Lifting of lockdown must be gradual and put health first – The Yorkshire Post says

The Bank of England’s economic forecast ahead of VE Day commemorations was a foreboding one which confirmed the worst fears of many – GDP could fall by 30 per cent in the sharpest slump for over 300 years, and lead to a steep rise in unemployment, before beginning to recover.

And while calls for the lockdown to be lifted are understandable, and particularly from those businesses owners whose firms are fighting for survival, the disaster would be event greater without the pioneering ‘furlough’ scheme devised by Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

This state subsidy of salaries has effectively bought the Government time, albeit at considerable cost, and it would be prudent of Boris Johnson to take a cautious approach when he sets out his plans on Sunday night.

First and foremost, this is still a humanitarian tragedy – one which has seen over 30,000 UK residents die before their time – and nothing must come in the way of the national effort to treat victims and suppress the spread of the disease. On this, the Government still has much to prove – its response and record, thus far, is mixed at best.

But any haste to reopen offices and shops comes with a huge risk; namely a second ‘spike’ in cases which could inflict even more damage on the economy. It is why the Government’s task should be to plan for the lifting of restrictions – but only when the scientific evidence says it is advisable and when mass testing is in place.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

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Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor