UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak will self-isolate after coming in contact with the country's Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for COVID-19, local media reported on Sunday.
This comes hours after they said Downing Street said that they would take part in a new scheme involving daily testing. However, hours later, backlash from the opposition parties prompted the leaders to go into self-isolating.
"This Conservative Government is in chaos. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak tried to fix the rules yet again to benefit themselves. They only backtracked when they got found out. They're like failed bank robbers who only offered to give the money back because they've been caught," Labour Party leader Keir Starmer tweeted.
Taking to Twitter, Chancellor Sunak said that he will not take part in the pilot project and choose to self-isolate.
"Whilst the test and trace pilot is fairly restrictive, allowing only essential government business, I recognise that even the sense that the rules aren't the same for everyone is wrong. To that end I'll be self-isolating as normal and not taking part in the pilot," Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Twitter.
Local media said this political gesture is also significant. Three senior government ministers will be in isolation on the day almost all legal restrictions are lifted in England.
On Saturday, Sajid Javid had tested positive for coronavirus. "My positive result has now been confirmed by PCR test, so I will continue to isolate and work from home," Javid tweeted.
Monday marks the end of most of all coronavirus control rules in England, including the legal obligation to wear masks. Travellers from abroad, however, are subject to coronavirus quarantine and testing.
( With inputs from ANI )
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