Boris Johnson, left, on a bike ride in July.
Photographer: Rui Vieira / AFP via Getty Images
Photographer: Rui Vieira / AFP via Getty Images
Boris Johnson has a new enemy in his fight to persuade the British public to follow lock-in rules: himself.
On Sunday, the prime minister was spotted on his bicycle, along with his security guards, on the Olympic Park in east London, 11 km from his official Westminster residence.
According to government guidelines, outdoor exercises should be restricted and people should stay in their local area. The prime minister and his team warned on Monday that a stricter closure would be needed if people continued to ignore the restrictions.
The episode, first reported by the capital’s Evening Standard newspaper, raised a number of questions to Johnson’s office, which could not provide a statement explaining his trip.
Eventually, Health Minister Matt Hancock dropped out to give the prime minister political cover and said a 7-kilometer hike for an exercise was allowed. “It’s OK to take a long walk or bike ride,” Hancock told a news conference. “But stay local.”
Dangerous
Yet Johnson remains open to criticism, and the risks are multiple for a leader whose pandemic strategy was characterized by U-turns in a country that already follows a looser approach to coronavirus rules than its neighbors. A succession of British politicians and public figures have been caught since the pandemic began, leading to some, but not all, apologizing or resigning.
The prime minister’s bike ride could undermine the message of his own government on what he sees as a ‘dangerous’ moment for the country, with the pandemic out of control and hospitals on the verge of being overwhelmed.
Nearly 82,000 people across the UK have Hancock died of the disease on Monday – averaging 926 a day in the past week – and 32,294 are currently being treated in hospital. While 2.2 million people have been vaccinated, more than elsewhere in Europe, ministers have urged the British not to be complacent.
UK faces tougher restrictions as limited infections rise
Johnson and his officials for much of Monday called on people to abide by the house rules, except for vital trips, and police and supermarkets strictly enforced themselves.
If the public thinks the prime minister is bending the guidelines, they may ask why they should take a responsible approach. It can cause a fresh wave of offense and further aggravate the increase in infections.
Dr. Richard Vautrey, chairman of the GP committee of the British Medical Association, says British medical professionals are ready to achieve vaccination goals, but the vaccine supply is a big variable.
As chief spokesman for his government, Johnson is also trying to persuading the British population to be vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. It can also be more difficult if its credibility is damaged.
Politically, Johnson’s journey opens him up to charges of double standards. It brings back memories of the most notorious example of alleged breach of the lock-in rule, when his former adviser Dominic Cummings drove 250 miles to seek help with childcare, at a time when the rest of the country was told to stay home.
Keep Cummings
When that story broke last May, Johnson loyal to Cummings and refuses to fire him despite public outcry and demands that he be fired from senior colleagues within the ruling Conservative party.
Cummings is now out of government, but at the time officials were worried about it the damage that would cause the controversy to comply with the closing rules. Pollsters say the journey through Cummings still occurs frequently in focus groups when discussing the limitations.
Some in Johnson’s own party also fear that it has given a long-term hit their prospects. The general election will only take place in 2024, but local matches are scheduled for May.
It’s not yet clear how much of Johnson’s Sunday afternoon bike ride will be. One question his officials did not answer, for example, is whether he rode to East London before getting on the bike.
If more damaging details come to light, the prime minister will face renewed criticism from his own party. Ultimately, voters can choose to punish him if they get the chance next time.