Tory fury at Boris's Plan B after PM orders return to WFH, more masks and Covid ...

Boris Johnson sparked mutiny on the Tory backbenches last night by triggering his Plan B restrictions in a bid to tackle the Omicron variant.

The Prime Minister announced that working from home guidance will return, vaccine passports will become mandatory in large venues and the wearing of face coverings will be extended to theatres and cinemas.

At the same time, Health Secretary Sajid Javid unveiled the plans in the Commons, telling MPs that the changes were necessary because Omicron cases were doubling 'every two to three days' – and that by the end of the month they could exceed a million.

He said the new rules would not be reviewed until January 5 – and the law imposing them would not run out until January 26. 

But Mr Javid was heckled, and even urged to resign, by a string of Tory MPs angry both at the return of economically damaging restrictions – and at the announcement coming on a day when Downing Street faced fury over an 'illicit' No 10 Christmas party at the height of restrictions last year.

Economic experts also criticised the move ahead of the crucial pre-Christmas period, warning they could cost the economy £4 billion a month and 'easily' knock 2 per cent off the size of the economy.

One Tory critic, Mark Harper, chairman of the anti-lockdown Covid Research Group, said: 'Why should people at home, listening to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State, do things that people working in No 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?'

In a downbeat Press conference, Mr Johnson warned it was clear the new strain was 'growing much faster' than the current dominant Delta strain – and told people to get a test before they went to a Christmas party.

The Prime Minister said guidance to work from home where possible would return from Monday, and the NHS Covid pass would be compulsory in nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather from 'a week's time'.

Mandatory mask wearing will be extended to cinemas and theatres from tomorrow, but will not be needed in pubs and restaurants. The guidance will also include exemptions for when eating, drinking, exercising or singing.

The Covid health certificate will apply to unseated indoor venues with more than 500 attendees, and outside where there are more than 4,000 people. The Prime Minister added that the pass can be obtained with a negative lateral flow test or by having had two doses of a vaccine but hinted this could change, saying 'we will keep this under review as the boosters roll out'.

The premier said it was necessary to move to Plan B to 'buy time' for the NHS and to learn more about the new strain. 

'It has become increasingly clear that Omicron is growing much faster than the previous Delta variant and is spreading rapidly all around the world,' he said.

While 568 cases had been confirmed in the UK 'the true number is certain to be much higher' - potentially as many as 10,000.

'Most worryingly, there is evidence that the doubling time of Omicron could currently be between two and three days.'

As Mr Javid announced the changes in the Commons, shouts of 'what a load of old tripe' and 'rubbish' came from the Tory backbenches.

When he confirmed the introduction of Covid certification, Tory MP William Wragg shouted 'resign'.

Mr Johnson also faces an uphill struggle to win over the public with No10 itself in meltdown over the allegations of an illegal Christmas party a year ago. 

Mr Johnson paid tribute to his former spokeswoman Allegra Stratton, who resigned on Wednesday afternoon after a bombshell video emerged of her giggling about the potentially lockdown-busting festive gathering in Downing Street. 

He said there was 'no excuse' for the 'frivolity' that aides had displayed in the footage, but said Ms Stratton had been a 'fine colleague' and contributed to the COP26 summit.  

Pushed repeatedly on why people should listen to his urging when his own staff were accused of flouting rules, the PM said: 'The British people... can see the vital importance of the medical information that we are giving. They can see the need to take it to heart and to act on it.'   

Mr Johnson also flatly denied that the Plan B announcement had been brought forward as a 'dead cat' tactic to distract attention from the party scandal. He said the impact of the variant had become 'unmissable'.  

In another dramatic day:

Mr Johnson said tonight: 'I said right at the beginning of this pandemic… I didn't want us to have a society and a culture where we forced people to get vaccinated.

'I don't think that's ever been the way we do things in this country.'

But he admitted there would need to be 'a national conversation' about how to protect the public, particularly those who choose not get vaccinated for any reason.

The Prime Minister also dismissed making changes to the rules that currently require people travelling from red list countries to quarantine in hotels.

He said the red list was something the Government was looking at, but added: 'It's been very important in the immediate response to Omicron to have very tough border measures to slow the arrival of the variant in this country.'

On Ms Stratton, Mr Johnson said: 'Allegra Stratton has resigned and I wanted to pay tribute to her because she has been, in spite of what everybody has seen, and again, I make no excuses for the frivolity with which the subject was handed in that rehearsal that people saw in that clip,' the Prime Minister told a press briefing.

'There can be no excuse for it. I can totally understand how infuriating it was.

'But I want to say that Allegra has been a fine colleague, has achieved a great deal in her time in Government, and was a particularly effective spokesman for Cop26 – she coined the coal, cars, cash, trees agenda and helped to marshal and rally the world behind the agreement.

'If you'll forgive me, I wanted to say that because it is a sad day for her, as well as an infuriating event for many people around the county.'

In the Commons, Mr Javid said: 'We take these steps with a heavy heart, but we do so confident that we're doing everything in our power to keep our nation safe this winter.

'We've come so far over the course of this year thanks to the defences we've built against this deadly virus.

'Now, as we face this new threat, we must draw on the same spirit that has got us here, strengthening our defences and thinking about what we can do to help get this virus under control.'

The Health Secretary said he was 'confident Omicron is significantly more transmissible than Delta' and this means the NHS could come under 'unsustainable pressure' during a 'perilous winter'. 

'Although there are only 568 confirmed Omicron cases in the UK, we know that the actual number of infections will be significantly higher,' he said.

'The UK Health Security Agency estimates that the number of infections is approximately 20 times higher than the number of confirmed cases, and so the current number of infections is probably closer to 10,000. UKHSA also estimate that at the current observed doubling rate of between two and a half and three days, by the end of this month, infections could exceed one million.'

Mr Javid said the new restrictions will be reviewed on January 5, and they will all sunset on January 26. 

He said manufacturers believe they may have vaccines ready to trial 'within weeks' to combat the Omicron variant, adding to MPs: 'There will have to be a trial to make sure they are safe and effective.

'But there may be cases where they could be used in emergency situations.'

However, Mr Javid was berated by a series of Tory MPs.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful backbench 1922 Committee, told the Commons: 'It's deja vu all over again, isn't it?

'Can I remind the Secretary of State that in March 2020 we were asked to impose restrictions for three weeks while the health service capacity was increased.

'Can he tell the House how much that capacity has now been increased?'

Mr Javid said there has been a 'significant increase' in ICU capacity since March 2020, adding: 'There are still some approximately 6,000 beds in England taken up by Covid patients from the Delta variant, and there are approximately around 4,000 beds that are not available for use in effect because of existing infection protection control procedures that are still in place.'

Conservative former chief whip Mark Harper told MPs: 'What I am really concerned about is that it is unquestionably the case that over the last few weeks the Government's credibility, whether it is on Paterson or on the Christmas parties, has taken a hit.

'Why should people at home listening to the Prime Minster and the Secretary of State do things that people working in Number 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?'

Mr Harper also said the evidence on Omicron did not support moving to Plan B and he feared there was 'no exit strategy' from the measures. 

Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, criticised the 'latest in a long line of arbitrary, unnecessary, socialist measures' and suggested Mr Javid has 'gone native'.

He asked: 'Can he give me any reason at all why I shouldn't tell my constituents to treat these rules in exactly the same way as No 10 Downing Street treated last year's rules?'

Former defence secretary Dr Liam Fox said it was 'difficult to justify these extra measures'.

'We cannot allow permanent threats of overloading the NHS as a means to maintain semi-permanent restrictions on our people,' he said.

Former Cabinet minister Esther McVey said: 'There will be an effect on mental health, on jobs, on the economy, on people's livelihoods and on children's development.'

Former Brexit secretary David Davis said there was no evidence that Covid vaccine passports worked.

'Vaccinated people can still catch and transmit the disease, and there is a sizeable chance that passports will introduce a false sense of security, giving exactly the reverse result to which the Secretary of State intends, so why is he using them?'

Labour health spokesman Wes Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary was heckled by his own side this evening, but he is not the risk to public health, and this is not a laughing matter.

'I think members opposite really need to think about and search their own consciences about whether at this moment of serious crisis we have the serious leadership our country needs. And if not, you know what to do.'

Slamming the measures, Mr Kill of the Night Time Industries Association said: 'Today's announcement of Plan B by the Government is devastating news for nightlife sector.' 

He said vaccine passports have been shown to have a 'damaging impact' on the night time economy. He claimed that trade in Scotland and Wales - where they have already been introduced is down 30 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.   

'The UK Government have twice ruled out vaccine passports before twice changing their mind,' he continued.

'The mixed public health messages this week that have been coming out of the Government have arrived at the worst possible time – the pre-Christmas period is absolutely crucial for our sector. 

'And now it is announced damaging vaccine passports are to be implemented. Far from 'saving' Christmas, the Prime Minister has given our sector the horrible present of more pain for businesses desperately trying to recoup losses from earlier in the pandemic.

'The fact that businesses have only been given one week to make such an enormous change to their operating model is an additional insult.

'The Government's own report on the subject concluded that vaccine passports wouldn't even have a significant impact on virus transmission – they don't stop the spread of Covid but they do damage trade. 

'You do, therefore, have to question the timing and rationale for this announcement. Is this sound evidence-based public policy making or is this an attempt to move the news agenda on from a damaging story about the Downing Street Christmas party?' 

He added: 'And of course these businesses, who have already sacrificed so much during the pandemic, will be asking – 'why are we being asked to carry more of the burden when it seemed that the most senior Government officials felt they didn't need to do their bit?''

Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon pointed out that the changes for England brought it into line with Scotland.

The SNP leader tweeted: 'Re Uk gov announcement of Covid Plan B today, all these protections are already in place in Scotland and have helped us get Delta cases down.

'Tough question we all face in period ahead is whether these protections will be strong enough against a rapidly spreading Omicron variant…'

In the Twitter thread she added: 'Even if (and it is still if) Omicron doesn't cause more severe disease, the numbers of people who might be infected by its faster spread will create big challenges for NHS and economy – so we need to consider carefully (but quite quickly) what proportionate response needed.

'In meantime, all of us complying strictly with current protections will help. And even if you feel angry with a politician just now, please remember just how important compliance is for the health and safety of you, your loved ones and the country.'

There has been growing pressure on the Government to tighten restrictions after the total number of British Omicron cases rose to 568 today, with the highly evolved variant now in every country in the UK and almost every region of England. 

Experts warn thousands of cases are flying under the radar because not all samples are analysed for variants and Omicron is estimated to be doubling every two or three days — much faster than when Delta exploded on the scene.

There are currently 757 daily hospital admissions across the UK and 680 in England. SAGE members had previously suggested that 1,200 daily admissions would be the trigger point for more restrictions with Delta.

Not a single one of the UK's confirmed Omicron cases has been hospitalised with the virus but it takes several weeks to fall seriously unwell and there are early indications in South Africa that it might cause milder illness than past variants.

But even if the new strain is milder, experts warn that if it can infect significantly more people than Delta, it will cause bigger surges in hospital admissions than its predecessor. 

In the leaked SAGE minutes, seen by the BBC, the group said: 'With the speed of growth seen, decision makers will need to consider response measures urgently to reduce transmission if the aim is to reduce the likelihood of unsustainable pressure on the NHS.'

The scientists insisted that tightening restrictions will give the UK precious time to delay the wave and get more boosters into arms. They said they expect jabs to hold up against severe disease and death.

Earlier, Professor Neil Ferguson, a key SAGE member whose modelling prompted the initial lockdown last spring, today admitted that another full-blown shutdown could be on the cards to tackle Omicron.

He said light measures like WFH 'wouldn't stop it but it could slow it down' and extend the doubling time to five or six days. 'That doesn't seem like a lot, but it actually is potentially a lot in terms of allowing us to characterise this virus better and boost population immunity,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 

It came as Covid cases jumped 6 per cent today and breached 50,000 for the fourth time in a week. Government figures show there were 51,342 positive tests in the last 24 hours, up 6.1 per cent on last Wednesday's 48,374. 

Deaths have fallen week-on-week however, with the number of lives lost to Covid falling by 5.8 per cent during the same time-frame to 161. Hospitalisations rose by 3.3 per cent, with the latest figures showing there were 729 admissions as of December 4, the most recent day UK-wide figures are available for.

Ms Stratton tearfully announced she had quit her £125,000 a year role offering a 'profound apology' for appearing to 'make light' of Covid rules. 

In emotional comments to journalists near her £1.5million London home, Ms Stratton said: 'My remarks seemed to make light of rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey. That was never my intention.

'I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days.' 

In the video, Ms Stratton suggested she had not personally attended the party - quipping that she 'went home' instead.  

Mr Johnson opened a raucous PMQs earlier by saying sorry for the footage of Ms Stratton and other staff joking about the gathering which happened on December 18 last year, during lockdown.

He said the government's top civil servant Simon Case - who is not believed to have attended the party - would be looking into the situation. 

Mr Johnson said he was 'sickened' and 'disciplinary action' would be taken against any staff found to have breached the regulations, but insisted he had been 'repeatedly' assured the rules had been followed. 

The premier appealed for the public to focus on the threat from the mutant strain - with Plan B measures expected to be confirmed as early as this afternoon. But Keir Starmer shot back that Mr Johnson had lost the 'moral authority' to

read more from dailymail.....