Boris Johnson was forced into an embarrassing U-turn after endeavouring to sidestep quarantine despite close contact with Sajid Javid, who has COVID.
The Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced they would use a little known pilot scheme that allows people out of self-isolation every day to continue working if they pass a daily lateral flow test.
But amid red hot fury from politicians, business leaders and the public they caved in within hours and announced they would join thousands of people who are having to self isolate.
They’d faced accusations they were accessing a VIP lane that wasn’t open to workers who were having to isolate, bringing some businesses and public transport to the verge of collapse.
The Health Secretary triggered fears of a disruptive pingdemic striking at the core of Government after announcing he’d tested positive.
Sajid Javid had visited the Commons and Downing Street in previous days and is understood to have held a long face to face meeting with Boris Johnson just before his symptoms developed, sparking concerns that senior figures across Whitehall would have to be confined to home.
One insider warned that half the Cabinet could be in isolation by the end of the week, and a No 10 spokesperson said that the Prime Minister had been contacted by NHS Test and Trace to say he had been in contact with someone with COVID.
The spokesperson said he was a Chequers when contacted by Test and Trace and would remain there to isolate, and that he wouldn’t be taking part in the testing pilot, but said that he will proceed to conduct meetings with ministers remotely.
The Chancellor has also been contacted and will also isolate as required and won’t be taking part in the pilot.
In a tweet, Rishi Sunak said that whilst the test and trace pilot was somewhat limiting, allowing only necessary government business, he realised that even the sense that the rules aren’t the same for everyone was wrong, and to that end, he would be self-isolating as normal and not taking part in the pilot.
But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that the Conservative Government was in turmoil and that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak had been busted yet again for thinking the rules that we’re all following don’t apply to them.
He said that the public has done so much to adhere to the rules, and at a time when they need to maintain confidence in self-isolation, parents, workers and businesses will be questioning what on earth is going on in Downing Street.
He said that the way the Prime Minister conducts himself generates chaos, makes for bad government and has dangerous outcomes for the British people and then yet again the Conservatives fix the rules to serve themselves and only backtrack when they’re found out.
Boris Johnson needs to make his mind up because he’s becoming a hindrance to the country, or is he just taking the widdle out of us all?
He’s doing more U-turns than a driving instructor, and that’s no offence to driving instructors! And the trolley Prime Minister just crashed into another decision, although the damage was already done, and he now has no credibility or respect.
And his actions tell you everything you need to know, that we’re being lied to on a grand scale, and it’s time to wake up Britain. The important question is, who’s pulling Boris Johnson’s strings?
He certainly won’t lose all of his earnings like the vast preponderance of the lowest paid in the private sector who get nothing if they isolate.
