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| UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson to announce plans to reopen pubs, restaurants, cinemas and museums | UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson to announce plans to reopen pubs, restaurants, cinemas and museums |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Reopenings expected to be accompanied by changes to social distancing rules | Reopenings expected to be accompanied by changes to social distancing rules |
| The Office for National Statistics has just published its latest weekly death figures for England and Wales. They cover the period up to the week ending Friday 12 June (week 24, as the ONS calls it). | |
| The figures show that the number of coronavirus deaths continues to decline. And in Wales, in week 24, there were no excess death. In fact, the death rate that week was below the five-year average. | |
| But in England every region apart from the north east recorded excess deaths (ie, more deaths than you would expect) in week 24. That includes London, where the death rate was below average in week 23. | |
| Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, joining the blog for the day. | |
| Here is the agenda, showing what’s coming up. | |
| 9.30am: The ONS publishes its weekly death figures for England and Wales. | |
| 9.30am: Care home industry staff and officials give evidence to the Commons health committee. | |
| 9.30am: Michael Russell, the Scottish government’s constitution secretary, and Jeremy Miles, the Welsh government’s Brexit minister, give evidence to the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee. | |
| 10am: Boris Johnson chairs cabinet. | |
| 11am: The Lords science committee takes evidence from Oxford and Imperial College scientists working on a coronavirus vaccine. | |
| 12.30pm: Johnson makes a statement to MPs about the next phase of easing the lockdown. | |
| 12.30pm: The Scottish and Welsh governments hold their daily coronavirus briefings. | |
| 2.30pm: Robert Buckland, the justice secretary, gives evidence to the Commons justice committee on coronavirus and the courts and prison service. | |
| 3pm: Food industry executives give evidence to the Commons environment committee on coronavirus and the food supply. | |
| 5pm: Johnson holds the UK government daily press conference. | |
| Northern Ireland has signalled that it will be issuing new lockdown guidelines soon. Brandon Lewis, Northern Ireland secretary, said: “I appreciate many people do want to see things starting to get back to whatever that new normal will be.” | |
| Pressed on how social distancing would be enforced in reopened pubs, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If we are able to say to pubs and other establishments that they are able to open in the near future, we will be issuing guidelines as well. | |
| “So that they can have some confidence about what is expected of them to create a safe environment.” | “So that they can have some confidence about what is expected of them to create a safe environment.” |
| He added: “I think the reality is we are all going to have to get used to this new kind of normal as we go forward, where we have to take some self-responsibility.” | He added: “I think the reality is we are all going to have to get used to this new kind of normal as we go forward, where we have to take some self-responsibility.” |
| The mayor of the West Midlands has unveiled a blueprint seeking £3.2bn of investment to kickstart the region’s economy following the Covid-19 lockdown. | |
| The three-year plan, announced today, is being put to central government and sets out “immediate actions” needed to stimulate the economy in the short term, in ways that will also support a long-term sustainable recovery. | The three-year plan, announced today, is being put to central government and sets out “immediate actions” needed to stimulate the economy in the short term, in ways that will also support a long-term sustainable recovery. |
| Drawn up by the area’s political, business and trade union leaders, the blueprint urges the government to work with them to “reset, rebuild and recharge” the region. | Drawn up by the area’s political, business and trade union leaders, the blueprint urges the government to work with them to “reset, rebuild and recharge” the region. |
| The Conservative mayor, Andy Street, and Ian Brookfield, the West Midlands combined authority’s portfolio holder for economy and innovation, are seeking £3.2bn of investment over the next three years. | |
| Street said: “The West Midlands economy was in good shape before the coronavirus pandemic first struck, and we need to do everything we can to get back on our feet quickly, learning the lessons of our rebound from the financial crash of 2008-09.” | |
| Measures to create green manufacturing jobs by harnessing electrification, and to invest in healthcare innovation are included in the blueprint. | Measures to create green manufacturing jobs by harnessing electrification, and to invest in healthcare innovation are included in the blueprint. |
| Hello, I am looking after updates on the blog this morning. As ever, if you have any tips, stories or things which you think we should be covering please send them across to my email: nazia.parveen@theguardian.com or follow me on Twitter to send me a direct message. | |
| A World Health Organization (WHO) expert has warned that the UK needs to be careful as lockdown measures are eased. | A World Health Organization (WHO) expert has warned that the UK needs to be careful as lockdown measures are eased. |
| Dr Margaret Harris said the country had done well in bringing the number of coronavirus infections down, but added: “The lesson is for people to understand this is the year of living differently. Not, ‘OK, it’s over’. You haven’t just been let out of school.” | Dr Margaret Harris said the country had done well in bringing the number of coronavirus infections down, but added: “The lesson is for people to understand this is the year of living differently. Not, ‘OK, it’s over’. You haven’t just been let out of school.” |
| In the interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: | In the interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: |
| Former chancellor Sajid Javid has called for national insurance to be cut to boost recovery, warning that an immediate economic bounce-back from the coronavirus crisis is unlikely. | Former chancellor Sajid Javid has called for national insurance to be cut to boost recovery, warning that an immediate economic bounce-back from the coronavirus crisis is unlikely. |
| In a joint report with the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), a right-leaning thinktank, Javid called for national insurance to be given a “significant, temporary” reduction to make it cheaper for employers to take on staff. | In a joint report with the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), a right-leaning thinktank, Javid called for national insurance to be given a “significant, temporary” reduction to make it cheaper for employers to take on staff. |
| The former cabinet minister, who resigned from the Treasury in February, said early hopes of a V-shaped recovery had “proved optimistic”. | The former cabinet minister, who resigned from the Treasury in February, said early hopes of a V-shaped recovery had “proved optimistic”. |
| He predicted “some long-term damage to the economy” had become unavoidable, with as many as 2.5 million people out of work due to the Covid-19 lockdown. | He predicted “some long-term damage to the economy” had become unavoidable, with as many as 2.5 million people out of work due to the Covid-19 lockdown. |
| But in order to speed up the rate of people re-entering employment, Javid argued in the report, After The Virus (pdf), published on Tuesday, that ministers must make it easier for businesses to hire workers. | But in order to speed up the rate of people re-entering employment, Javid argued in the report, After The Virus (pdf), published on Tuesday, that ministers must make it easier for businesses to hire workers. |
| Other recommendations made in the report include temporarily cutting VAT and bringing forward “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects, with Javid arguing the “only way out of this crisis is growth”. | Other recommendations made in the report include temporarily cutting VAT and bringing forward “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects, with Javid arguing the “only way out of this crisis is growth”. |
| Boris Johnson is to set out plans to allow pubs, restaurants, museums and cinemas to begin reopening in the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown in England. | Boris Johnson is to set out plans to allow pubs, restaurants, museums and cinemas to begin reopening in the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown in England. |
| Johnson is publishing the government’s keenly awaited review of the 2-metre social-distancing rule on Tuesday, amid widespread expectations it will be cut to 1 metre. | Johnson is publishing the government’s keenly awaited review of the 2-metre social-distancing rule on Tuesday, amid widespread expectations it will be cut to 1 metre. |
| He will brief the cabinet on the proposals – due to take effect from 4 July – before setting out details in a Commons statement. | He will brief the cabinet on the proposals – due to take effect from 4 July – before setting out details in a Commons statement. |
| The move follows intense pressure from some Conservative MPs who have said easing the 2-metre requirement is key to reopening the hard-pressed hospitality sector. | The move follows intense pressure from some Conservative MPs who have said easing the 2-metre requirement is key to reopening the hard-pressed hospitality sector. |