New lockdown guidance gets widespread approval in Westminster
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement today that the two metre social distancing will be scrapped in favour of new “one metre-plus” guidance from 4 July was met with widespread approval from Westminster, as the public prepares to revitalise the British economy after months of lockdown.
Business
Ministers welcomed the new guidance as providing a lifeline for businesses on the brink, which will now be able to reopen following months of closure.
Nickie Aicken, MP for Cities of London and Westminster, told City A.M: “The Prime Minister’s announcement is another positive step on the roadmap to reopen our economy. I’m delighted the two-metre rule is being cut to one metre. It will mean more bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to open next week whilst remaining safe.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, told City A.M: “The opening of venues across London from early July will be welcome for those thousands of businesses in hospitality and culture who have seen their income dry up completely during this crisis. And of course, Londoners will once again be able to enjoy visiting the wonderful pubs, cafés and museums that make our city the best in the world.”
However, we warned that the government needed to “act urgently to ensure the necessary legislation and support is in place to allow venues to operate safely under the new one metre-plus rule.”
Khan’s sentiments were echoed by Tory MP Damian Green, the former deputy Prime Minister, who praised Johnson for saving “hundreds of thousands of jobs”, but asked that all rules be set out in clear and concise detail.
Green also noted that the changes businesses will have to make to comply with new social distancing rules will be “complex” and costly, particularly for small firms.
Speaking in the commons, leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer voiced his support for the new guidance. “When I became Labour leader, I said I would support the government if it was doing the right thing…[and] I think the government is trying to do the right thing,” Starmer said, adding that Labour will “of course scrutinise” the new guidelines.
Conservative MP Gareth Johnson urged the country to go out and “do their patriotic best for Britain” by going to the pub and revitalising ailing hospitality businesses.
Employment
While many businesses were kept afloat by chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme, many MPs were quick to point out that the UK’s employment rate has taken a bruising during the pandemic.
UK jobless claims soared 70 per cent in the first month of lockdown, and many warned that more redundancies are on the horizon as the furlough scheme winds down.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan cautioned that despite the new guidance, many businesses will remain unable to reopen. He urged the chancellor to extend the furlough scheme in the poorest parts of London, saying: “Ministers must urgently extend the help on offer to avoid the looming unemployment crisis which will hit the most disadvantaged and BAME Londoners hardest.”
SNP MP Ronnie Cowan, on the other hand, called on the Prime Minister to “condemn firms abusing the furlough scheme”. Johnson assured that he would look at this issue, but that the furlough scheme has been a success. “There is nothing like it around the world”, he said.
Safety
MPs in the Commons supported the new guidance from a business perspective, but wanted to make sure easing the lockdown restrictions was safe for the country.
Richard Burgon, the Labour MP for Leeds East, accused Johnson of gambling with people’s lives by reducing the two metre social distancing rule. Johnson “just made this announcement to appease Tory MPs”, Burgon said.
Nickie Aiken warned that though the new guidance comes as welcome relief after months of lockdown, the public should continue to stay alert. She told City A.M: “We mustn’t be complacent and we must continue to be vigilant but there is definitely the right move at the right time.”
Starmer asked the Prime Minister for assurance that Johnson had the support of scientific advisory group Sage. Johnson noted that both chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Chris Whitty had given the one metre-plus guidance the rubber stamp of approval at meetings last night, and that easing the lockdown would unlikely cause a second wave of infections.
Concerns were raised that the government’s new guidelines would only be effective with a comprehensive and reliable track and trace system.
Khan said: “I continue to be concerned about the ongoing problems with the Government’s test and trace system, including the failure to get the contact-tracing app up and running. It is vital that we now see rapid improvements in the test and trace system as people come into closer contact.
“If the government re-opens the economy in a way that causes a tragic second wave of the virus, it will cause huge social and economic damage, with a further lockdown having catastrophic consequences for workers and businesses.”
Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, said keeping people safe should be the government’s top priority, despite the potential economic fallout. “The government has wasted time and money on a botched test and trace system,” he added.
Labour’s Andrew Gwynne warned that even with a one-metre rule in place, some schools, particularly in Victorian buildings, would struggle to operate on a safe level. Johnson assured that between now and September the government will work with the sector to get a clear understanding of the risks