"The anger and frustration isn't just that the response is failing, but that it's failing because the government refused to enable and invest in local authorities and public health teams and instead chose to pump billions into scandal-ridden contractors."

The PM's chief aide reportedly had a £30,000 council tax bill written off - leading to accusations that it is "one rule for them and another for everyone else".

“No matter what hits us, we’ll never lose our spirit and humour.”

The Prime Minister was also accused of being an "opportunist all his life" by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

The Westminster wall of opposition to a referendum has started to crumble - an SNP whitewash in the 2021 elections "would have to lead to a referendum".

"What an utterly ridiculous country we are", Alastair Campbell said.

"Keir Starmer is a shameless opportunist playing political games in the middle of a global pandemic," came the scripted response.

"There is no point in having high environmental and welfare standards if you then allow them to be undercut from outside" - Gove.

It comes after they ignored scientific advice to bring in a short national circuit breaker last month.