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Coronavirus crisis: Boris Johnson is back in touch with Cabinet as ‘quad’ of top ministers consider ‘traffic light’ plan to reopen economy

Michael Gove, Rishi Sunak, Dominic Raab and Matt Hancock have formed a new group within the Cabinet

Boris Johnson has started giving instructions to the Cabinet once again as senior ministers have formed a “quad” to plot a path out of the national lockdown.

Michael Gove is chairing a daily meeting with Dominic Raab, Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak to discuss key decisions on coronavirus.

One option they are considering is a so-called “traffic light” system which would see the lockdown lifted in three stages over the coming months. Senior Conservative MPs have teamed up with Labour to build presure for an exit strategy to be published, but the Government is still refusing to set out a timetable for the lockdown to be relaxed.

Mr Johnson is continuing to recover from coronavirus at his country house Chequers. He recently spoke to his stand-in Mr Raab in his first serious bout of work since being hospitalised.

‘Cheerful spirits’

Mr Gove told Sky News on Sunday: “The Prime Minister is recovering well. He’s in cheerful spirits. And he had the opportunity to talk to Dominic Raab, his deputy, the First Secretary of State, on Friday.

“And the Prime Minister’s instructions to the rest of us in Government were communicated by the First Secretary of State when we had a conference call yesterday morning.”

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Sky News
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Sky News

The Government is considering a “traffic light” plan to end lockdown which was drawn up by economist Gerard Lyons, a former adviser to Mr Johnson, and Professor Paul Ormerod of University College London.

The scheme would start with a “red” phase in early May, with some shops allowed to reopen and people able to visit friends and family, but most travel still discouraged.

Later in May the country would move to “amber”: restaurants could reopen with new social distancing measures, schools would resume and people and would be allowed back on public transport as long as they wear a mask.

Not ready yet

The final “green” phase is earmarked for mid-June but would have to be approved by scientists. Cinemas, pubs, churches and gyms would be able to open – but the most vulnerable would still have to be shieleded for several more months.

Mr Gove insisted ministers had not made any decisions on when or how to ease the current restrictions. He said: “It is the case that we are looking at all of the evidence but we’ve set some tests which need to be passed before we can think of easing restrictions in this lockdown.

“It’s very important when we’re still in the process of making sure that we can reduce the rate of infection and also reduce the number of deaths, that we maintain the steps that we have.”

Conservative grandees David Davis and Iain Duncan Smith have now joined Labour’s Keir Starmer in calling for the Government to set out what steps they will take to lead Britain out of lockdown, even if it is not yet possible to set a timetable.

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