Priti Patel was grilled by Susanna Reid over claims the government’s messaging has been inconsistent messaging on Covid lockdown rules.
The Home Secretary appeared on Good Morning Britain today where she was asked to clarify the rules around recreation and exercise.
The GMB presenter put it to Ms Patel that the rules are still very confusing for some people and they need clarifying.
She said: “I’m asking if you have sympathy with people who are still confused about the rules? And when you say they are very clear and very simple, if you yourself are getting them muddled up that’s not the case is it?”
The confusion stemmed from the MP's statement last week where she said people in England should be exercising on their own, which according to government guidelines is not strictly the case.
The rules state you can exercise with one other person outside your household.
Ms Patel tried to clarify the government’s regulations but hit a stumbling block halfway.
She said: “Well first of all I’m not getting them muddled up. When I’ve spoken about exercise and recreation, I put it within that context and it is a fact again, when I was asked questions about exercising, specifically it was about riding cycles and running which people tend to do on their own.
Keep up to date with the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in your area by using your postcode below
“I also said we should not be using exercise for socialisation and it is right and it is a fact people can exercise in their bubbles. When I was speaking specifically about exercise last week I was specifically referring to exercising on your own and that is what I was speaking about very much on exercising.”
Susanna interrupted Ms Patel: “You’ve just said you can exercise with your bubble, are you saying people can exercise outside of their bubble?”
Patel said: “I was saying, first of all last week, you’ve asked me about my comments last week, I was referring to exercising on your own because people asked me questions about running and cycling."
The Secretary of State went on to clarify the situation. She added: “People can exercise alone with one person or within their household or support bubbles and that is in the regulations and that is in the rules that have been stipulated.”
Government rules state you ARE allowed to exercise with one other person from outside your household, provided it is just the two of you.
