Dominic Raab today blasted 'irresponsible' critics for demanding the UK government set out how it will ease the nation's coronavirus lockdown.

Phones 4U founder JOHN CAUDWELL: The lockdown has gripped our economy in a deadly embrace - one from which it may never fully recover.

The Prime Minister was whisked through the rear entrance of Downing Street at around 6.30 this evening in a Volkswagen people carrier, rather than his ministerial Jaguar and police motorcade.

Today guidance drawn up by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the shop workers' union Usdaw was released to help shops prepare for the reopening of the UK's high street stores.

Managing director Barry Williams (left) has also doubled staff discounts and committed to the store staying shut on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, so that workers can enjoy more family time.

Care home nurse Larni Zuniga, 54, was a married father originally from the Philippines who had worked in Britain for 12 years and had not seen his family for five years.

Zachary Bowler, 27, of Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, had been jailed for beating his girlfriend with a cricket bat. He hid ten buprenophine tablets inside a Kinder Egg he placed in his bottom.

The Prime Minister is back at work and addressed the nation from Downing Street where he labelled coronavirus an 'invisible mugger' after his own personal experience facing off the deadly illness.

In a statement in Downing Street, the PM assured the country he is back in charge after weeks recuperating from a serious scare with the killer disease.

B&Q's decision to reopen 130 stores saw massive queues forming outside its outlets in Watford (pictured), Edinburgh, Bristol and Swansea, as people used the shutdown to catch up on DIY.

San Francisco ended its lockdown after just a month of closing public gatherings and ordering members of the public to wear masks. As a result, its case and death count more than doubled.

STEPHEN GLOVER: Many people will have been uplifted by Boris Johnson's (pictured) stirring speech yesterday outside No 10.

The Prime Minister ditched Zoom despite appeals from advisers to avoid appearing in person and walked confidently into a packed cabinet room for his 9.15am meeting on Monday.

Dr Aseem Malhotra, a consultant cardiologist at Frimley Park Hospital in Camberley, Surrey, feels the Prime Minister's 'significant' weight was a contributing factor to his reaction to the virus.

Professor Karol Sikora, a cancer specialist, has warned that thousands of people could die from the disease and heart issues if the lockdown continues for much longer.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told a media briefing she is now advising people to use makeshift face coverings.

New guidance is being issued to councils on refuse and recycling sites as the government inches the country back towards a semblance of normal activity.

People across Britain paused for a minute at 11am in sombre tribute to the sacrifice made by those on the front line, in roles ranging from doctors and nurses to carers, cleaners and bus drivers.

Sir Mark Sedwill's report found 'no evidence' to corroborate the allegations made by staff at the Home Office, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for International Trade.

Michael Gove revealed that a Treasury minister is leading a 'domestic effort' to ensure that enough face coverings are available should the Government change its guidance.

Slides displayed at the daily Downing Street briefing held by Matt Hancock showed that it is now saying there must be no second peak 'that overwhelms the NHS'.

Downing Street has refused to say whether Mr Johnson, who was back at work on Monday, would be well enough to face new Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the Commons at Midday.

Mr Khan warned he might take the step as Boris Johnson's Government continued to insist that the evidence of their effectiveness was 'weak', despite strong steps taken elsewhere in the world.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, the wife of former British PM Tony Blair wished Carrie Symonds 'all the best' after she gave birth to a healthy baby boy with Boris Johnson this morning.

Standing in for Boris Johnson at PMQs, First Secretary Dominic Raab was berated by Labour's Keir Starmer for refusing to trust the public with an exit strategy.

Social media quickly clicked into gear following the news of the birth of Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds' first child together this morning, conjuring up hundreds of fun-poking memes.

Ruth Cadbury, 60, tweeted minutes after the birth was announced this morning, saying: 'It appears Boris Johnson has just found yet another excuse to miss PMQs.' She later deleted it.

The Prime Minister now has at least six children, yet has not officially confirmed the exact number after leading a tangled love life that has seen him married twice.

British mothers who've given birth during the coronavirus pandemic shared their very different experiences. Eleanor Mason, 34, from Newark, was told that a home birth wouldn't be possible.

RICHARD KAY: Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds' newborn son will be welcomed into a world where his first companions will be the custodians, gardeners, and policemen of No 10.

At the daily No10 briefing this evening, Dominic Raab pointed to the experience in Germany as he warned that easing the draconian restrictions too early risks 'undoing all the hard work'.

The Prime Minister is expected to set out his latest thinking on social restrictions this evening when he leads the daily Downing Street press conference for the first time this month.

Prof Neil Mortensen of the Royal College of Surgeons, pictured, warned that Covid-19 has not been defeated as his one third of his members complain of shortages in PPE.

Boris Johnson, 55, and Carrie Symonds, 32, welcomed a son today, with psychologist Jo Hemmings telling FEMAIL it may have been 'an emotional epiphany' for the British Prime Minister.

Having chaired Cabinet this morning, Boris Johnson said on Twitter that he 'understands the impatience' of people to end the draconian restrictions crippling the economy.

The 71-year-old multi-millionaire flew on a private jet to his £3 million villa on the Algarve where he said he would spend 14 days in quarantine although restrictions will actually be lifted in three.

A diplomatic official from the High Commission for Pakistan delivered huge bouquets to 'Hon Mr Prime Mininster & Ms Symonds, 10 Downing Street' twice today - wearing double the PPE on her second visit.

Boris Johnson today announced that wearing face masks will be part of the UK's coronavirus lockdown exit strategy.

JAN MOIR: Wilfred, Winston, Oliver, Pericles, Diggory, Kevin, Josh? Whatever they decide to call him, what kind of a world will Boris's baby son inherit?

Having chaired Cabinet this morning, Boris Johnson said he 'understands the impatience' of people to end the draconian restrictions crippling the economy.

Professor Chris Whitty told an online lecture: 'It's not just in Game Of Thrones that winter is always coming ... the winter is always worse than summer, spring and autumn for health.'

Ministers have warned lockdown may need to remain for months until the number of new cases falls below 1,000 per day after Professor Chris Whitty said a second peak could be worse than the first. 

With the birth of his son in the early hours of this morning, Boris Johnson becomes only the fourth Prime Minister to welcome a baby to Downing Street. Here is what family life might look like for them.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night put the reproduction rate of the coronavirus at the heart of Britain's crisis and said he would not do anything which risks triggering another outbreak.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick admitted in interviews today that getting UK plc back on its feet would require the public accepting a more 'nuanced' message.

Some 46 per cent of those surveyed said they would 'strongly support' the decision to extend lockdown, according to a new YouGov poll of 3152 adults.

Ministers could put individual towns and cities back on lockdown if they see coronavirus cases rise again once restrictions are relaxed.Boris Johnson will publish a 'roadmap' on Thursday for easing rules.

A loosening of certain restrictions designed to fire up the flagging economy will be accompanied with a roll-out of revamped social distancing guidelines, particularly on Britain's public transport.

Drawing on scientific predictions and the experiences of other countries to Britain emerging from isolation, JONATHAN MAYO imagines the 'new normal'.

Carrie Symonds has revealed the name of her and Boris Johnson's newborn son is Wilfred, after Boris's grandfather, as the parents shared the first photograph of the baby boy on Instagram.