Britain's finance minister has told colleagues the economy could shrink by up to 30% this quarter because of the coronavirus lockdown, a newspaper reported, as the soaring death toll gave little hope restrictions would soon be lifted.
Lauren Anthony reports.
Britain's finance minister has told colleagues the economy could shrink by up to 30% this quarter due to the coronavirus lockdown - according to a newspaper report.
Restrictions on movement are unlikely to be lifted any time soon due to the UK's soaring death toll.
The Times newspaper reported that chancellor Rishi Sunak had discussed with colleagues the possibility that GDP would shrink by 25 to 30 percent between April and June - due to the closure of shops, restaurants, bars, and many other public areas.
Citing unnamed ministers, they added that Sunak and others were pushing for social distancing measures to be relaxed for the sake of the economy, while some resisted because of the risk of exacerbating the outbreak.
A Treasury spokesman declined to comment on the report.
The number of COVID-19 deaths in hospitals across Britain has passed 10,000.
And a senior scientific adviser to the government has said the country is at risk of becoming the worst-hit in Europe.
The government has had to defend its response to the outbreak - with complaints of insufficient testing, a lack of protective kit for medics and key workers, and questions about whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson was too slow to impose a lockdown.
Johnson himself is currently recovering from coronavirus at his country residence after leaving hospital on Sunday (April 12).
But there is so far no clarity on when he would return to work.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to make progress, four days after being admitted to hospital, but he remains in..