PM announces four-week delay to Covid lockdown easing in England

Boris Johnson says more time needed to tackle Delta variant but signals he will not tolerate further suspension

• Coronavirus in the UK - latest updates
• What we know about the delay to ending lockdown in England

Boris Johnson has halted the final easing of lockdown restrictions in England and ordered a four-week delay to speed up the vaccination programme, but signalled afterwards he would not tolerate any further suspension.

The prime minister said 19 July was a terminus date" and that all restrictions on social contact could be lifted, barring the emergence of a gamechanging new variant.