Coronavirus diary, Monday 11 May

Anyone for tennis?

Boris Johnson speaks to the nation

So now we know the way ahead, Mr Johnson's roadmap shows us. Or does it? The decisions made by the Prime Minister are not clear cut (and most only apply to England). 

As he said in his address to the nation, there are lots of ifs. At least we have first signs of some relaxation of the orders that have so restricted our lives for two months. Anyone for tennis? A round of golf? Or, even better, a drive to the seaside or country or have fun in the park? That's fine, if you live in England. Now we can go back to work - by bike if we feel like it and think it is safe. 

As usual, Mr Johnson hesitates. We are being 'actively encouraged' not ordered to do so, starting tomorrow. Primary schoolchildren in England can go back in July.

The unions are understandably cautious about social distancing at work and on public transport and the safety of teachers. The quarantining of passengers arriving in Britain is confirmed, except for arrivals from France and Ireland. 

The Times: alert to confusion

The media report the concessions with little comment today but I will be surprised if the criticism does not start up again soon. The PM has had it easy on his road ahead so far.  His cabinet is said to be divided and critical. It all goes back to the Prime Minister's lack of decisiveness, His speech last night was one of the poorest I have heard from a political leader. He is better at bonhomie and bluster than seriousness and boldness. And we could have done without the diagram of the R moving from 0 to 1. Even if he could have had television, Mr Winston Churchill, after Dunkirk, would surely not have shown us a puerile map showing an arrow pointing from Germany to England to tell us about the danger of invasion, like the introduction of the Dad's Army television show. As for the new slogan, Stay Alert, that's not much better than Stay Awake. 

Wales: clear and consistent approach

It is good to see Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland sticking with 'Stay at Home' and doing some things their way.