Boris Johnson reluctant to end lockdown too soon - report

The prime minister is understood to be "cautious" about easing lockdown restrictions too soon, it was reported on Monday, despite senior cabinet ministers previously signalling otherwise.

According to The Times, Boris Johnson held a meeting with foreign secretary Dominic Raab and a number of senior advisors, including Dominic Cummings, on Friday. During the discussions, the prime minister said his priority was getting the UK back to normal after the pandemic peak had passed.

But the newspaper also reported that he raised concerns about lifting restrictions amid fears it could lead to a second peak which in turn would force another lockdown.

It quoted an anonymous government source as saying: "The idea that we will be rushing to lift measures is a non-starter. If the transmission rate rises significantly, we will have to do a harder lockdown again."

Last week, both Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, and chancellor Rishi Sunak, suggested that restrictions could be eased once the peak had passed and the transmission rate had lowered.

The first three-week lockdown was announced on 23 March, with another three-week period confirmed on 16 April. Some ministers are understood to be keen for schools to reopen at the end of the latest lockdown, but they are not expected to reopen until June, The Times said.

Johnson is currently staying at the prime minister’s country residence, Chequers, as he continues to recover from being hospitalised with coronavirus. The Times said he was expected to take a more active role this week, but is unlikely to return to Downing Street "for some time". Raab is deputising for Johnson in his absence.