Change of heart on Covid? Boris Johnson delays Cabinet meeting at eleventh hour
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The Prime Minister delayed the meeting to sign off his long term plan for living with Covid until later today. The exact reasoning behind the sudden postponement remains unclear, with even senior Cabinet ministers left in the dark.
One No10 source told Express.co.uk that the meeting was delayed while Mr Johnson received an update on the unfolding situation in Ukraine, but others say an explosive row over the Covid plan has broken out between Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
The insider told this website: “A lot going on, as you know, so Cabinet has been delayed whilst the PM is briefed on the latest developments re the Ukraine.
They added Cabinet “will be convened later to sign off on the living with Covid strategy”.
However, a source told The Sun there were still frictions over the Covid plan that needed fixing.
They told the publication: “Some issues needed ironing out between Department of Health, Treasury and No10.”
Mr Johnson had been planning to address the House of Commons at 3.30pm outlining the end of the remaining pandemic restrictions.
Self-isolation for those who test positive for the virus is due to be scrapped under the plans.
Free lateral flow tests, which Boris Johnson said yesterday cost £2billion a month, are due to be ditched for all but the most vulnerable.
Reports say the Cabinet meeting was postponed because of a row between Mr Sunka and Mr Javid over when to end free Covid tests.
Responding to the sudden cancellation, Labour’s Wes Streeting said: “The Government is paralysed by its own chaos and incompetence and the British public are paying the price. This shambles cannot continue.
“What confidence can the public have that the Conservatives are acting in the national interest, when they can’t agree a plan for Covid?
“It is clear the Prime Minister was trying to declare victory before the war is over, simply to distract from the police knocking at the door of Number 10.
“Labour published our plan for living well with Covid in January. It would prepare us for new variants and secure our lives, livelihoods and liberties. If the Conservatives are too incompetent to agree their own plan, they are welcome to use ours.”
More to follow…
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