Downing Street issues update on plans to end lockdown on June 21

Downing Street has indicated that Boris Johnson still sees nothing in the data to suggest the plan to end all restrictions on June 21 will need to be delayed.

Asked about the Prime Minister’s plans amid warnings over the spread of the Indian variant, a No 10 spokesman said: “I was going to point to what the PM said on Thursday.

“The Prime Minister has said on a number of occasions that we haven’t seen anything in the data but we will continue to look at the data, we will continue to look at the latest scientific evidence as we move through June towards June 21.”

Last Thursday, Mr Johnson said: “I don’t see anything currently in the data” to divert from the June 21 target for the next stage of exiting lockdown.

But he did concede that “we may need to wait” for more data.

Back in February, the Prime Minister announced a four-stage plan to end lockdown restrictions in England with the final stage just three weeks away.

Boris Johnson said the road map will “guide us cautiously but irreversibly towards reclaiming our freedoms”.

So far, all stages have gone ahead on schedule and despite concerns about the Indian variant of Covid-19, stage four looks set to carry on this trend.

Although it has not yet been confirmed by the government, from June 21 at the earliest, nightclubs are due to reopen and restrictions on large events such as festivals are to be lifted, as are restrictions on the number of people at weddings.

Later this month, the government hopes to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact.

The work from home message is also expected to be lifted in an effort to bring commuter trade back to city centres.

Meanwhile, Public Health England is considering whether to adopt the World Health Organisation’s new naming system for coronavirus variants.

A No 10 spokesman said: “I understand Public Health England is considering how to adopt the new naming system and will set out further details in due course.”