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| Coronavirus: PM to review lockdown restrictions with cabinet | Coronavirus: PM to review lockdown restrictions with cabinet |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Boris Johnson will review the coronavirus lockdown in England with his cabinet later, after suggesting some rules could be eased from Monday. | Boris Johnson will review the coronavirus lockdown in England with his cabinet later, after suggesting some rules could be eased from Monday. |
| By law the government must review the restrictions every three weeks, and Thursday marks the latest deadline. | By law the government must review the restrictions every three weeks, and Thursday marks the latest deadline. |
| The prime minister will address the nation on Sunday to outline plans for the next stage of the lockdown. | The prime minister will address the nation on Sunday to outline plans for the next stage of the lockdown. |
| The "stay at home" message is expected to be scrapped, with ministers keen to restart the economy. | |
| Options for easing the lockdown will be discussed with devolved authorities later, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said. | |
| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have the power to diverge from what the government at Westminster decides on the lockdown - and could lift restrictions at a different rate. | |
| Mr Johnson will chair a meeting of his top team later to discuss the lockdown restrictions, which were introduced more than six weeks ago on 23 March. | Mr Johnson will chair a meeting of his top team later to discuss the lockdown restrictions, which were introduced more than six weeks ago on 23 March. |
| However, major announcements on any changes are not expected until the prime minister makes his statement at the weekend. | However, major announcements on any changes are not expected until the prime minister makes his statement at the weekend. |
| While the lockdown is largely expected to stay in place, Mr Johnson has suggested some measures could start being eased on Monday. | While the lockdown is largely expected to stay in place, Mr Johnson has suggested some measures could start being eased on Monday. |
| "We want, if we possibly can, to get going with some of these measures on Monday," he told Prime Ministers' Questions. | "We want, if we possibly can, to get going with some of these measures on Monday," he told Prime Ministers' Questions. |
| "It would be a good thing if the people had an idea of what's coming the following day, that's why I think Sunday, the weekend, is the best time to do it." | "It would be a good thing if the people had an idea of what's coming the following day, that's why I think Sunday, the weekend, is the best time to do it." |
| But Mr Johnson also said the government had to be sure any changes to the restrictions were backed by data, and "that data is coming in continuously over the next few days". | But Mr Johnson also said the government had to be sure any changes to the restrictions were backed by data, and "that data is coming in continuously over the next few days". |
| No 10 said that "it is not going to be a case of flicking a switch" to lift all measures at once, and instead "people will have to prepare for a different type of normal". | No 10 said that "it is not going to be a case of flicking a switch" to lift all measures at once, and instead "people will have to prepare for a different type of normal". |
| Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has already indicated she is unlikely to announce immediate or significant changes. | Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has already indicated she is unlikely to announce immediate or significant changes. |
| She has unveiled a paper on the options being considered - including relaxing rules on daily exercise or allowing people to meet with a small social "bubble". | She has unveiled a paper on the options being considered - including relaxing rules on daily exercise or allowing people to meet with a small social "bubble". |
| On Wednesday, Wales' Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said the Welsh government was "keen to move as closely as we can with England at the moment" but ministers have previously suggested restrictions could be eased at different times to the rest of the UK. | On Wednesday, Wales' Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said the Welsh government was "keen to move as closely as we can with England at the moment" but ministers have previously suggested restrictions could be eased at different times to the rest of the UK. |
| The Northern Ireland Executive will continue discussions on Thursday on how and when to relax any lockdown restrictions and First Minister Arlene Foster previously suggested Northern Ireland's restrictions could be lifted at a different pace to the rest of the UK. | The Northern Ireland Executive will continue discussions on Thursday on how and when to relax any lockdown restrictions and First Minister Arlene Foster previously suggested Northern Ireland's restrictions could be lifted at a different pace to the rest of the UK. |
| Lockdown will 'largely stay in place' | |
| BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the government's "stay at home" message - which it has pushed since the lockdown began on 23 March - is "on the way out". | BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the government's "stay at home" message - which it has pushed since the lockdown began on 23 March - is "on the way out". |
| Public Health England said it was "reviewing all communications materials in anticipation of moving to the next phase of the government campaign". | Public Health England said it was "reviewing all communications materials in anticipation of moving to the next phase of the government campaign". |
| But despite some tweaks from Monday, our political editor says the lockdown will "largely stay in place". | |
| BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said there could be a relaxation of exercise rules, with people allowed to go outside more. | |
| There could also be more encouragement for people to return to work if they are able to, our correspondent added. | There could also be more encouragement for people to return to work if they are able to, our correspondent added. |
| Asked about reports the "stay at home" message could be dropped, Mr Lewis said final decisions were yet to be made and options for easing the lockdown would be discussed at cabinet later. | |
| The Northern Ireland Secretary said the government would be proceeding with caution and avoiding a second peak would be "at the forefront of our minds". | |
| With good weather forecast for over the Bank Holiday weekend Mr Lewis said people should continue to follow lockdown rules. | With good weather forecast for over the Bank Holiday weekend Mr Lewis said people should continue to follow lockdown rules. |
| "I would really urge caution - the safest thing to do at the moment... is wherever you can stay home." | "I would really urge caution - the safest thing to do at the moment... is wherever you can stay home." |
| Public confidence | Public confidence |
| Acting Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said if the government's message changed it was important there was an effective plan in place on testing and tracing contacts of those who were found to have the virus. | Acting Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said if the government's message changed it was important there was an effective plan in place on testing and tracing contacts of those who were found to have the virus. |
| "We don't want to give a false impression that things have changed dramatically and life can go back to normal and it's essential the government gets the balance right," he told BBC Breakfast. | "We don't want to give a false impression that things have changed dramatically and life can go back to normal and it's essential the government gets the balance right," he told BBC Breakfast. |
| Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds also said building public confidence was key to restarting the economy. | Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds also said building public confidence was key to restarting the economy. |
| "Absolutely critical here is having a system to ensure that people feel safe when they're at work and that consumers feel safe when they go into businesses - and we're not there yet," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "Absolutely critical here is having a system to ensure that people feel safe when they're at work and that consumers feel safe when they go into businesses - and we're not there yet," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| It comes as the UK became the first country in Europe to record more than 30,000 people dying with coronavirus. The UK now has the second-highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, behind the United States. | |
| Speaking on ITV's Peston programme, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said making international comparisons was "not constructive or helpful until we have had the time and space to comb through the data". | Speaking on ITV's Peston programme, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said making international comparisons was "not constructive or helpful until we have had the time and space to comb through the data". |
| The UK's latest figures also showed deaths in care homes continued to rise, even as hospital deaths had fallen. Mr Johnson said he "bitterly regrets" the crisis in care homes and the government was "working very hard" to tackle it. | The UK's latest figures also showed deaths in care homes continued to rise, even as hospital deaths had fallen. Mr Johnson said he "bitterly regrets" the crisis in care homes and the government was "working very hard" to tackle it. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |