Yahoo News COVID: Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance to flank Boris Johnson at press conference tonight
Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance will flank Boris Johnson at the prime minister's 'Living with COVID' press conference on Monday evening.
The presence of Prof Whitty, chief medical officer for England, and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick is an indication that two of the most trusted public voices throughout the pandemic have given their backing to the proposals.
Johnson is set to outline details of the plans to the House of Commons at around 4.30pm, with a televised press conference at around 6.30pm-7pm. He is expected to announced the scrapping of all domestic coronavirus restrictions in England as soon as Thursday, including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you have tested positive for COVID.
However, the PM's plans were thrown into chaos this morning when he was forced to delay a crunch Cabinet meeting to sign off the policy just minutes before ministers convened amid reports of tensions between Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Read more: Government reduces number of free lateral flow tests Brits can order online
The pair are said to be at odds over the proposed scrapping of free lateral flow tests amid widespread calls for them to be kept in place to limit the spread of the virus.
Sunak is said to have concerns over the continued costing of free tests, while Javid wants to keep testing widely available.
Read more: Time is right to move away from ‘state mandation’ on self-isolation
Johnson has said his 'Living with COVID' plans would be about “finally giving people back their freedom” after “one of the most difficult periods in our country’s history”.
The prime minister's announcement on all restrictions being lifted comes as the nation awaits the outcome of a criminal probe by the Met Police into alleged parties held in the heart of government during lockdown.
Johnson is accused of attending multiple gatherings during lockdown, and last month issues a grovelling apology after
His announcement also comes less than 24 hours after the Queen tested positive for COVID.
The 95-year-old Monarch is “experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.”
“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines,” the palace said.
The news that free tests could be scrapped has been met with trepidation by some.
Watch: Country needs to learn to live with COVID, minister says
Former Conservative minister Tim Loughton said he thought testing should continue to be “widely” available.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour, the East Worthing and Shoreham MP welcomed the attempt to “get back to normal” but said he had “slight apprehensions” about curtailing free tests.
“I think we still do need to have testing available widely because I think that is the reassurance people can have that they’ve taken all possible precautions and they don’t want to infect other people,” he said.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has criticised the Government for plans to end free lateral flow tests.
Speaking to Sky on Trevor Phillips on Sunday, he said: "I'm particularly concerned about the end of free testing. I mean, it's a bit like being to one up with 10 minutes left to play and subbing your best defender."
But government ministers have insisted that the plan is the right way forward.
Business minister Paul Scully said it was the right move, and that the PM would be weighing up the balance between a return to normality and keeping people safe.
Mr Scully told Sky News: “Infections are coming down quite rapidly, the hospitalisations and deaths are following as well – they tend to lag behind, obviously, the case numbers – but nonetheless you can see the trend within that.”
He said Mr Johnson will be “looking at the best advice possible but getting the balance right”.
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain he added the Government cannot “wrap people up in cotton wool for the rest of our lives”.
