Public warned to expect 'limited' changes to lockdown

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the social-distancing rules currently in place have not been lifted for the bank holiday weekend.

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The lockdown is facing a major test from a long weekend of warm weather, and concerns of mixed messaging ahead of Boris Johnson's announcement on easing restrictions in his planned address to the nation on Sunday.

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Mr Dowden told BBC Breakfast: “The situation remains exactly as it has been for several weeks, that is people should be staying at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. That hasn't changed.

“Once again we have that temptingly sunny bank holiday weekend coming up but, please, people should not be leaving home except for the limited reasons we've already set out.”

With official data suggesting more than 36,000 people have died with coronavirus in the UK, the PM is set to unveil his ‘road map’ for easing the lockdown in a broadcast at 7pm on Sunday.

Mr Dowden said the Conservative Party leader would explain the stages involved in getting the country working again.

Officials will scrutinise the latest data on the spread of the disease, and ministers are expected to convene over the weekend before details are finalised for Sunday's announcement.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Dowden warned that if there was ‘any indication that things are starting to get out of control’ following the lockdown easing, the Government ‘won't hesitate to step back’ and reimpose certain bans on interactions.

He added: ‘The Prime Minister will set out the next steps.

‘But as I have been at pains to say, and as the Prime Minister said to us at Cabinet yesterday, the health of the nation comes first so we need to proceed with caution.

“Expect limited moves to begin with and then, over time, if those are starting to work, we can start to go further and what we will be doing is setting out the different steps we could take further along the path so people know where we're going.”