PM aims to 'stick' to Covid lockdown easing after 'being burned', says ex-adviser
22 February 2021, 14:48 | Updated: 25 February 2021, 10:14
'Boris Johnson wants to avoid Covid rules changing week-to-week'
A former adviser to Boris Johnson told LBC that the PM aims to "stick" to the roadmap out of lockdown and wants to avoid changing Covid rules "week-by-week".
Alex Crowley made the remark to LBC's Nick Ferrari ahead of the PM announcing his "roadmap" out of the Covid-19 lockdown.
The PM is set to use the announcement to confirm that pupils in all schools years in England will return to classrooms from March 8, with outdoor after-school sports and activities allowed to restart at the same time.
Socialising in parks and public spaces with one other person is also set to be permitted from March 8.
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Mr Cowley told LBC: "There were a lot of ups and downs last year...and the one thing [the Government] want to avoid if they possibly can is having to open up and then shutting back down yet again. That's the first thing.
"And the second thing is they want to avoid the situation where the rules are constantly changing on an almost week-by-week basis."
He added: "So what we're going to see therefore is a very cautious programme and you're right [to say that] Boris isn't naturally very cautious.
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"But he has been burned one or two times before last year, and so this time he wants to make it stick if he can."
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday that there will be "weeks between the steps" so ministers can "watch carefully" over the impact of each restriction being relaxed.
