The Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is to be deputised, as Deputy Prime Minister, a No 10 spokesman said on Monday evening.

Raab said on Monday evening, “The Prime Minister is in safe hands with that brilliant team at St Thomas’ hospital, and the focus of the government will continue to be on making sure that the Prime Minister’s direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward.

“There’s an incredibly strong team spirit behind the Prime Minister, and making sure that we get all of the plans the Prime Minister’s instructed us to deliver, to get them implemented as soon as possible.

“And that’s the way it will bring the whole country through the coronavirus challenge that we face right now.”

A spokesperson for Downing Street said, “Since Sunday evening, the Prime Minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.