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| UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson ditches 2m social distancing rule for '1m-plus' in England | UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson ditches 2m social distancing rule for '1m-plus' in England |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| No 10 scraps daily press conference after today; 2m rule stays in Scotland and Wales; English pubs, restaurants, hairdressers to open from 4 July | |
| Marston’s chief Ralph Findlay has been speaking to PA Media. He has said he expects the company will reopen 80 to 85% of its 1,400 pubs from 4 July after being given the go-ahead to open sites with “1-metre-plus” distancing in place. | |
| He said he was concerned by speculation that customers might have to register their names at the bar. (The prime minister said specific safety measures for pubs, restaurants and other sites will still be clarified.) Findlay said: | |
| This is from the Green Party MP Caroline Lucas – | |
| Some of the largest museums and galleries have issued a joint statement welcoming the announcement that they will be able to begin to welcome back visitors. | Some of the largest museums and galleries have issued a joint statement welcoming the announcement that they will be able to begin to welcome back visitors. |
| Tate, Science Museum Group, Natural History Museum, National Gallery, British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum directors said: | Tate, Science Museum Group, Natural History Museum, National Gallery, British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum directors said: |
| This is from the culture secretary – | This is from the culture secretary – |
| A further 46 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died in English hospitals, NHS England has said. It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in that setting to 28,384. | A further 46 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died in English hospitals, NHS England has said. It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in that setting to 28,384. |
| The patients were aged between 51 and 97. Two of them, aged 84 and 87, had no known underlying health conditions. | The patients were aged between 51 and 97. Two of them, aged 84 and 87, had no known underlying health conditions. |
| The Boris Johnson Commons statement has now finished. | The Boris Johnson Commons statement has now finished. |
| The full text of his opening remarks is here. | The full text of his opening remarks is here. |
| More reaction and analysis coming soon. | More reaction and analysis coming soon. |
| The UK government has just announced that, after today, it is giving up its daily coronavirus press conference. But it says the data usually published in the daily slides will continue to be published daily every week day. | The UK government has just announced that, after today, it is giving up its daily coronavirus press conference. But it says the data usually published in the daily slides will continue to be published daily every week day. |
| It will still hold press conferences for “significant announcements”, it says. | It will still hold press conferences for “significant announcements”, it says. |
| Johnson is taking today’s press conference, which will be the last one. | Johnson is taking today’s press conference, which will be the last one. |
| Teaching unions have warned that the prime minister’s announcement of a relaxation of the 2-metre physical distancing rule to 1 metre is not a magic bullet and will not ensure that all children return to schools in England in September. | Teaching unions have warned that the prime minister’s announcement of a relaxation of the 2-metre physical distancing rule to 1 metre is not a magic bullet and will not ensure that all children return to schools in England in September. |
| Responding to Boris Johnson’s statement to MPs that schools would reopen “with full attendance”, Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said it was pure fantasy. “It may be possible to accommodate more pupils in classrooms with a 1m separation, but not all pupils. There just isn’t enough space in many classrooms to do this.” | Responding to Boris Johnson’s statement to MPs that schools would reopen “with full attendance”, Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said it was pure fantasy. “It may be possible to accommodate more pupils in classrooms with a 1m separation, but not all pupils. There just isn’t enough space in many classrooms to do this.” |
| Barton also questioned education secretary Gavin Williamson’s announcement last week that the protective social bubbles of 15 children currently being used in schools to limit transmission of the virus could be doubled to 30 to facilitate a full return to schools. | Barton also questioned education secretary Gavin Williamson’s announcement last week that the protective social bubbles of 15 children currently being used in schools to limit transmission of the virus could be doubled to 30 to facilitate a full return to schools. |
| “The idea of a social bubble is to have a consistent group which doesn’t mix with other pupils, whether it is 15 or 30. It is difficult to see how this could be achieved with pupils moving between different subject groups, and in playgrounds, corridors, sports fields, and transport to and from school.” | “The idea of a social bubble is to have a consistent group which doesn’t mix with other pupils, whether it is 15 or 30. It is difficult to see how this could be achieved with pupils moving between different subject groups, and in playgrounds, corridors, sports fields, and transport to and from school.” |
| Barton went on: “We need a proper strategy to bring children back into schools and colleges based in reality and on public health guidance.” | Barton went on: “We need a proper strategy to bring children back into schools and colleges based in reality and on public health guidance.” |
| ASCL’s scepticism was echoed by Dr Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union. “The NEU is of course in favour of all children being back in school, but even with a one-metre rule that will need more teachers and more spaces.If social distancing of 1m remains in place, that will still be difficult for schools.” | ASCL’s scepticism was echoed by Dr Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union. “The NEU is of course in favour of all children being back in school, but even with a one-metre rule that will need more teachers and more spaces.If social distancing of 1m remains in place, that will still be difficult for schools.” |
| New government figures on school attendance in England show numbers creeping up slowly, with 9.1% of pupils in school on 11 June, up from 6.9% a week earlier. Just over a quarter (26%) of children in year six were in attendance, up from 19% on 4 June, with 20% attendance in year 1 up from 13%, and 22% in reception up from 15%. | New government figures on school attendance in England show numbers creeping up slowly, with 9.1% of pupils in school on 11 June, up from 6.9% a week earlier. Just over a quarter (26%) of children in year six were in attendance, up from 19% on 4 June, with 20% attendance in year 1 up from 13%, and 22% in reception up from 15%. |
| Robert Goodwill, a Conservative, asks for an assurance that the pleasure cruiser sector will have to comply with guidelines that will be uniformly enforced across the country. | Robert Goodwill, a Conservative, asks for an assurance that the pleasure cruiser sector will have to comply with guidelines that will be uniformly enforced across the country. |
| Johnson agrees with the need for this. | Johnson agrees with the need for this. |
| Labour’s Andrew Gwynne says, even with a 1-metre rule, some schools, particularly in Victorian buildings, will struggle. | Labour’s Andrew Gwynne says, even with a 1-metre rule, some schools, particularly in Victorian buildings, will struggle. |
| Johnson says between now and 1 September the government will work with the sector to get a clear understanding of the risks. | Johnson says between now and 1 September the government will work with the sector to get a clear understanding of the risks. |
| He says he hopes by then the incidence will be done so much they can go forward in a more “normalised” way. | He says he hopes by then the incidence will be done so much they can go forward in a more “normalised” way. |
| Richard Burgon, the Labour MP, accuses Johnson of gambling with people’s lives. He says Johnson has just made this announcement to appease Tory MPs. | Richard Burgon, the Labour MP, accuses Johnson of gambling with people’s lives. He says Johnson has just made this announcement to appease Tory MPs. |
| Johnson disagrees. And he points out that the Labour frontbench disagrees with Burgon too. | Johnson disagrees. And he points out that the Labour frontbench disagrees with Burgon too. |
| Bill Wiggin, a Conservative, says he got Covid-19 on the same day as the PM. Yesterday he was given a free test. Does the PM agree that it would help testing more people to see if they have had it? | Bill Wiggin, a Conservative, says he got Covid-19 on the same day as the PM. Yesterday he was given a free test. Does the PM agree that it would help testing more people to see if they have had it? |
| Johnson agrees. He says it looks as if just 6 or 7% of the population has had the virus. Testing is the answer, he says. He says this country is testing roughly twice as many people per head as any other European country. | Johnson agrees. He says it looks as if just 6 or 7% of the population has had the virus. Testing is the answer, he says. He says this country is testing roughly twice as many people per head as any other European country. |
| The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has warned that changes to the 2-metre rule do not apply in Wales. He said: | The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has warned that changes to the 2-metre rule do not apply in Wales. He said: |
| Labour’s Justin Madders asks what the PM says to allow those firms who have spent great sums on introducing the 2-metre rule. And will it be changed in the Commons chamber? | Labour’s Justin Madders asks what the PM says to allow those firms who have spent great sums on introducing the 2-metre rule. And will it be changed in the Commons chamber? |
| Johnson says that will be a matter for the Commons. As for business, guidance is being published, he says. | Johnson says that will be a matter for the Commons. As for business, guidance is being published, he says. |
| Johnson says 87,000 people have been contacted by test and trace and have agreed to self-isolate. That is fantastic, he says. He says the common sense of the British people will get us through this. | Johnson says 87,000 people have been contacted by test and trace and have agreed to self-isolate. That is fantastic, he says. He says the common sense of the British people will get us through this. |