Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and the new health secretary have all been forced into isolation as the UK’s so-called ‘freedom day’ arrived with a bang.
Speaking from his country residence the PM urged caution as he mumbled through an explanation as to why yesterday’s embarrassing u-turn occurred.
Have a watch below:
Like so many people I’ve been pinged by NHS Test and Trace as I have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, and I will be self-isolating until Monday 26th July. pic.twitter.com/X57gDpwDqe
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 18, 2021
Here are just a couple of the comments made on social media about the cringe-worthy government self-isolation climbdown.
1.
Hey, plebs, if you believe this, you’ll believe anything. pic.twitter.com/YGKkTgHDoB
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) July 18, 2021
2.
The government lighting the candles on the freedom cake pic.twitter.com/vLlyRBpQr1
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) July 19, 2021
Self-isolating
There are also concerns about how he made it to his country retreat, from Downing Street, when he was supposed to be self-isolating.
Labour MP Chris Bryant tweeted: “Have I missed something? Johnson was told he was a close contact on Friday? It wasn’t till Sunday at Downing St that he announced he was starting the pilot scheme? And then he was driven to chequers, thereby not self isolating at all? Hasn’t he broken the law several times over?”
Have I missed something? Johnson was told he was a close contact on Friday? It wasn’t till Sunday at Downing St that he announced he was starting the pilot scheme? And then he was driven to chequers, thereby not self isolating at all? Hasn’t he broken the law several times over?
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) July 19, 2021
Caution
Boris Johnson has also appealed to people to exercise their new freedoms with caution as most mandatory lockdown restrictions in England are finally lifted.
Social-distancing rules which, in one form or another, have governed people’s lives for over a year finally ended on Monday morning at one minute past midnight.
Face masks are no longer mandatory in shops and on public transport, limits on gathering have gone and the work from home guidance has ended.
However, by loosening the rules many are fearful of a huge increase in covid cases, with many people who have health underlying issues concerned about contracting the virus, in one of its many forms.
With that in mind #ThePurge and #PlagueIsland began to trend on social media.
Is this the beginning or the end?
Reactions
1.
This is not a test.
— ieuan 🏴 (@life0fieuan) July 18, 2021
This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Purge, sanctioned by the UK government.
From the siren, all COVID-19 rules in England will be suspended.
Blessed be our New Founding Fathers.
May God be with you all. pic.twitter.com/0RVbqwEOUB
2.
Welcome to Plague Island…🥺 https://t.co/FDznL9mS67
— Bevan Boy #NHSPay15 (@mac123_m) July 19, 2021
3.
Good morning from Plague Island. We now go live to the COVID cabinet briefing pic.twitter.com/jFwl5f7J96
— Claire Meadows (@bookyblonde) July 19, 2021
4.
Getting ready to leave the house on plague island, on so called freedom day. pic.twitter.com/q4mY8fWEon
— HakunaMatata (@Hakuna_Rants) July 19, 2021
5.
As if it’s not bad enough that I’m stuck on plague island, surrounded by racists, with a government that’s already killed 1000s & is trying to infect everyone with Covid (while selling off the health system), as the Earth’s climate breaks down. #Monday
— PorkyPodge (@Squeetytweet) July 19, 2021
6.
Me attempting to avoid any and all human contact on the new Plague island so I can leave as the UK hurtles itself into mass cases, deaths and hospitalizations. pic.twitter.com/CVaf4heelI
— TheTacticalBrit (@TheTacticalBrit) July 19, 2021
7.
Good morning from a very sunny plague island 👋 Today we ‘celebrate’ Freedom day! No mention of the 130,000 people who sadly lost their lives to covid, or the millions of folk who have lost their health to it. Not even a pause for thought. But the nightclubs are open… 🤦♀️
— Sara #FBLC (@Saralongcovid) July 19, 2021
8.
It’s Freedom Day tomorrow in Plague Island. Don’t all rush to visit at once. pic.twitter.com/hhSsn44rCs
— Mistress Malevolent (@MistressMalevo2) July 18, 2021
9.
‘#FreedomDay‘ my arse. This is more like #ThePurge. pic.twitter.com/ujEAS0mZcK
— The Biker Professor (@drstephencarver) July 19, 2021
10.
I really liked the #ThePurge films but not enough to want to be in one. #PlagueIsland
— steven wilkinson (@UrbaneSlave) July 19, 2021
11.
Plague Island is trending and I don’t even feel like it’s being over dramatic.
— Minute Hood (@DreamsnDevilry) July 19, 2021
12.
This is your 60 Minute warning for #ThePurge, sorry, I mean #FreedomDay pic.twitter.com/GGRqvNwAdx
— Stephen Harrison 💙 (@BookSwapSteve) July 18, 2021
13.
Happy Larry Vaughn Day, fellow Plague Island residents. pic.twitter.com/dZt624dmz4
— Erlingur Einarsson (@ErlingurEinars) July 19, 2021
Another hashtag that began to trend was #FreedDumbDayUK and #FreeDumbDay, here is a taste of what people were saying about this.
1.
Your health is now in the hands of a population with an average IQ of less than 100.
— Locke (@jlz0z) July 18, 2021
Stay as safe as you can.#FreeDumbDayUK pic.twitter.com/r9w34OLBsH
2.
Be careful out there on #FreeDumbDayUK pic.twitter.com/NQfillo5fi
— David Noble 💙 (@DavidPNoble63) July 19, 2021
3.
Happy Freedumb Day to all of us in England. Let the experiment begin! #FreeDumbDayUK pic.twitter.com/YDx643IOqK
— Vicki Sudall 😷💉 (@vickisud76) July 19, 2021
4.
Happy #freedomday everyone! Us NHS staff working in ICU tonight were very relieved to find out the COVID pandemic finished at midnight 🎉#FreeDumbDay pic.twitter.com/OR68utnv6z
— Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden 💙 (@sbattrawden) July 18, 2021
Related: Cathedral U-turns on ‘freedom day’ bell-ringing plans after public outcry
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