Latest updates: health secretary refuses to say whether he and PM have spoken about issue, but says it feels like ‘ancient history’
- UK reports 9,284 Covid cases on day before lockdown was due to end
- No increase in UK young adults living with parents after Covid – study
- Coronavirus global updates – live
- See all our coronavirus coverage
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, says she has now had her second jab.
Double vaccinated!
Thank you @NHSLouisaJordan.
Please roll up your sleeve for both doses as soon as you are invited for appointment – every single one of us who gets fully vaccinated is a step back to normality for all of us. #Covid #vaccines pic.twitter.com/8UJQORlzqF
Good morning. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, gave a long interview on a BBC Breakfast this morning and in it he gave his most considered response so far to the revelation last week that Boris Johnson called him “totally fucking hopeless” in a text to Dominic Cummings in March last year. Hancock put it down to the PM being stressed at the time. Asked how it felt to be described as “hopeless”, Hancock said:
Well, honestly, it feels like ancient history. The vaccine programme is a huge success. At times of stress people say all sorts of things in private. What matters is how well you work together.
And you’re referring to comments apparently from the prime minister. I work with the prime minister every single day. We work very strongly together, firstly to protect life, and secondly to get the country out of this.
No, it isn’t really because of all the things we’ve delivered together.
We’re here talking about the success of the vaccine programme. That is something that I’ve very much led from the department, working with the prime minister. He’s been a massive supporter of it throughout. And of course we’ve had obstacles, and we’ve had people that we’ve had to deal with on the way.
Experiment: ask me anything, 1400-1600 Monday UK time I’ll try to answer… https://t.co/4PQ2g18yvM
