Break: I am told that a very tense meeting of the executive of the Conservative backbench committee 1922 has just concluded. Every Tory MP at the meeting and every MP who dialled in expressed deep concern at the impact of the lockdown on business
Am told the sentiment at the 1922 was: unless the lockdown starts to be lifted soon the UK may not have much of a functioning economy to come back to. Fears expressed that thousands upon thousands of businesses could soon go under
Some members of the 1922 executive believe the lockdown needs to be relaxed after the first week of May. ‘If we don’t do that we really will see thousands of businesses go under,’ one 1922 member tells me
The meeting heard that the govt has achieved its main goal - the NHS has not been overwhelmed. But that should not mean no change to the lockdown. There will continue to be infections, UK will have to learn to live with this virus for two maybe three years, meeting heard
Am told govt messaging on Coronavirus described by one 1922 member as ‘ludicrous’. Great interest in suggestion by Carl Heneghan that peak of deaths was 8 April, indicating that fall in infections came when initial social distancing and hygiene measures introduced before lockdown
One 1922 member tells me: ‘Social distancing and hygiene measures were the key. We should follow the government guidance. If you can’t work at home then you can go to work if observe social distancing and hygiene....
1922 member added: ‘...Focus on that rather than the ludicrous government messaging. That drowns out the actual guidance’
