Boris Johnson news – live: ‘Shameful and crass’ PM refuses to apologise after blaming care homes for coronavirus deaths, as UK resumes arms sales to Saudi Arabia

No 10 has said Boris Johnson won’t be offering an apology to the care sector after provoking anger with his claim “too many” care homes didn’t “properly follow procedures” during the coronavirus crisis. Care sector chiefs condemned his remarks as “cowardly”.

"Care homes across the country were dealing with an extraordinary amount of different guidance that was coming out from Government on an almost daily basis.", Vic Rayner, executive director of the National Care Forum, told the BBC "So for the suggestion that they were not following procedures as laid out is totally inappropriate and, frankly, hugely insulting."

It comes as the government announced Britain will resume selling arms to Saudi Arabia despite assessing the country could be using them to commit war crimes. Meanwhile, Russia said it would hit back at UK sanctions against 25 Russian officials with reciprocal measures.

Elsewhere, Huawei has denied targeting members of the British elite for support. It follows claims made in a new dossier – reportedly compiled with the help of former MI6 spy Christopher Steele – that the firm tried to persuade high-profile figures in the UK to act as “useful idiots”.