Boris Johnson speaks to Donald Trump today but has NOT returned

Boris Johnson will speak to Donald Trump today and hold his regular audience with the Queen this week as he increasingly appears to be back in the government driving seat.

The PM has been recuperating from his coronavirus scare at Chequers along with pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds.

But while his spokesman insists that Mr Johnson is not doing any ‘official work’, it emerged that he is speaking to the US president this afternoon.

Mr Johnson will also speak to the monarch by phone later in the week – although his deputy Dominic Raab will take PMQs in the Commons tomorrow and chair Cabinet on Thursday.  

The spokesman said of the conversation with Mr Trump – whose wife Melania called Ms Symonds to pass on  best wishes: ‘It is an opportunity to thank the President for the messages of support he has sent to him. 

‘But it is also the case it will allow the PM to get an update on the international G7 response, as the US is the chair.’

The PM has already intervened from Chequers to snuff out speculation of an imminent easing of lockdown, with No10 making clear his priority is avoiding a ‘second peak’ in the outbreak. 

He has been getting ‘daily updates’ on the coronavirus response and held discussions with Mr Raab, chief aide Dominic Cummings, communications director Lee Cain and Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill on Friday. 

The pressure is intensifying on ministers to plot a way out of the crisis, but divisions have emerged between cautious ‘doves’ and ‘hawks’ who believe the NHS has capacity and would prefer to loosen the draconian social distancing measures earlier.  

Tories have suggested the PM is ‘frightened’ of taking chances with the deadly virus after his own close call, despite fears the economic havoc might prove even more damaging to public health.

There are reports Mr Johnson’s close circle has stopped using the phrase ‘exit strategy’ and instead wants to signal a ‘next phase’ of lockdown, with varying levels of restrictions set to continue for the rest of the year until the outbreak dwindles altogether or a vaccine is found.

The ‘doves’ have been supported by grim behind-the-scenes warnings from scientists, who have advised that control of the outbreak is still so uncertain that even slight changes to the curbs on normal life could result in a disastrous flare-up.

There is no prospect of lockdown measures being eased before the current period comes to an end on May 11.

However, some senior Tories have been pushing plans for an easing soon afterwards, pointing out that the NHS is still below surge capacity and could ‘run hot’ to limit the economic meltdown.  

Before his illness there were rumours Mr Johnson was alarmed about the devastation being wrought on UK plc. 

However, the premier, who was released from hospital a week ago, is now seen as aligned with the Cabinet ‘doves’ cautious about shifting too early. 

According to the Times, Mr Johnson is thought to be leaning towards ‘a longer lockdown that aims to drive the virus close to eradication, allowing occasional flare-ups to be isolated and shut down through testing and contact tracing’.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who also contracted coronavirus, is also urging a safety-first approach, regarding a second wave of the virus as more dangerous than the impact of lockdown. 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Trade Secretary Liz Truss, and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove are thought to be more hawkish about the need to ease restrictions sooner – although they have been toeing the line in public. 

Downing Street has been furiously playing down hints that schools could partly reopen in the middle of next month, with June now looking the earliest timetable. 

Government scientists have been warning that the situation is currently so finely balanced that even marginal loosenings could have disastrous effects,

One Cabinet source told the Guardian the government’s advisers on Sage had suggested any easing would push up the rate of transmission – known as R.