that plays into philip hammond's argued. potentially.ed has been a lot more relu cta nt uk governed has been a lot more reluctant than other countries to go into detail about how restrictions might eventually lifted. it has focused on that message of telling people to stay at home despite some governments in the uk like the scottish and welsh government is providing more detail. there are increasingly more questions being asked about the trade—offs and the impact of the economic shutdown, potentially in the long—term. philip hammond was arguing this morning on the bbc that emerging from lockdown would be complicated but needed to happen to avoid that irreparable damage to the economy. we have to start reopening the economy, but we have to do it living with covid—19, we can't wait until a vaccine is developed, produced in sufficient quantity and rolled out across the population. the economy won't survive that long. we are going to have to start reopening, but we are going to have to do it alongside the measures that are in place to protec

philip hammond, who was chancellor until about a year ago, is essentially arguing that emerging from going to be hard, a lot harder than it was to go into it in the first place, but he believes it is crucial to restart the economy again because the longer you leave it, the more the damage will be. have a listen to what he said this morning. we have to start reopening the economy, but we have to do it living with covid—19. we can't wait until a vaccine is developed, produced in sufficient quantity and rolled out across the population. the economy won't survive that long. we are going to have to start reopening but we are going to have to do it alongside the measures that are in place to protect the population from covid—19 and that is going to be a much more complex phase of this crisis than the initial acute phase. locking everything down and keeping everything down and keeping everything locked down is relatively straightforward. the challenge of how to progressively, carefully, methodically reopen, protecting both health and jobs, is much, methodically reopen, protecting both healt

this is what philip hammond had to say this morning.t reopening the economy, but we have to do it living with covid—19, we can't wait until a vaccine is developed, produced in sufficient quantity and rolled out across the population. the economy won't survive that long. we are going to have to start reopening, but we are going to have to do it alongside the measures that are in place to protect the population from covid—19. that is going to be a much more complex phase of this crisis than the initial acute phase. locking everything down and keeping everything locked down is relatively straightforward, the challenge of how to progressively, carefully, methodically reopen, protecting both health and jobs, is much more challenging and calls for a really skilful political leadership. there are also increasing calls for the government to be a bit more open about what that process might look like. the westminster government has been very reluctant to do that. in scotla nd been very reluctant to do that. in scotland and wales where things coul

philip hammond was much argument is that if you wait too long that's exactly the case.conomy will see having reversed much that you'll never get it back to the same level you did or if you manage to recover it will take some time. the government here has been extremely relu cta nt to government here has been extremely reluctant to go into detail about what might happen next. the argument we hear from uk what might happen next. the argument we hearfrom uk ministers all the time is that theyjust we hearfrom uk ministers all the time is that they just want to keep the message simple. to tell people to stay at home and protect the nhs, the mantra we hear everyday. that is starting to creak little bit. firstly that pressure within the conservative party also in scotland and wales which have the ability to go their own way on this, we are seeing some signs they want to start talking about how the lockdown might be lifted gradually over time. potentially over quite a long period time. but you can see that pressure building up and fill apparent is the latest person this morning

philip hammond's argument is essentially that coming out of lockdown gradually would be a lot harderto it. figuring out how you are going to do thatis figuring out how you are going to do that is essential because the longer you wait, the greater the economic damage is going to be. and there are many conservatives who are sympathetic to that argument, who think that ministers need to be more open with the public about the trade—offs and start to discuss them more in public, who want ministers to do what the devolved governments have done in the past few days, and begin that conversation about when restrictions might be lifted. the government is of course very aware of the huge economics told that this is taking. there is, for example, work going on to look at how workplaces around the country could ijust so workplaces around the country could i just so that they can reopen eventually with restrictions in place, to allow for things like social distancing. but ultimately, the government has stuck to its message, that refrain that we hear every day, to stay at home and protect the nhs a

are worried about the effect of the lockdown on the economy, and publicly the former chancellor philip hammondc that the lockdown would have to be eased even before a vaccine is found otherwise the economy could become the biggest casualty of this pandemic. when boris johnson become the biggest casualty of this pandemic. when borisjohnson returns to downing street, he begins work again, laboursay to downing street, he begins work again, labour say they will press him fora again, labour say they will press him for a route map out of the lockdown although they support the current restrictions, but i think what the death toll now shows is that the government will continue to proceed with caution. thanks for joining us. more than 20,000 coronavirus deaths have now been recorded in the uk — a grim milestone — with the actual death toll likely to be much higher. the disease has forced people to confront a new approach to dying — with government guidelines allowing only immediate family to attend the funerals of loved ones. our home editor mark easton reports. sirens in every neighbourhood and every

meanwhile, former chancellor philip hammond calls on the government to set out how britain can ease itskdown and restart the economy. in the next 15 minutes the home secretary, priti patel, will lead the uk's daily coronavirus press briefing at 10 downing street. and the english premier league holds talks with ministers about how football matches could resume with televised matches played behind closed doors. good afternoon. the number of coronavirus—related deaths in hospitals in the uk has surpassed 20,000, according to the department of health. the death toll now stands at 20,319, as of 5pm yesterday. it comes as the world health organization has warned that people who have recovered from coronavirus may not be protected against reinfection. in other developments — the majority of coronavirus tests for essential workers here in the uk were booked up through the government website within an hour of it reopening today — with some still available in scotland. as european countries start to ease their lockdowns — belgium has announced a timetable for gradually lifting restrictions. all s

exchequer, 0ne of borisjohnson‘s old colleagues, priti patel‘s old colleagues in the last parliament, philip hammondd be the greatest casualty of this pandemic unless the government is willing to ease some of those restrictions before a vaccine is found. the governor of new york says independent pharmacies are to be allowed to carry out tests for the coronavirus. andrew cuomo has also told his daily briefing on the pandemic that the number of people being taken to hospital in the state has fallen to same level as 21 days ago. with me now is our north america correspondent, peter bowes. independent pharmacies would be allowed to carry out tests on how important is that? this is a very significant ramping up of testing in new york state. the governor wants to get up to 40,000 tests every day. currently, those larger pharmacies have been carrying out tests in new york and elsewhere united states, but this executive order which he said he plans to sign one small pharmacies, high street chemists, to carry out these tests and make it easierfor people to carry out these tests and make it easier for people

restrictions may well be eased, and the former chancellor of the exchequer in the last parliament, philip hammondhe economy could be the greatest casualty of this pandemic unless the government is willing to ease some of those restrictions before a vaccine is found. government—imposed lockdowns continue around the world as the pandemic shows few signs of slowing. tens of millions of people are having to stay at home and businesses have been told to shut their doors. some countries, however — particularly in europe — are considering easing the restrictions. from berlin, damien mcguinness reports. for the past six weeks, a quickjog in the park has been one of the few ways people in belgium could leave the house. apart from exercise and essential work and shopping, they have been confined to their homes. belgium has suffered the highest per capita death rate in the world from coronavirus — almost 7,000 deaths so far. but infection and death rate appears to be slowing. so the government has now announced a three stage plan to ease the lockdown. in may, most shops will be open, then a week later child

some of his own mps about the lockdown and the effect on the economy, and the former chancellor philip hammondeed the economy could become the greatest victim of this virus. he will also be receiving a letter from the opposition leader keir starmer who is calling for greater clarity on how we will exit the lockdown in due course. when the prime minister does make some announcements on this, i'm told we are likely to see modifications to the current measures. he is very keen to avoid a second wave of this virus and interestingly, at the summiti virus and interestingly, at the summit i was mentioning, he a p pa re ntly summit i was mentioning, he apparently quoted the roman philosopher cicero, in english, he used the phrase, the health of the people should be the supreme law and that gives a big clue about where borisjohnson that gives a big clue about where boris johnson stands on that gives a big clue about where borisjohnson stands on this lockdown debate. thanks forjoining us. and the first secretary of state dominic raab and the first minister of scotland, nicola sturgeon will be on the and

philip hammond, the chancellor very publicly said on the bbc today that effectively the rejections wouldrwise the economy could become the biggest casualty of the pandemic. there is pressure on boris johnson when he returns to work to have some kind of rethink. that is not to say that some kind of work is not to say that some kind of work is not going on behind the scenes about how they will use these restrictions in due course. more detailed plans are to be outlined by the devolved administrations and labour are pushing very strongly for the government at westminster to come out with more detailed plans to. given today's grand 0ettl, more than 20,000, not only would it be seen as inappropriate —— grand 0ettl —— inappropriate —— grand 0ettl —— inappropriate to make those announcements today. government—imposed lockdowns continue around the world as the pandemic shows few signs of slowing. tens of millions of people are having to stay at home and businesses have been told to shut their doors. some countries, however — particularly in europe — are considering easing the restrictions. from

the former british chancellor philip hammond has called on the government to begin easing the lockdownart the economy. and the english premier league has been holding talks with the uk government about how football matches could be permitted to resume. more on that later but first for more on the situation in the uk, richard galpin reports. the drive to get millions of key workers such as teachers, the police and staff working in the food industry began yesterday. but the numbers applying are overwhelming the system. just before ten o'clock this morning, we looked at the government website, which key workers use to book a test. many of the options were already unavailable. home kits were all booked out within 15 minutes. the only available option for a test was at a site in scotland. this, for many, very frustrating, and requiring a lot of persistence. i tried and it was not working. so i kept on trying throughout the evening. eventually i got back on. and, again, went through the system of trying to book a test. i booked it and this morning when i woke up i received a text to tell me

the former uk chancellor of the exchequer, philip hammond, has said tonight that government interventionslence on the economic implications and consequences of this health crisis.‘ he says there would come a point where people will start to be concerned about the economic implications. our economy will be different after this crisis and there will need to be restructuring and the government will have to be prepared to tell people that the high levels of support that are currently being provided cannot be provided forever and they cannot prevent an essential restructuring as businesses that have become non—viable half to fail and jobs that have become non—viable have to go and that point will come and i think it's probably more of a political challenge than a fiscal challenge because we can't keep the economy shut for long periods of time and in the short—term, what the government is doing is perfectly sustainable and manageable although we shouldn't delude ourselves that it will have a consequence in the longer term. there will be less fiscal capacity available for some of those laudable

hearing on the media radio stations etc at the moment coming from people like the former chancellor philip hammond is that don't expect this to be a quick in and out recession this is going to be deep and lasting but let's try at least to get the country back on track as i was mentioning before let's do the let's talk about this credit rating agency from standard and poor's saying that britain can keep its double a rating because it says it was praising the u.k. swift and coordinated response to the pandemic that is going to come as a bit of a surprise to a lot of people in britain isn't it. i think there are many ways in which britain is being accused from within the country. no less. having reacted too slowly and i think that's particularly when it comes to the lockdown measures but also how much people the personal protective equipment there was on hand for. medics doctors nurses people fighting the virus. and also the testing that's being done but in terms of its economic response and how quickly. the chancellor of the exchequer came out and made very firm pledges its. people would not be thro