Angela Rayner responds to the PM's failure to clarify the rules around households in the North East mixing outside

"For the Prime Minister to not understand his own rules is grossly incompetent.

"These new restrictions are due to come into force across huge parts of the country tonight. The government needs to get a grip."

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Asked to clarify confusion following Gillian Keegan being unable to say whether households in the North East can mix outside, the Prime Minister said: "On the rule of six, outside the areas such as the North East where extra measures have been brought in, it is six inside and six outside. In the North East and other areas where extra tight measures have been brought in you should follow the guidance of local authorities. But it is six in a home or six in hospitality but as I understand it, not six outside. That is the situation. But clearly, for everybody watching tonight, I appreciate that this is one of those things that people will feel is confusing."