Lockdown will start to be lifted in England on Monday "if we possibly can," Boris Johnson has announced today.
Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, he confirmed that Westminister officials were moving towards a relaxing of measures.
He is expected to set out his so-called roadmap strategy for easing lockdown in England in an address to the nation on Sunday.
And at today's PMQs, Mr Johnson said the government hopes to start introducing the less stringent measures the following day.
It comes just 24 hours after Nicola Sturgeon said it was "almost certain" that Scotland would be staying in lockdown.
The First Minister warned there is "very little room, if any, for changing the restrictions" currently in place.
But in a sign of the increasingly fraying line of approach between north and south of the border, Mr Johnson today hinted at movement.
In his first prime minister’s questions since recovering from coronavirus, Johnson said he would give a statement on Sunday on plans for an “unlockdown," with a view to making changes on Monday.
Possible areas for change could be allowing more outdoor activities and making clear ways in which businesses could get employees back to work with looser physical distancing.
