SCRAP 2 METRE RULE TO SAVE UK

PM urged to act to help schools reopen, rescue pubs and restaurants and boost the economy

Boris Johnson was under huge pressure last night to cut the two-metre social distancing rule.

MPs and industry leaders warn that keeping the restriction in place could sink tens of thousands of businesses. Campaigners say it stops schools reopening properly while pubs and restaurants fear going bust. The World Health Organisation recommends a one-metre restriction – guidance followed by France, Denmark and Singapore.

According to a Downing Street source the Prime Minister ‘instinctively’ wants to make the switch but is nervous about a second wave of coronavirus.

Most of his scientific advisers are thought to want to stick to two metres until infections fall further.

Damian Green, a Tory former Cabinet minister, insisted however that other countries had managed safely with one metre. ‘I would combine it with much greater mask-wearing,’ he said. ‘If we

don’t do this it will be the end for many pubs and restaurants.’

Iain Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader, said: ‘The number one and single most important priority to unlock the economy is getting the distance down to one metre.

‘The difference between one and two metres is the difference between opening the economy properly and seeing it bump along at the bottom without being able to bounce back. The hospitality sector simply can’t make a living at two metres.

‘It’s restrictive at one metre but at least they can come close to making it work. And it’s impossible to run public transport properly at two metres.’

John Redwood, another Tory former Cabinet minister, added: ‘The WHO and many other countries propose one or 1.5 metres as safe social distancing. It’s time we agreed as two metres makes economic recovery very difficult.’

The Nationwide Caterers Association, which represents cafes and restaurants, said failure to act could ‘sink tens of thousands of businesses’.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said: ‘Opening with a two-metre social distancing rule would see many venues operating at around 30 per cent capacity, which would be completely unviable for almost every business.

‘Reducing the distance to one metre would allow businesses to operate at around 70 per cent capacity, which might allow them to at least break even.’

The British Retail Consortium said many shops would be unable to make money under a two-metre rule, while the British Coffee Association said one metre would make operations for coffee shops ‘more manageable’.

Professor Robert Dingwall, a leading member of the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, said: ‘I have been arguing for several weeks in support of reducing the physical distancing requirements from two metres to one metre. There is good evidence from the physical sciences that any difference in risk between these distances is minimal – and that one metre still leaves a safety margin.

‘Indeed there are situations in which it could probably safely be reduced if contacts are relatively brief or indirect.

‘Moving to one metre would allow four times as many people into any given space, contributing greatly to the reopening of schools and the general revival of economic activity.’

Campaigners say the PM cannot delay if the plan to reopen schools is to be salvaged, because reducing the distance will enable more children to fit in classrooms. The more schools that open, the more parents would be able to go out to work.

The WHO advises a gap of one metre but SAGE, the government’s scientific advisory body, is still sticking to the twometre minimum.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister appeared to gave his strongest hint yet that he was considering relaxing the rule, telling MPs: ‘Clearly, as the incidence of the disease comes down, as I think members of Sage would confirm, the statistical likelihood of being infected, no matter how close or far you are from somebody who may or may not have coronavirus, goes down.’

But later, in his press conference, Mr Johnson said there was a balance of risk to be struck. Asked whether he was prepared to go against his scientific advisers to ease the lockdown faster, Mr Johnson said: ‘The infection rate is not down as low as I would like and I have to be very mindful of the risk of new outbreaks.

‘We must proceed cautiously and I think that is shared with the overwhelming majority of the public. They want us to get on but get on in a cautious way, and that’s what we’re doing.’

A Cabinet source said that Mr Johnson hoped to relax the social distancing rule, adding: ‘Instinctively he wants to do it because he can see the difficulties it is causing. He is getting closer to a decision but it is very difficult.’

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, said yesterday that two metres was not a scientific rule but a risk-based assessment.

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‘Impossible to run public transport’