It is 'unlikely' that Boris Johnson will decide to lift coronavirus restrictions earlier than July 19 when the lockdown is reviewed next week, a cabinet minister says.
The Prime Minister chose to extend lockdown by four weeks from the original end date of June 21, with restrictions in place until at least July 19.
As he delayed lifting lockdown due to fears over the Delta variant, Mr Johnson said there will be a review of the measures after two weeks, due to take place on Monday June 28.
Read more: North East Covid-19 rates on day lockdown should have ended
If the data on Covid-19 transmission and hospital admission is better than expected, that review could see lockdown lifted on Monday July 5, two weeks earlier than planned now.
But Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said he does not expect the review to bring an earlier end to lockdown.
“I would always err on the side of caution and I would look to July 19.
"It could be before but I think that is unlikely.
"Generally, we have stuck to the dates we have set,” Mr Kwarteng told Sky News.
“I think now I am very focused on July 19.”
The two-week review will be a "genuine" look at the data which convinced Mr Johnson to extend lockdown, the Daily Mail reports.
A source told the publication: "The decision to delay reopening was so finely balanced – probably the most difficult decision of the whole pandemic – that the PM wanted a review point built-in so that if things did change we could move sooner.
"No-one wants these restrictions in place for a day longer than necessary."
