Anglia Late Edition - February 2021
Watch the latest Anglia Late Edition - the regional politics programme for the East of England presented by political correspondent Emma Hutchinson
Anglia Late Edition debates with the government's roadmap out of coronavirus restrictions is too fast or too slow as cases continue to fall across the Eastern Counties.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined a series of dates when lockdown restrictions could be lifted stage-by-stage with a five week gap between each relaxation so an assessment can be on the impact of the spread of Covid-19.
The route away from lockdown, as set out by Mr Johnson on Monday, will see schools reopen on March 8, before the rule of six for socialising outdoors returns on March 29 at the earliest.
Then there will be five weeks after the reopening of each sector of the economy, before the final step is completed on June 21 with a final lifting of restrictions that will even see nightclubs reopened - if all goes according to plan.
Each date given on the roadmap is based on the best-case scenario and the prime minister has been careful to warn that every step is subject to delay, if the data suggests necessary.
Downing Street said that June 21 was the "earliest" date for step four - when all coronavirus measures could be eased - after people on Twitter called for it to become a new national bank holiday.
Joining Emma Hutchinson on Anglia Late Edition were the Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk, George Freeman, and the Labour MP for Luton North, Sarah Owen.
The programme also looked ahead to the Budget on Wednesday 3 March 2021 when Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is expected to extend many support measures for business and workers that have been in place since the start of the pandemic.
When he delivered his last Budget in March 2020, the Office for Budget Responsibility was expecting the economy to grow by 1.1% in 2020. With multiple lockdowns during the year, the annual rate of GDP slumped by a record 9.9%. During the year unemployment increased in the East of England by 36,000.