Inside Politics: PM delays decision on Covid curbs

A mammoth cabinet meeting lasting some two hours yesterday ended with few decisions being made on Covid, leading some Westminster watchers to joke that perhaps ministers cracked out the wine and cheese as opposed to getting on with business. Following the talks, Boris Johnson delayed a decision on more restrictions in England, saying the data on omicron does not yet justify further curbs on social contact but that the government “reserve the possibility” to bring in additional measures in the days following. There are varying interpretations of how the meeting went down, with reports claiming that up to 12 ministers voiced their opposition to a lockdown. The Daily Telegraph, the PM’s former employer, says he was blocked by his colleagues from introducing new measures while other briefings say Johnson was among those pushing back on calls from scientists and experts to act sooner rather than later. Elsewhere, the PM continues to insist a wine and cheese gathering in the Downing Street garden was a work meeting.

Our chief political commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today:

Parliament is in recess, in danger of being recalled at any moment. The Office for National Statistics publishes public sector borrowing figures for November at 7am; HMRC publishes house sales figures at 9.30am. Eddie Hughes, minister for rough sleeping, will announce funding allocations for councils to support those at risk of homelessness in their areas from March 2022.

Coming up:

– Labour Party Chair Anneliese Dodds on Sky News at 8.10am

– Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay on BBC Radio 4 Today at 8.30am

NO CHANGE: The PM said the data is being reviewed “hour by hour” and that there were “some things we need to be clearer about before we decide to go further” — despite warnings by experts that “dither” could result in the NHS becoming overwhelmed due to rising hospitalisations. Continuing to make hay on last week’s 100-strong rebellion on Covid plan B measures, Labour’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, claimed that Johnson is now “too weak” to stand up to his backbenchers on virus policy. Labour says it will support new curbs in the national interest. More data about the severity of omicron is expected in the coming days.

SOS: Already hammered by Christmas booking cancellations and reduced footfall as people stay home in the run-up to Christmas day, firms in the hospitality and entertainment sectors are calling out for a clear decision and financial support if new restrictions are brought in. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, has not yet made any announcements but is said be looking at a range of measures, including rates and VAT relief. In other Covid updates Sajid Javid, the health secretary, is calling for the period of self-isolation to be reduced from 10 to 7 days provided it is clinically safe to do.

WORKING, HONEST: A straight-faced PM continued to insist that a picture that emerged on Sunday showing him and others enjoying wine and cheese at a gathering during lockdown was a work meeting. In a short interview broadcast in the afternoon, Johnson said all 19 people who attended the event in the garden of Downing Street “were people at work, talking about work.” Grilled on whether he thought it was appropriate for people to be drinking wine at the office, the PM added: “I’ve said what I’ve said about that.” There is real anger, particularly among NHS workers, over the photo. Dr Ajay Verma, a consultant gastroenterologist at Kettering General Hospital, said he and colleagues held a minute’s silence on 15 May in memory of Covid victims. “Little did we know that the PM and friends were enjoying a garden party that same afternoon,” he said. Adam Wagner, the human rights lawyer and expert on Covid laws, said the gathering probably did break the rules.

FROST THAWS: The appointment of Lizz Truss as Brexit negotiator suggests the UK is preparing to take a softer approach on Brexit, writes Sean O’Grady. Giving Lord Frost’s role as Brexit minister to the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, is a politically smart as well as logical and sensible move by Boris Johnson. The signs are that No 10 and the Treasury really do want to “get Brexit done” now as we approach the first anniversary of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Truss is a former Remainer who issued a number of dire warnings against Britain leaving the EU during the 2016 referendum campaign.

IMMIGRATION BILL ROW: Modern slavery victims may face barriers to seeking justice while criminal gangs “evade punishment” under Priti Patel’s immigration bill, cross-party MPs have warned. The Joint Committee on Human Rights has said the Nationality and Borders Bill could see government support removed from survivors of exploitation based on criminal acts they have been compelled to carry out. Part 5 of the bill includes a series of changes to modern slavery support, which home secretary Patel claims will prevent people from being able to “frustrate immigration action” by disclosing late in the process that they have suffered abuse. The changes would mean any victim who has been sentenced to prison for more than 12 months anywhere in the world would be disqualified from modern slavery support in the UK, and that survivors would be given a defined period to disclose the abuse they have suffered.

‘MISSED OPPORTUNITY’: A new report from the Women and Equalities Committee has concluded that trans people should be allowed to declare their own gender without “unfair and overly-medicalised” scrutiny. The report also calls on Johnson’s government to “move closer” to a system of self-declaration of gender. Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, the committee chair, claimed the government “has spectacularly missed its opportunity” to modernise the process of gender recognition. The committee said trans people should still be required to make a formal statutory declaration – a safeguard which ensures “genuine intent” – and called for “robust guidance” on how this would work in practice. MPs urged the Government Equalities Office and Equality and Human Rights Commission to urgently produce guidance – including practical examples – on how to apply single-sex exceptions under the Equality Act.

“Unfortunately I must say to people that we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public, to protect public health, to protect our NHS. And we won’t hesitate to take that action.”

PM on potential future lockdown.

“It still seems entirely possible that Parliament recalled on Dec 29 for more restrictions. Commons authorities braced to return on that date. But no announcement yet making planning the future - for weeks after Xmas - all but impossible. Boris Johnson says he won’t hesitate - before hesitating.No clarity in the week before Christmas for a second year in a row.”

Sky News deputy politics editor Sam Coates says more clarity is needed.

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