Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been branded “reckless” for ­announcing July 4 as “Independence Day” in the latest easing of ­lockdown measures. Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is also the city’s Police Crime Commissioner, slammed the July 4 reopening as a PR stunt. This week, 20 officers were hurt after breaking up an illegal street party in Brixton, South West London. A former World Health Organisation boss said the focus should instead be on reopening schools and warned pubs could cause localised Covid surges. Anthony Costello, ex-WHO director of maternal, child and adolescent health, said: “It’s a scandal pubs are opening over schools.

Source: Daily Mirror June 27, 2020 19:53 UTC