• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Calls to rename Delta the ‘Johnson variant’ as PM’s poor decisions lead to lockdown extension

The final lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England are expected to be put on hold this evening.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2021-06-14 09:04
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Boris Johnson playing fast and loose with UK borders has been blamed for an anticipated extension to the lockdown period as the so-called Delta variant, first identified in India, risks a “substantial” third wave in the country.

The prime minister was slow to close the borders to India when a new, more transmissible variant was discovered in the country.

He waited until two weeks after banning flights from neighbouring Pakistan in April before announcing that India would be added to the “red list” of countries.

It meant between 5,000 and 8,000 people from India flew into Britain on daily flights from across the country in each of the two weeks.

Please remember to use the term #DeltaVariant, not Indian Variant. We don't want to remind people that the only reason we are facing a third wave is because I delayed putting India on the red list.

— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) June 12, 2021

Lockdown easing

Johnson is facing a furious backlash from Tory MPs as he prepares to put the final lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England on hold.

The Prime Minister is expected to announce the ending of social-distancing rules – which had been slated for June 21 – will be delayed for four weeks to July 19, with the BBC reporting early on Monday the decision had been signed off by senior ministers.

Mr Johnson is expected to appeal to the public to show patience, with one last push to ensure that when controls do finally end it is “irreversible”.

RelatedPosts

Cost of living: Eye-watering figure MPs pocket in ‘second jobs’ revealed

Internet poet gives ‘If’ a Downing Street party remix

Progressive alliance would hand Labour a MASSIVE majority in parliament

Good Law Project to pursue legal action against Met Police following Partygate picture leak

However, it comes as a huge setback to many businesses – particularly in the battered hospitality sector – which had pinned their hopes on a full summer reopening to recoup some of the losses of the past year.

Deep frustration

There was deep frustration among lockdown sceptics on the Conservative benches who said there was no reason not to end the restrictions as those most at risk of death or serious illness are now fully vaccinated.

Former minister Mark Harper, the chairman of the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) of Tory MPs, said any postponement would be a “political choice”.

We should rename the 'Indian variant' the 'Johnson variant', due to the fact his negligence enabled the drastic rise in new UK cases.

Agree? RT

— TheLuckyHeron? (@LuckyHeronSay) May 22, 2021

He warned that if the unlocking did not go ahead as planned, restrictions could carry on through the autumn and into the winter as other respiratory infections picked up.

“The effectiveness of our vaccines at preventing hospitalisation means unlocking on June 21 could proceed safely. Any decision to delay will be a political choice,” he said.

“Variants and mutations will appear for the rest of time. We have to learn to live with it.

“If our very effective vaccines cannot deliver us freedom from restrictions, then nothing ever will.”

Latest figures

The latest daily Government figures from Sunday showed another rise in infections with a further 7,490 lab-confirmed cases in the UK – up 2,149 from a figure of 5,341 the previous week.

The data also had England with a total of 35,971 positive tests in the past seven days at a rate of 63.9 per 100,000 people.

Welsh Economy Minister Vaughan Gething will give an update on the latest coronavirus developments in Wales on Monday, which the most recent UK Government figures show had new 597 positive tests in the past week at a rate of 18.9 per 100,000.

Numbers remain similarly low in Northern Ireland, which had 596 positive tests in the week to Sunday at a rate of 31.5 per 100,000.

Related: Translated: What Macron really had to say about UK sovereignty and Boris Johnson

Tags: Boris JohnsonCOVID-19 CoronavirusIndian variant

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Dealer jailed for child trafficking in landmark shocking county lines case

Surge in anti-Semitic attacks ‘surpasses anything seen before’ and ‘completely disgraceful’

First amputee to ever make it to the finals of the Mr England contest

Reversing Beeching cuts ‘would cost far more’ than £500m Tory fund

Quit your job and travel the world like… Jordan Hammond

Heatwave: Hill walkers find the perfect way to cool off at the top of Ben Nevis

Manchester United’s Juan Mata proves not all footballers are bad

‘Supermarket shelves will go empty’, farming industry warns

Farage reminded of Brexit free trade tweets as he takes aim at China

Aberdeen Emerging Markets – 10.6% a year for 20 years

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.