TRANSPORT union chief Manuel Cortes has accused Boris Johnson of "gambling with lives" over plans to lift Covid restrictions in England later this month.

Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA, said the Prime Minister was sticking to a "gung ho" strategy even while admitting that the pandemic was far from over. 

Speaking at Downing Street today Johnson said the legal duty on wearing face coverings will end but guidance may remain, especially in crowded places like public transport.

The rule of six inside private homes will be removed and instructing people to work from home will also go. 

The PM said he expected the final step would happen as planned on July 19 but this will be confirmed on July 12. 

Commenting, union leader Cortes said: “We are still very much in a pandemic, something that the scientists in Downing Street recognise, even if the Prime Minister seems not to. Opening up on this scale while infection rates are rising is simply gambling with lives. 

“Johnson risks the virus mutating into variants which may become resistant to the current vaccines by taking a gung ho approach to the relaxation of restrictions. 

“Let’s not forget that throughout Europe where restrictions have been relaxed the requirement to wear a mask in enclosed public settings remains. Just look at Gibraltar whose vaccination record is second to none and has rightly been praised by the government here. 

“When it comes to public transport Johnson’s mixed messaging is the worst of all worlds. He wants to ditch masks but would still wear one if on a busy train. That hardly provides the certainty our industry and the public so badly need.” 

Gary Smith, general secretary of the GMB trade union, also attacked the PM's plans to ease restrictions.

He said: “Today’s announcement to throw covid caution to the wind is a political decision. 

“The UK has the unenviable status as one of Europe’s covid hotspots - with eight of Europe’s 10 highest infection rates in England and Scotland." 

He added: “Rather than pander to pandemic hawks in his party, the Prime Minister should make the safety of workers - and the general public - a top priority. 

“The use of masks should remain mandatory for the time being - ditching them flies in the face of the science and it’s a small sacrifice for the greater good that shouldn’t be beyond anyone...

"The Prime Minister’s so called ‘freedom day’ plans are not addressing the freedom of workers to be free from floating germs or from being safe at work.  

“It is difficult to see how making workers more scared to go into workplaces or putting them under greater risk of being ill is any sense a civil right that he should be thanked for. 

“This pandemic isn’t over and we can’t go back to business as usual.” 

During the press conference Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, and Sir Patrick Vallace, both said they would continue to wear face masks in various settings.

Whitty said he would wear one in three situations, in crowded indoor areas or in close proximity to other, if asked to by a competent authority or if someone uncomfortable that he wasn't wearing one - as a common courtesy to other people.

He underlined the main reason for wearing a mask was to stop the spread of the virus to other people.

Johnson set out plans to lift a host of restrictions in England despite warning it is "very far from the end" of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister has gambled on the "wall of immunity" offered by vaccines as he announced an intention to scrap mandatory mask-wearing and lift social distancing requirements.

He said he hoped all restrictions would be lifte by July 19, at a time when the Prime Minister acknowledged there could be 50,000 new cases detected daily.

At a Downing Street press conference, Johnson acknowledged the pandemic was "far from over" with cases rising "fairly rapidly".

"There could be 50,000 cases detected per day by the 19th," he said.

"We are seeing rising hospital admissions and we must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from Covid."

It was only the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout that allowed ministers to contemplate Step 4 of the road map "in circumstances where we would normally be locking down further", he added.

A decision will be taken on July 12 on whether to proceed with the lifting of lockdown a week later.

Johnson said: "We must be honest with ourselves that if we can't reopen our society in the next few weeks, when we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays, then we must ask ourselves: when will we be able to return to normal?"

He warned that a further delay would "run the risk of either opening up at a very difficult time when the virus has an edge" or "putting everything off to next year".

Under the Prime Minister's plan for Step 4 of the road map:

- There will be no limits on social contact, meaning the end of the orders such as the "rule of six" and restrictions on guests at weddings and mourners at funerals.

- Legal requirement to wear face coverings will be lifted, although guidance will suggest people might choose to do so in "enclosed and crowded places".

- All remaining businesses will be able to reopen, including nightclubs, while capacity caps will be lifted and bars and restaurants will no longer be restricted to table service.

- The UK Government will no longer instruct people to work from home.

- The "one metre plus" rule on social distancing will be lifted except in specific circumstances such as at the border, where guidance will remain to keep passengers from red and amber list countries from mingling with other travellers.

- The limit on named care home visitors will be lifted but infection control measures will remain in place.

- There will be no compulsory use of Covid status certification - so-called domestic vaccine passports - although firms will be able to voluntarily use the system.

- The gap between vaccine doses for under-40s will be reduced from 12 weeks to eight, meaning that all adults will have the opportunity to be double-jabbed by mid-September.

Although the legal requirement to self-isolate will remain for people who have tested positive or been identified as a contact by NHS Test and Trace, Johnson wants contacts who are fully vaccinated to be exempt and the Government will set out further details in due course.