This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
Britain's Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has cautioned that the Premier League's plans to restart its season are not yet a go, despite the government's hope that the campaign can be completed.
On Friday, Dowden told BBC Radio that the Premier League had not been given the green light to resume, with testing and player welfare being major concerns.
"They've not been given the green light," Dowden said.
However, Dowden expressed hope that the season could be completed, saying that it would be good for the nation and football as a whole.
"If we can get a plan that works then I'd like us to be able to go ahead with it because I think it would be good for the nation, it would be good for football as a whole," he said.
"I'm really hopeful we can get this up and running but public safety must come first so it's only if we're confident of that, we'll be able to proceed."
Clubs are due to meet on Monday to discuss the latest plans for "Project Restart," which includes the use of a limited number of neutral venues to limit the strain on essential services and discourage gatherings of supporters near stadiums.
However, those at risk of relegation argue that the integrity of the competition would be compromised by the neutral-venue plan.
