The prime minister insisted his Government has not been blown off course by Covid-19 - but acknowledged that “sometimes it is necessary” to change direction in “response to the facts as they change”.

The Speaker also discouraged MPs from using parliamentary privilege to name the member who was arrested.

New DG Tim Davie is apparently concerned that too many BBC comedy shows promote a left-wing, London-centric view of the world.

Providing a pessimistic update on the state of trade talks, Downing Street said an agreement with the EU was only “possible” - adding that “it will not be easy to achieve”.

The report - produced by progressive think-tank Autonomy - claims that moving to a three-day weekend would help ease the spike in unemployment that is expected after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ex-Australian PM Tony Abbott - who is being lined up as Boris Johnson’s new post-Brexit trade ambassador - described lockdown as “virtual house arrest” and lashed out at “virus hysteria” and "unaccountable experts” in a speech in London.

All students lost three months of learning on average, teachers said. But half of pupils at schools in more deprived areas lost four months or more, compared with just 15 per cent of those in the least deprived areas.

Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is reportedly considering scrapping the commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid, after a revolt from Tory backbenchers over the prospect of hiking taxes.

Billionaire Brexiteer Jim Ratcliffe - the boss of Ineos Automotive - is considering scrapping plans to build a car plant in Wales, and is reportedly looking to buy a factory in France instead.