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Across the UK, online, on DAB and on your smart speaker, the Independent Republic of Mike Graham on talk

radio.

Good morning and welcome to the Independent Republic of Mike Graham right here on Talk

Radio. It is getting closer, ladies and gentlemen. The lockdown was further lifted

by the Prime Minister yesterday. Children can be reunited with their grandparents. Lovers can meet again,

and it's the return of hugging, apparently. It's scarcely imaginable that I'm even uttering

these words. But that, ladies and gentlemen, is where we have been. And this is now where we are

going. As I look out into the rather gloomy looking night sky, day sky, whatever it is,

it looks as if it could be in the middle of the night.

It's very gloomy and dark out there.

I can barely see the Tower of London this morning, but it is still there.

I'm pretty sure.

I don't think anybody's knocked it down yet, despite the fact that it may or may not have been linked

to some very terrible acts that have gone on in the past. Thanks to my campaign of several weeks standing, it also now appears that we will soon see the two-meter

social distancing rule reduced to one meter. That will be music to the ears of many small

businesses, many restaurant owners and many pubs as well. All people in the hospitality business

have been calling for this, and it's also good news for the schools we'll be speaking as a former

mp lance form and businessman of course as well who has been very critical of the furlough scheme

and some of the other government initiatives that have been going on we'll be getting his views this

morning we'll also hear later on from matt hancock who will be revealing how the testing and tracing

...