'This pandemic is not over': UK Government minister refuses to rule out return of Covid restrictions

A UK Government cabinet minister has refused to rule out the prospect of the return of coronavirus restrictions in the coming months, saying that there have to be contingency measures in place because “this pandemic is not over.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be preparing to renew the Coronavirus Act, which provided emergency powers - including those used by the Welsh Government - for a further six months after it expires later this autumn.

Some Conservative backbenchers fear that’s because ministers are considering introducing some kind of restrictions, whether in the shape of a ‘firebreak’ or another form, as case numbers rise.

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart told reporters that “it's not unreasonable to just retain a degree of caution about it” and that he has “over 17 months or 18 months, learned never, never say never when it comes to Covid".

He said: “We all plan very carefully on the basis of the evidence that we have and the advice we get from Chief Medical Officers and others, but there has to be contingency within that for things not panning out as we might necessarily hope or expect.

“Hopefully they might be better, but we have been criticised in the past by media and others when people have said we've been overly optimistic.

“We’ve always tried to be as realistic as we can about what's happening, but we are still in a pandemic and there are still pockets of resistance in terms of our fight against Covid and I think for simply saying to you now, that as of a certain date, we will be able to declare ‘mission accomplished’ - I think I would be nervous about doing that.

“I think it's not unreasonable to just retain a degree of caution about it, absolutely.”

Here in Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has also refused to rule out the return of some restrictions but says that is not the intention. He is expected to give an update on the situation here in Wales later this week.