PRIME minister Boris Johnson has confirmed England’s Covid restrictions will remain in place.

July 19 is now the date earmarked for lifting the remaining restrictions but limits of no more than 30 people at weddings and wakes will be lifted from June 21.

Mr Johnson told a Downing Street press conference that the spread of the Delta variant meant “we have obviously faced a very difficult choice”.

“We can simply keep going with all of Step 4 on June 21, even though there is a real possibility that the virus will outrun the vaccines and that thousands more deaths would ensue which could otherwise have been avoided," he said.

“Or else we can give the NHS a few more crucial weeks to get those remaining jabs into the arms of those who need them.

“And since today I cannot say that that we have met all our four tests for proceeding with Step 4 on June 21, I think it is sensible to wait just a little longer.”