Boris Johnson’s government has agreed to rewrite travel guidance advising against all but essential travel in eight areas of England affected by the Indian variant of Covid-19 following a day of anger and confusion.
Ministers were accused of introducing local lockdowns “by stealth” over the guidance, which will now be changed to make clear it is only advisory.
Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Leicester and the London borough of Hounslow are all included on the list, which was quietly published on a government website on Friday, with no warnings given to leaders of the local authority areas affected. Meeting people indoors is also discouraged.
Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South East and shadow international development minister, said she was “gobsmacked” when the details emerged as she accused the government of incompetence.
Blackburn MP Kate Hollern said she was “strongly opposed” to the “lockdown-lite” changes, which she said were introduced “by stealth”. A government spokesperson said additional guidance was needed to help slow the spread of the B1.617.2 strain.
