PM expected to approve delay to June 21 lockdown lift  

PM Boris Johnson expected to approve June 21 lockdown lift delay in England 

PM Boris Johnson is expected to agree to a delay of the 21 June lockdown lifting in England, and according to a new poll, just over half of the UK back the move. 

The lifting of Covid-19 restrictions had been planned for 21 June under the government’s road map, but concerns over the quickly spreading delta variant are likely to delay the lifting – possibly until the middle of July. 

• PM expected to delay June 21 lockdown lifting 
• Over half of the UK’s adult population back the delay 
• Older adults more in favour of postponing lockdown lifting 
• 18-24 age group evenly split on postponing 
• Six in 10 people back keeping facemasks

Dr Raghib Ali, a government adviser on COVID-19, told Trevor Phillips On Sunday that a delay to lifting lockdown is “inevitable”, and he “expects” the prime minister to say that “a delay is needed to make sure that we don’t get to the situation again where the NHS is unable to provide care to all its patients”.

‘UK backs delay’

A recent Opinium poll of 2,002 UK adults found that 54% agreed that lifting of restrictions should be postponed, up from 43% two weeks ago. 

Just 37% thought they should go ahead with the June 21 date or earlier, down from 44% two weeks ago. 

Of those wanting to postpone, according to the poll, are older adults, including almost two-thirds of over-65s, while young people are more evenly split – 45% of those ages 18-34 back postponement and 46% says easing should go ahead as planned. 

The poll says around six in 10 people backed keeping face masks, as well as keeping nightclubs closed and limiting large outdoor events. 

Just under half of those who took part in the poll backed keeping restrictions on weddings as well as the rule of six in people’s homes. 

Sunday Papers: Euro 2020 ‘Miracle’ & G7 ‘barney on the beach’

The Times – lockdown lifting ‘delayed by 2 weeks’

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