Lockdown news – live: Boris Johnson announces roadmap to ease Covid restrictions

Boris Johnson is unveiling his “cautious” new roadmap out of England’s lockdown, in what could also be viewed as his government’s third attempt to reopen the country without sparking a resurgence of the novel coronavirus.

While much of the plan has already been reported widely in the media, the prime minister has gone before the House of Commons to confirm it before addressing the nation from Downing Street later this evening.

Johnson is again stressing that he is keen to make the current lockdown his last, and thus favours a slower reopening than some may have expected, which, according to reports, will be dependent on four key tests that must be met – which notably include the progress of the vaccine rollout and pressure on the NHS, but not a “zero-Covid” scenario touted by many scientists.