Boris Johnson has called a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergencies committee this weekend in response to the fast-accelerating wave of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The meeting, which will include representatives of devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will inevitably spark speculation that further restrictions are being considered in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.
The meeting comes just days after the introduction of Plan B restrictions including Covid passes for entry to mass-audience events and mandatory face-coverings in indoor public places.
The prime minister’s refusal to order the shutdown of sports fixtures and entertainment venues to prevent social mingling has been criticised both by public health experts – including the Independent Sage group who want a 10-day circuit-breaker lockdown – and by some in the hospitality industry who accuse Johnson of inflicting a “lockdown by stealth” with no new financial support for pubs and restaurants suffering cancellations.
Mr Johnson has promised to recall parliament from its Christmas break if new regulations are needed to impose additional curbs on social and economic life.
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The prime minister today spoke by phone with Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon and agreed to collaborate closely with the devolved administrations to protect the public across the UK.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The prime minister has spoken to first minister Nicola Sturgeon this afternoon to discuss the ongoing response to the Omicron variant.
“The prime minister and the first minister agreed on the importance of close collaboration for the benefit of citizens across the UK.
“They discussed the shared challenges including the economic disruption caused by Covid and will continue to work together.
“The prime minister confirmed UK government will be convening a COBR meeting over the weekend with counterparts from the devolved administrations to continue discussions.”