The Times’ splash reports that ministers are weighing up plans for local lockdowns, or a delay to the planned easing of restrictions, on 21 June amid concern over the Indian variant. Under one proposal, modelled on last year’s Tier 4 restrictions, the paper says people would be advised to stay at home and non-essential retail and hospitality would be closed if the variant wasn’t brought under control. An alternative plan, focused on a delay to the June unlocking, would see grants handed out to the worst-hit sectors such as nightclubs and for large events like festivals. A source tells the paper that local lockdowns could lead to a “patchwork” of restrictions across the country that people would ignore.