After days of being accused of giving mixed messages the prime minister now says face coverings should be worn in shops in England to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The policy is expected to be mandatory, despite a suggestion from one of the most senior ministers, Michael Gove, that it was best to rely on people’s “common sense”.
Labour has accused ministers of contradicting themselves and of confusing the public.
Face coverings are already compulsory in shops in Scotland but so far Wales and Northern Ireland have not adopted the policy.
Huw Edwards presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg and Medical Correspondent Fergus Walsh.
The video item below is a piece of English language content from BBC News. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster funded by the UK Government, and British license fee payers. Its headquarters are at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London.
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s Channel.
Geopolitically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Ireland), which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. As of 2016, 4.8 million people live in the Republic of Ireland, and 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.
The Irish climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and thus very moderate, and winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area, although summers are cooler than those in continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant.
A strong Irish culture exists, as expressed through Gaelic games, Irish music and the Irish language. The island’s culture shares many features with that of Great Britain, including the English language, and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing, and golf.
Laura Juliet Kuenssberg is a British journalist. In July 2015 she succeeded Nick Robinson as Political Editor of BBC News, the first woman to hold the position.
Michael Andrew Gove is a British politician and former journalist serving as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster since 2019 and Minister for the Cabinet Office since 2020. He has been the Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath since 2005.
Northern Ireland is variously described as a country, province, or region, which is part of the United Kingdom. Located in the northeast of the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland.
Scotland is a country in Western Europe which forms part of the United Kingdom. Its government was joined with that of England’s through the 1707 Acts of Union. A devolved government now administers many of the affairs of the country, though ultimate authority still resides with Westminster. Scotland has a distinct legal system and national sporting associations. 5.2 million people live in Scotland and the largest city in the country is Glasgow, though the capital is Edinburgh where the government sits at the Scottish Parliament opposite Holyrood Palace.
