Boris Johnson was warned by his own Tory MPs today that prolonging the UK’s coronavirus lockdown could result in a ‘tidal wave of human misery’ as the Prime Minister was urged to ease restrictions ‘as quickly at possible’.
The PM is expected on Thursday to renew the lockdown before using an address to the nation on Sunday to set out his plan for lifting the current draconian rules.
But many Conservatives are growing increasingly impatient with the government’s approach as they fear lasting economic harm to UK PLC will be caused if measures remain in place for too much longer.
They are also worried about the social and health costs of the self-imposed paralysis.
A contact tracing app being developed by the NHS has also sparked concern with some MPs calling for checks on the way the technology will keep track of members of the public.
Tory MPs used a debate in the House of Commons this evening on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations which were brought in in March, to express their disquiet.
Those regulations granted ministers and the police the most sweeping set of restrictive powers ever seen in peacetime and Tory MPs believe they must be lifted quickly.
Mr Johnson is expected to announce measures to allow the lockdown to be eased in an address to the nation on Sunday, after the lockdown is officially extended for three more weeks on Thursday.
Furious Tory MPs including rank-and-file leader Sir Graham Brady (right) and ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker (left) are preparing to demand an end to the closure as soon as possible.
Tory MP Sir Charles Walker (Broxbourne) warned business is ‘stressed’ and that ‘lockdown has collapsed demand’.
He said: ‘If hundreds of thousands of those businesses go under, or a million or more, we will unleash a tidal wave of human misery. Unemployment of 12 per cent is four million people.’
He added: ‘I do think we need to have a frank, open and honest debate about the ethics of trading lives tomorrow to save lives today.’
Sir Charles also warned there could be many waves of coronavirus in the coming years, adding: ‘We need an economy that is resilient, that can meet and face that challenge down, so we have to get people back to work as safely as possible.
‘Maybe in a few months’ time the slogan will be because we want to protect our public services and the things that we value, go to work, wash your hands, save the NHS, because many people, most people find their purpose, their motivation and their happiness in the workplace.’
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, echoed a similar sentiment as he said: ‘I hope that as ministers approach the second 21-day review they will do so always with a view to removing restrictions and removing these arbitrary rules and limitations on freedom as quickly as possible.’
He added: ‘It will become even more important that we rely on common sense and voluntary cooperation rather than arbitrary rules.’
There are growing concerns among Tory MPs about the way in which the government could treat the over-70s when lockdown measures are lifted.
Some believe it is likely that the elderly could be asked to adhere to lockdown even when the rest of the nation returns to something approaching normal life.
But Sir Graham said: ‘We have today the most healthiest, active elderly generation of all time and it would be tragic if Government threatened this by trying to extend a so-called lockdown for those judged to be most at risk based on age.
‘Why don’t we just give them the best information and advice and let them limit their risk themselves?’
Before the debate, former Brexit minister Steve Baker said ‘whatever the necessities, that the rule of law should have been overthrown in this period is extraordinary and deeply troubling,’ in an article for the Daily Telegraph.
‘Millions of people in our country have been plunged into idleness at public expense and unemployment, facing financial and psychological hardship on a scale never seen before,’ he added.
‘Thousands of people have missed life-prolonging health appointments. Vulnerable people are isolated and domestic violence has soared. Soon will come the full economic impact on all our lives.’
He went on: ‘This is absurd, dystopian and tyrannical. The sooner it is ended, the better.’
Mr Johnson today warned that lifting lockdown restrictions too soon would be ‘the worst thing we could do’.
In a video message on Twitter, the Prime Minister said it was important to meet the five tests set by the Government before easing the lockdown.
Mr Davis, who has a long history of speaking out on civil liberties issues, is preparing to challenge the Government over its new contact tracing app, which is due to start trials on the Isle of Wight this week
David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, today expressed concerns about the government’s new contact tracing app which is set to be trialled on the Isle of Wight.
He has concerns over the app’s retention of movement and other data on people who install it – which is used to tell them if someone with a positive test result is nearby.
He said the only way for the app to be acceptable is if the personal data is destroyed over a period of 21 to 28 days and that the technology will be scrapped as soon as it is no longer needed.