The UK will have to get used to a ‘new normal’ after lockdown is lifted, the foreign secretary has said.

Dominic Raab said social distancing measures will remain in place for ‘some time’ to come even after restrictions start to relax – but he would not be drawn on how or when lockdown could be eased.

This morning Mr Raab, who is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his sick leave, cautioned that the outbreak is still at a ‘delicate’ stage and that it would be ‘dangerously irresponsible’ to lift lockdown measures just yet.

‘We won’t just have this binary easing up of measures. We will end up moving to a new normal,’ he told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show.

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‘We need to take a sure-footed step forward which protects life but also preserves our way of life. So we are very focused on doing the homework that can allow us to do that.’

Mr Raab added it was ‘inconceivable’ schools could re-open without measures in place to stop the spread of the disease but said ministers were looking to ease restrictions on outdoor activities.

He said: ‘We do want to look – when it is safe, when it is responsible – at ways to allow more outdoor activities to take place, but again we have got to have the evidence that that is a sure-footed step – doesn’t allow coronavirus to get a grip back on the country.’

The foreign secretary has been under pressure from senior ministers to relax social distancing rules as the country’s economy is battered by the pandemic.

But he rejected calls to ease the lockdown and repeatedly said the government would be guided on science and only when their five tests have been met, would officials consider lifting it.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for the government to set out an ‘exit strategy’ so the public could get a full picture on how exactly the lockdown could be lifted.

But Mr Raab said he didn’t want to make any promises yet, adding: ‘Until we can be confident, based on the scientific advice, that we are making sure-footed steps going forward that protect life, but also preserve our way of life, frankly it is not responsible to start speculating about the individual measures.’

However, there has been uproar regarding the government’s secret Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) meetings, after it was discovered Dominic Cummings was in attendance.

The prime minister, who is set to return to work tomorrow, is now facing cross-party pressure to prevent his chief advisor from attending the meetings.

Former Brexit Secretary, David Davis, feared the presence of ‘non-scientist members’ could lead to changes in the advice given from the Sage committee.

The foreign secretary also admitted it was unlikely that a vaccine would be ready this year, despite Oxford scientists starting their first human trials last week.

The comments come as officials are said to be drawing up plans for passengers to be quarantined for 14 days after arriving in the UK.

Mr Raab confirmed that ministers were also looking into more stringent checks at airports and sea ports, following criticism that more than 15,000 people were entering the UK daily without taking a coronavirus test.

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