How Boris Johnson plans to reset his premiership

The decision to significantly ease lockdown from early July marks a new chapter when it comes to the government’s approach to coronavirus. After a miserable few months, the hope in Downing Street is that with the number of confirmed new cases down to pre-lockdown levels, the government can return some form of normality – and get back to delivering its election manifesto promises.

It was this message that Dominic Cummings was keen to get across in his meeting with special advisers on Monday night. Boris Johnson’s senior aide acknowledged that recent events had made this difficult. First, Brexit, which dominated Boris Johnson’s first few months in office. Second, a global pandemic that arrived on these shores on the day the UK left the EU. He said that now was the time to get back to delivering on their promises – pointing to pledges for new hospitals and nurses.