‘One last heave’ to freedom before lockdown ends

Boris Johnson is set to urge the public to accept as he delays the final step of lockdown reopening. On Sunday night, local time, the prime minister was finalising his plan to push back the June 21 reopening in England by up to four weeks owing to a surge in Covid-19 cases. Earlier in the day he had refused to rule out further delays in the future. It means rules ordering the wearing of face masks, limiting groups to six people indoors and 30 outdoors, and keeping nightclubs shut are set to remain in place. Johnson will urge the public to accept ‘‘one last heave’’ to freedom.