"Lockdown to continue for at least another four weeks"

[dutchman]

Most coronavirus rules will remain in place in England for another four weeks after the planned 21 June unlocking, government sources have told the BBC



Senior ministers have signed off on the decision to delay the lifting of all legal restrictions on social contact.

That could mean capacity limits for sports, pubs and cinemas will remain, and nightclubs would stay closed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to confirm the delay at a news conference later - at 18:00 BST.

The extension will be put to a Commons vote this month and could trigger a sizeable Conservative backbench rebellion.

England was due to move to stage four of the government's roadmap out of lockdown on 21 June, when venues and events would be allowed to operate without capacity limits and the cap on guests at weddings would be lifted.

It would also have meant an end to current rules which limit gatherings at home to six people or two households.

But many scientists have called for the reopening to be delayed to enable more people to be vaccinated and receive second doses, amid rising cases of the Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

A delay would also allow more work to be done on whether vaccines are breaking, or simply weakening, the link between infections and hospitalisations.

Health Minister Edward Argar told BBC Breakfast that he could not confirm the delay before the PM's announcement, but that there was a "concerning increase" in cases of the Delta variant and numbers in hospital were "beginning to creep up".

Mr Argar said the prime minister would address issues of economic support in any announcement and that the PM was "very sensitive" to the situation of couples who had already had to postpone their weddings.

The Night Time Industries Association said businesses such as nightclubs had already spent millions preparing to reopen, and the association would legally challenge any delay to reopening.

Will Power, owner of the Lab 11 nightclub in Birmingham, said a delay would be "catastrophic".

"This will possibly hurt us more than the initial lockdown back in March last year," he said.

Kate Nicholls from UKHospitality, which represents pubs, bars and restaurants, said businesses faced losing £3bn in sales if the relaxation of restrictions was delayed by a month.

Singer Frank Turner, who has raised money for struggling small music venues, said the delay would "tip some businesses into final collapse", while theatre producer Sonia Friedman warned "many livelihoods are under existential threat".

Some Conservative MPs said they were concerned that vulnerable businesses would close permanently and that the prospect of ending all coronavirus restrictions was receding.

Backbencher Peter Bone said he would vote against continuing restrictions unless the prime minister was able to show there was "a very clear danger to our society".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that currently he "can't see the evidence why we should be postponing our freedom".

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told LBC Radio if the lockdown decision was confirmed, it would be because of the government's "pathetic borders policy", which he said allowed the Delta variant to become established in the UK.

[rebbonk]

And next month there will be another variant, and another the month after, then we're back into flu season and the whole shebang continues. We surrendered our freedoms too easily on the flimsiest of evidence and the egotistical prats that we have elected are loving the power trip they're on.

[dutchman]

And the joke is it's all over something that for 99.5% of the population is no worse than a mild cold!