It is Boris Johnson's "ambition" for people to celebrate Christmas with their families, his spokesman has said.

The prime minister is "hopeful" that "some aspects of our lives" could be "back to normal" by then, he added.

It comes as tougher coronavirus rules come into force for nearly six million Britons - including a return to lockdown in Wales.

Boris Johnson's "ambition" is for people to celebrate Christmas with their families, his spokesman says https://t.co/Q3PZ3zyOKN

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 23, 2020

Warrington is the latest place to announce it is moving to England's highest level of restrictions.

Greater Manchester's population of 2.8 million has already joined Liverpool City Region and Lancashire on England's highest alert level - tier three.

And from 18:00 BST, the whole of Wales - 3.1 million people - will have to stay at home as a strict 17-day "firebreaker" lockdown begins.

South Yorkshire will also move into tier three restrictions from 00:01 on Saturday, by which time more than seven million people will be living under England's tightest rules.