Boris Johnson cancels trip to Lancashire after family member contracts COVID-19

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The cancellation comes as pressure mounts on the prime minister after he apologized at PMQs on Wednesday to attend a party at No. 10 during the Covid lockdown in 2020.

Mr Johnson would have faced questions from the media about his attendance at the Downing Street “Bring Your Own Alcohol” event on a planned visit to Lancashire.

Official guidance no longer requires those in contact with immunized coronavirus cases to self-isolate.

Number 10 said a close member of Johnson’s family, who lives in Downing Street, tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday.

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The prime minister’s official spokesman said the prime minister had a test on Wednesday and another on Thursday.

He said: “The Prime Minister is following the directive to conduct daily tests and limit contact with others, as I said (the test) positive was on Wednesday, so the Prime Minister will continue to follow that directive until… including on Tuesday of next week.

“For reference, the directive is to have an LFD (lateral flow device) test every day for seven days, or up to 10 days after a family member with Covid-19 has started their self-isolation period if this is previously and in this instance it is not, so It is seven days.”

“In line with the directive, it is reducing communications, will operate from No. 10, run daily tests, and limit contact with others outside No. 10 and actually inside No. 10 as well,” the spokesperson said.

He said the prime minister would continue to hold meetings but “the bulk of that will be done by default”.

The prime minister has faced calls to step down from within the Conservative Party.

But Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, and the rest of Mr Johnson’s Cabinet, said he had given a “clear account” of his actions and that the “correct way to deal with this” was to await the report of senior civil servant Sue Gray on the alleged series of Downing Street concerts.

“If there are questions, or issues, that this raises – that’s exactly why Sue Gray is there to do the investigation and make sure all the answers can be provided,” Raab said on Wednesday.

“I fully support this prime minister, and I am confident that he will continue for many years to come,” he added.

Health Minister Sajid Javid said: “I fully understand why people are feeling disappointed. The Prime Minister did the right thing by apologizing.”

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