Boris Johnson to clarify new details on lockdown roadmap to MPs

11 May 2020, 06:14 | Updated: 11 May 2020, 06:15

Boris Johnson will clarify the details of the new lockdown on Monday
Boris Johnson will clarify the details of the new lockdown on Monday. Picture: LBC News
EJ Ward

By EJ Ward

The Prime Minister will set out more detailed plans on slowly easing the coronavirus lockdown to MPs in the Commons on Monday amid widespread calls for clarification.

On Sunday Boris Johnson announced to the nation a slight easing of current coronavirus lockdown restrictions and he will face Parliament on Monday.

The PM will address the Commons revealing more information on his planned Covid-19 alert system and his "first sketch of a road map" for restarting the economy and social lives in England.

Read more: Coronavirus lockdown - What changes has Boris Johnson made to restrictions?

In a televised address to the nation from Downing Street on Sunday, the PM announced a phased reopening of non-essential shops and schools in England could potentially begin from June 1.

Mr Johnson also told those who cannot work form home should return to their jobs from Monday, but warnings have been issued over the use of public transport.

Read more: New 'stay alert' coronavirus slogan criticised ahead of PM's speech

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Government officials said tennis, water sports, angling and golf would be permitted as long as social distancing was enforced, Mr Johnson granted unlimited exercise in England from Wednesday.

Read more: Boris Johnson announces six new lockdown rules ahead of speech

And people will also be allowed to sunbathe or chat in English parks with one other person from a different household as long as two-metre distancing is maintained.

Mr Johnson began easing the lockdown he imposed on March 23 as official figures suggested the UK death toll passed 36,800.

He relaxed his "stay home" slogan to instead tell people to "stay alert", but had not consulted the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - and they refused to adopt the new message.

Read more: Scotland removes once-a-day lockdown exercise limit

Boris Johnson's coronavirus lockdown speech

The PM also faced calls for clarity on the measures from businesses, unions and police.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the announcement lacked "clarity and consensus", while "effectively telling millions of people to go back to work tomorrow" without clear guidelines.

He said: "This statement raises as many questions as it answers, and we see the prospect of England, Scotland and Wales pulling in different directions."

Read more: Boris Johnson to reveal five-stage warning scheme ahead of easing restrictions

Primary pupils could go back to school in steps staggered by year groups "at the earliest by June 1", with secondary pupils with exams next year to get some teaching time before the holidays.

The National Education Union, representing teachers, said the idea of reopening schools with the rate of infection as it is was "nothing short of reckless".

Mr Johnson said he was hampered because the rate of transmission, or R, remained too high between 0.5 and 0.9 "but potentially just below one", above which a rapid resurgence could follow.

But in the third step, "at the earliest by July", he said ministers hope to reopen some of the hospitality industry, if the evidence supports the move and distancing can be enforced.

Business leaders and unions were calling for details on what protective equipment staff needed, distancing measures that needed to be in place and on Government support schemes.

However, Mr Johnson acknowledged he was giving just "the shape of a plan" in his address, and the Government is to publish a 50-page document in Parliament on Monday to fill in the gaps.

The PM also said he would take questions from the public in some form.

Further details are expected on plans to impose a 14-day quarantine on people flying into the UK and on a five-tier alert system to inform relaxation and strengthening of measures.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Know your limits this summer, Brits have been warned

‘Know your limits’: Brits heading to the Euros this summer warned against drinking ‘too much German beer’

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

Sam Bankman-Fried has been jailed for 25 years for a $8bn crypto fraud

'Crypto King' Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for 25 years for stealing billions of dollars from his customers

Michael Gove has been urged to 'get on with' passing the rental reforms

Ministers accused of making 'major concessions to landlords' after renters reforms 'watered down'

Supermarket opening times for Easter 2024: Trading hour revealed for Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi

Supermarket opening times for Easter 2024: Trading hours revealed for Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi

It is believed the litter picking tool was mistaken for a firearm, Northumbria Police said

Schools locked down by police after litter picker mistaken for firearm