UK's Johnson under fire over lockdown easing plan 'chaos'

The UK government's plan to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions faced criticism on several fronts on Monday as ministers scrambled to clarify measures outlined by the prime minister in his televised Sunday address to the nation.

Having told Britons they should be “actively encouraged” to start returning to work, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's strategy was attacked for its lack of detail, with Labour leader Keir Starmer suggesting the plan was “unravelling” before it had started.

Even as the country had been led to believe before the long weekend that some measures would be relaxed, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had to tour televisions studios and reassure businesses that Johnson's plans would not start until Wednesday.

Stressing that the government was adamant it would only progress through various stages of lockdown relaxation as the rate of infection - known as “R” - receded, Raab said the government wanted people to move about more freely while being more vigilant about social distancing.

Clarifying Johnson's Sunday remarks, Raab said employers would be given detailed plans on workplace safety on Tuesday. The prime minister was due to address parliament on Monday afternoon and flesh out his proposals in what will be his first address to MPs on the crisis - he has also decided to avoid personal media scrutiny, ditching the daily news conference for a Q&A with the public.

In a radio phone-in, Starmer said the government's position had shifted in less than 12 hours after employers expressed concerns about how they were expected to keep employees safe on site if they chose to return to their workplaces.

Extending the lockdown has become a thorny issue within the Cabinet, with Finance Minister Rishi Sunak reportedly concerned about the long-term economic impact, while Health Minister Matt Hancock fears a second spike in infections could overwhelm the National Health Service.

New guidance from Downing Street on Sunday said people could take unlimited exercise and visit parents, along with a potential re-opening of primary schools and "phased reopening of shops".

Confusion reigned less than half a day later as even Raab told one interview that people could meet one parent in the morning and another in the afternoon, only to contradict himself by saying both parents could be met at the same time provided a two-metre distance was maintained between all parties.

Expressing concern that Johnson's suggestion to go back to work was tempered with a message that they should not use public transport, but walk or cycle, Starmer said this would be “really difficult, particularly if you’re in a city like London - and without guidelines in place as to how work places need to operate”.

“You know, simple things like how do you keep people two metres apart? What about sanitation, protective equipment? I was actually quite surprised the prime minister said, effectively in 12 hours’ time, start going back to work without those bits in place.

“We needed that clarity and it is unravelling a bit this morning because I think the foreign secretary has now said, ‘Well, go back to work doesn’t really mean until Wednesday’, so suddenly it has shifted.”

Unite union leader Len McCluskey said he was concerned "that at the very point we need to build clarity and confidence, doing everything possible to avert a second spike, that this next phase is unfolding in a jumbled, confusing manner".

"Similarly, issuing safety guidance to employers instead of definite, mandatory instructions is not acceptable. This runs a huge risk that some employers will follow the advice while others do not, and we urgently need to hear more from government about how it will install the inspection and enforcement systems necessary to support safe working."