Boris Johnson has developed a costly habit of being late to respond to expert advice on the need for a national lockdown, according to the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Sir Ed Davey claimed the prime minister had consistently ignored Cobra and Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and left difficult decisions until the last minute.
He told BBC Breakfast: “I’m afraid this prime minister has a record now: he is always late on these lockdowns.
“He was late on the first, he was late on the second, late on the third – and that’s because he ignores the advice of experts.
“He ignored Cobra back last February, he ignored Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) on 21 September, he ignored Sage again on 22 December.”
He added: “He always seems to put off the difficult decisions to the last minute and that means people end up paying the price, either with disruption to their lives or, in some cases, with their lives themselves.
“I’m afraid that, yes we will support these measures, but we just wish the prime minister was rather more competent.”
Sir Ed’s comments came after the prime minister announced England would enter its third national lockdown in a televised address on Monday evening.
Mr Johnson had urged pupils to carry on attending schools before announcing they would shut in a U-turn at the eleventh hour.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said the prime minister had reluctantly decided to act when confronted with a change in coronavirus alert level.
Michael Gove told BBC Breakfast: “The four chief medical officers of the United Kingdom met and discussed the situation yesterday and their recommendation was that the country had to move to Level 5, the highest level available of alert that meant there was an imminent danger to the NHS of being overwhelmed unless action was taken.
“And so in the circumstances we felt that the only thing we could do was to close those primary schools that were open.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has claimed Boris Johnson is ‘late’ to every lockdown
(PA)
England will enter its third national lockdown from 6 January, which will last into February.
The shutdown will be similar to the first lockdown in March, with people ordered to stay indoors other than for limited exceptions such as to shop for necessities, exercise and go to work if unable to do so from home.
However some of the measures will be slightly less restrictive, such as places of worship remaining open for communal worship while social distancing is followed and one person being allowed to exercise with one other person from a different household.
The shutdown followed Nicola Sturgeon imposing a lockdown on Scotland for the rest of January, with a legal requirement to stay at home and schools closed to most pupils until February.
Mr Gove said March should mark the point at which restrictions can start to be eased in England.
He told Sky News: “We will keep these constantly under review but you are absolutely right, we can’t predict with certainty that we will be able to lift restrictions in the week commencing 15-22 February.
“I think it is right to say that as we enter March we should be able to lift some of these restrictions but not necessarily all.”
Additional reporting by PA
