Latest updates: at PMQs, Keir Starmer asks why government waited 50 days since discovery of South African variant before toughening borders
* Too soon to book holiday in UK or abroad, says Grant Shapps
* Covid border rules not in ‘top bracket’ of nations, says Starmer
* Threat of jail term for UK travellers who hide journeys ‘disproportionate’
* UK government announces £3.5bn fund to fix cladding on high-rises
* Global coronavirus updates – live
1.40pm GMT
The housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, has announced a new £3.5bn fund to fix dangerous cladding on high-rise buildings in England and further loans for leaseholders to fix similar problems in shorter buildings, with maximum monthly repayments of £50 a month, my colleagues Robert Booth and Peter Walker report.
Related: UK government announces £3.5bn fund to fix cladding on high-rise buildings
1.37pm GMT
Here is my colleague Jessica Elgot’s story on PMQs.
Related: UK Covid border rules not in 'top bracket' of nations, says Starmer
Britain is not even in the “top bracket” of countries when it comes to Covid border restrictions, Keir Starmer has said, as Boris Johnson said he did not want to “cut this country off from the rest of the world”.
Boris Johnson was challenged at prime minister’s questions in the Commons over his claim that Britain has “one of the toughest regimes in the world”, which Starmer said did not stand up to the evidence, despite tougher measures including hotel quarantine announced on Tuesday. Continue reading...
