No BBC special this afternoon - is there a press briefing?

[turkeyontheplate]

Just that really, I noticed there wasn't a BBC news special today and Boris did seem to be getting a bit bored with the whole daily press conference thing

Updates on the numbers at 2pm seem to have gone by the wayside as well.

"Prime Ministery may give a statement later this evening." according to BBC now.

May give a statement? So he is already locking himself down then

This thread reminds me of my Granny phoning Anglia television to complain that they had postponed an episode of Sons and Daughters (ancient Australian soap opera) for an update on the situation in the Falklands.

Boris had probably lost the will to live after seeing some of the public carrying on as if everything's normal this weekend.

According to sky news there is a COBRA meeting so conference will be later today

He won't give his usual speech because he's chairing a COBRA meeting.

Presumably he'll give a later speech announcing lockdown or similar.

I remember Sons and Daughters from being off school ill. Well, I remember the words to the theme 'Sons and Daughters, Love and Laughter, Tears of Sadness annnnnd Happinesssss'.

It wasn't anywhere near as good as The Sullivans.

Things seem to definitely suggest lockdown is imminent then.
I'm sure other countries announced it in the evenings too?

They haven’t got the bill through yet, they are still questioning it. It sounds like thursday-Friday a lockdown will take place.

"On Sky news now, it says that Boris will not give usual conference at 5pm, but will speak later."

It's lockdown day... (My guess obv. , I have no special information)

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-latest-lockdown-panic-buying-news-cases-nhs/

This article suggests the bill is likely to be from Tuesday, so presumably tomorrow, so an announcement tonight would make sense. Maybe they rushed it through?

We've been told by several companies today that they've received new guidance and will close by the end of the day... my wedding venue, my wedding dress shop, two companies that I contract for, the registry office...

But I don't think we have the legal framework in place to lockdown before the end of the week, so I hope he'll just get really strict and clear about what people should be doing.

I have a Facebook friend ranting that nobody is taking it seriously in London...so they've gone to stay somewhere in Yorkshire 🤦‍♀️

They haven’t got the bill through yet, they are still questioning it. It sounds like thursday-Friday a lockdown will take place.

I thought the bill was to do with police powers etc.

So it doesn't mean he can't announce lockdown before then.

The address, which is expected at around 7pm this evening, will likely include the closure of all shops except supermarkets, food stores and pharmacies.

That sheds some light...

Just get the bloody bill done!

They won’t be able to enforce lockdown until the bill goes through, so he can announce lockdown all he likes but people will probably ignore it (like they’ve already been doing) until the bill passes and someone can actually stop them

This thread reminds me of my Granny phoning Anglia television to complain that they had postponed an episode of Sons and Daughters (ancient Australian soap opera) for an update on the situation in the Falklands.

OMG thats brilliant!

My Mum used to watch Sons and Daughter when I was tiny, I can still remember the awful theme tune and sepia tone opening credits!

There is a special now at 17:00. I think weekdays it is at 17:00, might have been 14:00 for the weekend

I used to watch Sons and Daughters while I was doing my homework probably why I didn't "reach my potential"

All non-essential shops in Scotland, basically anything that doesn't provide food or medicine, have now been told to close so I imagine Boris will be announcing that for England too.

The Bill is going through the Commons now, with all-Party support (only amendment has been to add 6 monthly reviews on necessity to continue, looks as if guillotine is 2 years - only half listening, but I think that's right)

COBRA ongoing.

PM expected to speak later. And commentators expecting further restrictions to be announced (even if breaching them cannot attract a penalty until after the bill is through)

@MitziK

I remember Sons and Daughters from being off school ill. Well, I remember the words to the theme 'Sons and Daughters, Love and Laughter, Tears of Sadness annnnnd Happinesssss'

Wow. Same. That's taken me right back. I remember wondering why it was called Sons and Daughters when all the people in it were old ie over about 15 years of age, and sons and daughters are children.

I’m trapped in a tiny office with 5 people (Scotland) and my employer won’t close, I’m worried sick. I wish they would say all non essential ‘businesses’ rather than shops.

essential shops also include post offices and banks people other food shops like fruit and veg butchers bakers etc need money to get their shopping send letters parcels I think in Europe it is the same newsagents/ corner / village shops
but it won't include clothes shops gift shops etc

it says on BBC newsite that Boris will be speaking later no doubt after COBRA so 6-7pm maybe

Have they released a time yet?