THE UK’S two-metre rule should be ditched to save the economy, the ex-Chancellor Lord Lamont said today.
As England relaxes some of its coronavirus restrictions from today and allowing people to meet in groups of six outside, he urged the Government to look again at the social distancing rules.
At the moment people from different households need to stay two metres apart from one another.
But in other countries it’s just 1.5metres, or one metre.
Lord Lamont wrote in the Daily Mail: “In the not-too-distant future we should abolish social distancing completely.
“To hear Home Secretary Priti Patel suggest last month that it is here to stay was alarming and unlikely to be feasible.”
He argued it was “impossible” for the hospitality industry – including pubs and restaurants – to get back to normal “with rigid social distancing”.
It will mean only 40 per cent capacity can be reached, and the continuing effect of the lockdown was having a huge impact on the economy.
Lowering the two metre rule to 1 or 1.5 metres could mean tens of thousands more pubs could reopen and avoid many of them having to lay off staff or even close their doors forever.
And he added: “I recognise that the Government faces an agonising decision over whether to lift restrictions and risk a second spike of coronavirus deaths.
“But the longer the lockdown lasts, the greater the economic damage will be – and the more difficult the choice to end it.”
He called on Government advisers to explain why Britain’s rules are tighter than other countries around the world.
“The longer the lockdown lasts, the more dire the economic prospects become, and the tougher the choices for the Government will be,” he said.
“We must face up to it now.”
World Health Organisation guidelines tell people to maintain “at least 1 metre” between each other.
Last week chief exec of the British Beer and Pub Association Emma McClarkin said thousands of pubs across the country would not be able to adhere to a 2 metre rule, and would have to keep their doors closed even if they were allowed to reopen.
She said keeping the 2 metres rule would mean only a third of Britain’s boozers would be able to start serving again – as many as 37,000 would have to stay closed.
If the 2 metre rule was halved to 1 metre – that would allow 75 per cent of Britain’s pubs to reopen.
Groups of Tories including former leader Iain Duncan Smith have called for the 2m rule to be relaxed.
Brits have been told to wear masks in spaces where they can’t keep a safe distance from others – such as on public transport or in supermarkets.
