Here’s what the PM announced in his latest speech - including pub curfews, working from home and wedding restrictions

Office workers will be encouraged to work from home where possible, pubs and bars must close by 10pm and there will be no return of spectators to major sporting events, as part of a raft of new restrictions announced by the Prime Minister today (22 September).

Speaking in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country has “reached a perilous turning point”, before laying out “carefully judged” new restrictions, including a mandatory 10pm closing time for pubs, restaurants and cafes, and increased fines for breaking the rules.

Mr Johnson addressed parliament after rising speculation over new coronavirus restrictions, having spoken with the leaders of devolved administrations yesterday and chairing a COBRA meeting this morning.

His speech followed the televised statement delivered by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance yesterday, in which they warned that “if we do too little, this virus will get out of control.”

Rising infections

Mr Johnson said that the number of people testing positive for coronavirus per day has “almost quadrupled” in the last month, to 3,929 people per day. He said this is not “merely a function of more testing” because a rising proportion of tests are yielding positive results.

The Prime Minister stressed that, without action, a major rise in daily infections per day would lead to an increase in daily deaths, “as night follows day.”

“This is the moment when we must act,” Johnson said.

“If we can curb the number of daily infections and reduce the reproduction rate to 1, we can save lives, protect the NHS and more vulnerable and shelter the economy from the far sterner and more costly measures that would inevitably become necessary later on.”

Before announcing the new restrictions, Mr Johnson said that “this is by no means a return to the full lockdown of March” and clarified that there will not be a general instruction for people to stay at home, nor will schools, colleges or universities shut down.