This afternoon Dominic Raab will chair a Cobra meeting where the issue of lifting the lockdown will be raised. When Boris Johnson first announced social distancing measures he said the arrangement would be re-examined in three weeks’ time. Yet no one in government believes there is any prospect of an imminent lockdown lift – instead an extension is coming. If any change is on the menu it’s likely an enhancement of the current arrangement – such as limits on the use of cars – ahead of the sunny Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
The view in No. 10 is that talk of an exit strategy is premature when the UK has not yet even reached its peak in coronavirus fatalities. Polling suggests that the majority of the general public still support the lockdown. There is a frustration in government at the media focus on a route out. While the government is pressed on an exit strategy almost daily in the press conferences, staff have been told that polling suggests the public are frustrated with ‘repetitive gotcha’ political questions at the briefings. This has led to a sense that the government has time when it comes to figuring out a route back to normality.
The Prime Minister’s admission to intensive care is another factor complicating any eventual exit strategy. As the de facto deputy, Raab has won cautious praise from colleagues for working as a caretaker manager – chairing meetings and overseeing the daily running of government business. But this is mainly because he is currently enacting Johnson’s plan – coming up with a new strategy without the Prime Minister is much more complicated. As the de facto deputy, he is supposed to have the backing of the Cabinet collectively for big decisions. While work has begun behind the scenes, there remain differing views in Cabinet on how to deal with the economic damage and the socioeconomic impact that comes with it – as well as the immediate public health challenge from coronavirus.
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