The week of ‘staying alert’ that left the government in a daze

After the PM’s Sunday broadcast and the ensuing confusion, the truce over coronavirus is truly over

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Nearly two months after lockdown began, coming out of it was always going to be a difficult message to sell. It might have been easier if the Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, had been a little happier about Downing Street’s plan to announce an easing of the stay-at-home restrictions away from parliament on Sunday night.

Boris Johnson had claimed it was because restrictions had to be altered for the Monday. But in truth the goal was to secure as large a TV audience as possible – although keeping the Speaker onboard meant vital explanatory documents had to be held back until the Commons was sitting on Monday.

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