Inside Politics: Omicron less severe than Delta but high cases could still overwhelm NHS

Omicron appears to cause less severe illness than Delta, according to early studies, in some much-needed good news on Covid before Christmas. But we are nowhere near out of the woods yet: experts are warning that sky-high cases could cancel out any benefit from milder sickness, with fears that hospitals may still fill up if the virus goes unchecked. Elsewhere, Britons are being warned of further energy bill hikes and Jacob Rees-Mogg has been cleared of any wrongdoing following a probe into cheap loans.

Parliament is in recess

Coming up:

– NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson and NERVTAG member Andrew Hayward on BBC Radio 4 Today at 8.10am

– Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell on Times Radio Breakfast at 8.35am

(SLIGHTLY) GOOD NEWS: Finally, there was some slightly good news on the Covid front yesterday after two early studies found that that the more contagious Omicron variant appears to cause milder illness than Delta. What does this mean for policy-making and the avoidance of fresh restrictions in England the new year? Nothing much at this point because, although it is likely that fewer people will die with Omicron, experts are warning that a bigger wave of infections could still overwhelm the NHS and cases are running incredibly hot, with a further 106,000 recorded yesterday — the highest number since the pandemic began. Not to mention the soaring numbers of NHS staff, and workers in other sectors, off sick with the virus. Over 50 cross-party MPs and peers have demanded Rishi Sunak urgently increase statutory sick pay, warning the current level forces workers to choose between “putting food on the table and self-isolating”.In a letter to the chancellor — seen by The Independent — the parliamentarians accused the government of repeatedly failing to “properly” support workers, as the country faces a new wave of Covid.

HIGH STAKES: With the Christmas holidays not yet in full swing, it remains to be seen whether Johnson’s gamble on not introducing fresh curbs has paid off. Following the publication of the studies, ministers in England said they were continuing to review the data as the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland joined Scotland in announcing new measures from Boxing Day. Our political commentator Andrew Grice reckons Johnson’s avoidance of scrutiny by releasing a recorded clip on Tuesday confirming no new restrictions would be brought in this side of the Big Day says something about “how much trouble the prime minister is in”.

‘PARALYSIS’: Johnson’s critics made sure it did not go unnoticed that he put off a decision on new restrictions until next week. Perhaps he’s waiting for more positive data on Omiron to appear in his stocking. As he brought in new rules, including a return to the ‘rule of 6’ and table service only in hospitality venues, Mark Drakeford, Wales first minister, accused the government of being in a state of “paralysis” about the Omicron threat, suggesting that Johnson is now too weak to take decisive action himself. “I think that the UK government is in a state of paralysis about all of this,” he said. “We see the reports of infighting within the cabinet. There are, as I would see it, sensible voices urging the prime minister to act to protect the NHS and to protect people’s lives as he has in previous waves.”

‘IDIOTS’: The PM, meanwhile, continues to point the obvious, saying Omicron “continues to surge across the country faster than anything we have seen before”. He has a piece in today’s Sun urging people to take “extra special care” to protect themselves and their loved ones over the busy holiday period. In other updates, Tony Blair, the former PM who has made repeated interventions during the pandemic, pulled no punches in an interview about Covid, calling people who are medically allowed to have a vaccine but refusing to do so “idiots”. He later said he might have been a “little too undiplomatic in my use of language.”

YOU WATT?: As if hard-working people across the country didn’t have enough on their plates, there are fresh warnings today that families already hit by a cost of living crisis will see their energy bills soar even higher in the coming months. Providers have warned of a “nationwide crisis” in the new year and are calling on chancellor Sunak to intervene. Several providers including Good Energy, EDF and the trade body Energy UK, told the Financial Times that the government must take action as a matter of urgency. The warning came as the cost of gas in wholesale markets rose by more than 500 per cent in less than a year.The chief executive of Energy UK, Emma Pinchbeck, described the situation as a “nationwide crisis”. “Other treasuries in Europe have already responded to the crisis, but in the UK, the energy sector is still asking if the chancellor knows that energy bills going up by over 50 per cent in the new year is a problem for ordinary people, businesses and the economy,” she added.

CLEARED: Tory frontbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg has been cleared of breaking parliamentary rules over £6 million he received in cheap loans. Kathryn Stone, the independent parliamentary commissioner, announced the decision on Wednesday on parliament’s website, saying the full verdict will be published in “due course”.Last month, Stone was tasked with investigating claims that the leader of the Commons had breached paragraph 14 of the MP’s Code of Conduct, which obliges politicians to declare their financial interests in an “open and frank” manner. Labour alleged the North East Somerset MP had fallen foul of this rule by not declaring millions of pounds in director’s loans from his property company Saliston Limited between 2018 and 2020.

“If you’re not vaccinated and you’re eligible, you’re not just irresponsible, you’re an idiot,”

Former PM Tony Blair on vaccine refuseniks.

“Quite right, what have scientists ever done for humanity?”

Jim Pickard, FT chief politics correspondent, responds to an opinion piece calling for humanity to prevail over scientists.

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