What time is Boris Johnson's press briefing today? And what will he say?

8 March 2021, 13:00 | Updated: 29 March 2021, 11:29

By Nick Hardinges

@NHardinges

Boris Johnson will lead a Downing Street Covid press briefing later today as children returned to school as part of the first step of his roadmap out of lockdown.

The prime minister will lead the government’s latest coronavirus briefing on Monday from within Number 10.

Mr Johnson will likely update the UK on his latest roadmap measures and could be pressed for a comment on Harry and Meghan's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.

So what time is Boris Johnson speaking today? And what is the PM's Covid-19 update? Here are the latest details:

Read more: Pupils return to classrooms in England for the first time in months

Head of School in Brixton explains what measures they have for returning students

What time is Boris Johnson's press briefing today?

Boris Johnson will deliver the briefing on 8 March at the slightly earlier time of 4pm - an hour before the government's usual 5pm press conference slot.

The prime minister missed his spot last Monday as Health Secretary Matt Hancock instead updated the public on the UK's vaccine rollout and how the country was responding to the Brazilian coronavirus variant.

Secondary school pupil on being excited to be back in school

What will Boris Johnson say in his press briefing today?

The prime minister will likely talk about his latest roadmap updates as school children returned to the classroom on Monday morning.

It is also expected that he will be pressed for a comment on Harry and Meghan's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview that aired in the US in the early hours of this morning.

Asked on Sunday about the risks involved with reopening more than 20,000 schools, the PM echoed the warnings of education experts that more damage was being done to pupils by keeping them at home than having them return to in-person lessons.

"I think the risk is actually in not going back to school tomorrow given all the suffering, all the loss of learning we have seen," he said on a visit to a north London vaccination centre.