UK Politics

Boris Johnson is distrusted as a source of guidance on Covid by almost six out of 10 Britons (59 per cent) – more than distrust information from social media – according to a new poll.And almost three in 10 (28 per cent) said that they are less likely to follow Covid rules as a result of reports of Christmas parties at 10 Downing Street – including 37 per cent of the younger 18-34 age groups who are most likely to cram into pubs and clubs to party in the next few crucial weeks.The Savanta survey for The Independent was published as the nation waited to see if Mr Johnson will order fresh curbs over the festive period, after cabinet rejected scientific advice for swift action to stop the Omicron variant overwhelming the NHS.It found that many Britons are acting before being told to by the government.One in 10 (10 per cent) said they have already cancelled their plans for Christmas Day and a further quarter (25 per cent) say they have scaled them back because of concerns about Omicron.And it showed significant levels of appetite for far tougher restrictions than the government has so far imposed.Some 50 per cent of the 2,096 people questioned said they would back a two-week “circuit-breaker” lockdown of the type backed by prominent scientists, against just 26 per cent opposed. Opinion on a total stay-at-home lockdown of indefinite duration was split 38-38 per cent for and against.And 65 per cent said they would support vaccine passports – with no option to show evidence of a recent negative test – for entry to crowded venues, 70 per cent favour compulsory face-coverings in all indoor public spaces and 55 per cent mandatory working from home except for key workers.Some 55 per cent said they would back a ban on indoors gatherings of people from different households, with just 27 per cent opposed. But opinion was more evenly divided on schools, with 37 per supporting closure and 35 per cent saying they should stay open.The scale of damage done to the prime minister’s credibility on Covid by a series of revelations about lockdown-breaching parties and after-work drinks at Downing Street was laid brutally bare by the survey.In a week when darts and football fans were filmed singing scornful chants about the PM, some 40 per cent of those questioned by Savanta said they distrust Mr Johnson “a lot” as a source for guidance on how to respond to the Omicron variant, and 20 per cent distrust him “somewhat”.Just 9 per cent – fewer than one in 10 of those questioned – said they trusted the PM “a lot” and 21 per cent trusted him “somewhat”.Mr Johnson’s credibility score was worse than that for “people on your social media feed”, who were distrusted “a lot” by 21 per cent and “somewhat” by 24 per cent, but trusted “somewhat” by 23 per cent and “a lot” by 7 per cent.By comparison, 56 per cent said they trust chief medical officer Chris Whitty, against 25 per cent who distrust him. The figures for scientists generally were 71 per cent trust and 19 per cent distrust and for politicians generally 24 per cent trust and 64 per cent distrust.Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was trusted by 42 per cent and distrusted by 40 per cent – of whom 19 per cent distrusted him “a lot”.Most trusted for advice on Covid were friends and family (77 per cent trust and 12 per cent distrust).There were indications that a substantial proportion of Britons are uncertain what they should do.Despite 18 months of advice from scientists, medics and politicians, almost one in five (19 per cent) said they were less confident than in previous waves that they knew how best to protect themselves and their loved ones.Hospitality industry fears about the financial catastrophe facing pubs, restaurants and nightclubs, even without new restrictions, were borne out by the survey.Just 43 per cent of those questioned expect to go ahead with festive plans for New Year’s Eve, with 19 per cent scaling them back and 18 per cent dropping celebrations altogether.And one-third (33 per cent) said they had dialled down festivities and 14 per cent written them off altogether in the run-up to Christmas Day, a financially crucial period for venues hosting office parties and friends’ nights out, as well as theatres and shows. Just 42 per cent said they were partying as planned pre-Christmas.Chillingly, there was little sign that Britons see much light on the horizon, despite the successful rollout of three waves of vaccinations and boosters.Some 23 per cent said they expected disruption to their lives from Covid to be worse in 2022 than 2021 – 8 per cent significantly worse and 15 per cent slightly – and a further 46 per cent said they believed next year would be about the same as this year.Only 21 per cent were expecting a lower level of disruption in 2022, including just 5 per cent who think next year’s Covid situation will be significantly better than it has been this year.• Savanta questioned 2,096 adults in Britain from 17-19 December. More

Boris Johnson’s cabinet remains divided over whether the government should bring in further Covid restrictions after Christmas, a senior minister has suggested.Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay admitted that the cabinet had a “full and robust” argument over whether fresh measures were necessary – as he pointed to the “very significant economic cost” curbs would have.It is understood that ministers are split between those wanting swift action to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant, and others, led by chancellor Rishi Sunak, who argued that new controls would inflict huge economic damage.Asked on LBC about reports that he was against restrictions, Mr Barclay did not deny he sided with Mr Sunak. “I think it’s right cabinet has a full and robust discussion,” he said. “I think that’s what people would expect.”The former Treasury minister added: “I think it’s right that we look at the balance between protecting lives and livelihoods. These are hugely significant decisions, in terms of the real-world economic consequences for people, in terms of the impact on their businesses, in terms of the impact on theatres and music venues.”Mr Johnson was accused of “dither” and stoking uncertainty after he delayed a decision on the introduction of new Covid restrictions in England following a cabinet session lasting almost three hours on Monday.Those thought to be in favour on fresh restrictions include health secretary Sajid Javid and levelling up secretary Michael Gove.But others – including Mr Sunak and Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg – are said to have argued that decisions causing billions of pounds-worth of economic damage should not be taken until the severity of illness caused by Omicron became clearer.Mr Johnson is reportedly deliberating over whether England should be place under restrictions resembling “step two” measures seen earlier this year – including restrictions on mixing between households indoors – for a period of between two weeks and one month after Christmas.Asked about the possibility of so-called “circuit breaker” restrictions after Christmas, Mr Barclay did not deny the government was considering curbs before New Year.“We’re still looking at the data,” he replied. “We don’t think the case is there for further restrictions at this stage. But as the prime minister set out last night, we reserve the possibility that further action will be needed.”The Cabinet Office minister said people should “continue with Christmas but do so in a cautious way”, adding: “We’re not saying people can’t meet at Christmas.”MPs at Westminster said they expected to be recalled next Tuesday or Wednesday to approve any curbs brought in ahead of New Year’s Eve, though some did not rule out an emergency sitting before Christmas.One backbencher told The Independent: “I think [Johnson]’s going for a compromise in cabinet which is do nothing before Christmas and then bring in restrictions after Christmas. The recall would probably for Tuesday and Wednesday next week – that’s my best guess. There will be a lot of frustration about it.”Labour said the prime minister was “too weak to stand up to his own backbenchers” following the rebellion of almost 100 Tory MPs against limited plan B restrictions last week.Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said “infighting” and “jockeying” for the Conservative leadership has taken over from clear Covid decision-making.“Most of the read-outs from those meetings and the rumours that have spread since suggest that really this is about disagreement within a group of senior Conservatives … rather than actually soberly looking at the evidence both health and economic evidence and taking a decision,” she told Times Radio.Mr Barclay said the chancellor would talk later today about his discussions with the hospitality industry demanding more government support. “He was in calls with industry leaders last night and he will be saying more about this shortly,” the Cabinet Office minister told BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday. More

Boris Johnson was on the receiving end of vitriol from hundreds of fans chanting their dismay at the prime minister at a major sporting event on Monday evening.The rowdy crowd at the World Darts Championship in London’s Alexandra Palace chanted: “Stand up if you hate Boris!”One member of the darts audience held up a picture of some cheese and wine with the message: “This is a business meeting.” Another held a sign which said: “All round to Boris’s later.”The prime minister is facing growing frustration at the uncertainty over restrictions this Christmas, and mounting anger at revelations about government gatherings held during Covid curbs last year.Mr Johnson is under fire over a picture of himself and his staff with cheese and wine in the No 10 garden at a time of tight restrictions last May – which Downing Street has insisted was a work meeting.Questioned on Monday about what they were doing in the garden, the prime minister insisted that the photograph showed: “Those were people at work, talking about work.”Mr Johnson’s explanation appeared to contradict comments made earlier by deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, who suggested that the gathering was held “after” work had finished.The darts crowd chant follows a viral clip in which Leeds United fans were heard singing “Boris Johnson is a c***” at the club’s match with Arsenal on Saturday.Mr Johnson’s approval rating as prime minister has dropped to an all-time low, according to a YouGov poll from earlier this month. The pollster found the PM’s net favourability rating now stood at -42, with 66 per cent of the public having an unfavourable opinion of Mr Johnson.Labour have been ahead in voting intention polls for the past fortnight. The latest monthly ‘cabinet league table’ survey by ConservativeHome showed the prime minister second from bottom in net satisfaction ratings among Tory supporters, with -17.And a new Savanta ComRes poll for The Independent shows Mr Johnson is distrusted as a source of Covid guidance by almost six out of 10 Britons (59 per cent) – more than distrust information from social media.The slump in his poll numbers follows a series of self-inflicted wounds building since the Owen Paterson scandal, and outrage over gatherings held at No 10 and government departments when the rest of the country faced severe restrictions last year. More

Boris Johnson’s government should “move closer” to a system of self-declaration of gender for transgender people, according to cross-party group of MPs.A new report from the Women and Equalities Committee said trans people should be allowed to declare their own gender without “unfair and overly-medicalised” scrutiny.Transgender people should no longer be required to have a gender dysphoria diagnosis from doctors in order to have their gender legally recognised by a Gender Recognition Certificate, the report said.And the committee also said trans people should not have to live in their acquired gender for two years before they can obtain legal recognition because this “entrenches outdated gender stereotypes”.Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, the committee chair, claimed the government “has spectacularly missed its opportunity” to modernise the process of gender recognition.The committee said trans people should still be required to make a formal statutory declaration – a safeguard which ensures “genuine intent” – and called for “robust guidance” on how this would work in practice.MPs urged the Government Equalities Office and Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to urgently produce guidance – including practical examples – on how to apply single-sex exceptions under the Equality Act.The committee’s report noted that some service providers, such as women’s refuges, are “unclear as to whether the exclusion of trans people from certain spaces is in violation of the law”.In July 2018, the Government Equalities Office launched a consultation into reform of the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, and set out last September 2020 what steps it would take.These included making the process available online, reducing the certificate fee from £140 to £5, and opening three new gender clinics that year to cut waiting lists.The following month, the Women and Equalities Committee launched its inquiry into whether the proposals were enough. Its report, Reform of The Gender Recognition Act, notes that debate in this area has “become extremely toxic at times”, with many stakeholders disagreeing.But it states that there are areas of greater agreement, such as removing the requirement to live in the acquired gender for two years, which the government should enact “immediately”.Ms Nokes, the committee chair, said the government’s response to the 2018 consultation “amounted to little more than administrative changes” and suggested “a lack of willingness to engage”.The Tory MP said: “This is an area of reform which has attracted strong opinions and debate, but there are areas – such as the removal of a time period for living in an acquired gender – which many can agree on.“Being trans is not an illness. It is imperative that the government de-medicalise the process of gender recognition by removing the outdated requirement for a gender dysphoria diagnosis.” More

Modern slavery victims may face barriers to seeking justice while criminal gangs “evade punishment” under Priti Patel’s immigration bill, cross-party MPs have warned.The Joint Committee on Human Rights has said the Nationality and Borders Bill could see government support removed from survivors of exploitation based on criminal acts they have been compelled to carry out.Part 5 of the bill includes a series of changes to modern slavery support, which home secretary Priti Patel claims will prevent people from being able to “frustrate immigration action” by disclosing late in the process that they have suffered abuse.The changes would mean any victim who has been sentenced to prison for more than 12 months anywhere in the world would be disqualified from modern slavery support in the UK, and that survivors would be given a defined period to disclose the abuse they have suffered.The bill, which recently passed through the House of Commons and is due to go through the House of Lords next month, has already been criticised by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and senior police, as well as backbench Tory MPs including Iain Duncan Smith.The Joint Committee on Human Rights warns in its new report that requiring victims to submit evidence of the abuse and exploitation they suffered within a defined period is “unfair” and risks the UK “failing to meet its obligations to combat slavery and human trafficking”.It states that the new rule will “needlessly cast doubt on the credibility of potential victims of trafficking or slavery based on how quickly they can submit evidence”, and calls on ministers to issue guidance setting out the timescales and what might be reasonable grounds for missing a deadline.The MPs also said it was “wrong” for victims of trafficking or slavery to be prevented from accessing protection due to past criminality, warning that this would act as an “invitation to the gangs responsible to target those with a criminal past”.“Prosecuting trafficking victims is wrong because it punishes them for something they were compelled to do as victims. The government should provide further clarity on how the new measures will apply in such cases and what it is doing to ensure victims are not prosecuted, in line with its human rights obligations,” the report states.Harriet Harman, chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, said: “We are concerned that there is a lack of clarity in this bill that could instead see victims prosecuted, while the criminal gangs evade punishment.“The bill must be there to support victims in coming forward, not add further barriers that needlessly throw doubt on their character or remove support based on criminal acts they have been compelled to do.”The Home Office has been approached for comment. More

Boris Johnson says he was ‘at work’ during No 10 garden gatheringThe Prime Minister has defended the No 10 garden party during lockdown last May as “people at work, talking about work”.Asked if he normally has meetings with cheese and wine, Boris Johnson said: “Those were people at work … This is where I live and where I work. Those were people at work, talking about work.”Earlier today, in Dominic Raab’s latest gaffe, Mr Raab said Boris Johnson’s wine-and-cheese gathering with staff in the No 10 garden during lockdown was “after” work had finished, leaving No 10 struggling to explain the controversy.The deputy PM undermined Downing Street’s defence of it as a work event by telling interviewers it was staff relaxing after “a gruelling day”.Mr Johnson’s official spokesman later attempted to explain the situation, by arguing that the PM and his staff were “discussing work”, which happened to be “in the No 10 garden”. He also said drinking alcohol was fine because it was “post-normal work hours” – and yet, because it was still a “work meeting” it also complied with the Covid rules.It comes as adults in Britain think it likely that the PM will not still be in office by the end of 2022, according to an opinion poll published by Ipsos Mori. Six out of ten people (62 per cent) believe Mr Johnson will be out of No 10 by this time next year, the data shows.Follow our live coverage belowShow latest update

1639986366Good morningHello, and welcome to The Independent’s rolling political coverage. Stay tuned for the latest updates as Boris Johnson faces more pressure amid fresh allegations of lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street.Sam Hancock20 December 2021 07:461639986622Photo appears to show No 10 gathering during first lockdownLabour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has urged Boris Johnson to “tell us the truth” about gatherings at Downing Street as a photo emerged of the PM and staff gathering in the No 10 garden reportedly during the first national lockdown.The Guardian and The Independent previously reported that Mr Johnson was present for 15 minutes at the gathering following a Covid press conference on 15 May 2020.According to the newspapers’ sources, around 20 staff drank wine and spirits and ate pizza following the press conference at which then health secretary Matt Hancock had told the British public to stay at home “as much as is possible” and stressed the rules in force meant “you can meet one other person from outside your household in an outdoor, public place” as long as you kept two metres apart.Geraldine Scott reports:Sam Hancock20 December 2021 07:501639987352Raab defends PM over latest No 10 allegationsDominic Raab has been defending his boss this morning, saying having a drink “after a long day or long week” was not against the regulations when asked about a photo showing the PM, his wife and staff in the garden of No 10 during the first national lockdown.The deputy PM and justice secretary told Times Radio: “Downing Street used that garden as a place of work. They used it for work meetings. The photo is from a day when, I think, the prime minister had just done a press conference.“And sometimes they’ll have a drink after a long day or a long week. And that’s not against the regulations.”On Mr Johnson’s then-fiancee Carrie being there, Mr Raab said: “It is not just a place of work for all the staff that work in No 10 and the prime minister, but it is also the the residence of the prime minister and his very young family. I genuinely don’t think it gets classified as a party because Carrie popped down and spent a little bit of time there with her husband.”Sam Hancock20 December 2021 08:021639987669‘Consistent with guidance,’ deputy PM claims about cheese and wine ‘party’Sam Hancock20 December 2021 08:071639987832Liz Truss takes over Brexit Protocol negotiations after Frost quitsForeign secretary Liz Truss has been drafted in to take over negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost, reports political correspondent Ashley Cowburn.The cabinet minister, who is widely seen as a possible contender in a future Tory leadership race, will be given an expanded brief, taking responsibility for the UK’s relationship with the bloc with immediate effect, No 10 announced.In a blow to Mr Johnson, who suffered the largest rebellion of his premiership and a historic by-election loss this week, Lord Frost also voiced concerns over “coercive” Covid measures and the wish for the UK to become a “lightly regulated, low-tax” economy in his letter to No 10 on Saturday evening.Sam Hancock20 December 2021 08:101639988417Labour: Garden ‘party’ more evidence of Covid law-breakingOver to Labour now. MP Rachel Reeves has told the Today programme that the photograph of Boris Johnson, his wife and staff in the garden of No 10 during the first national lockdown was evidence of law-breaking.“I do think there is evidence of law-breaking not just on this occasion, but on multiple occasions. The country is sick of it,” the shadow chancellor said.“They want to see leadership from this prime minister and government, and at the moment they’re hiding last year they were having a party. People are fed up with it.”Ms Reeves added: “They want government that know that the rules apply to them as well and provide leadership to protect families, protect the NHS and also to protect businesses. People are very sick and tired of this government.”Sam Hancock20 December 2021 08:201639989390‘This is where we are’: Pundits react to Raab’s defence of garden ‘party’The defence at No 10 appears to be wearing thin. As columnist Kirsty Stricklan reports:The Mirror’s Lizzy Buchan was also listening to Dominic Raab this morning:Meanwhile, the FT’s Henry Mance comments on the government’s decision-making process:Sam Hancock20 December 2021 08:361639989933BREAKING: Raab undermines claim PM was working at garden gathering Dominic Raab has undermined No 10’s claim that Boris Johnson was working while enjoying wine and cheese with staff in the No 10 garden during lockdown – saying it was “after” work had finished.He insisted the event complied with social mixing rules during the first lockdown because No 10 is a place of work and the garden is “used for work meetings”. But the deputy prime minister added: “Sometimes they’ll have a drink after a long day or a long week.”On BBC Breakfast, he said it had been “a gruelling day”, insisting: “This wasn’t a social occasion. It was staff having a drink after a busy set of work meetings and the pressures of the day.”Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick reports:Sam Hancock20 December 2021 08:451639990833Watch: Raab attempts to defend No 10 garden ‘party’ photo’It’s consistent with the guidance at the time’:Raab defends garden ‘party’ photoSam Hancock20 December 2021 09:001639991027Resignation not about leadership, says Lord FrostLet’s hear from former Brexit minister Lord Frost now, who has insisted he “never disagreed in any way” with Boris Johnson about Brexit policy – one day after he resigned from government, citing the “direction” of the PM’s party. “Right up to the last day we’ve been absolutely aligned on that, and Liz Truss and Chris Heaton-Harris I’m sure are going to do a great job,” he told reporters this morning. “I left the government because, as I think is well known, I couldn’t support certain policies – most recently on Covid restrictions and plan B.“And if you’re a minister you have to support collective responsibility, you have to support decisions of the government, and I couldn’t, so that’s why I had to leave.”Speaking to Sky News, Lord Frost said his resignation was “absolutely not about leadership”. Pressed on if more ministers will resign, Lord Frost said: “I can’t speak for anybody else, I can only say what I think, which is that I don’t support coercive policies on Covid. The prime minister has got some very difficult decisions to take and I’m sure he’ll be thinking very hard at them.”Sam Hancock20 December 2021 09:03 More

Boris Johnson has delayed the introduction of new Covid restrictions in England, despite warnings from scientific advisers of a coming wave of infection threatening to overwhelm the NHS.Scientists warned that “dither” in imposing curbs on social gatherings and travel ahead of the Christmas weekend will allow the highly contagious Omicron variant to spread more fiercely, with one member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), Professor Andrew Hayward, warning of “tens of millions” of infections this winter.And Labour said the prime minister was “too weak to stand up to his own backbenchers” following the rebellion of 99 Tory MPs against limited plan B restrictions last week, making him “unfit to lead” during the coronavirus crisis.Meanwhile, businesses hit by a flood of cancellations and stay-at-home shoppers appealed for more financial help to avoid collapse, with nightlife representatives warning that one in three nightclubs, bars and pubs could close within a month.Expectations of new restrictions in England were raised after Mr Johnson called an emergency meeting of cabinet following Sage advice that more stringent measures were needed “very soon” to prevent hospitalisations reaching thousands per day and that delaying until the new year would “greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions”.But after a marathon cabinet lasting almost three hours, the prime minister emerged to announce there would be no immediate tightening of current plan B restrictions, explaining that ministers faced a “very finely balanced” choice between protecting public health and avoiding unnecessary disruption and economic damage.It is understood that ministers were split between those – thought to include health secretary Sajid Javid and levelling up secretary Michael Gove – wanting swift action and others, led by chancellor Rishi Sunak, who argued that decisions which would inflict economic damage running into many billions of pounds should not be taken until the severity of illness caused by Omicron became clearer.Instead, Mr Johnson promised that data on infections, hospitalisations and deaths would be monitored on an hour-by-hour basis, and that he would not hesitate to order new restrictions if the figures showed they were necessary. He urged the public to show “caution” with measures such as ventilation and hand-washing and to get their Covid vaccinations and boosters as soon as possible. A total of 5.37 million jabs were administered in the UK last week – 65 per cent up on the previous week.The PM said there were “risks and uncertainties” surrounding the rate at which people infected with Omicron are likely to end up in hospital, the severity of any illness caused and the effectiveness of the booster vaccine in fighting off the variant.“Unfortunately, I must say to people we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public and to protect public health and to protect our NHS, and we won’t hesitate to take that action,” he said.Pressure on NHS hospitals was underlined in two letters seen by The Independent, with University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust warning booked leave may have to be cancelled because of the pressure from Omicron, while Barts in London told doctors it may have to cancel “some or much” of its planned operations in January.Latest figures showed 91,743 positive Covid tests recorded on Monday, bringing the total over the past seven days to 221,000 – a shocking 61 per cent higher than the previous week. The true level of infections is believed to be far higher, because of the time-lag between being exposed to the virus, experiencing symptoms and being tested.MPs at Westminster said they expected to be recalled next Tuesday or Wednesday to approve curbs ahead of New Year’s Eve, though some did not rule out an emergency sitting before Christmas.One backbencher told The Independent: “I think [Johnson]’s going for a compromise in cabinet which is do nothing before Christmas and then bring in restrictions after Christmas. The recall would probably for Tuesday and Wednesday next week – that’s my best guess. There will be a lot of frustration about it, unless they tell us what’s going on and share some of the data and show things are worse than expected.”There is no constitutional requirement for notice before a recall, but it would be practically difficult for Mr Johnson to give the Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle less than 24 hours to call MPs back to the Commons for the vote which the PM has promised on any new regulations.The shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said it was clear that Mr Johnson is “too weak to stand up to his own backbenchers, many of whom have no plan beyond ‘let the virus rip’.”“Today, while businesses across the country wonder if they can continue to trade, and families make frantic calls about whether they will see each other this Christmas, true to form the prime minister has put his party before the public,” said Mr Streeting. “Rather than set out a clear plan for the country, he has chosen to protect himself from his own MPs by simply not saying anything. Boris Johnson is unfit to lead.”Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the prime minister had left millions of families unable to plan their Christmases.“Boris Johnson is weak, indecisive and incapable of providing the leadership our country needs,” said Davey. “His credibility has been shot to pieces, he’s no longer trusted by the public or supported by his party. The prime minister must recall parliament now instead of yet again acting too late. Ducking the difficult decisions is not a plan.”Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon called a meeting of her cabinet for Tuesday to discuss restrictions north of the border, which are already tighter than in England.Scientists challenged the PM’s suggestion that the scientific argument for further restrictions is “finely balanced”.“On the contrary, there are strong scientific arguments for people to immediately cease the activities that are known to cause transmission,” said Oxford University primary care professor Trish Greenhalgh. “In particular, large indoor gatherings of unmasked people, especially those involving singing, should not occur.”University College London professor Christina Pagel called on the government to immediately return to step two of the old Covid roadmap – limiting household mixing, banning indoor drinking at bars and restaurants and capping funerals at 30 people – to prevent “thousands” of infections over the coming days.Hospitalisations in London – the epicentre of the current wave – have risen by 37 per cent in the past week to 1,349 on 18 December. The 220 Covid patients admitted to a hospital in the capital on Friday marked the highest daily figure since March.Admissions are also on the rise in the northwest, but are continuing to fall in all other regions of the country, where the impact of Omicron has yet to be felt.“It is already too late to prevent catastrophic strain on health and social care, as well as on other services,” said Dr Peter English, a former chair of the BMA Public Health Medicine Committee.UCL epidemiologist Prof Irene Petersen, an epidemiologist at University College London (UCL), said this was the third occasion of the pandemic in which was the government was “dithering” in making a decision, after delays to the initial lockdown in March 2020 and the rise of the Delta variant last autumn.“What we see now is that Omicron is in charge rather than the British government,” she said. “I fear that it can have dire consequences not only for our health but also for our society.”But Conservative backbencher Anthony Browne said he was “delighted that the government has decided not to impose any more Covid restrictions, at least before Christmas”, adding: “The data really does not justify it, and it would be so damaging socially and economically.”The chief executive of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, said businesses have been left “in limbo” with no certainty about how they should plan for the vital week covering Christmas and the new year or how they will pay wages and bills at the end of the month.Support packages available to them were designed for the summer recovery, not the crucial festive break, which has seen them lose 40-60 per cent of December trade this year, she said.Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said a fifth of nightlife businesses could lose their entire workforce, and one in three fear closure within a month after forfeiting an average £46,000 in lost sales and cancellations during the festive period.“It really is a chilling prospect to see so many venues in our sector left to bleed,” he said. 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Boris Johnson has defended a picture of himself and his staff with cheese and wine in the No 10 garden at a time of tight restrictions on social gatherings last May.The picture showed 19 people, including Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie, enjoying wine and cheese, with little sign of social distancing and no notebooks or laptops in evidence.Questioned about what they were doing on 15 May 202, the prime minister insisted that the photograph showed: “Those were people at work, talking about work.”Asked whether he normally has meetings with cheese and wine, Mr Johnson said: “These are meetings of people at work. This is where I live, it’s where I work. Those are meetings of people at work, talking about work.”Grilled for a third time about the garden gathering last May – and whether he was relaxed about peopler drinking alcohol while at work – Mr Johnson said: “I’ve said what I’ve said about that.”Mr Johnson’s explanation appeared to contradict comments made earlier by his deputy, Dominic Raab, who suggested that the gathering was held after work had finished.Mr Raab defended the event, insisting it complied with rules because the Downing Street garden is “used for work meetings”. But the deputy PM also admitted: “Sometimes they’ll have a drink after a long day or a long week.”The No 10 garden gathering during lockdown is likely to have broken Covid regulations, a top legal expert said.Adam Wagner, a human-rights barrister and leading expert on Covid regulations, told Sky News: “Having heard Dominic Raab say that this was a drink after the formal business event had ended, it doesn’t sound convincing as a work gathering. It sounds a lot like a social gathering.”Mr Wagner said Covid laws meant people were only allowed to mix for work “where it could not reasonably be done at home”. He added: “It seems quite an obvious social gathering, which weren’t permitted at the time.”Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was “a real stretch to pretend that is a work meeting” – noting the photo leaked to The Guardian was taken during a period when people could not attend funerals of loved ones.“I think there are very serious questions to be answered,” said Sir Keir. “Just look at the photo and ask yourself is that a work meeting going on or is that a social event? I think the answer is pretty obvious.”No 10 officials have suggested that the photograph was taken inside No 11 from the offices used by chancellor Rishi Sunak’s team which overlooks the Downing Street garden.“It has to be taken by someone associated with the chancellor,” one told The Telegraph. “It is the chancellor’s bit of the Downing Street complex.”Ex-Labour MP Ed Balls, former economic adviser to Gordon Brown when he was chancellor, posted on Twitter: “I’m pretty sure this is the view from the 11 Downing Street first floor balcony.”Tory former minister Stephen Hammond told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme that there is “no excuse for breaching rules and guidance” when asked about the leaked photo of staff in the No 10 garden last year.Mr Hammond said: “If any rules have been broken then a person should apologise and accept that that was a breach of the rules.”Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has revealed that he is not immediately imposing any further Covid restrictions – but said he would not hesitate to do so if the data on the spread of omicron shows it is necessary.The PM said that the arguments for and against going beyond the current plan B curbs were still “finely balanced” after a two-hour emergency meeting of cabinet on Monday.“Unfortunately, I must say to people we will have to reserve the possibility of taking further action to protect the public and to protect public health and to protect our NHS, and we won’t hesitate to take that action,” he told broadcasters. More