Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has tested positive for coronavirus.

It is the second time Mr Starmer has caught the virus.

He will be replaced at Prime Minister’s Questions today by Angela Rayner, a Labour spokesman confirmed.

The Labour leader previously tested positive for Covid in October, where he missed the Budget announcement at PMQs.

That time, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband stood in for Mr Starmer.

What to expect at PMQs today

Boris Johnson is to face scrutiny over his plan to “ride out” the wave of Omicron without further restrictions.

The Prime Minister will argue to his Cabinet that they should stick to Plan B measures in England despite the NHS coming under significant strain from the coronavirus.

Mr Johnson accepted parts of the health service will feel “temporarily overwhelmed” as a result.

Government sources did not deny reports suggesting Covid-19 testing rules will be relaxed to reduce absences, though the timing of the announcement was unclear.

The Telegraph said a change so that millions who test positive in lateral flow tests will not need a confirmatory PCR could come on Wednesday.

NHS trusts were declaring critical incidents and hospitals in Greater Manchester said they will pause some “non-urgent” surgery over the “rising impact” of Covid-19 and staffing shortages.

A record 218,724 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases were announced in England and Scotland on Tuesday, though the figure will have been inflated by delayed reporting over the holiday period.

Mr Johnson confirmed he would stick with the Plan B measures including work-from-home guidance, mask-wearing and Covid health passes ahead of Wednesday’s review of the regulations scheduled to expire on January 26.

A ministerial statement is expected in the Commons on Wednesday, though it was unclear whether Mr Johnson will deliver this himself or it will be done by another minister.