really being hammered by these quick changes of the rules and the tears being imposed on them. i think if you look at the picture that's being presented, the level of deaths was at 981 -- presented, the level of deaths was at 981 —— the tiers. 50,000 infections. it's quite staggering. the main concern that seems to be is the new strain which, from the evidence, is more contagious than the original virus. that's why the government's acted the way it has today. sam, you get a double go because we are going through to your paper, the daily express. you know the front page, but i'll tell eve ryo ne the front page, but i'll tell everyone else. grim but light at the end of the tunnel. 11 p:m., our finest hour. britain finally free from the eu. there have been plenty of finest hours in british history. is this really number one? obviously, for our readers, this is absolutely the moment we've been waiting forforfour and absolutely the moment we've been waiting for for four and a half yea rs. waiting for for four and a half years. 17 million people voted for in 2016, and it seems to be a long time coming. i think for a lot of people, it will be a moment that they will be pleased to mark tomorrow. 11 p:m., by the way, in case any of your viewers don't know. it's midnight brussels time, which makes 11pm uk time. we will have big been bonking at midnight, and that walmart are new brexit cruiser —— that will mark. the daily mirror probably doesn't see this ad see finest hour. if you know it, please tell me what the headline is, but it might state a bit differently. yeah, we do. i think the mirror, our readers were kind of like the country. some very much split down the middle, and some who thought it been held very long and painful period. i think a lot of people will feel leaving the ado is a very sad thing, it wasn't what they voted for —— leaving thing, it wasn't what they voted for — — leaving the thing, it wasn't what they voted for —— leaving the eu. lots of people feel really vindicated and pleased that they're finally getting the result of their vote, and there's ple nty of result of their vote, and there's plenty of people in the middle who kind ofjust want this to be over with either way. i think there's a lot of people in the public regardless of their vote who think, "let's get this over and done with." that's probably why the get brexit done slogan was so successful. i think a lot of people have brexit fatigue and i think the mirror is celebrating in a big way, but i think we're probably, lots of people will be pleased to see it done. brexit fatigue, pandemic fatigue, 2020 fatigue. an awful lot of fatigue. we're going to look at the daily telegraph, which concentrates on the virus. rate to roll—out oxford jab to stave off lockdown. i half expected them to have borisjohnson signing a treaty, but they worked out that the most important story is the race between the vaccine and the jab. there's so much news around today, it's hard to fit it all in. obviously, the telegraph of gone with the coronavirus developments, and that's absolutely their decision. i suppose there are many different aspects to the coronavirus developments to have a —— today. obviously, the country going into this tier 3, tier 4 restrictions. there are lots of different elements to it, so any of these stories on a normal day would be for material. we seem to have this absolute co nflu e nce seem to have this absolute confluence over the whole lot, and the telegraph has reflected that. there is another story on the telegraph. primary pupils to stay home as a sweeping school closures are imposed. there's that story in the telegraph. lizzy, this is something we heard from the government and september, october. they wanted to keep schools open, but now circumstances have change. the pandemic has gotten worse. does this seem like a sensible decision? on another day, this would be an enormous story. there's just endless numbers of front—page possibilities today. yeah, this is a really, really interesting and very, very challenging thing for a lot of schools and parents. schools have been concerned, obviously, about their ability to manage the spread of the new variant, which appears to spread much more quickly amongst teenagers than the previous version of covid. there was a plan to roll out mass testing injanuary of covid. there was a plan to roll out mass testing in january that was rushed outjust before christmas and teachers weren't rushed outjust before christmas and teachers we ren't given rushed outjust before christmas and teachers weren't given and if anything on it on how they were supposed to do it until a couple days before christmas, which the trade unions it said was totally unworkable. so, the government is obviously deciding that it has to act and has pushed back the reopening of secondary schools by a week, except for some exceptions. exam your pupils are coming back and children of key workers are coming backin children of key workers are coming back injanuary, children of key workers are coming back in january, but children of key workers are coming back injanuary, but it'sjust a bit ofa back injanuary, but it'sjust a bit of a mess, really, and back injanuary, but it'sjust a bit ofa mess, really, and i back injanuary, but it'sjust a bit of a mess, really, and i think this isjust the latest of a mess, really, and i think this is just the latest example of a mess, really, and i think this isjust the latest example of of a mess, really, and i think this is just the latest example of what teachers and unions have been saying. decisions about schools are often made really last—minute and without much notice or consultation without much notice or consultation with schools, and therefore, they're consta ntly with schools, and therefore, they're constantly chasing their tails about what they're supposed to do next. there is one thing we learned in the first lockdown, which is that children in well—off areas got by with online learning. but children and more deprived areas who have to share whatever technology their families have, this will be a real blow to them. it really is. it's not just the technology, which obviously isa just the technology, which obviously is a huge part, but it's also the socialisation, the being in a group setting, learning actually from a teacher in a face—to—face setting. that cannot be replicated on zoom. also, we have the whole issue with the free school meals. there are lots of other benefits to going to school, not just the lots of other benefits to going to school, notjust the actual lesson plan as it were. i think children in poor areas will miss out. that's why the government has always been so relu cta nt to ta ke the government has always been so reluctant to take those decisions, and that's probably why it's been so last—minute. i think there's a sense that they just want to keep schools open at all costs until they get to the point where this can be done. —— can't be done. quite last—minute decisions that cause a lot of upset. is not usual for us to go at almost 11 o'clock to the house of lords. but you have a quick dip and see what's going on there. lord true, is a summing up for the government. that vote will be reasonably soon. we'll keep an eye on that. let's go to our last paper. i know you both haven't seen this, but you can imagine it. the daily mail says two giant leaps to freedom, but will you need —— 20 million more in tier 4. he has a picture with borisjohnson with his sons up and a picture of a patient getting a jab sons up and a picture of a patient getting ajab —— sons up and a picture of a patient getting a jab —— he is a thumbs up. i wonder why boris johnson getting a jab —— he is a thumbs up. i wonder why borisjohnson didn't sign the treaty when he was getting ajab sign the treaty when he was getting a jab himself. sign the treaty when he was getting ajab himself. i wouldn't sign the treaty when he was getting a jab himself. i wouldn't put it past. we actually asked the prime minister's spokesman a few weeks ago whether he would get the jab live on tv. his press secretary said she didn't think he'd be opposed to it. that's a bit ambiguous, isn't it?|j think he probably would do it but he doesn't want to push to the front of the queue. we'll see whether that materialises. sam, do you think you'll get it live —— he will get lifelike joe biden? he doesn't seem tojump the lifelike joe biden? he doesn't seem to jump the queue, lifelike joe biden? he doesn't seem tojump the queue, but lifelike joe biden? he doesn't seem to jump the queue, but probably more likely to see matt hancock. he is technically allowed to have the jab. a cabinet minister can qualify if they are the health secretary? i can't tell you how useful it is having you on this programme. you know about royal assent, which cabinet members can get the jab. i'm grateful to you both. i willjoin you both later. sam and lizzy, thank you both later. sam and lizzy, thank you forjoining us. we'll be back at 11.30. see you in a bit. hello. snow and ice continue to be hazards for some as we move into the final day of 2020. still very much in the cold air across the uk, temperatures widely well below freezing through the early hours of thursday morning, with the potential for some freezing fog across parts of england and wales. for new year's eve, it's a cold day wherever you are. for most, a mixture of wintry showers with some sunshine, but across scotland through the morning, a more general spell of rain, sleet and snow sliding its way southwards and also into northern ireland as well. as the morning wears on, that snow will tend to become confined to higher ground, just pushing to the far north of england through the afternoon. a few wintry showers for parts of northwest, southwest england, west wales. the further south and east you are, mainly dry with some sunshine once any freezing fog has lifted through the morning. still a cold northerly wind, particularly biting for parts of western scotland and northern ireland. not quite as cold across scotland and northern ireland compared to wednesday, five or six celsius the top temperature here, compared tojust two or three celsius further south. through the final hours of 2020, we see this band of wintry showers just continuing to sink their way southwards, but most of the snow by this stage should be over higher ground. bit of wintry mix across scotland, quite a few showers along the east coast, where temperatures will hold up to around four or five celsius at midnight. head inland, they'll be closer to freezing. a few showers developing across northern england, parts of northwest wales, maybe south west england through the early hours of new year's day. but also once again, the potential for some freezing fog developing across central, southeastern parts of england and wales as we head through the early hours of 2021. another cold night but not quite as cold as recent nights, but some places still getting a few degrees below freezing. so here's how we start 2021, with still a fairly messy picture, low pressure to the east of the uk and frontal systems still just trying to slide their way across. not much on them, but certainly through new year's day, there will be a fair few showers around, particularly for east and northeast coasts. and a few of those will penetrate their way a little bit further inland. still the chance they could be wintry, particularly over higher ground. the further south you are across the uk, much more cloud around, and temperatures still not much higher than five or six celsius. looking ahead, then, to the first weekend of 2021, it stays cold, we'll see fewer showers but still the risk of some ice and snow in places. bye— bye. this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the uk government extends the toughest restrictions to three—quarters of england's population, as deaths from coronavirus soar to 981 confirmed on wednesday. but light at the end of the tunnel. the uk gives approval for the astrazeneca vaccine, with the firstjabs due to begin next week. it's a moment to celebrate and have some optimism about where we've got to today and moving forward. ireland's prime minister announces his country is returning to lockdown, with the opening of schools delayed in january. the uk and eu sign an historic trade agreement, after british mps give overwhelming backing to borisjohnson‘s brexit deal.