Tory MP Tobias Ellwood says lockdown sex ban is 'ridiculous'

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood has reluctantly admitted that the Government's ban on Brits having sex with anyone outside of their own household under new coronavirus lockdown legislation is "ridiculous".

New measures were introduced on Monday which ban people in England from socialising indoors with anyone not already in their household bubble.

The amendment to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020 bill now makes clear only those with "reasonable excuses" will be allowed to meet indoors, with sex not featuring on the list of exemptions.

"No person may, without reasonable excuse, stay overnight at any place other than the place where they are living," it says.

After being repeatedly quizzed on the issue on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Mr Ellwood said he agreed with Daily Mail columnist Andrew Pierce and Piers Morgan on the subject, adding: "I'm happy to say it's ridiculous."

Mr Morgan, who had asked Mr Ellwood's opinion on the rules, retorted: "You've just answered the question you've refused to answer for 10 minutes."

But Mr Ellwood said he had not wanted to comment because he had not read the story.

"You're spending so much time on such a matter, which on the face of it does look ridiculous," he said. "But you don't respect the fact that if I've not read into the story, I can't spend...we just spent five minutes on a story that really is ridiculous."

Mr Morgan replied: "The reason you didn't want to answer was you hadn't read the story which I read to you four times. I don't what more I can do to help you."

The pair clashed earlier after Mr Morgan accused the Conservative Party of “not having the gumption” to appear on the show.

The ITV host told Mr Ellwood that he was the only Conservative MP willing to “put your head above the parapet”.

Mr Ellwood had challenged Mr Morgan’s claim that his 364 colleagues in the party refused to come on the programme. He said he had offered to appear on Monday, before Mr Morgan tweeted “we can’t get a single Tory MP to come on”.

“I had already agreed to come on your show yesterday but you bumped me,” Mr Ellwood said.

Mr Morgan responded saying they had already booked Welsh Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies and that when he tried to return Mr Ellwood’s calls there was no answer.

“If you want to be on GMB I suggest you leave your phone on and answer it,” Mr Morgan said.

On Monday, Mr Morgan claimed that the Prime Minister's chief aide Dominic Cummings has "almost single-handedly destroyed" the UK lockdown.

The presenter returned to the show with co-host Susanna Reid yesterday after the pair had a week off.

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