Data, not dates, for easing lockdown
Political Fix
Financial Times
4.2 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 20 February 2021
⏱️ 31 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Boris Johnson made it clear this week that he will not rush into easing the nationwide lockdown - what will the UK prime minister set out in his road map next week? Will schools return and when will further measures be eased? Plus, we discuss the surprise appointment of Lord David Frost to Johnson's cabinet and what it says about relations with the EU and the next ministerial reshuffle. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with Sarah Neville, Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe, George Parker and Robert Shrimsley. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Liam Nolan.
Review clips: Downing Street, Parliament TV
Further reading:
-Diplomats and business express caution over Frost cabinet role
-The equivalence tussle is giving UK a lesson in Brexit power politics
-Johnson puts final touches to cautious easing of English lockdown
-Covid infections dropping fast across England, study shows
-Read the latest on UK politics
-Follow @Seb Payne and @George Parker
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | They're not authors, but they help you shape your financial story. |
| 0:04.0 | They're not an airline, but they connect global businesses across nearly 160 local markets. |
| 0:10.0 | They're not interpreters, but they listen to and understand their client's needs. |
| 0:14.0 | With global expertise and over two centuries of experience, |
| 0:18.0 | City provides tools, insights and guidance that helps clients thrive. |
| 0:23.0 | They're not just any bank, they are City. |
| 0:26.0 | Learn more at city.com slash we are City. |
| 0:30.0 | The signs are improving that England's current lockdown could be its last, |
| 0:37.0 | but Boris Johnson has said he won't move too quickly unless the data supports the easing measures. |
| 0:43.0 | We must be both optimistic but also patient, because we want this lockdown to be the last. |
| 0:54.0 | And we want progress to be cautious, but also irreversible. |
| 1:02.0 | Welcome to Payne's Politics, your essential insider guide to what's happening in British politics from the financial times, with me Sebastian Payne. |
| 1:12.0 | In this week's episode, we'll be discussing the latest progress on the coronavirus vaccination programme, |
| 1:18.0 | as millions more Britons received their jabs, and the Prime Minister is set to decide how and when to ease the top social distancing measures. |
| 1:26.0 | Health editors Sarah Neville and political reporter Jasmine Kamen Schleshey will analyse. |
| 1:32.0 | And later, we'll be looking at the surprise appointment of a new Brexit minister to oversee future UK EU relations. |
| 1:40.0 | After a Whitehall bonfire, Lord David Foster has found himself a perch in the cabinet, |
| 1:45.0 | but should Michael Gove be worried? |
| 1:48.0 | Let's go edit a George Parker and choose political columnist Robert Strimsley or give us their views. |
| 1:53.0 | Sarah and Jasmine, welcome back to the podcast, and let's move straight into the main topic of the week. |
| 1:59.0 | Boris Johnson received some great slabs of data on his desk this week, |
| 2:03.0 | which attempted to answer the big question facing the country. |
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