Mark Drakeford, the first minister of Wales, outlined a “traffic light in reverse” approach to lifting restrictions

The Welsh government today joined Scotland’s in defying Downing Street and setting out its own plans for how and when the coronavirus lockdown might be relaxed.

Mark Drakeford, the first minister, said that the Welsh lockdown could start being lifted as early as May 7 but would be in three phases “like a traffic light in reverse”.

The Scottish plan was published yesterday. Both are significantly more detailed than the five tests set out by the UK government this week amid signs that the early political consensus around how to approach the disease is fraying.

Polling by YouGov today finds that while only 33 per cent of voters in England think the government has handled the pandemic either badly or very badly this rises to