Boris Johnson needs to bin the rule of six

When Boris Johnson returned to work in April after his brush with coronavirus, he warned that lockdown restrictions must remain to prevent a second wave. Ever since, beset by anxieties, doubts and fear, and surrounded by a platoon of advisors, the PM has made one cautious, catastrophic error after another.

Last week’s roll of the dice with the ‘rule of six’ could well be the policy that tips the British public over the edge. For it is a disturbing decision that has no scientific evidence to back it up, and may well end up having major social consequences.

The government has decided to blame young people for the latest restrictions, having spent August asking them to revive the economy. What was the purpose of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s ‘eat out to help out’ scheme if at the first sign of a rise in cases the PM’s hasty response is to lockdown again? We were told to get back to work, what did the government expect? Increased activity at the end of summer leads to an increase in acute respiratory infections, as it does every year.