CMO put Britain ‘into effective lockdown’

A series of angry interventions by Tory MPs followed in the Commons. Steve Brine, a former health minister, said: “At a stroke the Chief Medical officer changed government policy and put this country, certainly hospitality… into effective lockdown.”

He demanded clarity on whether it was government policy that the public should “socialise carefully” and what that means “in practical legal terms”, as he claimed that “advisers are now running the show”.

Steve Baker, the deputy chairman of the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) of lockdown-sceptic Tories, asked for reassurance that “when officials speak, and particularly at podiums at press conferences, that they are staying within the bounds of the policy that ministers have decided”.

Theresa Villiers, a former Cabinet minister, also called for “clarity about how people should plan for Christmas” in the wake of the varying messaging from Prof Whitty and Mr Johnson.

Labour MPs weighed in on the row, with Kevan Jones branding the press conference “confusing” and adding that it “sowed turmoil in the hospitality sector”.

Some parliamentarians defended Prof Whitty, however. Tory Mark Harper, CRG chairman, insisted it was not right for MPs to blame advisers.

He told The Telegraph: “Ministers know what they [advisers] are going to say and decide if they are going to go out in public.” He said the Government “wanted those views out there on the front of every newspaper today”.

Treasury minister John Glen argued that the state advice was “clear” that people should get a booster jab, take regular Covid tests, and “act responsibly”. He said he still planned to take his team for lunch on Monday.

Whitty quizzed about messaging

Prof Whitty was quizzed about the latest health messaging himself when he appeared before the Health and Social Care Select Committee.

Greg Clark asked him why he had given advice to people to prioritise their contacts when it was the Government’s job to make recommendations, which took into account wider issues, such as the economy.

Prof Whitty said: “From the very first chief medical officer in the 1850s, chief medical officers have always given advice to the general public, but ministers reserved to themselves rightly anything to do with the law, anything to do with balancing against the economy.

“This is advice that I think any chief medical officer would have given. And I don’t actually think that any ministers is feeling I am treading on their toes on this one, this is my job.

“But I also consider that questions about things like further measures, those are very much for ministers so it’s drawing the line between those two.

“The expectation is the Chief Medical Officer and medical advisors will talk as a doctor independently and give advice as long as they don’t stray beyond into the job that is specifically for ministers.”