More restrictions to be ditched as PM to make announcement later today Lockdown restrictions will ease from 17 May. (Getty Images) Boris Johnson will hold a press conference later today about how the UK will move into the next phase of reopening the country, Health Minister Nadine Dorries said this morning. “It does look as if the roadmap is on course,” Dorries told Sky News. “The prime minister will be making an announcement later this afternoon and he will be detailing how we’re going to unlock and when.” Dorries said that the data was “looking extremely positive” when asked if people in England will soon be allowed to hug again.