During a campaign visit in Hartlepool, the prime minister told reporters: "I think we've got a good chance, a good chance, of being able to dispense with one-metre plus."

He stressed the move would be "dependent on the data" and "we can't say it categorically yet", but added: "That's what it feels like to me right now."

Under the government's roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions, 21 June is the date on which all legal limits on social contact are set to be removed.

But there have been suggestions that some separate measures - like mask wearing - could continue beyond that point.

The government's roadmap for relaxing coronavirus rules acknowledges that social distancing is "difficult and damaging for businesses and, as a result, it is important to return to as near to normal as quickly as possible".

It adds: "Ahead of Step 4 [21 June], as more is understood about the impact of vaccines on transmission and a far greater proportion of the population has been vaccinated, the government will complete a review of social distancing measures and other long-term measures that have been put in place to limit transmission.

Sticky floors, queues for the loos, that sweaty smell and, inevitably, losing your phone.

Gives me the heebie jeebies that photo!!

Looks like the only people really who want to do away with social distancing are the young who like drinking and dancing - the rest don't need that - social distancing should be allowed to slowly slowly dissipate - that will feel normal the rest is hyperbole with a political agenda

People can do as they wish, I will continue to keep my distance from others for the foreseeable future .