Laurence Fox joins anti-lockdown protest outside Parliament before Boris Johnson delays roadmap

LAURENCE Fox joined an anti-lockdown protest outside Parliament in London today - hours before Boris Johnson announced 'freedom day' will be delayed.

The actor and activist was part of a group of demonstrators marching against the delay in easing lockdown restrictions.

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The group also passed in front of Downing Street with protesters holding placards and hugging.

Despite campaigners' fury, the PM announced today that stage four on his roadmap to freedom is unlikely to happen until July 19 amid concern over the Indian - or Delta - variation.

Boris Johnson announced:

• 'Freedom day' is delayed - as scientists warn of hundreds of deaths a day if we don't hold back
• Lockdown will be reviewed again on June 28 – and he may relax rules on July 5
• The wedding guest limit will be lifted from June 21 as the venue can decide safe numbers, but the dance ban and face masks will stay
• The full list of businesses not reopening this month
• Everything you can and can't do from June 21
• And he vowed not to delay July 19 even longer and is confident we will unlock fully in 4 weeks
• The Rule of Six will stay in place and outdoor gatherings will be capped at 30
• Millions more Brits in their 20s can book jabs from tomorrow
• Face masks and social distancing aren't going anywhere for at least a month

He made the decision to delay unlocking after experts predicted 50,000 people could die during a third wave this summer.

And tonight, he told Brits in an uncharacteristically sombre address that we must learn to live alongside the virus - as it will NEVER disappear.

Mr Johnson told ministers stage four of his roadmap to freedom must be held back after he was presented with a paper on a potential worst-case scenario for the coming weeks.

The document revealed that a summer wave of infections, hospitalisations and deaths is “likely” - whether or not restrictions are lifted.

And scientists have warned the potential peak death rate could be reduced from 700 to 500 a day if the final stage in unlocking is delayed.

The paper is just one projection - and may never be realised.

For example, Sage predicted a range of scenarios this summer, including that by June 14, anywhere between 38,061 and 2,050 people would be in hospital.

The true number on that date was 993.

Tonight, the PM said he's "confident" the UK can end lockdown altogether by July 19, and possibly earlier if cases drop.

ROADMAP DELAY

But he warned: "As we've always known, and as the February roadmap predicted, this opening up has inevitably been accompanied by more infections and more hospitalisations, because we must be clear we cannot simply eliminate Covid.

"We must learn to live with it.

"With every day that goes by, we are better protected by vaccinations and better able to live with the disease."

And he said health chiefs and politicians are "so concerned" by the spread of the mutation.

"Cases are growing by about 64 per cent per week on week, and the worst affected areas are doubling every week," he said.

"The average number of people admitted increased 50 per cent week on week, and 61 per cent in the north-west.

"It may be the shape of things to come."

The month-long delay means pubs will be restricted to table service, while theatres and cinemas will continue to be capped at just 50 per cent capacity.

People will be told to continue working from home if they can and nightclubs will remain closed.

Gigs will also take a hit, as the current rules allow for capacity limits of 50 per cent - or a maximum of 1,000 people - indoors.

Outdoor gatherings will remain limited to 30 people, meaning summer BBQs and picnics in the park will have to stay small.

The rule of six will also remain in place for indoor meet-ups, while face masks and social distancing will continue to be enforced.

However, the traditional big white wedding is finally back on the cards, with caps lifted on a strict 30-guest limit.

It comes as the number of people testing positive for Covid rocketed by a third in a week as 7,742 more infections were reported today.

Deaths are currently staying low - with three more fatalities recorded in the past 24 hours.

But 1,089 people are in hospital with the virus - with 161 in ventilated beds.