Emily Carver: Why ministers were wrong to overrule official advice on vaccinating school pupils

By suddenly expanding the range of factors informing the decision, the Government’s coronavirus mission-creep continues.

“We have prepared a Plan B”. The Health Secretary’s Commons statement – full text

“While we are not going ahead with mandatory vaccine-only covid status certification now, holding that power in reserve.”

The Government’s aid manoeuvre. Sunak retreats to advance – as he sends a signal about the future control of spending.

By reminding backbenchers of manifesto commitments on debt control, he is squaring up for battles to come over the spending review.

Bim Afolami: The big question facing Johnson. What does fiscal conservatism mean in an age of the big state?

My view is that the only way to help square this circle is to rediscover our concern for public service reform.

WATCH: Harper on unlocking – ‘I’ve got a very strong suspicion this set of data is fantastically positive’

The Chairman of the Covid Recovery Group is concerned that data which might have supported reopening went unpublished.

McVey, Walker and Wragg. The most rebellious Conservative MPs in our survey of major votes.

Most of the action has been over Covid-related divisions. And most of the dissenters are from older intakes.

WATCH: Johnson – “I’m confident we will not need any more than four weeks”

“The sheer scale of the vaccine roll-out has made our position incomparably better than in previous waves.”

“I do think it is sensible to wait just a little longer.” The Prime Minister’s Covid statement. Full text.

“By being cautious now we have the chance – in the next four weeks – to save many thousands of lives by vaccinating millions more people.”

Bella Wallersteiner: I attended the Freedom March yesterday. I’m no anti-vaxxer, or Covid denier. I just want a return of common sense.

Unless there is a dramatic change to the UK’s Covid situation, restrictions must end, as planned, on June 21.

The Government should give MPs more votes on the Coronavirus Act

It would surely not be hard to amend it to require ministers to seek the Commons’ authorisation more frequently than every six months.

Steve Baker and Dominic Grieve: Saturday’s vigil, its mishandling – and why we should be wary of this plan for more police powers

Those MPs voting for the Bill today must make clear their intent to improve it later stages – and protect our civil liberties.

Sarah Ingham: Corbyn and his gang could scarcely have handled coronavirus worse than the Government

The public elected a Conservative Government, but they didn’t get one.

Why the Government is under pressure to confirm the date of the local elections

Moving them would require primary legislation, but despite bullish official pronouncements there is little certainty that we’ll be voting in May.

WATCH: ‘Many of us are concerned at being asked to approve a lockdown that could continue until March 31’, says Brady

The Prime Minister replies: “I can’t believe it will be until the end of March that the House has to wait before having a new vote and a new discussion.”

WATCH: Johnson – ‘Our emergence from the lockdown cocoon will not be a big bang, but a gradual unwrapping’

The Prime Minister says the new measures are on the statute book until March to allow for a phased and orderly easing of restrictions later.