Prime Minister (born 19 June 1964)
Covid-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a serious crisis within the first few months of Johnson's second term. Throughout the pandemic, Johnson made a number of policy decisions to curb the pandemic some time after the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advised them contradicting his previous pledges and statements. Johnson's non-attendance of five COBR briefings during the early months of the pandemic and the failure of the UK government to prepare for and control the outbreak has been criticised. The UK was amongst the last major European states to encourage social distancing, close schools, ban public events and order a lockdown. This slow response is thought to have contributed to the UK's high death toll from COVID-19, among the highest in the world in total and by population. Johnson's public communication over the virus has also been criticised.
On 3 March, Johnson admitted to shaking hands with COVID patients in hospital on the same day that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) had advised the government to warn the public not to shake hands and minimise physical contact. On 20 March, Johnson requested the closure of pubs, restaurants, gyms, entertainment venues, museums and galleries that evening, though with some regret, saying, "We’re taking away the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub." On 23 March, this was strengthened into a "stay at home" order throughout the UK, except for a few limited purposes, backed up by new legal powers.
On 27 March, it was announced that Johnson had tested positive for COVID-19. On 5 April, with his symptoms persisting, he was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital in London for tests. The next day, his condition having worsened, he was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit; Dominic Raab was appointed to deputise for him. Johnson left intensive care on 9 April, and left hospital three days later to recuperate at Chequers. After a fortnight at Chequers, he returned to Downing Street on the evening of 26 April and was said to be chairing a government COVID-19 "war cabinet" meeting.
Close-up of virus under microscope.
SARS-CoV-2 2019-nCov COVID-19 pandemic
Boris Johnson: stay alert campaign
A scandal in May 2020 involved Johnson's chief political advisor Dominic Cummings, who made a trip with his family to Durham during the March 2020 lockdown while suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. Both Cummings and Johnson rejected widespread calls that Cummings resign. Calls for Johnson to sack Cummings came from MPs both within and outside the Conservative party, scientific advisors and media. Johnson's defence of Cummings and his refusal to sack him caused a widespread backlash. This resulted in a loss of confidence in the government and specifically its response to the pandemic, referred to as 'the Cummings effect' in a study in The Lancet. Concerns were raised in the study that this could affect the public's compliance with pandemic restrictions.
The Johnson ministry has been accused of cronyism in their assignment of contracts related to the pandemic response. Procurement of government contracts for key COVID-19 supplies and measures has become less transparent as a result of emergency measures which have bypassed the usual competitive tendering process. In October 2020, Johnson conceded that the UK's test and trace system and its specially developed contact tracing app, which had been criticised for their cost and operational issues, had caused "frustrations" and needed improvement.
Johnson hosts virtual G7 meeting in February 2021 Johnson reportedly resisted calls from SAGE and within the government to enact a second lockdown throughout September as COVID-19 infections rose. In April 2021, Johnson denied allegations he had said he would rather "let the bodies pile high in their thousands" than enact a second national lockdown on 30 October 2020. The government enacted a second national lockdown on 31 Octobe
Throughout December 2020, COVID-19 cases across the UK rose significantly, putting additional strain on emergency services and hospitals the novel variant Lineage B.1.1.7 spread widely. In response, the government enacted further restrictions to large parts of southern and eastern England and shortened a planned household mixing period over Christmas on 21 December. A third lockdown for the whole of England was announced on 4 January 2021. Record numbers of infections and daily deaths were recorded in the UK throughout January, and the government began exploring quarantine procedures on arrival. Johnson said he was "deeply sorry" and "take[s] full responsibility" as the UK passed 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, the first European country to do so, on 26 January.
Johnson with US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit in Cornwall, 10 June 2021. The UK was the first country in the world to begin its COVID-19 vaccination programme on 8 December 2020. Half of UK adults had received at least their first vaccine dose by 20 March 2021. Johnson received his first dose of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on the previous day.
In September 2021, Johnson was pictured in a packed cabinet meeting, with "at least 30 people crammed shoulder-to-shoulder", without anyone wearing masks and with all windows apparently closed, contradicting government advice.
In September 2021, panic buying of petrol and diesel fuel by consumers in the United Kingdom caused serious disruption to the supply of road fuel. Johnson said the rise in energy prices was a "short-term" problem caused by "the global economy coming back to life" after the COVID-19 pandemic.
EU-UK Trade Agreement passes into UK law
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