Boris Johnson is self-isolating after coming into contact with an MP who has subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, Downing Street said on Sunday. The prime minister was present at a 35-minute meeting with a small group of Conservative MPs on Thursday morning. One of them, Lee Anderson, subsequently developed symptoms of Covid-19 and has tested positive. Downing Street said the prime minister was “well” and insisted that No 10 was a Covid-secure workplace but that test and trace had advised the prime minister that, because of factors including the length of the meeting, he should self-isolate as a precaution. A photograph posted by the MP on Facebook showing his meeting with Johnson, however, appears to show the men standing less than 2 metres apart. Neither is wearing a mask.
The advice to self-isolate comes at a difficult moment for the government, as Johnson tries to restore a sense of order after a tumultuous week that resulted in the departure of two of his key aides, Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain. Johnson is expected to continue to make public statements from inside No 10, including on the government’s green plans. This is also a pivotal week for Brexit, as negotiations with the EU reach their final phase. Downing Street said Johnson will liaise with parliamentary authorities about remote participation in House of Commons proceedings. Under the “hybrid” parliament arrangements, MPs can only take part in some proceedings by video-link. A spokesman said: “The prime minister will follow the rules and is self-isolating. He will carry on working from Downing Street, including on leading the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The PM is well and does not have any symptoms of Covid-19.” Johnson contracted the disease himself in late March, shortly after announcing the first nationwide lockdown. He initially continued to work in Downing Street, before his health worsened and he was taken to St Thomas’ hospital in central London. Anderson, 53, is a member of the 2019 Conservative intake, having won the previously Labour-held seat of Ashfield in Nottinghamshire.