positive. if you look at infection rates they remain high, hospitalisations are still high will stop touching 20,000 people in hospital. it feels like they are plateauing the numbers are still high, 20,000 people in hospital. the numbers in icu are coming down, seven in london, which was the epicentre. a number of staff absence in education has remained pretty flat. it was 8% before christmas, it is at 8.5% now. i am confident that when we reviewed this on the 26th of january, as we said we were, we will be in a much better place to lift some of these restrictions. it is worth remembering that because we stuck to plan b this economy is the most open one in europe. [30 stuck to plan b this economy is the most open one in europe.- most open one in europe. do you think we are most open one in europe. do you think we are in most open one in europe. do you think we are in the most open one in europe. do you think we are in the endgame - most open one in europe. do you think we are
restrictions covid restrictions, which should we expect? it restrictions covid restrictions, which should we expect?- restrictions covid restrictions, which should we expect? it will be virtual because which should we expect? it will be virtual because they which should we expect? it will be virtual because they are which should we expect? it will be virtual because they are working i virtual because they are working from home as well and we know what will be proposed because the prime minister told us yesterday, he will propose that the plan b restrictions in england, more masks in more places, covid certificates for nightclubs and big events and carrying on working from home, that that should be continued until the end of the month. that has been a pretty inevitable outcome if you look at what the prime minister has been saying in advance and the high rate of 0micron cases. there will be a parliament statement confirming it later and mps will be watching to see if there
a woman who was kidnapped as a toddler, finally meets one of the men who saved her life. plus, the grey will clear to more sunshine this morning. the flip side is strong winds and heavy rain spreading to scotland and northern ireland later. good morning. it s wednesday, the 26th of january. the official inquiry into gatherings at downing street and in whitehall during lockdown is believed to be complete and could be submitted to number 10 within hours. it s understood the senior civil servant, sue gray, has evidence, including photographs and whatsapp messages, and is keen for the report to be published in full. here s our political correspondent, ione wells. can the prime minister bounce back from this? reporters shout questions. for many tory mps, their answer depends on what s in sue gray s reports into parties that took place behind these doors, and across whitehall,
that the use of covid passports will be dropped. this is what the first minister said about the change in guidelines. minister said about the change in ruidelines. 9, minister said about the change in ruidelines. :, :, :, :, ., guidelines. from tomorrow at midday, we will be able guidelines. from tomorrow at midday, we will be able to guidelines. from tomorrow at midday, we will be able to lift guidelines. from tomorrow at midday, we will be able to lift the guidelines. from tomorrow at midday, we will be able to lift the rule - guidelines. from tomorrow at midday, we will be able to lift the rule of- we will be able to lift the rule of six and table service only within the hospitality sector, as well as the hospitality sector, as well as the guidance being lifted for domestic settings, the cap limit on that, and there won t be a cat any longer in terms of those numbers. and also, in terms of the guidance and working from home, we re reverting to our baseline measure within the
tiktok if that s your thing. as boris johnson faces calls from some conceiving to stand down, let s have a look at some of the key dates for the next few months of his tenure. the report from the senior civil servant sue gray is to be published soon, that s all we know, she is looking into all of the alleged parties held by staff at downing street while the uk was in lockdown. we don t have a date for its publication but it is expected in the next fortnight. we also don t know how much of it will be published. england s current plan b covid rules will be reviewed by the prime minister on 26th of january and he will be under pressure from some of his own mps to relax the rules if 0micron infections continue to fall. there are one or two important votes approaching as well. the southend west by election happens on the 3rd of february and the local elections on the 5th of may. we can talk to a former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, sir alistair graham. good morning