Boris: Covid is higher as we love freedom
BORIS Johnson has claimed “freedom loving” British patriotism is the reason why the UK has a far higher Covid infection rate than many other European countries.
As he introduced a series of new restrictions and enforcements to fight coronavirus, the Prime Minister hid behind flag-waving when he was challenged on why the privately-run test and tracing service was still failing across the UK.
Labour former minister Ben Bradshaw asked: “Does he think that the reason Germany and Italy have far lower Covid rates than us, with life continuing moreor-less normally, might be because they have locally and publicly-run test and trace services that actually work?”
Johnson replied: “No, I don’t, and I think the continual attacks on local test and trace and what the NHS Test and Trace have done are undermining and unnecessary.”
He added: “Actually, there is an important difference between our country and many other countries around the world and that is our country is a freedomloving country.
“If you look at the history of this country over the last 300 years, virtually every advance from free speech to democracy has come from this country and it is very difficult to ask the British population uniformly to obey guidelines in a way that it is necessary.”
The exchanges came as Johnson set out a raft of new coronavirus restrictions for England which could last for up to six months. Speaking in the House of Commons, he told MPs: “We always knew that while we might have driven the virus into retreat, the prospect of a second wave was real. I’m sorry to say that, as in Spain and France and many other countries, we’ve reached a perilous turning point.”
Under the new measures for England, the PM reversed his previous guidance for office staff to go back to work and asked people to work from home if they can.
Working from home has been the default in Scotland throughout the crisis.
Pubs in England will close at 10pm from Thursday, 24 hours earlier than Scotland, but Johnson did not impose nationwide restrictions on visting other households as Nicola Sturgeon did.
In common with Scotland, the planned return of spectators to sports venues will not go ahead in October.
In addition, face coverings must be worn by shop staff, taxi drivers and passengers while customers in indoor hospitality venues will also have to wear masks, except when seated at a table to eat or drink.
Penalties for not wearing a mask or gathering in groups of more than six will rise to £200 on the first offence in England.
Johnson also said the Government would provide police and local authorities in England with extra funding to enforce the regulations and the option to draw on military support to relieve the police of certain duties.
It is very difficult to ask Brits to uniformly obey guidelines BORIS JOHNSON ON WHY VIRUS RATE IS HIGHER IN UK