London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 01, 2025

Gove ‘pretty confident’ end of Covid lockdown in England will not be delayed again

Gove ‘pretty confident’ end of Covid lockdown in England will not be delayed again

Minister says government trying not to impose ‘imprisonment’ of restrictions longer than necessary

Ministers are “pretty confident” that the final lifting of Covid restrictions in England, delayed until 19 July, will not be pushed back again, Michael Gove has said.

The Cabinet Office minister sought to reassure people the government was trying not to impose “imprisonment” any longer than necessary, after Boris Johnson announced the Delta variant of the coronavirus, first discovered in India, had derailed his roadmap for easing restrictions.

Businesses shut since the start of the pandemic, such as nightclubs, and hospitality firms which complain they cannot operate profitably with social distancing, will have to follow the existing rules for up to a further four weeks. Johnson said this was to offer all adults a first vaccine dose by the point of unlocking and promised a review on 5 July, although No 10 admitted it was unlikely curbs would be dropped at that point.

Gove defended the decision he made along with other senior ministers, including Johnson, the chancellor and health secretary, over the weekend, to remove the cap on attendance at weddings.

Asked if Johnson was guaranteeing step four of the roadmap would go ahead on 19 July, given he had described it as a “terminus date”, Gove told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he was “pretty confident” there would be no need for further delay.

“None of us can predict with perfect foresight the circulation rate or potential new variants,” he said, stressing that ministers were confident the current vaccines provide the “highest level of protection, come what may”.

Gove added the delay would take England up to the start of the school holidays, which should cut transmission further, though he added: “We are going to have to live with Covid.”

Speaking to LBC, Gove said only a “bizarre, unprecedented event” could lead Johnson to push back the 19 July unlocking even further.

He also dismissed calls the government should have acted faster to put India on the red list by restricting travel from it at the same time as Bangladesh.

“You can only take a decision based on the evidence you’ve got at the time,” Gove said. “So we can all look back and think ‘hmm, if only?’ but we took the decision to put India on the red list before the Delta variant was a variant under investigation, before it was designated as a variant of concern.”


However, he was warned by a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) that the number of Covid-related deaths could easily rise to hundreds a day again.

Prof Graham Medley told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Although the numbers of deaths are low at the moment, everyone expects that they will rise. The question is really as to what level they will rise.”

Asked if the country could see hundreds of fatalities a day, he said: “Oh easily. I think we still might at some point.”

Some restless Conservative MPs think it was wrong for the government to delay the easing meant to take place next Monday, on 21 June.


Mark Harper, the chair of the Covid Recovery Group and a former minister, told LBC: “We could have moved ahead perfectly safely on the 21st of June.”

He said Johnson’s optimistic comments about 19 July “are exactly the same words as he was using about 21 June, so some of us, I’m afraid, are a bit worried that we’re not going to actually move forward on the 19th of July”.

He continued: “Ultimately we’ve reduced the risk of this disease hugely by our fantastic vaccination programme, and, as the government says, we’ve got to learn to live with it, but the problem is every time we get to that point, ministers seem to not actually want to live with it and keep restrictions in place.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
×