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The UK went into strict lockdown back in March as the deadly coronavirus outbreak arrived in the country but in recent weeks, the Prime Minister has eased restrictions to help rebuild the economy. But Lord Hague said lockdown is a “disaster for our society”.

Writing a column piece in The Telegraph, Lord Hague criticised the government’s announcement that people who come into the UK must self-isolate for two weeks and said employment figures “will represent a personal catastrophe”.

He said: “We can also begin to discern the true cost of a national lockdown, not just in economy but in human terms.

“The unemployment figures about to be released represent a personal catastrophe for hundreds of thousands of people.

“Large rounds of corporate redundancies mean worse is to come.

“For many individuals, lockdown is going to mean depression, family breakdown and despair.”

Millions of people were placed on the furlough scheme as businesses were unable to open due to lockdown measures and Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed the scheme will be ending by October.

Lord Hague also argues lockdown will cause “tens of thousands” of undetected cancers, domestic abuse is rising while mental health is deteriorating.

As schools were, and have remained closed, Lord Hague believes the education of “millions of young people has been severely damaged”.

Mr Johnson announced last month his steps to easing lockdown and said
primary schools are to reopen as early as June 1.

However, plans to get all primary pupils in England back in education for four weeks before the summer holidays have been dropped over concerns social distancing measures can not be enforced.

Lord Hague argued, despite fears of a second spike of the virus, there cannot be a second lockdown.

He said: “We now know therefore that a lockdown is not a temporary blip or a paid holiday, but a disaster for our society.

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“It is increasing inequality, social tension and unaffordable debt.

“Globally, the World Bank has estimated that up to 60 million people will be pushed into extreme covered.

“Such a disaster cannot under any circumstances by repeated. There can be no second lockdown.”

He also called for ministers to listen carefully to Tony Blair and the report by the Institute of Global Change which argue for the government to prepare now for mass testing on a national level.

Earlier today, a top government advisor warned he would be “very surprised” if the UK avoided a second deadly wave of coronavirus infections, adding the “real question” is how the flare-ups will occur, and not if they will happen at all.

On Monday, Britain reported just 38 deaths from COVID-19 over the most recent 24-hour period – the second lowest since lockdown began on March 23.

The slump in new infections and fatalities from the deadly bug has led to the government gradually easing lockdown measures enforced to help curb the spread of the virus.

But Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford who has advised ministers on coronavirus testing, expects a second COVID-19 outbreak to his the UK.

Sir John told the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee: “Given the fact that the lockdown has now been largely released, we’re now back in action, and we have still – pretty rapidly declining – but a pretty reasonable level of infections in the community.

“I would be very surprised if we avoided the second wave.

“I think the real question is, are we going to have a number of single outbursts around the country and then a second wave, or are we going to just get a second wave and when will that be?”

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