Coronavirus lockdown could last until JUNE – but Chancellor is pushing for an earlier exit so people can go back to work
BRITAIN could stay in lockdown until June, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak is pushing to have measures eased by next month to save the economy.
Up to two million people could lose their jobs and the UK is looking at the worst economic slump in 300 years, experts warned yesterday.
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Whitehall sources told the that Mr Sunak fears Brits have "over interpreted" the lockdown advice, and believe only designated key workers should be working.
They said he wants to "strengthen the message" that people should be trying to work unless their entire sector has been shut down, or they cannot practise safe social distancing on the job.
Mr Sunak will back a three-week extension of the lockdown, expected to be announced tomorrow, but is said to be "deeply troubled" by the economic impact.
Opinions are divided in Cabinet - with other ministers said to be pushing for the lockdown to last until the end of May - or even into June.
There are fears that lifting it too early would see a terrifying second wave.
But keeping it shut for too long risks a complete economic meltdown like experts have predicted.
As the UK death toll hit 12,107, the full scale of the Covid-19 meltdown emerged in government figures which predicted the country’s economy may be slashed by a record 35 per cent by June.
Unemployment could rocket to 3.4 million and the deficit may spiral to £218billion this year.
The figures, produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility, predict a slump not seen since the 1700s.
Ministers are worried about the ability of the economy to bounce back from such a rut - and the mounting billions of pounds being paid out to fund wages and support businesses.
He said last night those schemes should be in place by the end of the month, leaving just days to apply and get the funds in before April's payday.
Mr Sunak tried to rebuke rumours there was a split between Cabinet ministers over the length of the lockdown last night.
He said: "Right now the single most important thing we can do for the health of our economy is to protect the health of our people.
"It is not a case of choosing between economy and public health - common sense tells us that doing so would be self-defeating."
One plan was to start easing social distancing measures in early May - after the first bank holiday.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, Business Secretary Alok Sharma, Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey are said to be backing Mr Sunak to open the country back up as soon as possible.
One in ten small firms plans to close or sell up, the Federation of Small Businesses has recently warned, while one in five aims to downsize.
"We should be beginning to release the things that can be released - so primary schools should re-open and so should non-essential shops.
"If you can go into Sainsbury’s to buy non-essential items while observing social distancing rules, why can you not do that in other shops?”
They added: “It looks like elderly and vulnerable people are going to be kept in self-isolation for six months rather than three.”
This morning new Labour boss Sir Keir Starmer urged ministers to set out their plan for what happens next.
"The question for Thursday therefore is no longer about whether the lockdown should be extended, but about what the governments position is on how and when it can be eased in due course and on what criteria that decision will be taken," Sir Keir said in a letter to stand-in PM Dominic Raab.
"Overcoming this crisis requires taking the British public with you," he added.
"The government needs to be open and transparent... The silent pressures on communities across the country cannot be underestimated."
And he added: "I think that some of the decisions made in the last few weeks were too slow and didn't learn quickly enough from other countries, let's not repeat that."
But a British government source said all decisions would be guided by scientific advice and data.
"Talk of an exit strategy before we have reached the peak risks confusing the critical message that people need to stay at home in order to protect our NHS (National Health Service) and save lives," the source said.
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