Boris Johnson's Covid-19 policy critics: who says what?
The brewing rebellion among Tory backbenchers over the lack of scrutiny afforded to parliament on Covid-19 restrictions – as well as concerns about their impact – has left Boris Johnson facing criticism from within and outside his party. Here are some of the more pointed comments levelled against the prime minister and his policies from across the political divide.
Steve Baker
The Tory MP, who is helping to organise Conservative rebels backing a bid to give parliament a vote ahead of further coronavirus restrictions, compared Johnson to the King of Rohan, a character in JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings who is under the spell of his adviser, Wormtongue. He told Times Radio on Monday:
Andy Burnham
The mayor of Greater Manchester suggested the newly imposed 10pm closing time for pubs was counterproductive, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday:
Sir Graham Brady
Brady’s amendment seeking to give parliament a chance to debate and vote on future Covid-19 restrictions before they are enforced has gathered support from more than 50 Tory MPs. The chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers wrote in the Telegraph on Saturday:
John Apter
The national chairman of the Police Federation said officers were struggling to disperse large crowds prompted by the 10pm pub curfew, telling the Today programme on Monday:
Harriet Harman
The former interim Labour leader, who is backing Brady’s amendment, told the Guardian last week: