Boris Johnson knows all too well that his political career and legacy is on the line, and how that career develops will be judged by his actions next Monday, when he unveils his roadmap out of lockdown.
Over the weekend, and again today when speaking from a mass vaccination centre the PM repeatedly used, caution, cautious and cautiously to underline the approach he clearly favours. He also today offered a new viewpoint to justify his thinking saying it is “absolutely right” to take a “data not dates” approach to leaving lockdown.
The PM’s approach is in line with scientists that have called on him to do just that, a data-led approach to lifting restrictions.
In today’s speech he for no obvious reason the PM steered away from a general nation approach in his answers and interjected hospitality. The PM said that the relaxation of measures would be done in stages and that the reopening of hospitality was one of the last things to return after the first lockdown. “You have to remember from last year that we opened up hospitality fully as one of the last things that we did because there is obviously an extra risk of transmission from hospitality.”
This tone does not bode well for hospitality operators, labelled by the PM as high risk, that may still be hoping for a reopening timetable adjacent to non-essential retail. It just doesn’t bode well at all.
The interview can be seen and heard in full through the video below.
Hospitality & Catering News: The PM’s cautious reopening speech today signals hospitality low down his list. – 17 February 2021 – The PM’s cautious reopening speech today signals hospitality low down his list.
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