After Boris Johnson used a statement to the nation on Monday evening to announce a third national lockdown, ministers made plans to recall parliament for a Wednesday sitting to debate the measures. But before Johnson faces the music in the Chamber, the Prime Minister addressed his own MPs in a 45-minute meeting of the 1922 committee via Zoom.
In his opening statement, Johnson tried to explain to his party why he felt he had no choice but to resort to a national lockdown – stating that 2 per cent of the population now have Covid. He said the aim of the vaccination programme was to create ‘a force field of immunity’. He went on, however, to attempt to paint a more optimistic picture at least in the medium term.
Opting for a flower analogy, Johnson promised that things would be better, in terms of restrictions being eased, by the time tulip season was over – perhaps even by daffodil season. This
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