Professor Chris Whitty and Boris Johnson to hold two major conferences on Covid-19

Professor Whitty is expected to warn that the UK stands at a "critical point" in the Covid-19 pandemic after a surge in cases over the past two weeks.

In a televised briefing today, Professor Whitty will say the country faces a "very challenging winter", with the current trend heading in the "wrong direction".

Meanwhile, the PM is expected to announce more new measures in a press conference as early as Tuesday.

The PM spent the weekend with senior ministers and advisers discussing what action to take as the rise in the number of new cases showed no sign of slowing.

But at 11am today, Professor Whitty, who will appear alongside the Government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, will explain how the virus is spreading in the UK and the potential scenarios that could unfold as winter approaches.

They will draw on data from other countries such as Spain and France, which are experiencing a second surge, to underline how their experience could be replicated in the UK.

Prof Whitty is expected to say: “The trend in the UK is heading in the wrong direction and we are at a critical point in the pandemic.

“We are looking at the data to see how to manage the spread of the virus ahead of a very challenging winter period.”

It comes as influential Conservative MP Sir Graham Brady signalled that ministers could face backbench resistance if they try to introduce new lockdown measures without proper scrutiny in Parliament.

'Treated like children'

He said ministers had “got into the habit of ruling by decree”, adding: “The British people are not used to being treated like children.”

He is tabling an amendment that would require the Government to put any new measures before a vote of MPs.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the Government’s actions were dictated by the need to act quickly.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re in a situation we’ve not seen literally since the war where we’ve had to act at incredible pace.

“Of course it’s right to look at the balance here but the need for speed, as we’re going to hear later today from the scientific and medical experts, does mean that these are exceptional times.

“I’m a Member of Parliament as well as a minister so I don’t disagree about Parliament’s role in all of this.

“But I do just stress that the exceptional circumstance have meant we’ve needed to move at unbelievable pace and that hasn’t always meant that we could come to Parliament first when you’re dealing with something like the coronavirus.”

Mr Shapps said the Prime Minister will set out the next steps in tackling the pandemic after the press conference by medical experts.

When asked why the Prime Minister was not going to be part of Prof Whitty’s public address, Mr Shapps said: “What he wants to do, quite rightly, is allow without politicians there, to allow scientists to set out the picture to the country.

“He will come out very soon after that and speak to the country.”

Ministers are reported to be split on how far any new restrictions should go, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak said to be resisting controls which could further damage the economy.

Mr Shapps denied there had been a row in the Cabinet, but said: “A debate is quite proper, that’s exactly what you would expect.”

During a series of broadcast interviews over the weekend, Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out a second national lockdown in England, if people fail to follow the social distancing rules.

He said he feared cases could go “shooting through the roof” with more hospitalisations and more deaths.

Meanwhile London mayor Sadiq Khan is to meet council leaders in the city on Monday to discuss possible new restrictions in the capital, which they would then put to ministers.

“The situation is clearly worsening,” a spokesman for the mayor said.

“The mayor wants fast action as we cannot risk a delay, as happened in March. It is better for both health and business to move too early than too late.”