Inside Politics: No new Covid restrictions before Christmas

PM confirms no new rules before 25 December but warns curbs could be needed in new year, writes Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson was speaking in a video message from No 10 yesterday (No10 Downing Street)

Christmas is on. There will be no new restrictions before the big day, Boris Johnson confirmed yesterday. But he again warned that fresh curbs could be implemented in the days following. Elsewhere, the top civil servant initially put in charge of investigating Downing Street parties has been accused of misleading officials. Meanwhile Liz Truss, the foreign secretary now in charge of Brexit talks, has been accused by opposition parties of using her new responsibilities to jockey for a future Tory leadership contest.

Inside the bubble

Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today:

Ministers are due to receive more eagerly-awaited data on the impact and severity of the Omicron variant, which might tip the balance in favour of imposing further restrictions after Christmas. Before making any announcement, Boris Johnson will likely consult his cabinet after running into strong opposition from ministers to more curbs in a Zoom session on Monday. Nadhim Zahawi, the education secretary, will announce funding levels for each local authority for the holiday activities and food programme over the next three years. Studies will be published on the scheme’s impact and on the benefits of breakfast clubs.

Coming up:

– CBI president Karan Bilimoria on Times Radio Breakfast at 8.20am

– Care minister Gillian Keegan on BBC Radio 4 Today at 8.30am

Daily Briefing

CHRISTMAS ON: Citing a lack of evidence on the severity of omicron, Johnson has confirmed that Christmas will go ahead without any further restrictions on social contact as the more contagious variant continues to sweep through the country. In an clip where he pretty much confirmed everything that had been already trailed in the media the previous day following an emergency cabinet meeting, the prime minister said there would be no new measures brought in in England before the big day. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak came under fire from businesses badly hit by omicron after he announced a £1bn package of support that industry leaders warned would fall far short of what is needed. One-off grants of up to £6,000 will be made available for eligible pubs, restaurants, clubs and other leisure businesses in England. “This package is a disgrace and offensive,” said Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester’s night-time economy adviser. “The chancellor has been sitting on this plan for days now, and it is nowhere near enough to save the industry.”

NEW YEAR OFF?: Although he refused to cancel Christmas, Johnson warned ministers can not “rule out” fresh curbs after the 25 December as uncertainty looms over new year plans. Labour said that millions of Britons will be “relieved” that Christmas is going ahead but called on the government to provide more clarity about what happens in the days following. The Johnson announcement came as first minister Nicola Sturgeon said that a host of new year events in Scotland would be cancelled and sporting events held virtually spectator-free as part of strict new measures aimed at slowing omicron. Elsewhere, the insolation period for infected people in England has been slashed from 10 to seven days for anyone who can provide two negative tests, following a review ordered by Sajid Javid, the health secretary. “We want to reduce the disruption from Covid-19 to people’s everyday lives,” he said. “Following advice from our clinical experts, we are reducing the self-isolation period from 10 days to seven if you test negative on an LFD test for two days running.”

COLD CASE: Downing Street’s defence of, and investigation into, lockdown-busting parties came under yet more pressure yesterday amid allegations that Simon Case, the UK’s most senior civil servant originally tasked with running the probe but who was forced to recuse himself after it emerged that he was spotted at a Cabinet Office bash, misled other officials looking into reports of gatherings. Before he recused himself from the investigation, Case assured colleagues that he had no knowledge of any parties or social gatherings of any kind at the Cabinet Office in the run-up to Christmas 2020, The Independent understands. Reports say the investigation could be extended to look into that particular report. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over a complaint suggesting its handling of allegations of a party at Downing Street last Christmas could amount to “aiding and abetting a criminal offence”.

BREXIT LATEST: Foreign secretary Liz Truss has only been in charge of Brexit talks for a few days but is already generating plenty of headlines. The former international trade secretary, one of the favourites to replace Johnson should Tory MPs choose to oust him, was accused yesterday of using her new Brexit responsibilities to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest, after she told European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič in their first phone talks that she was ready to suspend the UK/EU agreement on the Irish border by invoking Article 16, suggesting she would following her predecessor Lord David Frosts hardball stance on the negotiations. “When this brief was given to the foreign secretary, we hoped it was time for a more diplomatic approach,” said Liberal Democrat foreign spokeswoman Layla Moran. “Instead, it’s like Lord Frost never left. Triggering Article 16 will only lead to a ruinous trade war – harming British businesses just at the moment when they need support,” she added. Today’s Financial Times has a very different take on the day’s events, saying a statement released by Truss following the talks made it “clear she stood by the softer line adopted by the UK in talks in recent days.”

ENERGY PRICE HIKE: Household energy bills are tipped to jump to a record £2,000 a year, threatening Johnson with a cost-of-living crisis just as taxes soar.The price cap – which eases the pain for families – may have to be hiked by more than 50 per cent in April, experts are warning, because of unprecedented wholesale costs. The energy regulator authorised suppliers to increase bills by 12 per cent from October, to £1,277 a year for a typical household on standard tariffs. A further announcement is due in February for a second rise in April, with an increase already inevitable to pay for the collapse of more than two dozen UK energy companies in recent months. “With wholesale commodity prices remaining elevated, we suggest that the tariff cap could jump by 56 per cent reaching £2,000 [a year] for the summer 2022 period,” Martin Young, an analyst at the investment bank Investec, said.

On the record

“We continue to monitor Omicron very closely and if the situation deteriorates we will be ready to take action if needed. What this means is that people can go ahead with their Christmas plans but the situation remains finely balanced.”

PM says he won’t cancel Christmas but hints curbs could be needed in the coming weeks.

From the Twitterati

“Covid curb delays confirm @RishiSunak’s Cabinet clout. But Tory MPs are split on whether he’s the party’s future.”

i chief politics commentator Paul Waugh on Sunak.

Essential reading

• Marie Le Conte, The Independent: Boris Johnson is failing to learn from the Tory prime ministers who came before him
• Hamish McRae, The Independent: What do the state of public finances mean for Rishi Sunak’s leadership bid?
• Kate Andrews, The Spectator: Covid restrictions could make it almost impossible to lower taxes
• Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic: Why authoritarian regimes bother with elections

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