The government’s coronavirus advice for areas affected by the Indian variant is an attempt to force people to “lock themselves down” without ordering proper restrictions, Labour’s shadow health secretary has suggested.

“The government can’t have it both ways. They either do proper lockdowns or they don’t,” Jonathan Ashworth told Times Radio on Tuesday evening.

“What they were trying to do is they were trying to get people to lock themselves down without taking the responsibility for doing the lockdown themselves.”

He added: “If the government feels that the prevalence of the virus in particular areas is of such a concerning level that localised lockdowns are the only option then Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson should level with the British people.”

You can find his comments in full below:

Tributes have been paid after a former parish councillor who became the first man to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was confirmed to have died of an unrelated illness.

William “Bill” Shakespeare, then aged 81, was the second person in the UK to receive a coronavirus vaccine outside a clinical trial.

Pictures of him receiving the injection at Coventry’s University Hospital last December – shortly after 90-year-old Margaret Keenan – made the front pages of numerous newspapers.

In a tweet paying tribute to him, the West Midlands Labour Party said: “We’re sorry to hear of the death of Coventry Labour stalwart Bill Shakespeare. Bill made global headlines as 1st first man to have Covid vaccine.

“His decades of service to the party were recently recognised by Keir Starmer. Our thoughts are with Joy and Bill’s family and friends.”

Health secretary Matt Hancock has said that Pfizer’s decision to launch its second global vaccine research centre in Bristol is a “real vote of confidence” in the UK.

The centre will be used to study vaccine-preventable diseases and is the second of a global network of sites to launch – and the first outside the US.

The Pfizer Centre of Excellence for Epidemiology of Vaccine-preventable Diseases, based at the University of Bristol, will undertake research to support the design, development and use of next-generation vaccines.

Speaking at a launch ceremony at the University of Bristol, Mr Hancock said: “As a government, we care passionately about the life sciences and creating the right conditions for partnerships like this one to thrive, putting in place the investment, supporting the skills base, making sure for instance we get the right design for clinical trials.

“Making sure that the UK offer in the life sciences is so good that it will be impossible not to invest and locate here in the UK.”

The facility will be led by Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the university as well as director of the Bristol Vaccine Centre.

Lancashire’s director of public health has said that the government will withdraw its advice against travel in or out of areas with high levels of the Indian variant, according to ITV’s Paul Brand.

Covid-19 case rates in Bolton are now at their highest level for more than six months, according to new figures.

A total of 1,300 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in the seven days to 21 May – the equivalent of 452.1 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 300.8 in the previous week and is the highest since the seven days to 12 November.

Meanwhile, Blackburn with Darwen has the second highest rate in England, up week-on-week from 130.9 to 301.9, with 452 new cases.

Bedford has the third highest, up week-on-week from 128.1 to 193.9, with 336 new cases.

Scientists have reacted with surprise and confusion after the government failed to clearly communicate new advice urging millions of people against non-essential travel in eight areas of England.

The guidance was recently published on the government’s website but not communicated to local public health teams.

Our science correspondent, Samuel Lovett, has the full story below:

The government has not brought in restrictions on travel in or out of eight areas where the Indian variant is most prevalent, according to a joint statement by the directors of public health in the affected areas.

“Following the national coverage of recently revised guidance we have met with national officials and confirmed there are no restrictions on travel in or out of each of our areas: There are no local lockdowns,” officials from Burnley, Bedford, Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Kirklees, Leicester, Hounslow and North Tyneside said.

“In areas where the new Covid variant is spreading we are all working together to boost testing and vaccination and to support self-isolation.

“There are sensible public health precautions people can take as individuals in line with the sorts of advice we have all been following throughout the pandemic.”

The statement added: “We will keep sharing that and working with national officials to make sure people understand what they need to think about as they go about their daily lives.”

A further 15 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, as of Tuesday, according to government figures, bringing the UK’s official death toll to 127,739.

However, separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 153,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Government figures also showed that there had been a further 2,493 lab-confirmed Covid cases in the UK, as of 9am on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 122,379 first doses and 332,955 second doses of Covid vaccines have been registered in the UK today – meaning 72.5 per cent of the adult population have now received their first dose, while 44.1 per cent have received both doses.

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that world leaders need to do more in the future to heed warnings about major global risks, according to former Labour minister David Miliband and Rockefeller Foundation president Raj Shah.

Writing for The Independent, Mr Miliband and Mr Shah say:

“In the case of pandemic preparedness and response, eleven different panels in the last 20 years have made proposals. Most recommendations have been ignored. And the world has now paid the price, with the biggest burden borne by the poorest. For many with no end in sight.”

You can find their full piece below:

A hospital in Bolton has reported “one of its busiest ever days” in its emergency department, amid concerns over rising coronavirus cases in the area.

Andy Ennis, the deputy chief executive of the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “People are presenting with a range of problems and staff are working very hard to ensure they receive all the care they need as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Our reporter, Rory Sullivan, has the full story below: