Ministers will ‘dial in’ to Cabinet meeting tomorrow to minimise coronavirus risk – as No10 confirms Dominic Raab would fill in if the PM goes down with disease
Ministers will ‘dial in’ to tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting tomorrow to minimise coronavirus risk.
Downing Street has revealed that a ‘very significant’ number will take part in the crucial gathering remotely.
The PM’s spokesman has also confirmed that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would fill in if Boris Johnson becomes ill – although he is currently ‘well’.
Details of the arrangements emerged as the government seeks to show it is practising what it preaches over ‘social distancing’.
Mr Johnson is under huge pressure to scale up the lockdown in the UK amid fears that many people are flouting the rules and putting lives at risk.
In London, the Tube system was still busy this morning and joggers and dog walkers have been out in force in parks.
Downing Street has revealed that a ‘very significant’ number of ministers will take part in Cabinet tomorrow remotely. Cabinet is pictured meeting last month
The PM’s spokesman has also confirmed that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured in Downing Street today) would fill in if Boris Johnson becomes ill – although he is currently ‘well’
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘I would expect that now and for the foreseeable future a very significant number of Cabinet ministers will take part by dialling in or via video conferencing.’
Reports over the weekend suggested a number of ministers were jockeying for the post of stand-in prime minister.
The spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister is well… the Foreign Secretary is the First Secretary of State.’
If Mr Raab was also ill, the PM has the power to delegate responsibility to any of his ministers, the spokesman added.
Mr Johnson is preparing to address the nation tonight amid signs he will finally put the UK into full coronavirus lockdown after the UK’s death toll spiked by 54 to 335.
The PM will make a televised speech amid fury that many people are still flouting government guidance, with parks and Tube trains in London – regarded as the engine of the UK outbreak – still busy.
The government’s Cobra emergency committee is due to meet at 5pm, and Mr Johnson is expected to make a significant announcement later.
The move comes after the number of fatalities went up by 54 in a single day – the second biggest rise yet.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has underlined that a decision on toughening measures is expected ‘very soon’, hitting out at ‘selfish’ behaviour and saying ‘nothing is off the table’.
He pointed to measures in Italy and France – where all municipal spaces have been closed, forms have to be filled out to leave the house, and police are on patrol handing out fines.
The backlash has been mounting against Mr Johnson’s ‘relaxed’ style today, with warnings of a ‘full-scale mutiny’ among Cabinet if the lockdown is not extended, and Labour claiming his ‘mixed messages will cost lives’.
Downing Street today dodged questions about the prospect of a mutiny, and said it was looking at evidence to decide whether social distancing must be enforced. ‘If our analysis is that people haven’t stopped their interaction then we will take further measures,’ the PM’s spokesman said.
Labour’s official position has shifted to insist it is time to introduce harsher ‘compliance measures’.
Mr Johnson (pictured at a press conference last night) is under huge pressure to scale up the lockdown in the UK amid fears that many people are flouting the rules and putting lives at risk