Boris Johnson’s determination to kickstart economic recovery is a gamble, when test-and-trace systems are a work in progress and the coronavirus threat is still substantial
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic gripped Britain, Boris Johnson was able on Tuesday to offer a glimpse of the “Merrie England” kind of prime minister he so longs to be. Announcing a further lifting of the lockdown that he imposed belatedly at the end of March, Mr Johnson told parliament that “our long national hibernation is coming to an end”. One backbencher cried “hallelujah” as it was announced that pubs would reopen on 4 July.
The upbeat tone was understandable. The prospect of a pint in a pub, a meal in a restaurant or an overnight stay with relatives will lift spirits in a way that would have seemed inconceivable three months ago. The nation is desperate to have a haircut and exit a kind of collective purdah that, by and large, has been dutifully observed. It is also true, as the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, observed, that the risks of prolonging stringent restrictions – for the economy, schooling and mental health – were very real.
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