Johnson leads by example…kind of!
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pleaded with people to “stick to the rules” just hours after he and Rishi Sunak tried to dodge said rules. Taking to Twitter to address the criticism, which he seemingly forgot to do, Johnson urged the rest of the country to follow the rules he clearly thought he was exempt from.
Like so many people I've been pinged by NHS Test and Trace as I have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, and I will be self-isolating until Monday 26th July. pic.twitter.com/X57gDpwDqe
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 18, 2021
After being alerted by Track and Trace this morning, both Sunak and Johnson said they would not be self-isolating because, luckily, they had been ‘randomly’ selected for the pilot scheme.
A spokesperson earlier today said:
“The prime minister and chancellor have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace as contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID.
“They will be participating in the daily contact testing pilot to allow them to continue to work from Downing Street.
“They will be conducting only essential government business during this period.”
However, hours later, and having undoubtedly seen the onslaught of criticism, Downing Street have changed their minds.
U-TURN
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to isolate
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) July 18, 2021
“We did look briefly at the idea of us taking part in the pilot scheme which allows people to test daily, but it’s far more important that everybody sticks to the same rules, and that’s why I’m going to be self-isolating until 26 July,” said the PM in his Twitter video.
“Even the sense that the rules aren’t the same for everyone is wrong,” tweeted Sunak.
Whilst the test and trace pilot is fairly restrictive, allowing only essential government business, I recognise that even the sense that the rules aren’t the same for everyone is wrong.
To that end I’ll be self isolating as normal and not taking part in the pilot.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 18, 2021
In similar news, Professor Christina Pagel, a member of the Independent UK Sage panel, said: “Because of our position as a global travel hub any variant that becomes dominant in the UK will likely spread to the rest of the world
“We saw it with Alpha variant. I’m absolutely sure that we have contributed to the rise of the Delta variant in North America and Europe. UK [government] policy doesn’t just affect us – it affects everybody.”
This chaotic situation comes 24hrs before “freedom day”, which will see the majority of UK restrictions lifted. However, with cases on the rise, and calls for a change of motion, Freedom day is looking less and less free.
