Coronavirus: Lockdown lifting measures next week will be 'very limited', No 10 clarifies

Downing Street has said that any relaxation to social distancing measures next week will be “very limited”, as Boris Johnson told Cabinet: “We will advance with maximum caution.”

The assurance came as Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon said that any dilution of the “stay home” message could be “catastrophic”, and the Welsh government warned against sending “mixed messages” to the public, while Labour leader Keir Starmer called on the PM to secure a “national consensus” for any moves.

There were warnings that the suggestion – apparently briefed to friendly newspapers – that Mr Johnson is set to give the all-clear for sunbathing, picnics and unlimited exercise risked sending “mixed messages” to the public ahead of what is expected to be a sunny Bank Holiday Friday.

No 10 issued a plea to Britons to stick by existing social distancing rules over the weekend, which require them to leave their homes for only a few limited reasons and to maintain two metre separation when outside.

Cabinet today conducted a six-week review of lockdown, but any changes agreed will not be announced until Sunday, when the prime minister is planning a 7pm televised address to the nation. He will then update MPs and take questions in an oral statement to the House of Commons on Monday, when documents setting out the exit strategy plans in detail are also expected to be released.

Briefing cabinet on his plans, Mr Johnson said: “In considering whether there could be any easement of the existing guidelines, we are not going to do anything that risks a second peak.

“We will advance with maximum caution in order to protect the NHS and save lives.

“We will be guided at every step by science and data and we will closely track the impact of any easing of social distancing measure and will not hesitate to tighten the rules if required.”

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman told reporters to expect any relaxation of guidelines next week to be “very limited”, but declined to confirm or deny any details of the proposed changes.

“We are at a critical moment in the fight against the virus and we will not do anything which risks throwing away the efforts and sacrifices of the British people,” he said.

Following a meeting of the Welsh cabinet, a spokesman for Mark Drakeford’s Welsh government warned of the danger that public discussion of possible easing of restrictions risked undermining the “stay home” message and indicated that Cardiff may take a different approach from London.

And Ms Sturgeon said she would not be pressured into lifting restrictions too early north of the border, warning: “I particularly strongly believe for us to drop the clear, well-understood stay at home message right now could be a potentially catastrophic mistake.”

Downing Street has already started replacing the “stay home” instruction with the words “stay safe” in messages issued on its Twitter feed.

A Welsh government spokesman said: “Some of the reporting in today’s newspapers is confusing and risks sending mixed messages to people across the UK.

“The first minister of Wales will announce the outcome of the cabinet’s decision in due course. Our message for this bank holiday remains, stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.”

Mr Johnson discussed his plans with the leaders of opposition parties at Westminster following this morning’s cabinet meeting and is expected to speak later with leaders of the devolved administrations.

Speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said: “The potential changes that have been reported in the media today have not yet been discussed with the Scottish government or, as far as I know, with the other devolved governments.”

The Scottish first minister said she would prefer all four of the nations of the UK to make changes “together at the same pace” but added: “I will not be pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely before I am as certain as I can be that we will not be risking a resurgence of infection rates.”

She said: “If the prime minister decides that he wants to move at a faster pace for England than I consider is right for Scotland, that is his right, I will respect that and I will not criticise him for doing that.”

Downing Street has said throughout the outbreak that it wants the four UK nations to emerge in unison from lockdown, though it has made clear that restrictions could be reimposed in specific areas on a localised basis if new hotspots of disease emerge.

Asked for Mr Johnson’s message to anyone tempted to head for parks and beaches to take advantage of good weather over the long weekend, the PM’s spokesman said: “There is no change to the advice. We are asking people to stay at home in order to stop the spread of the virus and by doing so to protect the NHS and save lives.”

Following the PM’s talks with opposition leaders, a spokesman for Keir Starmer said: “During the call, the Labour leader stressed the importance of securing a national consensus on the next phase of the government’s response to the coronavirus. He also reiterated the seven principles that he wants the government to consider when planning for the next phase, including safety at work and preventing a cliff-edge to the job protection scheme.

“All sides agreed to further briefings over the weekend.”

Liberal Democrat acting leader Ed Davey said: “The Prime Minister emphasised the need for caution before lockdown can be lifted. Liberal Democrats certainly support an approach to lifting the lockdown that’s based on the science, the evidence and the health of the nation, so we hope the Government’s messaging will now be less confused.

“The government must make every effort to hold the consensus together on the ending of lockdown, that means working much more closely with the opposition parties and devolved administrations.”

Davey pressed the PM to extend the furlough scheme and consider a tapered approach to withdrawing financial support for businesses and urged him not to rely so much on technology such as smartphone apps in his approach to coronavirus testing and tracing.

“Not only does the UK still lag behind on testing, but we do not have anywhere near enough people trained to do tracing at a community level,” warned the Lib Dem leader.

Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk