There will be a partial shutdown of London’s underground system from today as the capital makes preparations to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The collapse of Thomas Cook will cost taxpayers at least £156m, an investigation by a government watchdog as found.

The coronavirus outbreak is “very likely” to lead to a rise in divorce rates because couples are being kept in self-isolation together, a leading divorce lawyer has said.

Criminal trials which are due to last longer than three days will be put on hold due to the spread of coronavirus.

Government-backed loans worth £330bn and a three-month mortgage holiday have been announced by the chancellor as part of “unprecedented” measures to help businesses and families.

A “wonderfully kind” father-of-two who was fighting motor neurone disease (MND) has become the youngest person to die after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK.

A further 14 people have died after being diagnosed with coronavirus in England, bringing the UK’s total to 71.

Boris Johnson has told Britons to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres and to only make essential journeys in the “national fightback” against coronavirus.

The government ramped up measures against the coronavirus epidemic following new predictions that the UK could otherwise have seen 250,000 deaths.

Boris Johnson’s message to stay away from theatres has been criticised as a “crippling blow” to the creative industry because the measures were advisory rather than an outright ban.