PM calls for ‘discipline’ as lockdown rules eased

BORIS Johnson has urged people not to “stuff this up” after lockdown restrictions were eased in England.

The Prime Minister took advantage of the new freedoms by having a haircut – barbers had been among the businesses closed under measures to curb the spread of coronavirus – and a drink at a pub near his Chequers country retreat.

Drinkers flocked to popular areas, including London’s Soho, over the weekend, prompting fears over the lack of social distancing.

Mr Johnson said he was not shocked by some of the scenes over the weekend because “I understand what human nature is” but added that the majority had behaved sensibly.

“There is a risk that some people will not obey the guidelines, that’s always going to be there,” he said. “But the overwhelming majority of people have, and so far we think that the measures and the package is working. But we cannot be complacent, we really can’t afford to stuff this up, to blow it now.

“We have got to keep going in the prudent way that we are.”

He urged people to “maintain discipline” in order to “get back to life as close to normal as possible as fast as possible”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said police forces reported being “quieter than expected” despite a “small number of individual incidents” around England.

Mr Johnson’s new haircut was on show as he visited Goole in East Yorkshire to promote the Government’s efforts to protect the economy from the impact of a coronavirus recession.

More than £100m is to be invested in unpaid traineeships for young people.

Businesses offering the unpaid placements in England will receive a £1,000 bonus per trainee.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce the move for 18 to 24-year-olds tomorrow when he unveils an economic strategy to deal with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, it was also reported that Mr Sunak will exempt the majority of home-buyers from paying stamp duty.

The Times reported that the Chancellor would outline plans this week to raise the threshold at which people start paying stamp duty from £125,000 to as high as £500,000.

The Government said it will also provide £21m to the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for similar initiatives.

Also, work academies are to get a £17mn investment.

FOR three long months Claire Kotecha has been unable to see her twin sister Lynette or her two-year-old nephew Elijah.

Like families the length and breadth of Wales, the coronavirus pandemic – and the lockdown intended to halt the virus’s deadly spread – has meant no face-to-face contact for a prolonged period for the family.

But all that changed yesterday. With the number of cases continuing to fall, yesterday’s scrapping of the “stay local” rule has meant people can now travel further than the previous five-mile limit.

And, more importantly for families desperate to meet up again with loved ones, yesterday saw the introduction of the new “extended household” rule which means that two households in Wales are now able to join up and act as one unit.

In simple terms it means parents with grown-up children, siblings, or grandparents and grandchildren, can finally meet up, have a catch-up and – crucially – have a cwtch again for the first time in ages.

“Me, my mum, twin sister and nephew Elijah are going to do a bubble together. I’m excited,” Claire, 33, from Cwmbran, told the Echo last week.

“I haven’t seen my sister and nephew since lockdown started,” said Claire, who has been living with her shielding mum for the past four months.

“We’ve not really seen anyone.” But yesterday was those months of longing were replaced by the joy of finally being close to her loved ones.

“My nephew is here right now!” Claire told us.

“It feels really good. I thought he was going to be a bit nervous or a bit shy, but he’s back to normal.

“He was a little bit reserved when he first walked in, but he’s alright now!

“My sister hasn’t been able to see my mum at all.

“Today was the first time she’s seen her, so I’ve had Elijah so that they can spend some time together. Some oneto-one time.

“Elijah often asks, ‘When can we see Nanny?’ – she’s his favourite!

“He asked on FaceTime when he was able to come and see us, because he thinks that he did something wrong. Because he’s only two, I don’t think they really understand, do they?”

Claire, her nephew, sister and mum have now formed one household, beginning from yesterday, meaning that the four of them will now be together again.

“We’re lucky because me and my sister are both teachers and we’re working, so the summer holidays have come at the right time!”

The change to lockdown measures was also welcomed by Jane Caddick, 68, from Stow Hill in Newport, who was thrilled to be able to visit her daughter, son-in-law and grandson Zachary in Bassaleg yesterday for the first time since March.

Speaking before her visit, Jane said: “I can’t wait, I really can’t wait, we’re going to have such lovely cwtches. It’s been 100-plus days.

“I’ve gone out very rarely and my husband’s over 70 so we’ve been careful.

“We’ve all worked really hard to get this far, especially our generation, we’ve really stuck to the rules.”

Jane explained that she also has a son who lives slightly further away.

“Our son and his two grandchildren live about eight miles away in Blackwood, so we can go and see them but not go to their house because our daughter will be our bubble.”

For many, seeing loved ones in the flesh after months apart means making special plans to celebrate. In the case of Jane and her family, their celebration will be a sign of life starting to return to some sort of normality.

“We’ll just be going up there and having a cup of tea in the house,” said Jane yesterday.

“We’ve already been to their [her daughter’s] back garden, but we’ll be going into the house and sitting on the settee with our grandson on our knee, like it should be.”

“We’re a very close family... We live in a block of flats, and you realise it’s happening to so many other people who are close to you and you realise how lucky you are compared to the people who have had it even worse than you have.”

Over in Merthyr Tydfil, for 33-yearold bride-to-be Donna, one of the hardest parts about lockdown has been the separation from close friends.

Starting from yesterday, that has all changed.

“I’m looking forward to catching up with them, probably with a glass of prosecco and lots of wedding talk as I’m planning my wedding and it will be my bridesmaids I see first.

“I feel like we have missed out on lots of wedding talk and hen party planning and I’m sure my fiancé has lost interest in which shade of pink for the flowers.”

She added: “I think it’s good generally for everybody’s mental health and wellbeing because it can get quite lonely.”

Although last month saw lockdown measures easing to allow members of two households to socialise outdoors, she was still unable to see some of her bridesmaids due to the five-mile rule, which was officially lifted yesterday.

“Some of my friends are in Merthyr, but some are in Radyr, Cardiff, so

My nephew is here right now! It feels really good