QUOTES OFTHEDAY

“We are at a perilous moment in the course of this pandemic... In parts of the country the situation is again becoming very serious. Hospitalisations in the North-West are doubling approximately every fortnight. They have risen by 57% in just the last week alone. Unfortunately we’re seeing hospitalisations in the over-60s rising sharply and the number of deaths from coronavirus also rising”

- Matt Hancock says there are difficult times ahead as he spoke at the NHS Providers annual

conference.

“It is deeply disappointing to wake up this morning to reports that new Covid-19 restrictions affecting millions of people in our city region, and across the North, could be in place within days, rather than hearing it during a genuine dialogue between ministers and local leaders. At the moment we have a patchwork of local measures across the country and too much confusion for the public as a result”

- Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram, above, reacts to

leaked plans to close pubs and restaurants in coronavirus hotspots next week to tackle rising

coronavirus cases.

“These are grave times for the environment, but I do believe with human ingenuity, and I do believe with younger generations speaking up like they are now, that they will not stand for this lack of hope, with this lack of idea that we can’t fix some of these big solutions”

- The Duke of Cambridge warns that the world’s future is at a “tipping point” as he launches his ambitious £50m Earthshot Prize.