Boris Johnson announces second national lockdown across England to begin on Thursday

Speaking from Downing Street, the prime minister announced a second lockdown across England to last until Wednesday, December 2, with the government to extend its furlough scheme.

From Thursday, people will only be able to leave their home for education, work if they unable to work from home, exercise outdoors, essential shopping, and for medial reasons.

All non-essential retail will close, and all pubs and restaurants will be closed except for a takeaway service.

Single adult households can still form a support bubble with one other household, and children will be able to move between homes if their parents are separated.

Schools, colleges, and universities will remain open.

While acknowledging the hardships a second nationwide lockdown will present, Mr Johnson said the measure was needed to stop ‘several thousand’ deaths a day.

He said: ‘We have got to be humble in the face of nature.

‘In this country alas...the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst case scenario.

‘We could see death in this country running at several thousand a day, a peak of mortality, alas, bigger than the one we saw in the first wave.

‘The overrunning of the NHS would be a medical and moral disaster.’

Looking beyond the end of the lockdown, the prime minister said he would continue to work to ensure families could be together for Christmas.

He said: ‘Christmas is going to be different this year.

‘It is my sincere belief that by taking tough action families across the country can be together.

‘People will reasonably ask, ‘when will this end?’

‘I am optimistic that this will feel very different and better by the spring.’