The prime minister will virtually hold a coronavirus press conference this afternoon as he self-isolates at Chequers.
Boris Johnson is spending England’s so-called 'Freedom Day' self-isolating at his official country residence following a u-turn over an initial attempt to use an opt-out testing regime.
Mr Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak – who were told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace after coming into contact with health secretary Sajid Javid, who subsequently tested positive for the virus – initially tried to get round the requirement to quarantine by saying they would join a daily workplace testing programme being trialled by the Cabinet Office and No 10.
However, they were forced into a hasty reversal on Sunday amid widespread public anger at their “special treatment” while tens of thousands of people were being forced to miss work or school and stay home.
Now, the prime minister is set to hold a government press conference on the day the majority of coronavirus restrictions have been scrapped in England.
Face masks are no longer mandatory in shops and on public transport, limits on gathering have gone and the work-from-home guidance has ended.
Nightclubs – with people queuing across the country to hit the dance floors at one minute past midnight – theatres and restaurants can fully reopen while pubs are no longer restricted to table service only.
A spokesperson for the prime minister said a press conference will be held at 5pm to mark the lifting of most legal coronavirus restrictions in England.
Mr Johnson will appear via video link, while chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and England’s deputy medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam will contribute from Downing Street.
Mr Johnson will be self-isolating until July 26, which will include the final Prime Minister’s Questions before the Commons goes into recess, and the two-year anniversary of him entering No 10, which is on Saturday.
