Simon Case was temporarily appointed as permanent secretary in Number 10 in May, at the height of the Covid-19 crisis, in an attempt to bring some stability to the government’s chaotic response to the pandemic.

Instagram stars like former Love Island star Shaughna Phillips were paid an undisclosed amount to create content touting the system during lockdown, as part of a wider campaign to inform the public about the programme.

Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, said students starting Year 11 and 13 in September had been left with “a mountain to climb” unless the timetable is changed, after missing months of schooling.

The Treasury could raise £20 billion through extra taxes in an attempt to tackle the cost of coronavirus, it has been reported - but the prospect of such large tax spikes prompted concern from a number of Tory MPs.

One person was fatally shot in Portland as a large caravan of Donald Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed in the streets.

Abbott is being tipped to advise Britain - his birthplace - on how to seize trade opportunities after Brexit, with the Sun reporting that the socially conservative ex-PM is set to become the UK’s “new trade deal supremo”.

According to the Sunday Times, ministers are looking at raising capital gains tax and corporation tax in the next Budget, in November. The money could be reportedly raised from pensions, businesses, the wealthy, and foreign aid.

Sir Charles Walker, deputy of the 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers, said it was becoming increasingly difficult for MPs to defend the government - as policies can be quickly dropped by ministers.

Police have been called to a number of incidents - in London, Birmingham and Essex - where groups of far-right men have harassed people who have been placed in emergency accommodation because of the coronavirus pandemic.