UK coronavirus live: Shapps insists office return is safe; lockdown to ease for two Lancashire boroughs

Restrictions to ease for Burnley and Hyndburn from 2 September; transport secretary’s comments come as report says many want to continue working from home

• Grant Shapps says it’s safe to return to offices
• UK to give emergency approval to any vaccine breakthrough
• ‘Vanishingly small’ risk of severe illness or death for children
• Global coronavirus updates – live
• UK registers highest number of Covid infections since mid-June

1.32pm BST

As we reported earlier (see 11.43am.), restrictions on social gatherings between different households in Trafford, Greater Manchester, are set to be removed, despite the local council recommending they should stay for the immediate future following advice from its own director of public health.

Andrew Western, the Labour leader of Trafford Council, said:

It is apparent that for all of their claims of working in collaboration with local authorities, the government has decided to overrule the council and lift restrictions in Trafford.

This action by government makes a mockery of the claims of locally led decision making and once again shows that local government is being ignored in spite of being on the front line of this crisis.

1.26pm BST

A popular Birmingham restaurant has become the first in the city to be warned for breaching Covid-19 guidelines during an enforcement crackdown, Birmingham city council said.

The Tipu Sultan eatery in Alcester Road, Moseley, was given a direction order from the city council on Thursday.

Continue reading…