XPost: alt.bible.prophecy, uk.legal, uk.politics.misc

https://archive.ph/Tokrz

Sajid Javid pushed for Christmas lockdown and mandatory Covid vaccines
Backlash over ex-health secretary’s attack on PM hots up as The
Telegraph can reveal he advocated strict rules to curb omicron spread
By
Tony Diver,
WHITEHALL CORRESPONDENT
8 July 2022 • 9:26pm
Sajid Javid
Two sources said that Sajid Javid, as health secretary, had urged Boris
Johnson to close public spaces to avoid the spread of the virus CREDIT:
Henry Nicholls/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Sajid Javid wanted lockdown measures over Christmas and mandatory Covid vaccines for employees, it has emerged amid backlash over his speech
condemning Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister’s allies have hit back at the former health secretary after he chose to make a “personal statement” in the Commons following
his resignation on Tuesday.
Mr Javid used the speech to publicly question Mr Johnson’s integrity and
draw attention to his own leadership credentials ahead of an expected leadership bid.
However, MPs said that the speech would turn off potential backers in
the contest, who could feel his decision to speak in the Commons about
his reasons for resigning was disloyal.
Separately, The Telegraph can reveal that Mr Javid pushed for greater
Covid restrictions over Christmas in 2021, amid rising cases of the
omicron variant.
Two sources said that he had urged Mr Johnson to close public spaces
such as shops and hospitality to avoid the spread of the virus.
Placeholder image for youtube video: 5EmuPVfbxos
'Enough is enough': Sajid Javid challenges others to resign from Boris Johnson's Cabinet


However, Downing Street chose to run a “Plan B” package of measures instead, which mandated face masks, required Covid passports in some
settings and encouraged working from home.
The plan was activated less than three weeks before Christmas in an
attempt to control new infections without preventing celebrations from
going ahead.
A source said: “He said that we need more measures. We did Plan B, but
he was talking about the need to shut things. I don’t think he had
really thought it through.”
It was also claimed that Mr Javid had suggested that the Government
follow a suggestion by Joe Biden, the US president, and mandate
vaccinations for people who work for companies with more than 100 employees. The plan would have seen workers told that they must be vaccinated or
wear masks in the workplace, and be tested for Covid at least once per week. The policy was blocked in the US by the country’s Supreme Court, which
argued it was a “significant encroachment on the lives – and health – of a vast number of employees”.
Coronavirus Plan B
Instead of locking down the country, Downing Street chose to run a ‘Plan
B’ package of measures, which mandated face masks CREDIT: Mike
Egerton/PA Wire
A representative for Mr Javid did not deny that he had supported the
policy, which sources said was rejected by the Prime Minister in late 2021.
A source close to him said: “The PM and Sajid jointly decided not to introduce further restrictions. Prior to this, there was some discussion between teams about some limited additional restrictions for a strictly
limited period in order to avoid the need for tougher measures over
Christmas.
“Lots of ideas were discussed around increasing vaccine uptake. Sajid ultimately scrapped vaccine passports and also reversed the decision
made on making vaccine a condition of deployment in the NHS.”
Mr Javid has not yet announced his leadership bid, but is widely
expected to after his resignation from the Government earlier this week.
In his Commons personal statement, he said: “It is not fair on
ministerial colleagues to have to go out every morning defending lines
that do not stand up and do not hold up.
“It is not fair on my parliamentary colleagues who bear the brunt of constituents’ dismay in their inboxes and on the doorsteps in recent elections, and it is not fair on Conservative members and voters who
rightly expect better standards from the party they supported.”
MPs claimed that the statement had backfired and could cost Mr Javid the
party leadership.
One senior backbencher said: “It was unfortunate. That wasn’t a sensible move. We are in a difficult situation and I think if you compare what
Saj did and what Rishi [Sunak] did, Rishi was the more statesman-like one. “The Tories like loyalty, even when they realise the time is up and it’s time to go. I think it would have been better not to. I thought it was ill-advised.”

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)