Johnson eyes early end to Covid rules in bid to regain support
London, Feb 9 (EFE).- Boris Johnson said his government could lift all domestic Covid-19 restrictions in England, including the need to isolate after a positive test, by the end of this month as the British prime minister tries to recover his tarnished reputation following the so-called Partygate scandal.
He made the remarks in an opening statement to Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons on Wednesday.
“I can tell the House today that it is my intention to return on the first day after the half-term (February 14-20) recess to present our strategy for living with Covid,” he told MPs.
He said the plan, which if enacted would come one month earlier than first slated, depended on the continuation of the current trends in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
As the parliamentary session got underway, however, new photos were published by The Mirror newspaper allegedly showing Johnson joined by staff members at a Downing Street Christmas quiz event on 15 December 2020 next to a table with an open bottle of sparkling wine and potato chips.
Downing Street has previously described the event as a virtual Christmas quiz.
At the time, the UK was under Tier 3 rules, which prohibited indoor household mixing and limited outdoor gatherings to six.
The event is not yet on the list of lockdown gatherings currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
The latest publication comes as Johnson tries to regain the support of disgruntled backbench MPs — certain groups of whom support the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions — and follows a minor cabinet reshuffle Tuesday. EFE
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