Rishi Sunak: Government to take ‘fresh look’ at two-metre rule
Rishi Sunak has said the government would take a “fresh look” at its two-metre social distancing rule in a review.
The chancellor confirmed there would be a “comprehensive review” of the rule as pressure increases from businesses to change it to one-metre.
Hospitality bodies have lobbied the government for the change, with businesses worried the rule will keep them from trading profitably.
Tesco chairman John Allan also told The Sunday Telegraph today that keeping the two-metre rule would mean “an awful lot of hospitality businesses will just not be viable”.
Speaking to Sky News today, Sunak said: “The Prime Minister has put in place a comprehensive review of the two metre rule… That review will involve the scientists, economists and others so that we can look at it in the round.
“You are right to highlight the impact it has on business; I know that of course it’s the difference between three-quarters and maybe a third of pubs opening, for example, so it’s important that we look at it.
“Many other countries around the world use a different rule and indeed, we’ve seen a couple of countries recently – I think Norway and Denmark – have moved from two metres to something less as well.”
UKHospitality chief Kate Nicholls has warned that if the two-metre rule is kept that only one-third of hospitality venues would be able to operate profitably.
However, if it is cut to one-metre it is estimated that two-thirds of businesses would be able to operate profitably.
Boris Johnson said this week that the rule was under review, while also hinting he may be in favour of a change.
“As we drive this disease down, as we get the incidences down working together, I want to make sure we keep that two-metre rule under constant review,” he said.
“Clearly as the incidents of the disease comes down…the statistical likelihood of how close or far you are from someone who may or may not have coronavirus goes down.”