Conservative backbenchers are disgruntled over legislation giving the government power to maintain controls until 31 March, despite the prime minister’s previous suggestion that they would be needed only until mid-February.
But any rebellion when the bill comes to a vote in the House of Commons later today is likely to be muted, as MPs fell in behind the PM in response to chilling figures showing more than 1m Britons are now infected by the fast-spreading coronavirus.
In contrast to the loud howls of protest seen at the time of the second lockdown in November, Tory critics raised concerns not about the imposition of restrictions but their duration.
When former minister Sir Desmond Swayne described measures such as the closure of golf clubs as “pervaded by a pettifogging malice”, Mr Johnson responded: “Pettifogging, yes. Malicious, no. The intention – and I’m going to have to take the hit here – the intention is to stop the virus, to protect the NHS and to save lives.”
In a statement to the Commons, Mr Johnson sought to damp down expectations of a swift return to normal life, warning that the government will be “extremely cautious” about winding down restrictions “brick by brick” after a review planned for 15 February.
He said that “significant opportunities” to ease controls would come only if the programme of vaccinations was successful in curbing spread and if people obey lockdown rules.
But senior Tory Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential backbench 1922 Committee sought to force the pace on the lifting of lockdown by demanding a Commons vote at the end of both January and February.
Sir Graham said: “Many of us are concerned that we are being asked to approve a lockdown, which could continue until 31 March.”
Calling on the PM to “reconsider”, the Altrincham and Sale MP demanded “a vote at the end of January and at the end of February as well, not on whether to lift restrictions, but on whether to continue them or not”.
And former Cabinet minister Chris Grayling called on Mr Johnson to “personally lead a debate before February half-term on progress towards reducing restrictions and … not wait until the end of March to do so, if it is possible to to so without overwhelming the NHS?”
Boris Johnson on restrictions: “Pettifogging yes, malice no”
Mr Johnson said MPs would have an opportunity to debate lockdown “before the end of March and I hope substantially before the end of March”.
But he refused to commit to an early vote, telling Sir Graham: “I can’t believe it will be until the end of March that the House has to wait before having a new vote and a new discussion of the measures we have to take.”
And he told Kensington MP Felicity Buchan that it was no more than a “cautious presumption” that restrictions would be eased at the planned 15 February review.” Ms Buchan told the PM: “I understand there cannot be a cast-iron guarantee, we’re in a moving situation, but my constituents would like there to be a presumption, especially when it comes to schools.”
Mr Johnson said he “shares her constituents’ instincts”, but said he would advise them to make no more than a “cautious presumption” on the issue.
Conservative MP Mark Harper, who chairs the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) of lockdown sceptics, has called for a “substantial relaxation” of restrictions as soon as the four top priority groups have been vaccinated.
And fellow CRG member Steve Baker said: “Once the most vulnerable have been vaccinated, draconian restrictions must be substantially removed.”
