The dramatic hospitalisation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which has resulted in his spending four nights in isolation at the intensive care unit of one of London's leading hospitals, has highlighted worrying divisions at the heart of the British government over its approach to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
On one side, there is the health lobby headed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, which argues that an ongoing, wide-ranging lockdown that has effectively brought the country to a standstill must remain in place until the overwhelming body of scientific evidence suggests the measures can be lifted.
On the other, there is a more pragmatic approach led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, which argues that the devastation being caused to the British – and global – economy must not be overlooked. Mr Sunak's camp emphasises the importance of finding a way to ease the lockdown at the earliest possible opportunity.
So long as Mr Johnson was in charge of the government, these divisions were very much under control. At the outset of Britain’s outbreak, which manifested in mid-March, Mr Johnson’s initial instinct was to support his chancellor by allowing Britain to adopt a “business as usual” approach, thereby enabling citizens to carry on with their normal routines. That approach was very much at odds with the stringent measures being taken in most of Europe.
At a time when countries like France and Italy were imposing draconian lockdown measures, forcing their citizens to observe strict rules, British schools remained open, as did pubs, restaurants and cafes. Sports fans, moreover, continued to attend major fixtures, such as the annual Cheltenham horse-racing festival.
Mr Johnson's decision to impose his own nationwide lockdown on March 23 was, therefore, only taken with the utmost reluctance. It came when the Prime Minister found himself faced with alarming evidence from Britain's scientific community that the country could suffer in excess of 250,000 coronavirus-related deaths if the government failed to act in a sweeping manner.
Read More from Con Coughlin
As he changed tack, Mr Johnson made it clear that, in his view, a British lockdown would be very temporary, to be lifted as the earliest possible opportunity to allow citizens a return to their everyday lives and to limit the economic consequences of the pandemic.
And that is the approach that undoubtedly would have formed the cornerstone of British policy had Mr Johnson not himself fallen victim to Covid-19.
The first indication that all was not well with the Prime Minister came on March 27, when he revealed that he had tested positive for the coronavirus after experiencing a high temperature and a cough. Carrie Symonds, his pregnant fiancée, disclosed that she, too, had been suffering symptoms.
In characteristic style, Mr Johnson carried on working and leading the government’s response to the pandemic, even though this required him to work in isolation from other staff at Downing Street, where the British executive is based, and was only able to communicate via video conferencing. To demonstrate that he was still in charge, Mr Johnson posted regular updates to the country on social media. Last week, he even appeared on the steps of Downing Street to join in the nationwide applause for the heroic efforts of staff working for the UK National Health Service.
On Monday afternoon, after Mr Johnson had spent a week in self-isolation, came the shock news that he had been admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital, situated just a half-mile from Downing Street across the River Thames.
It was, the line from the government went, a “purely precautionary step”.
Within 24 hours Mr Johnson was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit, in a move his officials, once again, claimed was a "purely precautionary step". He has remained there ever since.
Mr Johnson may, as many others have, overcome the symptoms of Covid-19. But the very fact that he has been hospitalised and has required intensive care means that he is unlikely to return fully to work for many weeks to come.
Consequently, this has placed the burden of combatting Britain’s coronavirus pandemic fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the Cabinet, with the result that, in the absence of Mr Johnson’s steadying influence, many of the divisions over how best to tackle the crisis have risen to the surface.
Unlike America, where the constitution stipulates that the vice president should take over in the event of a president becoming incapacitated, there is no such provision in Britain. Instead there is an arrangement whereby the prime minister nominates a senior minister – in this case, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab – to deputise for him “where necessary”.
The vagueness of this arrangement might reassure Mr Johnson that his authority will not be usurped while he is away from his seat, but it has done little to reassure the British public that the government is in a position to provide the strong and effective leadership required in the current crisis.
With Mr Johnson out of the picture for the moment, it has also highlights the relative inexperience of the current UK Cabinet, which is the youngest assembled in more than a century. Even Mr Raab, who was Brexit Secretary prior to his current appointment, has only been an MP since 2010, while Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, is under 40 and has only been in Parliament for five years.
Consequently, the deterioration of the Prime Minister’s health has – not surprisingly – created a mood of deep unease in British politics, as it raises important questions about whether ministers have the ability to make crucial decisions (such as when to end the lockdown) in the absence of their elected leader.
And if, as seems increasingly likely, Mr Johnson will not be able to return to the political fray anytime soon, then it is vital that ministers set aside their policy differences over how best to combat the coronavirus and work together for the common good.
Con Coughlin is the Telegraph’s defence and foreign affairs editor
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
The five pillars of Islam
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sweet%20Tooth
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJim%20Mickle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristian%20Convery%2C%20Nonso%20Anozie%2C%20Adeel%20Akhtar%2C%20Stefania%20LaVie%20Owen%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Manchester City transfers:
OUTS
Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesus Navas (all released)
INS
Ederson (Benfica) £34.7m, Bernardo Silva (Monaco) £43m
ON THEIR WAY OUT?
Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony, Fabian Delph, Nolito and Kelechi Iheanacho
ON THEIR WAY IN?
Dani Alves (Juventus), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
MATCH INFO
Karnataka Tuskers 110-5 (10 ovs)
Tharanga 48, Shafiq 34, Rampaul 2-16
Delhi Bulls 91-8 (10 ovs)
Mathews 31, Rimmington 3-28
Karnataka Tuskers win by 19 runs
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
More on Quran memorisation:
