Is Rishi Sunak Trying To Meme His Way To No. 10?

In what has now become tradition, Rishi Sunak’s team has published a series of pre-financial update pictures featuring the chancellor that were immediately seized upon on social media.

Ahead of reveling how he’ll push taxpayers’ money around (it’s called the spring statement but is a budget in all but name), the image-conscious politician was variously pictured preparing his speech and looking relaxed as he held forth to aides.

Wednesday’s address is set against a difficult backdrop. Sunak is trying to square the circle between burnishing his low-tax Conservative credentials with one eye on the Tory leadership, and actually raising taxes to pay for pandemic policies and NHS promises. There’s also pressure to provide relief from the rising cost of living and added strains from the war in Ukraine.

While crunching the numbers is Sunak’s prioriry, so-called optics matter too. One picture stood out from the set:

We can assume the A4 sheets of paper laid out in two neat rows represent the latest version of the speech Sunak will deliver to the Commons. It’s a bit like a footballer carefully positioning their kit in the changing room ahead of the big match.

Anyway, Twitter was ready to do what Twitter does.

It was pretty easy to photoshop

It had a certain posed energy

There were echoes of a gameshow classic

Two gameshows, in fact

These were some of the other pictures of the chilled-out chancellor

SIMON WALKER HM TREASURY

SIMON WALKER HM TREASURY

And the article he’s reading in one of the photos seems fascinating

It’s very much not the first time Sunak has been instantly memed.

On the eve of the budget in October, the Treasury published another series of photographs of the chancellor preparing for the big day.

The pictures included one of a Twix bar and a can of Sprite, and another with his dog Nova. The most commented on image had Sunak standing next to an adviser while sporting socks and £95 Palm Angels’ sliders.

And on the eve of his summer 2021 statement to parliament, the chancellor was pictured with a £180 “supermug”.

On his desk was the Ember Travel Mug, reportedly a gift from his wife, Akshata Murthy, the daughter of a billionaire businessman, which retailed for up to £179.95 online.

<img class="img-sized__img landscape" loading="lazy" alt="Sunak and the Ember Travel Mug.” width=”720″ height=”494″ src=”https://www.wellnessmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/is-rishi-sunak-trying-to-meme-his-way-to-no-10-6.jpg”>
Sunak and the Ember Travel Mug.

HM Treasury

One less successful piece of stage management saw Sunak on the stairs of No. 11, alongside other members of his Treasury team.

The oddly-framed picture brought to mind films including Titanic and The Shining, as many pointed to chairs being photoshopped out of the shot.

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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Praised For ‘Speaking Her Mind’ After ‘Vile’ Twitter Attacks

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been praised for “speaking her mind” after some “vile” Twitter attacks were launched following her criticism of the government.

On Monday, the charity worker was outspoken about Conservative ministers for taking six years to secure her release from prison in Iran.

The mother-of-one said she was let down by successive foreign secretaries before she was finally freed last week.

Speaking at a press conference in the House of Commons, Zaghari-Ratcliffe said she disagreed with her husband, Richard, who had thanked the government for finally reaching a deal over a £400 million debt owed to Iran by the UK over an order for Chieftain tanks more than 40 years ago.

The British-Iranian said there had been five different foreign secretaries over the course of her six years in jail.

“That is unprecedented given the politics of the UK,” she said. “I love you Richard, respect whatever you believe, but I was told many, many times that ‘Oh we’re going to get you home’. That never happened.”

She said this resulted in her finding it difficult to place trust in them, adding: “How many foreign secretaries does it take for someone to come home? Five?

“What’s happened now should have happened six years ago.”

Following the press conference, the word “ungrateful” trended on Twitter – which appears to have largely been driven by anonymous accounts.

But David Bannerman, a former Conservative MEP for the East of England, and a one-time deputy leader of the UK Independence Party, was among the verified Twitter users to weigh in. He wrote: “I do hope she’s not biting the hand that saved her. Does she bear no responsibility for being in a country with such a nasty regime?”

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He also retweeted an anonymous account which said: “The words you’re desperately searching for are ‘many thanks to the British government and taxpayers for paying the £400 million ransom…’”

Many negative tweets can be found in the replies to a post by Sky News which said: “Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has disagreed with her husband who thanked the foreign secretary for securing her release, saying that her release ‘should have happened six years ago’.’

But the attacks on Zaghari-Ratcliffe appeared to be far outstripped by those praising the 43-year-old.

Channel 4 News host Cathy Newman wrote: “Ridiculous (but sadly predictable) that people are cross with Nazanin for speaking her mind. She was plenty grateful for being released (and spent quite some time exhaustively thanking people) but justifiably angry that she lost six precious years in jail. Wouldn’t you be?”

Television presenter Gabby Logan said: “People (some men) really don’t like women speaking their truth. Tough.”

On April 3, 2016, the mother-of-one was detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard at Imam Khomeini airport after a holiday visit to Iran where she showed her daughter Gabriella to her parents.

Gabriella, now 7, was just 22 months old when her mother was arrested on trumped up charges of plotting against the regime – which she has always denied.

The charity worker was sentenced to five years in the notorious Evin Prison and was detained in Iran ever since.

While Nazanin’s release appears now to have hinged on the repayment of the historic debt, the government long dismissed this was the case – despite husband Richard Ratcliffe telling ministers otherwise.

“Nazanin’s interrogators told her five or six months into her arrest that they were astonished that this had lasted so long,” Ratcliffe insisted.

Despite current foreign secretary Liz Truss latterly acknowledging the link, foreign office minister James Cleverly told the commons only in March last year that historic debts between the two countries are “unrelated” to Nazanin’s detention.

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Everton-Newcastle: Why Protester Was Tied To Goalpost During Match

Everton’s crunch Premier League clash with Newcastle on Thursday was held up for six minutes when a protester tied himself to one of the goalposts.

The man, who was wearing a T-shirt supporting a group called Just Stop Oil, entered the Goodison Park pitch early in the second half and attached himself to a post by wrapping something around his neck.

The match had to be stopped while security attempted to remove him. The man was eventually cut free using a pair of bolt cutters and was led from the ground, to boos from the crowd, by police.

Just Stop Oil were quick to claim responsibility for the stunt, issuing a statement via Facebook which read: “This evening, Louis, a 21-year-old supporter of Just Stop Oil, locked on to the goalpost at Goodison Park wearing a Just Stop Oil T-shirt, causing the referee to briefly stop play.”

The environmental group’s statement went on to criticise the government’s policy on North Sea oil.

The environmental group’s statement went on to criticise the Government’s policy on North Sea oil.

The incident comes after an apparent attempt by the same group to disrupt Wednesday’s game between Arsenal and Liverpool but on that occasion a protester did not make it to the pitch.

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New Internet Laws To Crackdown On Tech Bosses

Tech bosses will face large fines if they fail to comply with new internet laws under government plans strengthening its long-awaited online safety bill.

The proposed legislation, which has been in progress for around five years and is to be brought before parliament on Thursday, will crack down on social media platforms exposing users to harmful content.

Ofcom, the new regulator for the sector, will have the power to fine companies or block access to sites that fail to comply with the new rules.

Among a series of updates, company executives will be criminally liable if they fail to comply with information requests just two months after the bill becomes law, rather than the two years previously drafted.

Destroying evidence, providing false information in interviews and obstructing the regulator when it enters company offices will also be punished.

Under the updated bill, the biggest social media platforms must also tackle so-called “legal but harmful” content.

But what is deemed “legal but harmful” will now be set out in secondary legislation approved by parliament, which the government says will prevent social media executives determining what appears.

Other updates include a new requirement to report child sexual abuse to the National Crime Agency.

The government has also said news content will be exempt from any of the regulations as part of efforts to protect free speech.

“The internet has transformed our lives for the better. It’s connected us and empowered us. But on the other side, tech firms haven’t been held to account when harm, abuse and criminal behaviour have run riot on their platforms,” culture secretary Nadine Dorries said.

The changes come after MPs, peers and campaigners warned the initial proposals failed to offer the expected user protection.

That has since sparked a number of other recently announced changes to the draft bill, including bringing paid-for scam adverts into scope, requiring sites that host pornography to ensure their users are 18 or over and criminalising cyberflashing.

Damian Collins, chair of the joint committee on the draft online safety bill, which scrutinised the previous version of the proposed rules, said it was a “huge moment for the safety of all internet users”.

“The UK is leading the world with legislation to finally hold social media companies for the offences that take place on their platforms, like hate speech, fraud, terrorism, and child abuse,” he said.

However, some campaigners have expressed concerns about the ongoing use of the phrase “legal but harmful” and the impact it could have on free speech.

Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, said using the term amounted to the creation of a “censor’s charter”.

“Unbelievably while acknowledging the sheer amount of power (Facebook executive) Nick Clegg and other Silicon Valley bigwigs already have over what we can say online, Nadine Dorries has created a bill that will grant them even more,” he said.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Given Standing Ovation From MPs Before Historic Address To Commons

British MPs have given a standing ovation to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he gave an historic address to the House of Commons.

MPs took to their feet even before Zelenskyy, who appeared via a live video link from Ukraine, had said a word.

Echoing Winston Churchill, a defiant Zelenskyy said: “We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, the fields, the shores and in the streets.”

Concluding his speech, he thanked Boris Johnson by name and called on the UK for more support.

Speaking through a translator provided by Parliament TV, he said: “We are looking for your help, for the help of Western counties.

“We are thankful for this help and I am grateful to you Boris.

“Please increase the pressure of sanctions against this country (Russia) and please recognise this country as a terrorist country.

“Please make sure sure that our Ukrainian skies are safe.

“Please make sure that you do what needs to be done and what is stipulated by the greatness of your country.

“Glory to Ukraine and glory to the United Kingdom.”

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Whitechapel Fire: Woman Rescued After Blaze At 22-Storey Building In East London

A fire broke out at 22-storey building in east London – with footage from the scene showing bright orange flames burning through a floor of the building as debris falls off the side.

London Fire Brigade said they were called to the Relay Building in Whitechapel High Street shortly before 4pm on Monday after a fire started in a 17th-floor flat.

At least 20 fire engines and 125 firefighters tackled the blaze, which could be seen for miles as social media captured glass panels falling to the ground.

The brigade said a woman was trapped by the blaze and firefighters rescued her by using a fire escape hood.

It also took one patient to hospital and crews checked a small number of people at the scene.

Screengrab taken from footage posted on Twitter by Alexander Best of a fire which has broken out in a block of flats in east London.
Screengrab taken from footage posted on Twitter by Alexander Best of a fire which has broken out in a block of flats in east London.

Alexander Best via PA Media

Speaking to residents who had gathered at The Corner cafe on Whitechapel Road following the fire, Richard Tapp, borough commander at Tower Hamlets said the building was “structurally sound”.

He told the residents that the fire was “all but extinguished” but debris like glass was still unstable.

London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 4:07pm today to reports of a fire at a high-rise building on Whitechapel High Street.

“We sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, a team leader in a fast response car and members of our hazardous area response team.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in “close contact” with London Fire Brigade’s Commissioner Andy Roe.

David Zambrana via PA Media

Lynn Ling, a London School of Economics student from China – who lives on the 20th floor with her husband Yuri, said the whole incident has been “very scary”.

Ling, who was wearing a silver security blanket because she forgot her coat in the scramble to evacuate, told the PA news agency that she was alerted to the fire by a friend who FaceTimed her from the street at about 4:30pm.

She said: “I did not hear an alarm.

“I think there was a fire alarm on the ground floor but I could not hear it clearly on the 20th.

“I went out of my door but I found there was smoke in the corridor so I went downstairs.

“I forgot to take my coat.

“It was very scary.”

She added that a fireman in the 19th floor was knocking on people’s doors to tell them to leave.

“He said: ‘Don’t be scared’.

“They were trying to protect us.” she added.

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Here’s Why ‘Chicken Kiev’ Is Being Renamed ‘Chicken Kyiv’

Sainsbury’s is renaming chicken Kievs to match the Ukrainian spelling of their capital city Kyiv in the wake of the Russian invasion.

The supermarket chain said it would start rolling out new packaging in the coming weeks using chicken Kyiv, rather than the Russian spelling Kiev. Ukrainians pronounce their capital “kee-yiv”. The Russian version is “kee-yev”.

The retailer also said it has removed all products that are “100 per cent sourced from Russia” from its shelves.

“We stand united with the people of Ukraine. We have reviewed our product range and have decided to remove from sale all products that are 100 per cent sourced from Russia,” a statement said.

“This means that from today we will no longer sell two products – Russian Standard vodka and Karpayskiye black sunflower seeds.”

What is the history?

Kiev, based on transliteration from the Russian cyrillic Киев, has long been the accepted international spelling, a hangover from Ukraine being swallowed up by Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union.

But since independence in 1991, Ukrainians have been anxious to shed the connection with the USSR and the Russification of their country. Kyiv was officially adopted in 1995.

The spelling and pronunciation took on even greater political significance four years ago after Russia’s annexation of the Crimea. It prompted the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to launch the “KyivNotKiev” campaign.

Since international media started to pay closer attention to the country as Russian president Vladimir Putin prepared the ground for an invasion, Ukrainians have implored foreign journalists to report the name accurately.

But not everyone is saying “chicken Kyiv”

Sainsbury’s is the first UK supermarket to make the switch, and it remains to be seen if other retailers will follow.

In the media, the respected Associated Press news organisation, which produces a hallowed spelling and grammar “stylebook” that is followed by newsrooms across the world, has said “chicken Kiev” will remain its preference.

It tweeted in January: “The spelling Kyiv is AP style for the capital of Ukraine, in line with the Ukrainian government’s preferred transliteration to English and increasing usage. The style for the food dish remains chicken Kiev.”

AP changed “style” for the spelling of the city in 2019. AP’s vice president for standards, John Daniszewski, wrote at the time:

“We are making a significant change in our style for the Ukrainian capital city Kiev. It will henceforth be written in text, captions and datelines as Kyiv.

“The change is in line with the Ukrainian government’s preferred name and transliteration. The spelling Kyiv also has been gaining usage over the last decade among governments, international bodies and media organizations.

“The former spelling, Kiev, will still be seen in AP stories in certain contexts, such as the popular culinary dish, chicken Kiev, and in historical contexts, such as Kievan Rus, the name of the early East Slavic culture and state.

“Although the AP prefers traditional English spellings for many cities, including Rome, Moscow and Warsaw (not Roma, Moskva and Warszawa), we regard the Ukrainian spelling of Kyiv as an important adaptation because it is linked to Ukraine’s present status. To many Ukrainians, the former spelling Kiev appears outdated because it is associated with a time when Ukraine was part of the Russian and Soviet states, rather than an independent country.”

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Gavin Williamson’s Biggest Gaffes As Ex-Tory Minister Awarded A Knighthood

There was disbelief on social media as Gavin Williamson – the twice-sacked minister who oversaw an exams fiasco – was handed a knighthood by Boris Johnson.

Downing Street said on Thursday the Tory MP, who was widely criticised for his handling of schools as education secretary during the coronavirus pandemic, would be conferred the honour by the Queen.

It is understood the 45-year-old has been ennobled on the basis of his political and public service.

The former fireplace manufacturing firm managing director – who, as a Tory party enforcer, kept a pet tarantula named Cronus in a glass box on his desk – has a dubious track record in the upper echelons of politics.

His handling of disruption to schools during the height of the pandemic and the grading of GCSEs and A-levels after exams were cancelled was widely seen as disastrous.

Williamson was rewarded with the role as education secretary by Johnson despite being sacked as defence secretary by Theresa May. It is worth noting he helped run Johnson’s successful 2019 campaign to become Tory leader.

The firing from defence came following an inquiry into the leak of information from a security council meeting about Chinese telecoms firm Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G mobile network. Williamson denied being the source of the leak, despite having an 11-minute conversation with a journalist that broke the story.

Away from policy errors, Williamson is perhaps best-known in British politics for his habit of making a gaffe. Here are some of his biggest:

Humiliating Marcus Rashford Mix-Up

The education secretary told the Evening Standard that he had met Rashford, a prominent campaigner for free school meals, while it was later revealed he had actually met rugby union player, Maro Itoje. Both men are Black.

Referencing his Mancunian origins and Itoje’s London upbringing, Rashford later tweeted: “Accent could have been a giveaway [emoji].”

‘Forgets’ His A-Level Results

In an interview on LBC, the education secretary said his results allowed him to go to Bradford University.

“For a lad growing up in Scarborough, Bradford was the most exotic and exciting place in the whole world,” he said.

“I remember walking up to those college doors, going into my college at sixth form, getting the envelope, opening up that envelope, seeing the grades on there and feeling absolute delight.”

But pressed on what his results were, Williamson said: “I’ve forgotten, it was so long ago.”

Williamson was only able to reveal he did not get three A*s.

‘Russia Should Go Away And Shut Up’

In the wake of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in 2018, Williamson gave his assessment of UK-Russian relations after the Sailsbury nerve agent attack.

Blaming Russia for the incident, he said: “It is absolutely atrocious and outrageous what Russia did in Salisbury. We have responded to that.

The tenor of his warning clearly had little effect.

‘Do As I Say, Not As I Do’ Warning To Teachers

The Times’ Nicola Woolcock tweeted: “Gavin Williamson doesn’t turn up in person to Universities UK conference in Newcastle – but uses his videolink speech to warn universities to get back to in person teaching…”

Taking To The ’Gram In Parliament

Williamson was told off by parliamentary authorities after using Instagram in the House of Commons.

Then defence secretary, he posted a photo from the government frontbench of the prime minister delivering a statement on Brexit.

It was captioned: “The @theresamay making her statement to the House of Commons.”

Admittedly, it was more drab than his usual content, which has a distinct weekend warrior energy.

A Commons spokesperson said: “Where [photography] is seen or reported to be happening the individual in question will be asked to stop and reminded of the rules.”

Heckled By His Phone

In 2018, Williamson was attempting to deliver a speech on Isis in the Middle East when a voice coming from his jacket pocket interrupted proceedings.

In what the Mirror suggested was probably the first speech to parliament by an artificial intelligence assistant, Siri could be heard saying: “Hi Gavin, I found something on the web for: ‘In Syria, democratic forces supported by…’”

Williamson told MPs: “I’m not sure what caused that intervention, but I do apologise for that.

“It is very rare that you’re heckled by your own mobile phone, but on this occasion it is a new parliamentary convention, without a doubt.”

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‘Low Taxation’ Rishi Sunak Derided As Tories And Labour Square Off Over The Economy

Labour has questioned Rishi Sunak’s attempt to portray himself as a low taxation Conservative as both parties stake their claims to being the most trusted on the economy.

The chancellor and Labour leader Keir Starmer will on Tuesday both deliver speeches that make their cases to be the next prime minister.

Sunak, seen as the most likely Tory to succeed Boris Johnson if the PM is brought down by the partygate scandal, will insist he wants to create a “lower tax economy” in an appeal to traditional Conservatives.

Meanwhile, Starmer will evoke the spirit of former Labour prime minister Harold Wilson by promising the “white heat” of a new technological revolution will deliver prosperity for all.

But in an attempt to thwart Sunak’s ambitions, Labour will claim the chancellor has slapped 15 tax rises on households and businesses in the last two years – and that he has raised the most tax on average per budget than any chancellor in the last 50 years.

Amid the cost of living crisis, the chancellor and the prime minister have been refusing to back down on the 1.25 percentage point hike to National Insurance for April despite pressure from numerous Tory MPs.

Delivering a lecture to the Bayes Business School in London, Sunak is to insist he will make “difficult and often unpopular arguments” on spending, hinting at his determination to resist calls from cabinet colleagues for fresh money.

He will argue that cutting taxation in the future needs to be done in a “responsible way”, following a row with health secretary Sajid Javid over funding the “living with Covid” plan.

Sunak is expected to say: “I firmly believe in lower taxes.

“The marginal pound our country produces is far better spent by individuals and businesses than government.

“I am going to deliver a lower tax economy but I am going to do so in a responsible way, and in a way that tackles our long term challenges,” he is due to add.

But in comments that will be seen as a challenge to ministers demanding increased spending, he is expected to say: “Cutting tax sustainably requires hard work, prioritisation, and the willingness to make difficult and often unpopular arguments elsewhere.”

He will also say that he is “disheartened” when he hears the “flippant claim” that tax cuts always pay for themselves, adding: “They do not.”

In response, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves used the speech to brand the Conservatives the party of “high tax” as a result of being “the party of low growth”.

“Over a decade of Tory government, the economy has grown far slower than when Labour was in power, and it is set to go even slower in the coming years,” she said, citing research suggesting the £27.3bn raised by Sunak per year is higher than that brought in by 12 Tory and Labour predecessors at the Treasury since 1970.

Elsewhere, Starmer will promise to build a “new economy of security” as he borrows from Wilson’s 1963 pledge to harness “the white heat of technological change”. At the time, Wilson was seeking to become the first Labour prime minister for more than a decade.

Speaking in Wilson’s home town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, Starmer will say that after 12 years of a Conservative government, it will fall to Labour to deal with the next generation of change.

“Our country and our economy are entirely different now, but we too are going through the white heat,” he is expected to say.

“We face our own revolutions in technology and industry, and it will fall to the next Labour government to shape that change so it works for all.”

It marks the latest stage of his effort to restore the party’s economic credibility in the eyes of voters following the controversy over Jeremy Corbyn’s plans.

Starmer will declare his determination to end the “economic fatalism” of the Tories, who he will accuse of lacking a clear plan for business.

“Britain cannot rise to the great challenges of the day without the innovation of business,” he will say.

“A political party without a clear plan for making sure businesses are successful and growing … which doesn’t want them to do well and make a profit … has no hope of being a successful government.”

He will argue that if the Tories had matched Labour’s record on growth, people would have enjoyed higher incomes while an additional £30 billion a year would have been available for public services without raising taxes.

“We will build a new economy of security, where stable employment will be the bedrock of a better future for the next generation,” he will say.

“We will build an economy of prosperity, in which the places that once powered Britain flourish again. We will build a new economy of respect, where the contribution of every worker and employee is given its due.”

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Chris Whitty And Patrick Vallance Urge Caution Despite Removal Of Covid Restrictions

The UK government’s leading scientific advisors on the Covid pandemic have sounded notes of caution as Boris Johnson released his plan for living with the virus.

England’s chief medical officer professor Sir Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, both used markedly different language to the PM as he announced a rolling back of all legal Covid restrictions within weeks.

In addition, from this Thursday people will no longer have to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid. Currently, the rules state that anyone who has tested positive or has symptoms must isolate for up to 10 days.

At a Downing Street press conference, the scientists were at pains to stress the lifting of restrictions “needs to be a gradual, steady change”, and warned new Covid variants will cause “significant problems”. Whitty even said people should still isolate if they have Covid-19.

But despite the differences in tone, Johnson insisted there was no divide between the “gung-ho politicians and the cautious, anxious scientists”.

Earlier in the Commons, the PM admitted that the “pandemic is not over”, but said he wanted people to take personal responsibility for dealing with the pandemic, rather than relying on government intervention.

At the press conference, Whitty warned high rates of Omicron remain and “I would urge people in terms of public health advice, and this is very much the government’s position, that people should still if they have Covid try to prevent other people getting it and that means self-isolating”.

“So, that is the public health advice. It would have been the public health advice, and will be the public health advice, for multiple other diseases,” he said, describing it as “standard public health advice for a significant and highly transmissible infection”.

Vallance added that “the one thing this virus has taught you, is not to be cocky”, and said Covid will continue to evolve over the next couple of years.

He told the Downing Street news conference that there was no guarantee that future variants would be less severe.

“This pandemic is not over. The virus is continuing to evolve. It will continue to do so quite fast probably for the next couple of years,” he said.

“There is no guarantee that the next variant is as reduced severity as Omicron. As is it evolves what it is trying to do is to transmit more readily.

“The change in severity is a random by-product. We expect there to be further variants and they could be more severe.”

Johnson said there will likely be another variant that will “cause us trouble”.

Speaking at the press conference, he said: “I don’t want you to think that there’s some division between the gung-ho politicians and the cautious, anxious scientists, much as it may suit everybody to say so.

“We have a very clear view of this. This has not gone away. We’re able to make these changes now because of the vaccines and the high level of immunity and all the other considerations about Omicron that you’ve seen.

“But we have to face the fact that there could be, likely will be, another variant that will cause us trouble.

“But I believe that thanks to a lot of the stuff that we’ve done, particularly investment in vaccines and vaccine technology and therapeutics, we’ll be in a far better position to tackle that new variant when it comes.”

Routine contact tracing will also end on Thursday, as will the £500 self-isolation payments and the legal obligation for individuals to tell their employers about their requirement to isolate.

Changes to statutory sick pay and employment support allowance designed to help people through the coronavirus pandemic will end on March 24.

People aged 75 and over, the immunosuppressed and those living in care homes will be offered another Covid-19 booster vaccine this spring under the plans.

But free universal testing will be massively scaled back from April 1 and will instead be focused on the most vulnerable, with the UK Health Security Agency set to determine the details, while asymptomatic testing will continue for social care staff.

But the Department of Health and Social Care will receive no extra money to deliver the testing.

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