And if No 10 are interpreting the guidelines flexibly enough to allow people with Covid symptoms to travel substantial distances to isolate away from their principal residence, the wider public may follow suit.
That may, in turn, make the government's task of pushing the reproduction rate of the virus down all the more difficult.
Cummings should be sacked - SNP's Westminster leader
Dominic Cummings should be sacked by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for travelling almost 260 miles to be near family members during lockdown, says the Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford.
"It is quite shocking. We've had no acceptance that what he did was wrong," Blackford told the BBC News Channel.
"It is obvious this is a journey which was unnecessary and has put at risk the whole public messaging that the UK government has delivered over the past few weeks.
"He should have resigned by now. There is no real defence and Dominic Cummings should be sacked by the prime minister."
Italy death toll continues to drop
Italy has recorded 119 new deaths from the coronavirus, down from 130 on the previous 24 hours.
New cases rose to 669, up from 652 on Friday, the Civil Protection Agency said.
The overall death toll now stands at 32,735, the third highest in the world behind the US and the UK.
Italy imposed a strict and lengthy lockdown on 7 March - initially in the north, then nationwide - with a ban on walking or exercising more than 200m (656ft) from home.
In early May, some restrictions were relaxed and people are now able to travel for longer distances, as well as visit their relatives in small numbers.
Man jailed for spitting at police officer
A 53-year-old man from Wales has been jailed for 26 weeks for spitting at a police officer after claiming he had coronavirus.
Darrell Glen Humphries admitted the assault when he appeared before Cardiff magistrates.
It is the latest of a spate of similar incidents in the UK.
Thames Valley Police, for example, said between March and April there were 198 assaults on police officers, 58 of which involved them being coughed, spat at or bitten.
In Kent, police reported 196 assaults on officers in March and April, with nearly double the number of spitting incidents compared to last year.
Cluster of 40 cases traced to German church service
A group of 40 churchgoers who attended a service after lockdown was eased in Germany earlier this month have contracted coronavirus, health officials say.
Six of those infected were taken to hospital. The service was held on 10 May at a Baptist church in the city of Frankfurt.
Church officials say they followed social distancing rules and disinfected the building ahead of the service. They have now reverted to online worship.
At least 16 of the cases were detected in Hanau, east of Frankfurt. As a result, the town has called off a prayer gathering that Muslim leaders had organised for this Sunday.
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