NEW MASK FARCE

THE confusion over face masks deepened yesterday after the Business Secretary claimed they will not be compulsory in sandwich shops.

Alok Sharma contradicted Health Secretary Matt Hancock who said just a day earlier that face coverings will be required in takeaways such as Pret a Manger.

Appearing on Sky News yesterday, Mr Sharma compounded the confusion by claiming they will be ‘encouraged’ but not mandatory.

Meanwhile, Michael Gove wore a face mask yesterday after he was pictured not wearing a covering at a sandwich shop earlier this week despite previously saying it was ‘basic good manners’ to wear a mask if you are in a shop.

It came as a former Tory minister accused the Government of behaving in an ‘increasingly authoritarian’ manner by making people wear face coverings in shops from Friday next week.

Sir Edward Leigh complained that MPs had not been given the opportunity to debate the policy.

Speaking in the Commons, he said: ‘May I make a controversial statement that we live in a parliamentary democracy. Surely in a matter as controversial as the enforced wearing of face masks from an increasingly authoritarian executive, there should have been a debate and a vote.

‘After all, this is highly controversial – everybody in the country has a view, up to 70million people will be affected by it.’

Sir Edward, the MP for Gainsborough, added: ‘Why can we not have more democracy and less authoritarianism from this Government?’

Jacob Rees-Mogg replied that MPs had ‘passed the emergency legislation which provided the powers for these things to happen’.

The Government has been criticised for causing confusion over face masks. On Wednesday morning, Mr Hancock told Sky News that coverings would be compulsory in sandwich shops.

But by lunchtime he had been contradicted by Downing Street, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman insisting that masks would not have to be worn while buying coffee or sandwiches. Later that evening, Department of Health officials clarified that Mr Hancock was correct and masks would be compulsory from July 24 in all shops – including takeaways.

But yesterday Mr Sharma told Sky News that it ‘won’t be compulsory’ to wear a mask when getting a takeaway sandwich.