In his last scheduled Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister will review the UK’s handling of Covid and the heatwave’s strain on services, while acknowledging the NHS’s resilience.
Boris Johnson is preparing to hold what is expected to be his final scheduled Cabinet meeting as Prime Minister, with a focus on two major issues: the ongoing heatwave and a significant milestone in the UK’s Covid response. The Prime Minister is set to reflect on the nation’s vaccination success, the resilience of public services, and the ongoing pressure faced by the NHS amidst the extreme summer temperatures.
Johnson, whose tenure has been marred by controversies and a steep decline in public support, will also mark a year since England reached Step Four of the government’s Covid roadmap. This stage saw most of the remaining pandemic restrictions lifted, allowing the economy to reopen fully. Ministers will revisit the vaccination rollout, hailed as one of the UK’s major successes in the fight against Covid, as well as the NHS’s performance during the heatwave, with both topics being key discussion points for the meeting.
The Prime Minister is expected to highlight the country’s global leadership in rolling out vaccines, stating: “We were the first to deliver approved vaccines and, thanks to the work of our scientists, the NHS, and the volunteers who administered millions of doses, we built a formidable wall of protection, enabling us to safely reopen our economy.”
Despite rising Covid cases across the UK, Downing Street pointed to the continued effectiveness of the booster campaign, noting that while cases have increased, there has not been a corresponding surge in hospital admissions or fatalities. The Prime Minister is likely to encourage anyone eligible for the spring Covid booster to come forward. Statistics released recently revealed a sharp rise in Covid infections, with some regions approaching the levels seen earlier in the year. Hospital admissions are also on the rise, driven largely by the spread of the newer Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5.
In a sombre reflection, Johnson will acknowledge the toll Covid has taken on lives, offering condolences to those who have lost loved ones during the pandemic. He is expected to say: “One year on from reopening, we can take pride in what our NHS and nation have achieved. Without our remarkable scientists, clinicians, and the millions who stepped up to be vaccinated, our journey would have been far more difficult.”
Turning to the current heatwave, Downing Street assured the public that the NHS is managing well, despite the intense weather. The government has taken precautions, including reducing services and speed limits on transport networks to mitigate the impact. According to the Prime Minister’s official spokesman, the Cobra meeting earlier in the day received updates from public sector teams, including those handling health, transport, and education. He noted that no significant disruptions had yet been reported, with schools remaining open and the NHS continuing to cope with the pressure.
As Johnson approaches the end of his leadership, this meeting will serve as a moment to reflect on the UK’s progress in both health and crisis management, with many eyes now on his final decisions before he steps down.
