Post Desk : England will go into a second national lockdown for a month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce.

Non-essential shops and hospitality will have to close, sources told the BBC.

But unlike the restriction in the spring, schools and colleges are to be allowed to stay open.

It comes as documents suggested the UK was on course for a much higher death toll than during the first wave.

The lockdown is also expected to include restrictions on travel and is due to come into force on Thursday, lasting until 2 December, BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley said.

The prime minister is due to lead a news conference at 17:00 GMT after holding a cabinet meeting to discuss the coronavirus response earlier.

He is set to be joined by England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty and the government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance for the briefing.

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