The UK Government is to scrap its daily televised coronavirus briefings from today. 

A spokesman for Downing Street said the conferences will now only be made to "coincide with significant announcements, including with the PM" 

It comes after Boris Johnson announced a plan to ease lockdown in England, including reducing the 2m social distancing rule to "1m plus" - meaning residents in England can be within one metre of one another provided they take precautions such as mask-wearing. 

The data from the daily briefings, including infection rates, deaths and hospitalisations as well as testing figures, will still be published online Monday to Friday.

The spokesman said: " From today, the press conference will no longer be daily. We'll continue to hold press conferences to coincide withsignifcant announcements, including with the PM.

"We will be publishing all of the data which has previously been included in the press conference sldes on gov.uk every week day."