Inside Politics: Johnson ‘dead set’ against new lockdowns as winter plan finalised

Johnson said to be preparing to rip up remaining restrictions, writes Matt Mathers

(PA)

Another week, another U-turn. No 10 is scrapping vaccine passports amid reports of a backlash among the Tory grassroots – and days after the party fell behind Labour in a new poll. Elsewhere, experts are calling for “oppressive” elements of the policing bill to be removed and Labour leader Keir Starmer sets out his vision for the party.

Inside the bubble

Oral questions to Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, at 2.30pm. The Public Accounts Committee meets at 2.30pm to discuss “efficiency in government” and the Treasury Committee meets at 3.30 to consider the future of financial services. Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill is in committee stage.

Coming up:

-Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner on Sky News Breakfast at 8.05am

-Work and pensions secretary Thérèse Coffey on BBC Radio 4 Today at 8.30am

Daily Briefing

PASSPORT CLIMBDOWN: Covid is back at the top of the news agenda today as Johnson puts the final touches to his autumn/winter plan for tackling the virus. Ahead of tomorrow’s press conference, government sources have been briefing that the PM is “dead set” against another lockdown and preparing to tear up remaining restrictions. The comments come after Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said that the government would not be rolling out vaccine passports in another major U-turn. The surprise announcement will be viewed as a concession to rebel backbench Tory MPs who have protested against the “discriminatory” and “authoritarian” policy. Labour pounced on the climbdown, with deputy leader Angela Rayner saying it was “the culmination of a summer of chaos from ministers and they urgently need to get a grip before winter”.

‘OPPRESIVE’: Ahead of a debate later this week, 600 experts have called for “oppressive” elements of the new policing bill to be dropped so doctors and social workers are not forced to inform on vulnerable young people. As part of plans to overhaul the justice system and cut offending, the government intends to create serious violence reduction orders to make it easier for police to carry out checks on people who have been previously convicted of carrying knives. However, some 665 GPs, nurses, teachers, and social and youth workers have now written to Ms Patel, warning her scheme will only result in more harm. They wrote: “We believe that this bill will hinder our ability as frontline workers to effectively support the people with whom we work by eroding relationships of trust and duties of confidentiality. Most importantly, it will expand the criminalisation, surveillance, and punishment of already-over-policed communities.”

UC WARNING: The PM’s pledge to “level up” the country will “mean nothing” if the government presses ahead with plans to end the £20-per-week uplift to universal credit, union boss Frances O’Grady is set to warn today. In a keynote speech to the Trade Union Congress (TUC) annual conference, the general secretary will highlight the looming cut amid growing discontent at Westminster, including from backbench Conservative MPs. “Ministers tell us they are going to level up Britain,” O’Grady will tell the TUC conference in London later. “But levelling up means nothing if they freeze workers’ pay, slash universal credit, and the number of kids in poverty soars.”

FIGHTING TALK: Democracy “will prevail” to allow another vote on Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon will insist, as she urges the government to work “in the spirit of cooperation” on the country’s future. The SNP leader, who has previously said a mandate for a second vote was “beyond question”, will use her conference speech today to stress that “it is not up to the Westminster government” to decide on Scotland’s future.

NOT AGAIN?: Labour has accused Patel of breaking the ministerial code by facilitating a meeting between a Tory donor and British Airways (BA). The home secretary reportedly set up the meeting at a hotel at Heathrow Airport between Surinder Arora, a billionaire hotel magnate who has given money to Conservative MPs, and senior executives from BA. As well as Patel, the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng was also reportedly present, and neither had any civil servants from their departments with them, as the rules dictate there should be for such meetings. Patel was forced to stand down from her previous government post as international development secretary in 2017 after it emerged she had held private meetings with Israeli officials while on holiday, without permission from the Foreign Office, which was deemed a breach of the ministerial code.

On the record

“We just shouldn’t be doing things for the sake of it. It’s fair to say most people don’t instinctively like the idea. We were right to properly look at it, to look at the evidence. Whilst we should keep it in reserve as a potential option, I’m pleased to say that we will not be going ahead with plans for vaccine passports.”

Javid on decision to scrap vaccine passports.

From the Twitterati

“Getting deja vu all over again.”

Financial Times chief political correspondent Jim Pickard on Javid’s claim not to raise taxes again in this parliament.

Essential reading

• Hywel Williams, The Independent: Boris Johnson is making a mockery of the UK’s presidency of Cop26
• Ashley Cowburn, The Independent: PM’s cabinet is becoming increasingly isolated on the universal credit cut
• John Harris, The Guardian: Think the Tories are less nasty now? See what they do with universal credit
• Tomiwa Owolade, UnHerd: The problem with white saviours

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