Johnson has been facing increasing calls from within his own Conservative Party to relax restrictions on businesses, as many ministers fear that the long term use of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s emergency furloughing scheme could eventually plunge the UK’s economy into crisis.
But just how long will it be before the UK’s coronavirus lockdown comes to an end?
UKIP Scotland Leader Donald MacKay gave his views on the matter.
Sputnik: When will the UK lift its coronavirus lockdown?
Donald MacKay: I don’t know when it is likely to be lifted, but it should be lifted sooner rather than later because I don’t know how much longer the economy can survive for, or at least how long small businesses can survive for if they are unable to generate any income.
I would say sooner rather than later definitely, and I don’t think it is necessary to keep all businesses closed.
Sputnik: Should the lockdown have been put in place sooner by Westminster?
Donald MacKay: I think that they are dealing with very difficult circumstances as best as they can and they are presumably relying a great deal on scientific advice, which is fair enough.
The fact is that support for the business community; while it is well-intentioned, is less than adequate and people need to earn an income, that’s fundamental, and if there is an issue I don’t see how it helps the issue by basically putting a stranglehold on the economy.
Surely we can have some sensible measures in shops, restaurants, pubs and so on, that still involve social distancing, but don’t mean that they have to be closed altogether, so I understand the initial panic when we were not actually sure of the situation, but I would think that perhaps on mature reflection we could start taking a move informed view.
Donald MacKay: I think it will cause severe damage. There are lots of small businesses that won’t survive, and my own business is just about getting by, it certainly wouldn’t survive months of this, and I think it is verging on irresponsible to assume that people can just continue indefinitely without some very clear indication of when the lockdown is at least going to be eased, if not removed altogether.