Signs 'encouraging' that Plan B Covid restrictions will be ditched by end of the month

Boris Johnson announced the latest rules on December 8 last year as the Omicron variant spread quickly throughout the country.

They include face masks once again becoming compulsory in most public indoor venues, other than hospitality; NHS Covid Pass to be mandatory in specific settings, and people told to work from home if they can.

But Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme he is hopeful the restrictions will be dropped at the end of the month.

He said: “It has always been my hope that we would have the Plan B restrictions for the shortest period possible.

“I’m under no doubt the kind of burdens this puts hospitality, wider business, schools and so on under, and I want us to get rid of those if we possibly can.

“The signs are encouraging but, clearly, we will wait to see the data ahead of that final decision.”

It comes at the end of a week where there have been calls for Boris Johnson to resign after he apologised for attending a “bring your own booze” drinks at Downing Street during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also appeared on television saying he hopes Plan B restrictions can be lifted “as soon as possible”.

He said: “But I want them to be lifted because the medical science says they should be lifted, not simply because the Prime Minister is in a real mess and he’s desperately trying to get out of it.”

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