UK govt says July 19 ‘end of the line’ for virus curbs

LONDON: The British government is intent on lifting all of England’s coronavirus restrictions on July 19, Sajid Javid said Monday in his maiden speech to parliament as health secretary.

“We see no reason to go beyond 19th July,” Javid told MPs as he sought to steady the government’s pandemic response after his predecessor Matt Hancock resigned on Saturday.

The married Hancock quit after leaked security camera footage showed him breaking the social distancing laws he was urging the public to respect, by kissing a female adviser in his office. Javid, who has previously served as finance and interior minister, was notably less cautious than Hancock on removing the restrictions, after the last stage was delayed.