Inside Politics: Johnson tears up most Covid rules, ‘freedom day’ confirmed

PM presses ahead with ‘bonfire’ of restrictions despite surging cases, writes Matt Mathers

(PA)

It was heartbreak last night for new tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, who had to bow out of her Wimbledon match due to medical reasons. No doubt we’ll see the rising star back on No 1 Court next year. Boris Johnson could well end up in a back and forth battle with Labour’s regional mayors Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan, who are calling for a re-think on the ditching of face masks on public transport following yesterday’s announcement. Elsewhere, we’ve had a few more “Dom bombs” and MPs have voted through “draconian” protest powers for officers in the policing bill.

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Inside the bubble

Chief political commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today:

Cabinet meeting in the morning, followed by Sajid Javid introducing the Health and Care Bill in the Commons, the law to reverse some of the Andrew Lansley reforms from the Cameron government. Then there will be the introduction of the Nationality and Borders Bill, an attempt to make it look as if Priti Patel is doing something about asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats. On the virtual committee corridor, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, will be grilled by the Foreign Affairs Committee.

What to watch out for

• Health secretary Sajid Javid on BBC Today at 8.10am
• Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth on Times Radio Breakfast at 8.35am

Daily Briefing

‘FREEDOM’ CONFIRMED: The worst kept secret is out. Johnson has announced that most social distancing rules and mask wearing will be scrapped on 19 July — the final stage in England’s roadmap out of lockdown. On “freedom day”, Britons will no longer have to check into restaurants, large-scale events can take place without limits on numbers, and drinkers can order at a bar. A decision on travel to amber list countries is expected this week and school bubbles scrapped later in the month. Amid surging cases and some scientists warning against a “big bang” lifting of restrictions, the PM urged people not to get “demob happy — it is very far from the end of dealing with this virus.”

BACKLASH: There has been a backlash of sorts by unions and some regional mayors on the issue of face masks on public transport. Labour’s Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham are calling for a re-think on local trains and buses, while the bosses of Unite and TUC have accused the government of shirking its health and safety responsibilities. Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll shows 71 per cent of the public is in favour of keeping masks on public transport. Labour leader Keir Starmer says lifting all restrictions is a “reckless” move and has been branded a “gloomster” in today’s Sun for doing so.

OTHER UPDATES: At yesterday’s Downing Street press briefing, Johnson said plans for vaccine passports have been shelved for now. But according to this morning's Times, Covid certificates could still be introduced later despite a government report concluding that they would be “disproportionate” at present. “It is possible that certification could provide a means of keeping events going and businesses open if the country is facing a difficult situation in autumn or winter,” the report said. “Therefore, the government will keep the wider application of certification under consideration.” Former PM Tony Blair says vaccine passports could save up to 10,000 lives.

Employees will no longer be told by the government to work from home from 19 July when most restrictions have been lifted and the move has drawn criticism from unions.The Guardian this morning picks up on the comments of TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady, who says “ministers must consult with unions and employers on clear and consistent guidance for workplace safety after the end of restrictions, in every type of workplace. Otherwise we risk widespread confusion.” CBI chief Tony Danker welcomed the plan but says it will be important to build both customer and employee confidence in living with the virus.

DEJA VU: Meanwhile, families who lost their loved ones to Covid-19 have slammed plans to scrap social distancing and mask-wearing rules from later this month as an “error”. Jo Goodman, who lost her father to the disease and who is co-founder of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Group, said she feels like the government is repeating past mistakes. “It feels like they’re repeating many of the same mistakes they made last summer. It’s a gut-churning de ja vu for those of us whose loved ones paid the ultimate price for those mistakes.”

TOO FAR: The government has had a win on its new policing bill. Despite human rights and civil liberties concerns, MPs voted for “draconian” protest laws that would allow police to impose restrictions based on noise. Yesterday we revealed that a number of police forces said they had not asked for the powers, and opposition to the plans continues to unite members on all sides of the House. Alastair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesperson, branded the laws “dangerous and draconian”, adding: “They undermine the proud British tradition of standing up for what we believe in and respecting others’ rights to do the same.” Labour MP Sarah Jones said the plans go too far. Tory David Davis was right on brand with his comments, telling MPs “it hasn’t just been the sort of lefty liberal legal fraternity that have been worried about this.” The bill now goes to the House of Lords for scrutiny.

DOM BOMBS: A few more have dropped and again the target is the PM. Johnson admitted to Dominic Cummings that he was a “ludicrous” choice for prime minister, he has claimed. Each intervention by the former Vote Leave supremo seems to carry less weight than the one that came before, but at least he seems to be enjoying himself. In a blistering attack on Johnson, Cummings said the alleged admission came on 24 June 2016, the day after the EU referendum which delivered victory for the Brexiteers and just after David Cameron announced he would quit as PM. He added that he and his team were already aware at that point that Johnson was “in any objective sense, unfit to be PM”. Time to change the record, Dom? The broadside came during another Q&A session on his Substack and today’sTelegraph covers his comments on devolution. Cummings claims the PM is an “unthinking unionist” who would like to see devolution scrapped. Things could only have been better? Cummings also reckons Tony Blair would have handled the pandemic far better than his old boss. Few would argue with that sentiment.

APOLOGY: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has apologised for the historical ban on employing gay diplomats, with its senior civil servant admitting that it had deprived the UK of some of its “best talent”. The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said he was “grateful” to the UK’s LGBT+ diplomats “who so brilliantly represent our country and promote our values around the world”. “The UK champions LGBT rights because we believe freedom and tolerance are a source of strength in communities at home and abroad,” said Raab.

On the record

“I struggle to see how ministers can drop the requirement to wear masks on public transport without causing real problems for some people who are dependent on it.”

Labour’s Manchester mayor Andy Burnham on face masks.

From the Twitterati

“If it avoids rising cases, people getting ill, another lockdown and helps businesses stay open -> doesn’t it make sense to keep face masks for indoor settings like shops & public transport, until we understand more about vaccine effectiveness in stopping transmission?”

Chair of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University, Professor Devi Sridhar

Essential reading

• Tom Peck, The Independent: Boris Johnson is adamant that freedom’s coming home, so try and enjoy it — even if it kills you
• Sean O’Grady, The Independent: PM has surrendered to Covid — he should never be forgiven
• Katy Balls, The Spectator: Katie Balls, The Spectator — Boris Johnson’s Covid double act
• Simon Jenkins, The Guardian: The UK government is shirking its duty in the cladding scandal