Covid: Boris Johnson's ludicrous attempt to avoid self-isolating shows contempt for the public – Steve Cardownie

If it wasn’t already past the ludicrous stage – it certainly is now.

Boris Johnson appears on a screen from Chequers, where he is self-isolating, during a Covid media briefing with chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (Picture: Alberto Pezzali/PA)

The Westminster Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, tests positive for Covid-19 and as he had been in close contact with both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak they should have, under the rules, self-isolated.

Not so, we were informed. Instead they would both take part in a pilot scheme that involved daily testing.

Then came the U-turn. Speaking on video on Twitter, the PM said: “We did look briefly at the idea of us taking part in the pilot scheme, which allows people to test daily, but I think it’s far more important that everybody sticks to the same rules and that is why I’m going to be self-isolating until Monday 26 July.”

So, they only “briefly” looked at the idea of taking part in the pilot scheme. Nonsense.

They were quite prepared to evade the strictures imposed by the rules on self-isolating until the public backlash became too hot to handle and they were forced to conform.

What beggar’s belief is that even after all this time during the pandemic, when several public figures such as Matt Hancock fell on their swords for failing to obey the rules, they still thought that they would get away with it.

What arrogance! One rule for the masses and another for the lawmakers, who, by their words and deeds, display a breath-taking contempt for the public.

Senior members of the government play fast and loose with the rules because they genuinely believe that they are entitled to do so – no more, no less!

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