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UK Covid live: Boris Johnson says people should not cancel Christmas parties over Omicron UK Covid live: Boris Johnson says people should not cancel Christmas parties over Omicron
(33 minutes later)
Prime minister says the government does not want people to cancel events like Christmas parties and nativity plays PM says government does not want people to cancel events such as Christmas parties and nativity plays
While the press conference was going on MPs voted for the second set of new Covid rules for England, requiring close contacts of people who are confirmed or suspected to have had the Omicron variant, to isolate for up to 10 days, by 431 votes to 36 - a majority of 395. In the Commons MPs are now debating a censure motion against Boris Johnson tabled by the SNP. This is what it says.
The sixth principle of public life is honesty.
Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, opened the debate. He said Johnson needed to be censured because otherwise he would think he could get away with breaking the rules. He said:
Blackford also said Johnson had shown himself to be a liar.
MPs are normally not allowed to call each other liars in the chamber. But Blackford was allowed to use it on this occasion because Johnson’s honesty was the topic for debate, although Dame Eleanor Laing, the deputy Speaker, urged Blackford and other MPs to avoid “intemperate abuse”.
Michael Ellis, paymaster general in the Cabinet Office, responded for the government. He ignored the terms of the motion almost completely and instead just spoke about the PM’s “large litany of achievement”, such as Brexit, while also defending the union.
Anneliese Dodds, the Labour party chair, is speaking now, but, as is common when the opposition day debate is allocated to the SNP, the Labour benches are virtually empty because their MPs are staying away.
In his opening comments at the press conference Boris Johnson said that the government wanted all adults to be offered a booster vaccine by the end of January.
At one point in an earlier post I said he implied people would all get them by the end of January, but he just talked about people being offered one by then.
Here is my colleague Heather Stewart’s story about the offer.
While the press conference was going on MPs voted for the second set of new Covid rules for England, requiring close contacts of people who are confirmed or suspected to have had the Omicron variant, to isolate for up to 10 days, by 431 votes to 36 – a majority of 395.
According to the parliamentary website, 32 Conservative MPs and three DUP MPs voted against. They are listed here.According to the parliamentary website, 32 Conservative MPs and three DUP MPs voted against. They are listed here.
Again, the numbers don’t quite tally, for reasons that are not clear.Again, the numbers don’t quite tally, for reasons that are not clear.
Johnson ends by talking about Storm Arwen. He says no one asked about it. But he says he wants to reassure people who have lost power that everything possible is being done to get the power back up. He says he recognises how tough it will have been for people.Johnson ends by talking about Storm Arwen. He says no one asked about it. But he says he wants to reassure people who have lost power that everything possible is being done to get the power back up. He says he recognises how tough it will have been for people.
Q: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all advising people to work from home. Why are you taking a different view?Q: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all advising people to work from home. Why are you taking a different view?
Johnson says the government does not think that is necessary. A package of measures is in place to deal with Delta. They are rolling out the vaccine, and it is working.Johnson says the government does not think that is necessary. A package of measures is in place to deal with Delta. They are rolling out the vaccine, and it is working.
There is a particular issue with Omicron, and they are focusing on tough measures at the border.There is a particular issue with Omicron, and they are focusing on tough measures at the border.
They are also introducing face coverings in some settings.They are also introducing face coverings in some settings.
He says they want to take a balanced and proportionate approach to Omicron.He says they want to take a balanced and proportionate approach to Omicron.
They are waiting for evidence about how effective the vaccines and the boosters are against it. There are good grounds for thinking the boosters will give the protection people need.They are waiting for evidence about how effective the vaccines and the boosters are against it. There are good grounds for thinking the boosters will give the protection people need.
Johnson says at the moment they see no need to move to plan B. But that has not been ruled out.Johnson says at the moment they see no need to move to plan B. But that has not been ruled out.
Q: Is there a risk of another “pingdemic”?Q: Is there a risk of another “pingdemic”?
Johnson says he does not think that is likely. Currently the Omicron case numbers are small, he says.Johnson says he does not think that is likely. Currently the Omicron case numbers are small, he says.
Q: People are cancelling nativity plays and Christmas parties. Are they over-reacting?Q: People are cancelling nativity plays and Christmas parties. Are they over-reacting?
Johnson says they do not want people to cancel events like Christmas parties and nativity plays.Johnson says they do not want people to cancel events like Christmas parties and nativity plays.
Pritchard urges people to think about volunteering for the vaccine programme. The volunteer staff have been critical, she says.Pritchard urges people to think about volunteering for the vaccine programme. The volunteer staff have been critical, she says.
Q: Is there community transmission of Omicron?Q: Is there community transmission of Omicron?
Javid says the cases revealed at the weekend were linked to South Africa. He says they do not know if that is the case for the cases announced today. But he says they have to be realistic about the likelihood that community transmission is taking place.Javid says the cases revealed at the weekend were linked to South Africa. He says they do not know if that is the case for the cases announced today. But he says they have to be realistic about the likelihood that community transmission is taking place.
Q: Do you have enough vaccine in stock for the booster programme?Q: Do you have enough vaccine in stock for the booster programme?
Pritchard says she is absolutely reassured that they have the vaccine stock they need.Pritchard says she is absolutely reassured that they have the vaccine stock they need.
Q: Would you advise people to use medical-grade masks?Q: Would you advise people to use medical-grade masks?
Javid says they see no need to change the current advice on masks.Javid says they see no need to change the current advice on masks.
Q: Can you give people some hope that this will not go on?Q: Can you give people some hope that this will not go on?
Johnson says the measures put in place will not last a minute longer than is needed.Johnson says the measures put in place will not last a minute longer than is needed.
Pritchard says everyone should be able to book a booster vaccine by the end of January.
(That is not quite how Johnson put it earlier. He implied everyone would get their booster by the end of January.)
Pritchard says this will be the most complex part of the vaccine rollout so far.
NHS staff have responded magnificently, he says. She is confident they will again.
At the press conference the first media question is about Jenny Harries.
Q: Was Jenny Harries right to say what she said about limiting socialisting at Christmas?
The answer is no, says Johnson. He says they are trying to take a balanced and proportionate approach. He sums up the measures announced at the weekend.
Here is the list of 19 Tory MPs and three DUP MPs who voted against the new face covering rules for England.
When the result was read out, there were 23 votes against, but the Commons website only lists 22 of those. It is not clear why.
Amanda Pritchard says she is writing to the NHS saying what needs to be done to operationalise the new guidance.
She says people do not need to contact the NHS about boosters; the NHS will contact them when it’s time for their jab, she says.
Sajid Javid says the UK was the first country in the western world to authorise a vaccine for Covid.
And the UK has delivered more booster jabs than any country apart from the US and China.
He thanks all health staff who have made this a success.
They have weakened the link between cases and hospitalisations and deaths, he says.
He says the booster dose provides a much higher response than the primary course.
Omicron poses a very high global risk, the WHO has said. He says there have now been 13 confirmed cases in England and nine in Scotland.
The strategy to “buy the time we need to assess this new variant”.
He says the latest developments have been worrying for some people. They have brought back memories of the strain of last winter. But we have one huge advantage we did not have then - the vaccination programme.
This is a national mission, he says. If we want to have the best chance of a Christmas with our loved ones, we should get protected, he says.
Johnson says people should avoid trying to book a booster until their age group gets its turn.
He says he will be getting his own booster on Thursday.
Boris Johnson is speaking now at his press conference.
He starts by saying all adults will be offered a booster vaccine by the end of January.
The government has won the vote on passing the new regulations on face coverings by 434 votes to 23 - a majority of 411.
The Boris Johnson press conference is about to start. He will be appearing with Sajid Javid, the health secretary, and Amanda Pritchard, chief executive officer for NHS England.