PRAISE BE! OUR CHURCHES WILL OPEN IN A WEEK
CHURCHES can reopen their doors next Monday – but full services and weddings will still be banned.
The Government confirmed plans for places of worship to open up from June 15 – with strict controls.
Sources in Roman Catholic parishes have told the Sunday Express they fear red tape surrounding the nod for private prayer will prohibit some places from opening.
In particular, the cost of deep cleans and lack of specialists to do it beyond volunteers will make it difficult for them to comply with regulations.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Ensuring places of worship can open again, beginning with private prayer by individuals has been my priority.
“Their contribution to the common good of our country is clear, as places of solace, comfort, stability and dignity.
“And the need for them is all the greater as we weather the uncertainties of the pandemic… People of all faiths have shown enormous patience and forbearance, unable to mark Easter, Passover, Ramadan or
Vaisakhi with friends and family in the traditional way.”
The news came as the UK yesterday announced 204 more Covid-19 deaths.
It takes the total number of victims to 40,465.
The country is slowly emerging from lockdown, with high street shops also opening their doors on June 15.
A poll revealed that almost half of Britons are keen to get back to shopping, with 48 per cent saying they would feel safe to visit stores this month.
In the same Redfield and Wilton Strategies survey, 52 per cent said they will feel unsafe going into non-essential shops when they reopen.
The Prime Minister will update the Cabinet on the latest plans to further open up the country on Tuesday.
Commenting on the places of worship opening plan, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “The PM is so grateful to people of all faiths and none, who have followed the social distancing guidelines, and in doing so, protected their communities.
“We plan to open up places of worship for individual prayer in a safe, Covid-secure way that does not risk further transmission.”
SHOULD WE BE ALLOWED TO GO ABROAD THIS SUMMER?
The polling shows the Government led by Boris Johnson continues to enjoy strong public backing.
When asked to choose between Mr Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, 42 per cent preferred keeping the PM in the top job, with 32 per cent opting for the Leader of the Opposition.
And there are feelings of confidence that Britain has turned the tide with the coronavirus pandemic.
Nearly half (47 per cent) believe the worst is behind us – just 30 per cent think the worst is yet to come.
There is nervousness about the speed at which lockdown measures are being relaxed.
More than half (55 per cent) say it is happening too fast, while 28 per cent think we are going at the right pace; only 13 per cent say the measures are being eased too slowly.
More than six out of 10 believe the coronavirus situation will only be under control when a vaccine is found.
People are split however on whether they should be allowed to go abroad, with 37 per cent saying yes and 38 per cent saying no.
There was also widespread recognition of the damage the pandemic is causing the economy.
More than eight out of 10 (83 per cent) were worried about the continued effects of the lockdown on people’s jobs and the economy, with a mere five per cent disagreeing.
The shopworkers’ union Usdaw warned
WOULD YOU FEEL SAFE OR NOT GOING SHOPPING?
I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE CONTINUED EFFECTS OF THE LOCKDOWN ON PEOPLE’S JOBS AND THE ECONOMY
‘People have shown enormous patience’
against any trading laws.
It has been reported that the restrictions could be suspended for a year in a move to boost the economy, with larger supermarkets opening for more than six hours.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw’s general secretary, said: “The last thing the retail industry needs is longer trading hours, there is no economic case for this and it will put extra pressure on the retail workers who have worked so hard throughout this crisis… Our members in retail are working long hours, in difficult move to relax
Sunday
‘Places of worship will be Covid-secure’
circumstances and under a great deal of pressure – they need a break.”
Nearly 50 MPS across the political divide, including some Conservatives, Labour, the SNP and the DUP, have joined forces to urge Chancellor Rishi Sunak to extend the “furlough” wage subsidy scheme for workers in these industries.
Crawley Conservative MP Henry Smith, who chairs Parliament’s “future of aviation” group, said: “Cutting off this support before these sectors have been able to recover will have disastrous consequences for everyone in the country.”