London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 25, 2025

UK PM Johnson & Chancellor Sunak won’t self-isolate despite having had contact with infected health minister

UK PM Johnson & Chancellor Sunak won’t self-isolate despite having had contact with infected health minister

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his finance minister, Rishi Sunak, shall work from their offices but not go into full self-isolation, despite having been in close contact with somebody with a confirmed Covid-19 infection.

Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace “as contacts of someone who has tested positive” for Covid-19, No. 10 confirmed on Sunday. But they will not observe full self-isolation protocols in response.

Instead, the top officials “will be participating in the daily contact testing pilot to allow them to continue to work from Downing Street,” the statement said.

"They will be conducting only essential government business during this period."


Typically, contacts of an identified Covid-19 carrier would have to self-isolate for 10 days. The government says Johnson and Sunak will be participating in a pilot study looking at how a less restrictive set of rules would work. The scheme is reportedly being tested in 20 workplaces, while eligibility for it is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Confronted on Sky News over the bad optics of having top cabinet members receive preferential treatment under the pilot scheme, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said he could appreciate the frustration that the public may feel about it, but rejected the notion of privilege.

“Hundreds, if not thousands, of public sector staff … will be able to use this pilot, will be learning from it. And of course, if it’s possible to roll it out more broadly because it’s proven to be safe and successful, then we will do,” he promised.


Johnson and Sunak were flagged by the tracing system after Health Secretary Sajid Javid tested positive for Covid-19. His infection was confirmed by two subsequent tests on Saturday. Javid announced his diagnosis in a video address on Twitter, saying he was self-isolating at home with his family.

The Johnson cabinet doesn’t have a particularly stellar record for observing its own Covid-19 rules – the latest example being Matt Hancock, Javid’s predecessor as health secretary, who was accused of breaching social distancing measures in pursuit of an affair with his aide. Hancock resigned last month after his amorous adventures were exposed by the press.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
×