Boris Johnson declares Britain is ‘on route back to complete normality’ as he looks to shake off Partygate PMQs mauling
BORIS Johnson today declared Britain is “now on a route map back to complete normality” as he bid to shake off his PMQs mauling.
The PM said his “number one priority” is steering the UK past the pandemic as he looks to move on from a hellish week of Partygate revelations.
He insisted his “focus” is very much on helping the NHS clear the massive Covid backlog now Britain is emerging from the Omicron wave.
Boris was repeatedly forced to brush aside questions about his leadership after a bruising Commons showdown during which ex Cabinet minister David Davis urge him to resign.
Speaking on a visit to the Rutherford Diagnostic Centre in Taunton, Somerset, he said: “What I’m focused on is what we’re doing to deal with the number one priority of the British people, which is coming through Covid.
“We’ve made enormous progress thanks to the to the vaccine rollout – the fastest in Europe – and the booster campaign has enabled us to open up.
“We’re moving back to the status quo ante, back to Plan A, opening up our economy.
“The number one priority for government, for me personally, is looking at the state of our country as we come out of Covid.
“We hope that we’re now on a route map back to complete normality.”
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The remarks represent a new attempt by the PM to get his premiership back on track after a rocky few weeks of Partygate revelations.
Boris is currently fighting for his political life amid swirling rumours that a challenge to his leadership of the Tories is imminent.
Yesterday the PM scrapped work-from-home rules and pledged to end all Covid laws by spring as he launched the political fightback of his life.
He said the country is overcoming its biggest challenge since the Second World War and there’s “light at the end of the tunnel” after two years of sacrifice.
Working from home and masks in class are being axed from today.
And the hated vaccine passports and masks in shops and public transport will go after January 26.
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All Covid laws will be ditched on March 24 at the latest as Brits learn to live with Covid like flu.
This means Brits who catch the bug will not be legally required to self isolate at home for five days.
And that rule will be gone sooner if rates continue to plummet.
Declaring the pandemic is in its final days, Boris became the first world leader to promise all curbs will soon be confined to the dustbin of history.
He told MPs: “The UK can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That is no accident of history.
“Confronted by the nation’s biggest challenge since the Second World War and the worst pandemic since 1918, any government would get some things wrong.”
‘We kept England open’
The PM said Britain’s world- beating vaccine programme means the country can finally cast off the chains of Covid restrictions.
And he reminded his mutinous party that he faced down Sage scientists’ calls for a Christmas lockdown and took a “different path” to most of Europe — including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
He added: “We kept England open and we supported those businesses that faced reduced demand because of the response to Plan B measures.
“Although we must continue to remain cautious, the data are showing that, time and again, this government got the toughest decisions right.”
The PM said isolation laws will expire on March 24 and “I very much expect not to renew them”.
As he announced compulsory face masks are going several of his Tory MPs shouted in delight, ripped off their face coverings and waved them in the air in the House of Commons chamber.
At a Downing Street press conference last night, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the nation was entering the next chapter in its Covid fight.
He declared: “This is a moment we can all be proud of. It is a reminder of what this country can accomplish when we all work together.”
Lockdown-hating Tory MPs have spent weeks pleading with Boris to not only tear up Plan B measures, but to announce a plan to lift all legal restrictions.
I hope the Prime Minister will forgive me for not being extraordinarily grateful for the withdrawal of these measures.
Senior Tory Mark Harper
Rocked by plots to oust him, the Premier hopes that canning curbs will win over some of his mutinous MPs.
It is the biggest offering in his Operation Red Meat policy blitz — a last-ditch bid to save his skin by wooing his party with populist measures.
But his big pledge fell flat with many Tory MPs.
Many said they forced BoJo into a corner on dumping restrictions by mounting a 100-strong rebellion on vaccine passports late last year.
Senior Tory Mark Harper, who is thought to be eyeing up running for leader if the PM goes, said: “I hope the Prime Minister will forgive me for not being extraordinarily grateful for the withdrawal of these measures.
“I and many colleagues didn’t think they were necessary in December, but I do nonetheless welcome their removal.”
Tory backbencher Siobhan Baillie said that when Boris triggered Plan B it “felt like there was no learning from the last two years”.
A senior Tory told The Sun: “Boris wanted to impose stricter measures over Christmas.
“It was only the MPs’ rebellion and then the Cabinet revolt which stopped him. So he was forced into this.”
‘Head for the exit door’
But Conservative MP Bob Seely said BoJo deserved credit for taking the country out of lockdown.
He added: “We are one of the first countries in the world to head for the exit door.
“We have repeatedly seen how the modelling and forecasting has been exaggerated. I’m delighted that Boris and the Cabinet got there at last.”
Mr Seely urged Boris to set out a plan to avoid more curbs next winter.
Last night, Mr Javid batted off claims BoJo had “just got lucky” by deciding against imposing a Christmas lockdown as Omicron struck.
He said: “The central decision he made — to focus on boosters — has been vindicated. That is the main reason we are where we are today.”
With cases in freefall, he said Omicron is now firmly “in retreat”.
It’s a politically significant move. But I don’t think it’s that significant in terms of public health.
Prof Paul Hunter
Mr Javid said laws forcing Brits to self isolate will soon be gone as the country “learns to live with Covid in the same way as with flu”.
Instead strong guidance will remain in place urging infected people to stay at home, particularly if they are feeling unwell.
Mr Javid said from late spring, testing, vaccines and antivirals will form the “cornerstone of our future defences” against Covid.
Infectious diseases experts said ditching isolation laws ahead of the summer made sense.
Prof Paul Hunter, from the University of East Anglia, said it will come at a time when cases are already lower — and help reduce pressures the following winter.
He added: “It’s a politically significant move. But I don’t think it’s that significant in terms of public health, in the sense that I doubt by then it will have that much of an impact on transmission.”
Prof Hunter said with mild infection being so common, testing is only picking up a third of cases. And nearly everyone in the UK now has some immunity.
