But minister says bringing in a new variant could see another lockdown
ENGLAND will be plunged back into a ‘full lockdown’ if a vaccineresistant variant of Covid-19 enters the country, a Cabinet minister warned yesterday.
Environment Secretary George Eustice insisted that importing a variant that the jab has no effect on was a bigger threat to the travel sector than coronavirus controls.
In an interview with Sky News yesterday, Mr Eustice said: ‘It has been a very, very difficult time for the travel industry – we absolutely recognise that and that’s why we’ve done all we can to have those easements in place and reduce the restrictions as quickly as we can.
‘But arguably the biggest threat to the travel industry is that we do get another variant that manages to get around the vaccine, that the vaccine can’t deal with, and then we’re into another full lockdown.
‘That’s not what we want and that is why we’ve taken this cautiously, step by step, because we want each step that we take to be irreversible.’
Mr Eustice’s comments sparked anger among Conservative MPs. PM Boris Johnson repeatedly said he wanted the UK’s exit from the last lockdown to be ‘irreversible’.
Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘There is no way this economy can afford to shut down.
‘If we shut down one more time then we are absolutely going down the plughole. And if ministers think that this is even on the cards, then it is time they checked out.’
David Davis said ministers would likely struggle to get another lockdown through the Commons.
‘Talking about it is one thing but if they did it, there would be a demand that they should justify it,’ he said.
The row comes days after Health Secretary Sajid Javid said another lockdown was unlikely but admitted it would be ‘irresponsible’ to rule out ordering people to stay at home for a fourth time.
Earlier this week, Mr Johnson unveiled his Winter Plan for stopping the spread of the disease in the coming months.
The document made no specific mention of a potential lockdown but said ‘more harmful economic and social restrictions would only be considered as a last resort’ if the NHS was at risk of being ‘overwhelmed’.
The Welsh Government has been accused of a U-turn after announcing yesterday that vaccine passes will be needed for entry into nightclubs and large events.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said people will have to show an NHS Covid Pass from next month as part of measures introduced to help control the spread of coronavirus. But the Welsh Conservatives said he had previously been against the idea.
‘Going down the plughole’