Lockdown restrictions lifted before experts ready to lower coronavirus threat level from 'high', No 10 admits

Lockdown restrictions are being lifted in England before experts are ready to cut the threat level from coronavirus from “high”, No 10 has admitted.

Boris Johnson had been expected to lower the alert level from 4 to 3 when he gave the go-ahead for groups of 6 to mix in gardens and parks, but failed to mention it.

Now his spokesman has conceded the level remains at 4 – where transmission of the virus is said to be “high” – while arguing it is “coming down from 4 to 3”.

On Wednesday, before the lockdown-easing announcement, the prime minister told MPs: “We’re coming down from level 4 to level 3 we hope, we’re taking a decision tomorrow.”

Downing Street also made clear the police would not check gardens to ensure no more than 6 people are meeting together, ahead of guidance being published later today.

“Under the regulations, the police do not have the power to enter a home,” the spokesman said – stating that could only be if “serious criminality” is suspected.

But he warned barbeque-enthusiasts they must wait until ‘Happy Monday’, next week – despite the sunny weekend ahead – adding: “The current regulations are in force until Monday.”

It is unclear when the issue of the current threat level will be discussed or decided by the government’s Joint Biosecurity Centre, despite restrictions being eased in just three days’ time.

Strikingly, the ‘action’ set out by ministers when the threat is at level 4 states: “Current social distancing measures and restrictions.”

Instead, Mr Johnson chose to lift the ban on meeting only one member of another household in favour of up to 6 – and reopen primary schools – going further than Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The confusion follows an apparent divide between the prime minister and his chief scientific adviser when the announcement was made at the daily briefing on Thursday.

While Mr Johnson gave the go-ahead to barbeques, Patrick Vallance was more cautious – warning the critical R reproduction rate was still “close to 1” and that nearly 8,000 new daily infections is “not a low number”.

The government’s own rules state that a “gradual relaxation of restrictions and social distancing measures” should only happen when the alert level is lowered to 3.

But, asked to explain had now been “decoupled”, the spokesman told journalists: “I don’t think it has.”

The easing was “always dependent on us meeting the 5 tests, which we are currently doing, and scientific advice in relation to the R rate”.

But he also acknowledged the Joint Biosecurity Centre was still not fully operational.

“It’s carrying out some of its functions already, including giving support to the chief medical officers. It will be fully operational in the coming weeks,” the spokesman said.

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