MPs should get a vote before fresh Covid-19 restrictions come in

Earlier this week the prime minister, who styled himself as a libertarian, suddenly imposed more measures across England as the Tory administration seeks to stymie the tide of rising coronavirus infections.

However, the clergy, including some from this island, claim that Covid restrictions are causing more damage to society than the virus itself.

Mr Johnson is also under pressure from within his own party, not least because of the manner in which the government has introduced Covid measures.

Emergency Covid powers were granted to the government six months ago, and it is concerning that ministers can impose restrictions at short notice without parliamentary scrutiny. With Mr Johnson warning of yet more restrictions to come, it is increasingly important that he receives MPs’ approval for measures that will inhibit people’s daily lives. To that end, it was encouraging to see DUP MPs Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley signing an amendment led by Tory MP Sir Graham Brady to a sixth-month review into the Coronavirus Act.

In addition, with the exception of the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, whose new job support scheme at least promises some hope for the winter ahead, the tone from Mr Johnson and other Cabinet ministers (in particular Health Secretary Matt Hancock) has been increasingly troubling.

As he unveiled yet more restrictions on Tuesday, Mr Johnson issued thinly veiled threats about another national lockdown and implied that it was the British public’s fault that coronavirus has undergone a resurgence in the UK.

However, other governments have tackled the pandemic better, be it the Swedes who have so far shirked lockdowns, or in Germany where the number of new Covid-19 cases remains way lower than in the UK.