Commuters crowd into Tubes after Boris Johnson urges the British to ‘MUST go to work’

The closure confusion reigned today when Dominic Raab insisted that the government is not urging workers to return until Wednesday, despite Boris Johnson suggesting otherwise last night and millions of people heading to highways and railways.

The prime minister sparked a backlash in his crucial television address to the nation by insisting that he was urging everyone who cannot work from home to return to work this week. Workers and unions were enraged that millions of people were told to resume their jobs just 12 hours in advance and without health or safety to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

People seemed to have followed Johnson’s advice this morning, with the roads, subways, and buses already busier than normal.

But in a round of interviews, Foreign Secretary Mr. Raab clarified that the workers were not actually asked to return until later this week. “That won’t start until Wednesday,” he said. There will be orientation. We’ve been working with employers to make sure it can be done safely. ‘

Raab also raised more doubts by suggesting that people may be reunited with their parents in a park, something that seemed to be prohibited by established rules. “I could do it if there are two meters apart,” Raab told the BBC’s Today program.

The latest confusing messages came as political opponents intensified the rhetoric of class war, accusing the prime minister of sending workers into danger while the middle classes could do their jobs from home.

Commuters have reported major traffic jams on major roads like the M25 for the first time since the UK’s 66 million people were told to stay home on March 23.

Others posted photos on social media of their crowded buses and rushed on trains despite Johnson urging people to avoid public transportation and use their cars, bicycles, or walk as anger grew at his’ vague instructions. ‘and’ mixed messages’ about blocking the coronavirus.

Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband tweeted: ‘The Prime Minister did not say that changes in the workplace were implemented as of Wednesday. He said, “And the first step is a change of emphasis that we hope people will act on this week.”

‘Wednesday was only mentioned in connection with other changes. Words matter. Clarity is essential. This is chambolic.

The Prime Minister will set out more detailed plans in his ‘road map’ in the Commons today and will publish a 50-page document on how the closure will be facilitated in the coming weeks and months.

The new rules, some set out in your speech to the nation last night, include:

• People can sunbathe or converse with another person from a different home, as long as a distance of two meters is maintained. It means that couples, friends and family who have been separated for almost two months can finally meet in person, as long as they keep the proper distance from each other;
• Those who cannot work from home, like builders, are actively being encouraged to go to work rather than being told to only go if they must. But they should avoid public transportation if possible.
• Starting Wednesday, people are encouraged to do unlimited amounts of exercise outdoors and even play sports, but only with members of their household.
• Visiting and sunbathing in local parks will also be allowed, as well as driving to other destinations.
• But the rules of social distancing will still have to be obeyed with higher fines for those who break them.
• Schools may begin reopening June 1 at the earliest along with the gradual reopening of stores.
• Open-air cafes could start reopening in July, along with public places like churches and movie theaters, as long as the two-meter social distancing rule can be enforced and ‘if, and only if, the numbers support it.’

Johnson urged the country to return to work when he finally laid out his tentative three-stage ‘exit plan’ for the coronavirus blockade, but created confusion with families who are still unable to reunite despite colleagues receiving the green light.

In a televised address to the nation from Downing Street, as the UK’s united front threatens to crumble, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the British ‘sacrifice’ to control the deadly disease, and insisted that the government’s top priority is to ensure that those efforts are not ‘wasted’.

Their small steps out of the running of the bulls will see those who cannot work from home ‘actively encouraged’ to return to their jobs, but said they should walk or bike and avoid public transportation where they can.

The prime minister also revealed that as of Wednesday people will be able to exercise as often as they like, they will be allowed to sunbathe in the parks as long as the strict rules of social distancing are complied with and the schools begin to reopen next month.

But within minutes of the poignant Downing Street address, political rivals and bewildered members of the public lined up to punch holes in the nebulous model, which Sir Keir Starmer said lacked ‘clarity and consensus’ and risked causing chaos this morning with insecure employees. if they should be at work.

Meanwhile, family members split because workers were able to mingle with their colleagues in the offices while orientation remained unclear to families, and despite leaked suggestions that families could be reunited in broader ‘social bubbles’, the first Minister made no reference to the idea in his speech.

People were even more puzzled when it became known that as long as a six-foot distance is maintained, people can chat in a park with someone else from a different home.

Piers Morgan led the reaction and tweeted: ‘I haven’t seen two of my children in 10 weeks. They live 10 minutes away, next to a large common field. Am I allowed to go see them if I stay 2 meters away? The answer seems to be no, but I can see thousands of strangers a day in my local park if I stay 2 meters away. ”

And Labor MP Lucy Powell said: ‘There is no mention at all when we could see close family and friends. Again, given all the information above on ’10 people ‘and two households, etc., this needs clarification.’

Johnson said last night’s broadcast was nothing more than a “blueprint” for a plan that would be developed into a full document before Parliament today. Among the things not mentioned were the reopening of garden centers and the use of face masks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Raab said the government had left some “waiting time” and that the changes “will take effect on Wednesday.”

But he admitted that they will only apply to England, after a furious dispute with Nicola Sturgeon over the decision to get rid of the powerful “stay home” slogan. The Scottish Prime Minister warned that the new “stay alert” message was “vague” and risked “people dying unnecessarily”.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have insisted that they will continue the mantra that has effectively stopped the country since March 23, and Sturgeon said the new government public information campaign should not be broadcast north of the border.

And Raab said that people would have to risk their approach if they travel within the UK. “You can drive wherever you want to go for a walk to a park or a particular area that you like as long as you maintain social distance,” he said.

‘But obviously, if you go from one part of the UK to another, then if you go from England to Wales or Scotland to Wales and there are different rules because the delegated administrations take a different approach, you should be very aware of the regulations that have valid “.

When asked if anyone could meet his parents in a park, Dominic Raab told the BBC: “Well, you could if you are two meters away.”

He added: “If, for example, you go to the park and you want to, and you can stay two meters away, you could meet another member of your household.”

But he did use his broadcast to spell out a three-stage ‘exit plan’ that will see potentially reopening schools starting next month and hospitality services starting in July.

Johnson delivered a surprising message about the “colossal” impact on our “way of life” and the importance of getting the economy going, amid fear that draconian restrictions are causing the worst recession in 300 years.

He said that the critical number of R is currently estimated to be between 0.5 and 0.9, and that loosening is ‘conditional’ so that the outbreak remains under control, with the possibility of ‘braking’ being applied if the situation deteriorates in the areas. .

Last night she emphasized that people should “work from home if you can, but you should go to work if you can’t work from home.”

He urged people to avoid public transportation and instead travel by bicycle or on foot, or drive whenever possible.

However, this was ruled out as something that is not initiating and unfeasible for many, prompting more calls to explain how PM would get people back to work safely.

Union leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “The prime minister seems to be effectively telling millions of people to go back to work without a clear safety plan or clear guide on how to get there without using public transport.”

“What the country wanted tonight was clarity and consensus, but we don’t have any of those.”

In the 13-minute speech, the prime minister said he will be allowed to bask in the sun and exercise unlimited outdoors, even if he is not a local at home, starting Wednesday. You can practice sports like tennis and golf, but only with your own home.

And their ‘road map’ makes it clear that, as long as the battle against the disease is successful, elementary schools could begin to open from the beginning of next month, with the reception, Year 1 and Year 6, the first to return and an ‘ambition’. For high school students facing exams, get “at least some time” with teachers before summer break.

More stores could reopen in June, and Johnson even suggested that some parts of the hotel industry could return in July.

But the moves, which will only apply in England, go much further than those in the rest of the UK, as the united stance appears to be crumbling.

Nicola Sturgeon joined Wales and Northern Ireland in condemning Johnson’s decision to get rid of the powerful “stay home” mantra.

The new Prime Minister said the new version of “stay alert”, which even has a green instead of red border design, was “vague” and increased the risk of “people dying unnecessarily”. Nothing in the rest of the UK will use the new catchphrase.

Wales has already flatly dismissed the idea of ​​schools returning next month, and Sturgeon suggested that there is little chance it will return north of the border until August.

Meanwhile, Labor warned of chaos on public transport tomorrow morning when millions of people try to obey the Prime Minister’s edict when they return to office, and unions rejected the call for workers to return, calling it “ridiculous “when people were not allowed to ‘mingle in parks’ freely.

On another crucial day in the all-consuming crisis:

• The United Kingdom has recorded a further 269 coronavirus deaths in all settings, totaling 31,855;
• The new ‘stay alert’ guide has been designed with green borders, a striking contrast to the red color scheme for the ‘stay at home’ version;
• Airports and travel companies reacted furiously to plans to impose a two-week quarantine on anyone arriving in the country, including UK citizens returning from vacation;
• Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed that there will be no quarantine provisions between the two countries at this stage, in what could be a small hope for tourists;
• A survey found that the British believe that the government has handled the crisis worse than other important countries, apart from the United States;
• About 40 percent of Isle of Wight residents, about 50,000 people, downloaded the NHS coronavirus tracking app in the first week;
• Statistical professor David Speigelhalter has called the use of government figures “shameful,” saying the test numbers were misrepresented and the public was not treated with “respect.”

In the crucial speech, Johnson said: “Thanks to their effort and sacrifice to stop the spread of this disease, the death rate is falling and hospital admissions are falling.”

“Thanks to you, we have protected our NHS and saved thousands of lives.”

Johnson warned that “now is not the time” to lift the blockade entirely, saying, “We must remain vigilant.” We must continue to control the virus and save lives. ‘

“We must continue to control the virus and save lives,” he said.

“And yet we must also recognize that this campaign against the virus has had a colossal cost to our way of life.”

‘We can see him all around us in closed shops and abandoned businesses and dark pubs and restaurants.

“And there are millions of people who fear this terrible disease and, at the same time, they also fear what this long period of forced inactivity will affect their livelihoods and their mental and physical well-being.”

‘For your future and the future of your children. So I want to provide you tonight with a form of a plan to address both fears.

‘Both to beat the virus and to provide the first sketch of a roadmap for the reopening of society.

He continued: “Starting this Wednesday, we want to encourage people to do more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise.”

“You can sit in the sun at your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own home.”

He added: “You must obey the rules on social distancing and to enforce those rules we will increase the fines for the small minority that breaks them.”

Johnson said guidelines will be issued to show how workplaces can become ‘Covid Secure,’ amid union threats that staff will simply refuse to return if their health and safety are not protected.

“The first step is a change of emphasis that we hope people will take action this week,” Johnson said.

‘We told him that he should work from home if he can, and only go to work if he must.

‘We must now emphasize that anyone who cannot work from home, for example those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work.

‘And we want it to be safe so you can go to work. Therefore, you should avoid public transport if possible, because we must and will maintain social distancing and therefore capacity will be limited.

“So work from home if you can, but you should go to work if you can’t work from home.”

Johnson tried to minimize divisions within the union, portraying himself as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, following the backlash from Ms Sturgeon, and her northern Welsh and Irish counterparts Mark Drakeford and Arlene Foster.

“I have consulted across the political spectrum, across the four nations of the UK,” he said. ‘And although different parts of the country are experiencing the pandemic at different rates.

“And while it is correct to be flexible in our response, I believe that as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, there is a strong determination to defeat this together.

He said yesterday at the Cobra meeting that there was a “general consensus on what we could do.”

“And I could stress,” he said. “Because even though we have a plan, it is a conditional plan.”

Johnson said that while the country is at the initial peak, “it is going down the mountain which is often more dangerous.”

He added: “We have a route and we have a plan, and everyone in the government has the pressure and the all-consuming challenge to save lives, restore livelihoods and gradually restore the freedoms we need.”

Johnson said the country “will return from this devilish disease” and will be “stronger and better than ever.”

“And although this experience will change the UK, I think we can be stronger and better than ever,” he said. ‘Stronger, more innovative, more economically dynamic, but also more generous and more shared. “But for now we must be alert, control the virus and save lives.”

Government officials said tennis courts and golf clubs could now reopen in England starting Wednesday, provided social distancing measures are applied.

Other permitted activities will include water sports and sport fishing.

People will be allowed to drive to parks or beaches within England, but not cross the border into Wales or Scotland for leisure activities if different restrictions apply.

As long as a two-meter distance is maintained, people will also be allowed to sunbathe or chat in a park with another person from a different home.

The prime minister was immediately criticized by political opponents and unions.

Sir Keir Starmer said Boris Johnson’s speech to the nation lacked “clarity and consensus” and raised “as many questions as answers.” ‘

“Well, what the country wanted tonight was clarity and consensus, and I’m afraid we don’t have any,” the Labor leader said in a joint interview.

‘This statement raises as many questions as it answers, and we see the possibility that England, Scotland and Wales move in different directions. It’s a big gap here for the government to make up for. ‘

Sir Keir said the prime minister “appears to be effectively telling millions of people to go back to work tomorrow” without the necessary guidance.

“But we don’t have the guidelines, and we don’t know how it will work with public transportation, so a lot of questions arise,” the Labor leader said in an interview.

Sir Keir also joined in the criticism of Johnson’s new catch-all slogan. Staying alert is unclear, most people have been saying what that means. So here is a very basic problem about communications, ” said the Labor leader.

Deputy Assistant Secretary General Steve Turner told Sky News: “To say you can’t mix in the parks but it’s safe to go back to work is ridiculous.”

Sadiq Khan said he is busy making plans to make it easier for Londoners to return to work, but insisted on sticking with the “stay home” message.

The Mayor said: ‘I urge the Government to continue working with employers, employees and unions to devise a proper plan on how we can keep everyone safe as they return to work.

“All Londoners must continue to abide by the rules and stay home as much as possible, so that we can continue to save lives and protect the NHS.”

Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, CEO of CBI, said it was the beginning of a “long process.” “Today is the first ray of light for our faltering economy,” he said. ‘A gradual and careful return to work is the only way to protect jobs and pay for future public services. The Prime Minister has established the first steps on how this can happen.

‘Companies are eager to open up and recover our economy. But they also know that putting health first is the only sustainable route to economic recovery. The continuous watch message is correct.

Speaking on BBC Scotland, Sturgeon criticized Johnson for not making it clear that he was announcing measures for England.

‘He is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; I am not trying to say that, but these restrictions legally apply separately in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and therefore we have a duty to make decisions in our own jurisdictions on the speed with which we lift them. ” said.

She said that “it was up to him, perhaps a little stronger than he was tonight, to emphasize that when he talks about lifting these restrictions, he speaks for England.”

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage tweeted: “ I think the big change from this presumed speech is that I can sunbathe. Was that really it?

“Never in the field of the human statesman has so much been said with so little effect.”

Un director expresó su preocupación acerca de cómo se pueden reabrir las escuelas para niños de cuatro y cinco años mientras se mantiene el distanciamiento social.

Bryony Baynes, director de la Escuela Primaria Kempsey, le dijo a la agencia de noticias de PA: ‘Estoy un poco atónito. Entiendo que necesitamos comenzar la sensación de volver a la normalidad, y entiendo que una gran parte de volver a la normalidad es hacer que la escuela vuelva a funcionar.

‘Sin embargo, ¿cómo podemos gestionar el distanciamiento social entre la recepción y los alumnos de primer año cuando la mayoría de ellos tienen entre cuatro y cinco años?

‘Boris ha hecho una declaración muy general esta noche y luego se fue y todos mis padres ahora pedirán detalles.

“No sé cómo manejar eso y no sé cómo lograr que la clase de recepción entre a la escuela y mantenerlos a salvo”.

Patrick Roach, secretario general del sindicato de docentes NASUWT, dijo: “ Lamentablemente, el anuncio del primer ministro puede provocar confusión y no aborda las preocupaciones genuinas que han planteado los docentes.

‘El anuncio del Gobierno de que las escuelas en Inglaterra podrían reabrir a más niños desde el 1 de junio corre el riesgo de que miles de escuelas se apresuren a tomar decisiones sobre la mejor manera de salvaguardar la salud y la seguridad de los niños y el personal en ausencia de una guía nacional clara.

“Es desconcertante que después de la decisión del Gobierno de cerrar todas las escuelas por razones de salud pública, ahora el Gobierno espera que las escuelas individuales resuelvan por sí mismas si será seguro volver a abrir el 1 de junio y potencialmente poner en riesgo la salud de los niños”. , el personal y el público “.

El ex canciller en la sombra, John McDonnell, tuiteó: “ El desorden de una declaración del primer ministro ha causado más confusión que claridad, creando una inquietante incertidumbre sobre el regreso al trabajo y cómo se garantizará la seguridad, abriendo divisiones entre las naciones del Reino Unido y mostrando una total falta de claridad sobre qué actividades están ahora permitidas.

Antes del discurso del Sr. Johnson a la nación, la Sra. Sturgeon condenó abandonar el mantra que ha llevado al país a un punto muerto efectivo desde el 23 de marzo.

La Primera Ministra dijo que no había sido informada sobre el cambio e insistió en que la simple orientación permanecería en vigor en Escocia, lo que diga el primer ministro. Sus homólogos galeses e irlandeses del norte, Mark Drakeford y Arlene Foster, también indicaron que seguirán diciéndole a la gente que se quede en casa.

Addressing a briefing in Edinburgh after attending Cobra yesterday afternoon, Ms Sturgeon said the new catchphrase was ‘vague and imprecise, adding: ‘I don’t know what ”stay alert” means.’

She warned that ‘people will die unnecessarily’ if progress against the disease is ‘squandered’ by ‘easing up too soon or by sending mixed messages that result in people thinking it is OK to ease up now’.

One of the government’s own advisers, behavioural expert Professor Susan Michie, joined the criticism saying the shift risked ‘undermining the good work over the last few weeks’.

Frente a la ira, Johnson publicó una versión más completa que explica que todavía se insta a las personas a ‘quedarse en casa donde sea posible’ y ‘mantenerse alerta’ cuando salgan.

Meanwhile, there was anger among some senior ministers that parts of Mr Johnson’s speech were pre-recorded, before the full Cabinet and Cobra considered the issues. Government sources insisted other elements were filmed after the measures had been considered.

Mr Johnson claimed the UK is testing ‘literally hundreds of thousands of people every day – despite the government failing to hit its daily target for eight days in a row.

In his speech to the nation, the Prime Minister said Britain had made ‘fast progress’ on testing, even though Number 10 has repeatedly been accused of being too slow to respond to the crisis.

Figures released yesterday showed fewer than 93,000 tests were carried out on May 9, meaning officials haven’t met their ambitious pledge of 100,000 a day since May 2.

But questions have been raised as to whether ministers ever met the target, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock accused of fiddling the figures to hit his much-vaunted goal by the end of April.

Mr Johnson tried to play down expectations for the speech earlier, saying the ‘descent’ from a mountain was always the riskiest bit.

“Es entonces cuando es probable que estés demasiado confiado y cometas errores”, dijo.

“You have very few options to climb, but on the descent you have to make sure you don’t run too fast, lose control and stumble.”

Tuiteó una imagen del consejo completo esta tarde, diciendo: ‘Todos tienen un papel que desempeñar para ayudar a controlar el virus manteniéndose alerta y siguiendo las reglas. Así es como podemos continuar salvando vidas a medida que comenzamos a recuperarnos del coronavirus ‘.

La guía completa dice: ‘Podemos ayudar a controlar el virus si todos nos mantenemos alerta: al permanecer en casa tanto como sea posible; trabajando desde casa si puedes; limitando el contacto con otras personas; manteniendo la distancia si sale (a 2 metros de distancia cuando sea posible); lavando tus manos regularmente “.

Pero el eslogan actualizado ya ha atraído una reacción violenta por ser demasiado blando para protegerse contra una enfermedad mortal y muy contagiosa.

Ms Sturgeon has previously warned that ditching the clear and simple advice will be ‘potentially catastrophic’.

She tweeted she had still not been formally told the PM was changing the mantra. “Por supuesto, él debe decidir qué es lo más apropiado para Inglaterra, pero dado el punto crítico en el que nos encontramos para combatir el virus, #StayHomeSaveLives sigue siendo mi mensaje claro a Escocia en esta etapa”, dijo.

Ella agregó intencionadamente: ‘QUEDARSE EN CASA. PROTEGER EL NHS. SALVA VIDAS.’

At a briefing in Edinburgh she complained that she did not really understand the new mantra in England.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster said the province will stick with the ‘stay home, save lives’ message.

Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland radio on Sunday, she said: ‘On the whole, the message is to stay at home. We will say we are not deviating from the message at this time.’

Prof Michie said the new slogan was ‘a long way from’ being clear and consistent. ‘Dropping the ‘stay at home’ message from the main slogan in favour of generalised alertness may be taken as a green light by many to not stay at home and begin socialising with friends and other activities that increase the risk of transmission,’ the UCL scientist said.

‘This could potentially undermine the good work over the last few weeks that has seen impressively sustained high levels of adherence by the public in what for many are very challenging situations.’

Los jefes sindicales también han amenazado con que se les diga a los miembros que no vuelvan a trabajar a menos que sea seguro hacerlo, mientras que muchas figuras laboristas han criticado al gobierno por su cambio de política.

A principios de la semana pasada hubo indicios de que el gobierno estaba preparando medidas importantes para aliviar el bloqueo.

However, the ambitions were scaled back, with Mr Johnson his most senior ministers – Dominic Raab, Michael Gove, Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock – having thrashed out a limited strategy on Wednesday night, fearing that the country’s infection rate is still too high.

Se informa que la cifra real es de alrededor de 14,000 personas por día, mientras que el objetivo del gobierno es de alrededor de 4,000, según el Sunday Times.

Ha surgido que el Grupo Científico Asesor para Emergencias (SAGE, por sus siglas en inglés) del gobierno recibió advertencias de que podría haber 100,000 muertes para fin de año si las medidas se relajan demasiado y demasiado rápido.

A study by experts from the London School of Tropical Hygiene and College London modeled different approaches to “assess which were viable and which were not” and reportedly concluded that there was “very limited leeway”.

Se han suspendido políticas como permitir que más de un hogar se mezclen en “burbujas” sociales y reabrir las escuelas para más alumnos.

“La opinión es que el público nos perdonará por los errores cometidos al entrar en el cierre, pero no nos perdonará por los errores cometidos al salir de él”, dijo un funcionario al Sunday Times.

La evidencia de ‘coronafobia’ entre el público habrá jugado un papel en las decisiones, con una encuesta para el Sun el domingo que muestra que el 90 por ciento de los británicos se oponen a las restricciones de levantamiento esta semana.

Mr Johnson also announced a five-tier warning system, administered by a Joint Biosecurity Centre, to monitor the virus risk around the country and encourage public adherence to the new measures.

Alerts range from Level One (green) to Level Five (red), with Britain currently at Level Four.

It will be managed by a Joint Biosecurity Center, which will be responsible for detecting local Covid-19 spikes so that ministers can increase restrictions when necessary to help reduce infection rates.

Andy Burnham, el alcalde laborista del Gran Manchester, tuiteó que “me parece un error dejar caer el claro mensaje de quedarse en casa”.

Dave Ward, secretary general of the Communication Workers Union, said: ‘The messages from this Government throughout this crisis have been a total joke, but its new catchphrase takes it to a new level. Stay alert? It is a deadly virus, not a zebra crossing.

However, there was praise for the new message from the Bruges Group expert group. He tweeted: ‘The new government slogan is good.

‘Green replaces red for a calmer feeling. ‘Stay Alert’ replaces ‘Stay Home’ and underlines individual responsibility. ‘Control the virus’ is a positive message.

“Está dentro de nuestro poder lograrlo”.