UK Covid live: UKHSA chief asks MPs to expect ‘extremely astounding’ numbers on Omicron’s growth | Policy

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good morning. It is one of those ‘morning after night before’ moments in Westminster, when the political media establishment is still trying to determine how important or harmful the votes of last night are. It clearly has implications for the government’s ability to legislate for more Covid regulations, and for Boris Johnson’s leadership. But it may not be the defining moment it seemed last night. Until yesterday, Johnson’s previous biggest rebellion came last December over gradual arrangements in England (remember it?). It was also seen as evidence that he was pushing the Conservative Party too far in accordance with Covid regulations. But then the alpha variant came and another surge, and a few weeks later a second shutdown occurred without much protest from the Conservative Party.

However, no one can pretend to be insignificant, and one of the interesting things about the Tory rebellion is that it was driven by a mixture of different motives. Mostly it was motivated by liberal skepticism of the lockdown, but some MPs were voting against Covid permits simply because they thought they wouldn’t work (many quoted a paper by the SNP government in Scotland to support their case) and public discontent with Johnson’s leadership (increased by the Owen Patterson and Partygate disaster ) was also a factor.

Sheer foolishness may have played a role, too. Several Tory MPs in the debate made it clear that they wanted assurance that, if more Covid restrictions were needed over Christmas, Parliament would be recalled. Sajid Javid, the health secretary, could not make that promise during the debate, and Johnson himself was vague on this point when he addressed the 1922 Conservative Committee, shortly before the debate.

But the government is now outspoken on that promise – about 12 hours after helping it win a few votes. Grant Shapps, the Secretary of Transportation, made this clear on his morning radio tour. He told BBC Breakfast:

We have now put in place the measures that we believe will lead us into the new year.

If we need to do anything else, Parliament will also be called to vote on doing so, so it won’t just be an automated thing.

Here’s our nightly story about last night’s vote.

Here is today’s agenda.

9:30 am: UK Health Security Agency submits guide to Public Transport Commission on airline industry and Covid; At 10.45 am, Robert Curtis, the Secretary of Aviation, testified.

12 p.m.: Boris Johnson faces Keir Starmer in PMQs.

2pm: Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, Sir Chris Wormald, permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care, and other senior health officials provide evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on NHS waiting lists.

I will be focusing heavily on issues related to UK Covid today, but there is much more coverage on the global live Covid blog. he is here.

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