Covid-19: English lockdown may last beyond 2 Dec, says Gove

Michael Gove says it is his “fervent hope” that England’s new lockdown will end on 2 December – but that ministers will be “guided by the facts”.

“We do need to get the R rate below 1,” the Cabinet Office minister told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.

The strict measures are due to come into force from Thursday.

Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship will close, but schools, colleges and universities can stay open.

The prime minister is expected to deliver a statement in the Commons on Monday before a vote on the latest restrictions on Wednesday. Labour has said it will back the lockdown.

Boris Johnson said he expects the lockdown to last until 2 December, after which England’s regional tiered system will be reintroduced.

But Mr Gove told the BBC decisions would “obviously be guided by the facts”.

He said ministers believe “on the basis of the evidence that we have that we will be able to [lift restrictions]” by 2 December.

But he stressed that “we do need to get the R rate [the number of people that one infected person will infect] below 1”.

Earlier, he told Sky News the lockdown could be extended beyond the December deadline