PM says nothing in data to delay June reopening

Prime minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday (June 2) there was nothing in the data to suggest England's Covid restrictions couldn't end on June 21, but he remains cautious as it is unclear how protected the population would be against a new surge.

"I can see nothing in the data at the moment that means we can't go ahead with step four, or the opening up on June 21st, but we've got to be so cautious," he told reporters.

"What we need to work out is to what extent the vaccination programme has protected enough of us, particularly the elderly and vulnerable against a new surge, and there I'm afraid the data is just still ambiguous... And the best the scientists can say at the moment, in their guidance to us, is that we just need to give it a little bit longer."