AN end to lockdown in sight and what working from home means for housing inequality were the topics discussed by columnists and contributors in the newspapers.
The Daily Mail
Henry Deedes said Boris Johnson had finally announced all of the ‘irritating restrictions’ were heading for the chop.
“No more limits on gatherings, no more dreaded one-metre rule,” he said. “Best of all, no more entering details into that ruddy NHS app when going to the pub. He admitted infections could spiral to as many as 50,000 a day by Freedom Day. Deaths, too, would increase. ‘But if we can’t reopen our society in the next few weeks then we must ask ourselves – when will we be able to return to normal?’ he asked.”
He said, however, it was evident Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty did share the Prime Minister’s eagerness to get the country moving again.
“After 40 minutes, Boris marched off back to No 10. Clearly plenty of turbulence ahead. But we can’t stay on this tarmac forever. We need to have lift off.”
The Daily Express
Professor Karol Sikora said government messaging in the last few days has shifted more significantly than any other time in this pandemic.
“The mood in Downing Street has changed and in my view it’s for the better,” he said. “ Anyone can look at the stats and come to the same conclusion – the vaccines work and have broken the link between cases and hospitalisations.”
He said we had to trust people to make the right decisions for themselves and their families.
If people choose to be cautious and continue distancing, mask wearing and much else, he added, then they are entitled to do so, but it cannot be a legal requirement.
“I believe that this is the right move and Boris has to hold his nerve. Restrictions cannot stay forever and lifting them would always carry a risk. Now is the time to take that risk. Trust the British public and trust the vaccines.”
The Guardian
Susanna Rustin said the climate change committee was the latest to sing the praises of working from home.
“But there is also a danger that deeper divisions are reinforced by a shift that turns millions more flats and houses into workplaces,” she said. “Proof of widening housing and wealth inequality caused by the pandemic already exists. Prices of detached homes rose 10% – twice as much as flats – with rural areas seeing the highest rises.”
She said there was no telling yet what long-term effect working from home might have on incomes.
“But while there are undoubted upsides, the property market data so far does not suggest the overall impact will be progressive. Rather, they point to the likelihood of further asset inflation and a worsening of the UK’s already chronic property addiction.”
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