R rate is still ‘close to 1’ here. Across the Irish Sea, it’s between 0.4 and 0.5 - half our rate - and yet Ireland is unlocking a lot more slowly than we are. Is Britain immune from risk or is Johnson so desperate to change the story that he doesn’t care about a second spike?

In Ireland, you are still not allowed to go more than 3.1 miles from your home, somewhat less than the distance between London and Durham. The police in Ireland are not as ‘relaxed’ as ours would appear to be about flagrant violations. Their beaches are largely deserted.