Boris Johnson will not isolate despite staffer’s positive Covid test

Boris Johnson will continue his tour of Scotland, despite a member of hist team testing positive for Covid-19 on the trip.

A senior government source has told the Guardian that the prime minister and official were “side-by-side” on several occasions and even travelled together on an RAF Voyager between Glasgow and Aberdeen.

But a Downing Street spokesperson said they did not come into close contact.

Posting on Twitter, Angela Rayner said “someone is lying. And I know who has lied before”.

Someone is lying. And I know who has lied before…https://t.co/SmiqIodES1

— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) August 6, 2021

Tour of Scotland

The civil servant, who is now isolating at a hotel in Scotland, attended an event with Johnson at a police college on Wednesday.

Later that day, he and the staffer flew as part of a small No 10 contingency of about a dozen people to the next leg of Johnson’s two-day tour of Scotland – though they were said to be sat at opposite ends of a large cabin.

The group were tested upon landing, and the official’s result was positive so they went into isolation.

Some whose result came back negative were told to make their own way home, while others, including Johnson, finished the tour.

The prime minister was then pictured meeting the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, the Scottish Tory leader, Douglas Ross, and the Conservative MP Andrew Bowie.

Johnson and several members of the No 10 contingent are not isolating – but a government source said “the whole lot should be”.

The Downing Street spokesperson also refused to say if he had been tested since the positive case was discovered.

Anger

Anger at the decision was making the rounds on social media.

Here’s what people had to say:

So @BorisJohnson ignored the government's public health advice and got Covid, then dined out on the experience to buy 'credibility' while PRETENDING to give a shit about the clinicians who saved his sorry arse.

Now he's floughting the rules yet againhttps://t.co/MqvalG4w4Z

— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) August 6, 2021

And it just piles on and on. But nothing changes. No accountability.

Anger as Boris Johnson does not isolate after staffer’s positive Covid testhttps://t.co/MjwD9JRkg3

— David Noble ? (@DavidPNoble63) August 6, 2021

There are people in this country who weren't able to attend the funeral of their loved ones…

Anger as Boris Johnson does not isolate after staffer’s positive Covid test https://t.co/8PdAjVJzx9

— Edward Turvey (@EdwardTurvey) August 6, 2021

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