Coronavirus restrictions will not be lifted early on 5 July, the new health secretary has confirmed – and 19 July “remains our target date”.
In his first Commons statement since taking on the role Sajid Javid told MPs that he had held talks with Boris Johnson and “whilst we decided not to bring forward step four, we see no reason to go beyond 19 July”.
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PM: ‘Positive signs’ for 19 July
He continued: “Because in truth, no date we choose comes with zero risk for COVID. We know we simply cannot eliminate it, we have to learn to live with it.
“We also know that people and businesses need certainty, so we want every step to be irreversible. Make no mistake, the restrictions on our freedoms must come to an end.
“We owe it to the British people who have sacrificed so much. to restore their freedoms as quickly as we possibly can and not to wait a moment longer than we need to.
“With the numbers heading in the right direction, all while we protect more and more people each day, 19 July remains our target date.”
When he announced a delay to the original date of 21 June, Boris Johnson said a review would take place to see if action could be taken two weeks sooner.
But the government has decided to wait and stick to 19 July.
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Matt Hancock resigns in Twitter video
Speaking earlier today, the prime minister said there were some “encouraging signs” in the data but ministers wanted to “use the next three weeks or so really to complete as much as we can of that vaccine rollout”.
Mr Johnson said another five million vaccine doses could be delivered by then.
And he reiterated his optimism about lifting restrictions on 19 July, adding: “With every day that goes by it’s clearer to me and all our scientific advisers that we’re very likely to be in a position on July 19 to say that really is the terminus and we can go back to life as it was before COVID as far as possible.”
Also speaking earlier, Mr Javid said it is his “absolute priority” to end restrictions as soon as possible and there will be “no going back” once they are removed.
Labour’s shadow health minister, Justin Madders, said the remarks “smack of complacency” and “people have heard this before”.
“First we were told we’d beat this virus in 12 weeks, then that we’d be back to normal by Christmas, then we were told it was data, not dates,” he said.
Leaked CCTV showed Matt Hancock kissing aide Gina Coladangelo in his departmental office
“We don’t need boastful claims, we need the government to be taking it seriously and coming up with a proper plan to lift these restrictions and get back to normal.”
Downing Street has said decisions on lifting coronavirus measures are still driven by “data not dates”.
“We want this road map to be irreversible and that by taking a cautious approach we won’t have to take any backward step as regards to lockdown measures,” the PM’s spokesman said.
The former chancellor and home secretary has returned to government 16 months after resigning amid a row with Downing Street about sacking his advisers.
Mr Hancock resigned as health secretary on Saturday.
His departure came after he admitted breaking social distancing rules, with leaked CCTV showing him kissing aide and former lobbyist Gina Coladangelo in his departmental office.
The images, published by The Sun, were from 6 May – more than a week before the easing of social distancing rules around close contact indoors for people from separate households.