UK lockdown announced amid Tory MPs’ rows over economic impact

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Boris Johnson finally arrived at the Downing Street podium yesterday, his press conference had been delayed four times over three hours.

The Prime Minister had been forced to telescope two days of preparations for the expected Monday announcement into one afternoon following a leak to yesterday’s papers – and amid claims of chaos and infighting behind the scenes in Downing Street.

A sombre-looking Mr Johnson – performing yet another U-turn by abandoning his region-by-region approach – launched into a stark warning of the potential death rate from the virus and the prospect that the NHS would be overwhelmed.

To convey the message that the lockdown was rooted in science rather than politics, unlike at previous press conferences the Prime Minister moved almost immediately to call Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty to set out the data backing up the new lockdown.

Declaring there was now ‘no alternative’ to a second national lockdown, Mr Johnson said: ‘Unless we act, we could see deaths running at several thousand a day and the peak of mortality bigger than we saw in April.

‘The risk is that for the first time in our lives the NHS will not be there for us and our families.’

Apologising to the nation ‘for disturbing your Saturday evening with more news of Covid’, he was forced to admit that ‘Christmas is going to be different this year – perhaps very different.’

But he attempted to hit a more positive note by adding: ‘It’s my sincere hope that by taking tough action now we can allow families across the country to be together.’

The Prime Minister also sought to claim that this lockdown would be ‘less primitive and less restrictive’ than the first one. But in the next sentence, he admitted: ‘I’m afraid, from Thursday, the basic message is the same – Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.’

One of the few cheering moments was that Premier League football would continue.

The lockdown announcement came amid reports of fierce arguments behind the scenes and a virtual civil war as Ministers and senior Tory MPs warned of the lasting damage on an already weakened economy. There was also what sources called ‘cold fury’ that the lockdown plans had been leaked.

But Mr Johnson said he would make ‘absolutely no apologies’ for having pursued the now abandoned policy of imposing local and regional lockdowns.

He added: ‘We’ve got to be humble in the face of nature.

‘And in this country alas, as in much of Europe, the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers.’ He said the data outlined by Professor Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance ‘now suggest that unless we act we could see deaths in the country running at several thousand a day, a peak of mortality, alas, bigger than the one we saw in April’.

Asked to justify why he had not acted weeks ago on his scientists’ advice that a second national lockdown could be necessary, Mr Johnson pointed to the economic ‘scarring’ of such a measure.

It was ‘a constant struggle’ for any government to balance lives against livelihoods, he said. However, he insisted that it had been ‘right and rational to go for a regional approach’.

Outlining the new lockdown timetable, Mr Johnson said: ‘From Thursday until the start of December, you must stay at home, you may only leave home for specific reasons including for education, for work, let’s say if you cannot work from home.’

Other exemptions included ‘for exercise and recreation outdoors with your household or on your own with one person from another household, for medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm, to shop for food and essentials and to provide care for vulnerable people or as a volunteer’.

He added: ‘I’m afraid non- essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will be closed, though click and collect services can continue and essential shops will remain open so there’s no need to stock up.

‘Pubs, bars, restaurants must close except for takeaway and delivery services, workplaces should stay open where people can’t work from home, for example in the construction and manufacturing sectors.’

The Prime Minister said: ‘Single adult households can still form exclusive support bubbles with one other household and children will still be allowed to move between homes if their parents are separated.’

Mr Johnson stressed that the form of strict shielding for the vulnerable practised during the last lockdown would not be repeated. But he warned: ‘If you are clinically vulnerable or over the age of 60, you should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contact without others.’

And just hours before the end of the furlough scheme, the Prime Minister declared that it would be extended – in modified form – until the beginning of December.

Earlier, Professor Whitty warned: ‘If we did not act now then the chances of the NHS being in extraordinary trouble in December would be very, very high. So in a sense this is trying to make sure that December is not an impossible place for the NHS, with large numbers of people infected and large numbers dying.’

But he sought to lift the gloom by saying he was ‘one of many scientists’ who were ‘much more optimistic when we look forward to the spring’ – citing ‘multiple shots on goal’ from scientific breakthroughs on vaccines and treatments.

The Prime Minister ended his announcement by repeating ‘three rays of sunshine’ from his scientific advisers – ‘the prospect of better drugs, the realistic prospect of vaccine and the hopes we are placing in rapid turn-around testing.’

Former Tory Cabinet Minister David Davis warned that the lockdown was probably bigger than ‘a decision to go to war’, and said it was essential that MPs were given a ‘substantive vote – and on an amendable motion’ on Wednesday.

In a sign of the scale of Tory unease, Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said he would vote against the measure, adding: ‘There’s a huge danger that repeating the lockdown of earlier this year will do far more harm than good.’

There is likely to be a row with MPs over plans not to return to the ‘virtual’ Parliament of the previous lockdown. The Mail on Sunday understands that the Government will encourage MPs to attend in person where possible, telling them: ‘Schools are open and Parliament will remain open.’