Several regions of the UK, particularly Scotland and northern England, have been badly hit by Storm Gerrit, which has brought heavy rain and snow.

The Tories have been dropping hints they could make attention-grabbing pledges on housing and taxes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struggles to turn around his party’s major deficit in the polls.

UK Prime subscribers will be able to continue to use the service without seeing adverts, but will need to pay an additional £2.99 to go ad-free, Amazon said.

Delays and potentially hazardous conditions are likely with the storm forecast to bring wintry weather for the south of England and the English Channel coast as well as parts of western Wales, north-west England, Northern Ireland, northern Scotland and the northern isles.