Demands to end lockdown restrictions by May rejected by government - despite vaccine success

By Sarah Wilson
Published 15th Feb 2021, 10:31 BST
Updated 15th Feb 2021, 10:31 BST
Government ministers have been cautious around the subject of reopening the country post-lockdown. (Photo: Shutterstock)Government ministers have been cautious around the subject of reopening the country post-lockdown. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Government ministers have been cautious around the subject of reopening the country post-lockdown. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The government is pushing back against Conservative MP demands to see an end to all coronavirus restrictions by May.

After England met its target of offering a Covid-19 vaccination to all four top priority groups, backbencher MPs have been calling for a swift timetable for getting the country out of the current lockdown.

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However, government ministers have rejected these calls, warning that reopening too quickly would risk undoing the progress made so far in tackling the pandemic.

15 million Covid jabs

In a video posted on social media on 14 February, Prime Minister Boris Johnson heralded the success of the vaccination programme thus far, with a milestone of 15 million jabs being delivered.

Prior to this announcement, however, members of the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) had released a letter to the PM which suggested that once the next vaccination target - first injections offered to top nine priority groups - was met, there would be "no justification" for lockdown restrictions to remain.

The CRG is a group of around 60 Conservative backbenchers who are lockdown-wary and want restrictions lifted as soon as possible.