England is in its third national lockdown after Boris Johnson shut schools to most pupils and imposed the toughest restrictions since March in an attempt to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed by surging coronavirus infections.
In a televised address to the nation on Monday evening, the Prime Minister pinned hopes on the rollout of vaccines to ease the restrictions in mid-February.
He ordered the country to stay indoors other than for limited exceptions and bowed to significant pressure to order primary schools, secondaries and colleges to move to remote teaching for the majority of students from Tuesday.
His move followed Nicola Sturgeon imposing a lockdown on Scotland for the rest of January, with a legal requirement to stay at home and schools closed to most pupils until February.
It has led to accusations that the PM is following his Scottish counterpart’s lead after he trailed in her wake on a number of key decisions.
BREAKING: Boris Johnson to address the nation at 8pm.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 4, 2021
Presumably to announce new national lockdown, following Scotland's lead.
Comedian Olaf Falafel poked fun at the government’s line that they are ‘following the science’, saying that is only true if you replace the ‘ience’ bit with ‘ottish’.
We’re following the science but only if you replace the ‘ience’ bit with ‘ottish’
— Olaf Falafel (@OFalafel) January 4, 2021
Alistair Barrie also hilariously called on Sturgeon to resign – just because it will be “comforting to know Boris Johnson will do the same thing in a couple of days’ time”.
I think Nicola Sturgeon should resign. Not because she’s done anything wrong – it would just be really comforting to know Boris Johnson is going to do the same thing in a couple of days’ time.
— Alistair Barrie (@AlistairBarrie) January 4, 2021
Related: Nicola Sturgeon tweets ‘Scotland will be back soon, Europe’ as leaders see in the New Year
