UK govt adviser resigns after flouting lockdown

LONDON: Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, who had guided the UK government on imposing a lockdown in March, resigned on Wednesday from a key committee after it was revealed that he flouted social distancing rules, and may face police action.

The professor in Imperial College, London, was reportedly visited by a female friend twice during the lockdown. Catherine Calderwood, chief medical officer of Scotland, had quit in April after it was revealed she visited her second home during lockdown.

Ferguson was a member of the influential Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which meets daily and contributes to the government response to the outbreak. The British police have been given new powers to enforce lockdown curbs.

Health secretary Matt Hancock said Ferguson has made the right decision. He said Ferguson’s action left him “speechless”.

The total number of cases in Britain crossed 200,000 on Wednesday. The US, Spain and Italy are the other countries with over 200,000 cases.

The UK’s official death toll went up by 649 to 30,076, and infections rose by 6,111. NHS England, meanwhile, put the death toll at 32,898.

Boris Johnson faced Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons for the first time after recovering from Covid-19 on Wednesday. Labour leader Keir Starmer alleged that the government had been slow to lock down, test, trace and provide protective gear, which led to the UK registering the worst death toll in Europe.

PM Johnson said the capacity to test for the coronavirus in the initial stages was limited, saying, “It’s easier to do now on the way out than it was when the epidemic took off. I think most people with common sense can see the particular problems we had at the time.”

Chancellor Rishi Sunak indicated that the wage-subsidy scheme to pay 80% of furloughed staff up to a limit of £2,500 per month from March to June is likely to be ended as part of plans to remove lockdown measures.