England is "set fair" for easing lockdown restrictions on July 19, the prime minister has said ahead of a statement by new Health Secretary Sajid Javid in the Commons on whether easing can be brought forward.

Boris Johnson, speaking during a campaign visit in Batley, said July 19 would very likely remain the date for ending coronavirus restrictions saying it was "sensible to stick to our plan".

The Prime Minister said: "I had a good conversation yesterday, a long meeting with Sajid Javid, the new health secretary.

"Although there are some encouraging signs and the number of deaths remains low and the number of hospitalisations remains low, though both are going up a bit, we are seeing an increase in cases.

"So we think it's sensible to stick to our plan to have a cautious but irreversible approach, use the next three weeks or so really to complete as much as we can of that vaccine rollout - another five million jabs we can get into people's arms by July 19.

"And then with every day that goes by it's clearer to me and all our scientific advisers that we're very likely to be in a position on July 19 to say that really is the terminus and we can go back to life as it was before Covid as far as possible."

Mr Javid, who became the Health Secretary following Matt Hancock’s resignation over the weekend, said on Monday he wanted "to see the restrictions lifted and life doing back to normal as quickly as possible."