When is Boris Johnson's next announcement on Covid lockdown?
Rising numbers of coronavirus cases and the emergence of the new, more transmissible variant first identified in India have put the final stage of England's lockdown easing in jeopardy. Boris Johnson will announce on Monday whether Covid restrictions will be lifted. As cases increase, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is willing to accept a short delay to Step 4 of the roadmap to ending the lockdown, The Telegraph understands. A Whitehall source pointed towards the Treasury having gone "long" on emergency coronavirus support packages in the Budget to cover the possibility of a delay to the plans. Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said on June 6 the Government was "absolutely open" to delaying the final step in Boris Johnson's reopening roadmap, which was the strongest indication yet that the so-called "freedom day" might be delayed. Additionally, Jim McManus, the vice-president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on June 11 that the current restrictions should be kept going for four more weeks, and that if we "invest that little bit of time to keep us going forwards, it will stop us going backwards". However, Downing Street said that data emerging over the coming days will be "crucial" in deciding whether all legal coronavirus restrictions can end as hoped. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said on June 9 that coronavirus cases are "clearly rising" and that Mr Johnson is reviewing a range of data to make a decision on the further lifting of restrictions on June 21. He told Sky News: "The Prime Minister is reviewing the data, and more data is coming in, which is very important. "We created this five-week period between the stages of the roadmap and that has actually proved invaluable on this occasion, because it's a finely balanced decision." He added that the Government will look not just at whether cases are rising, but the link to hospitalisations and ultimately to death. "So the Prime Minister is reviewing that ahead of the decision point, which is going to be June 14 - at that point of course he will let everybody know what the ultimate decision is," he added. Here we look at what might happen if Step 4 of the roadmap is delayed. According to the Government's roadmap, Step 4 would see all legal limits on social contact removed. It is hoped that the last indoor venues which remain closed, including nightclubs, will reopen and restrictions on large events and performances will cease to apply.