UK coronavirus live: government under pressure to scrap 2m distancing rule in England
Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Damian Green among backbenchers calling for change, saying it is essential for the economy
8.53am BST
Boris Johnson is considering reducing the 2-metre physical-distancing restriction to allow schools in England to reopen fully by September.
The Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, criticised the government's efforts to get pupils back in class, using an article in the Daily Telegraph to claim mismanagement" was putting at risk the welfare and education of children.
The newspaper reported that Johnson was looking at following World Health Organization advice and reducing physical distancing to 1 metre - guidance already followed by countries including France, Denmark and Singapore.
At prime minister's questions on Wednesday, he promised to keep that 2-metre rule under constant review".
8.45am BST
Asked about opposition criticism that the government did not act fast enough, the local government minister Simon Clarke told the BBC:
I think what we did was that we acted in good faith to try to save both lives and livelihoods. I think that's been the consistent theme of our approach to this crisis. So, there is a lot of being wise after the fact.
I do think that for Labour to try to politicise it in that way, on that issue, feels in poor taste. I don't recall, frankly, the opposition adopting a hard and fast line that we should be entering full lockdown.
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