Tory MPs back legal challenge over class masks

THE Government faces a legal fight over face masks in classrooms as more than a dozen Tory MPs and peers backed a court challenge against them.

Boris Johnson has been warned that there is “insufficient evidence” to support the policy and that it must be withdrawn with “immediate effect”.

The Education Secretary was sent a Letter before Action by lawyers acting for the parent campaign group UsForThem which claims the guidance is disproportionate, irrational and discriminatory. The legal challenge is supported by several Tory politicians, including MPs Sir Graham Brady, Robert Halfon and Marcus Fysh.

From the start of this term all secondary school pupils have been told to wear masks in lessons. The policy will be reviewed on Jan 26.

The Letter before Action was sent from JMW Solicitors yesterday. It says that the guidance is “plainly discriminatory” since it put children with special education needs at a “significant” disadvantage.

It says the impact on children’s wellbeing of “largely continuous” mask wearing for up to 10 hours per day has not been properly considered, adding that if the guidance was not changed, a judicial review would be launched.

Dame Helena Morrissey and Baroness Foster are among the Conservative peers who have lent their support.

Mr Halfon said: “Whilst I acknowledge that the mask-wearing policy is intended as ‘guidance’, in reality, it is being treated as the rule of law.” A Department for Education spokesman said masks would not be kept in schools “a day longer than necessary”.

From tomorrow, 16 and 17-year-olds can book booster jabs online.