PRIME Minister Boris Johnson will review the coronavirus lockdown with his cabinet later, after suggesting some rules could be eased from Monday

By law the government must review the restrictions every three weeks, and Thursday marks the latest deadline.

The prime minister will address the nation on Sunday to outline plans for the next stage of the lockdown.

It is understood the “stay at home” message could be scrapped, with ministers keen to restart the economy.

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Mr Johnson will chair a meeting of his top team later to discuss the lockdown restrictions, which were introduced more than six weeks ago on 23 March.

However, major announcements on any changes are not expected until the prime minister makes his statement at the weekend.

While the lockdown is largely expected to stay in place, Mr Johnson has suggested some measures could start being eased on Monday.

“We want, if we possibly can, to get going with some of these measures on Monday,” he told Prime Ministers’ Questions.

“It would be a good thing if the people had an idea of what’s coming the following day, that’s why I think Sunday, the weekend, is the best time to do it.”

But Mr Johnson also said the government had to be sure any changes to the restrictions were backed by data, and “that data is coming in continuously over the next few days”.

No 10 said that “it is not going to be a case of flicking a switch” to lift all measures at once, and instead “people will have to prepare for a different type of normal”.

BBC Newsnight’s political editor, Nicholas Watt, said although final decisions were yet to be taken, it was likely the current lockdown would continue “for another three weeks or so”.

He suggested there might be “a big focus on the outside” – for example allowing more exercise outside or more work on construction sites.

The correspondent added that Mr Johnson might also say that face coverings – not medical face masks – could be used by the public in some circumstances.