“I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country,and I apologise for the impression that it gives,” he said.
Johnson said he had been “repeatedly assured” that no COVID-19 rules were broken but had asked the cabinet secretary to investigate.
“It goes without saying that if those rules were broken,there will be disciplinary action for all those involved,” he warned,later adding that he was “sickened” and “furious” by the leaked footage.
Queen Elizabeth II sits alone in St George’s Chapel ahead of the funeral of Prince Philip last year during strict COVID restrictions.Credit:AP
Opposition Leader Keir Starmer questioned the Prime Minister’s actions in light of the Queen’s solitary mourning at the funeral of Prince Philip and said Johnson had lied to the British public and taken them for fools. Starmer said Johnson had lost his moral authority to lead.
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“Her Majesty the Queen sat alone when she marked the passing of the man whom she had been married to for 73 years,” he said.
“Leadership,sacrifice — that is what gives leaders the moral authority to lead.
“Does the Prime Minister think that he has the moral authority to lead and to ask the British people to stick to the rules?”
A weeping Stratton told reporters that she would regret her remarks “for the rest of her days”.
“I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days and I offer my profound apologies to all of you at home for them.
“To all of you who lost loved ones,who endured intolerable loneliness and who struggled with your businesses,I am truly sorry and this afternoon I am offering my resignation to the Prime Minister,” she said.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the COVID-19 restrictions,Johnson praised Stratton as “outstanding”.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at a press conference in London’s Downing Street on Wednesday.Credit:AP
He announced that from Monday,England’s workers would be ordered to resume working from home where possible,wear masks in theatres,shops and on public transport,and that vaccine passports would be introduced for large venues.
Johnson said Omicron had prompted the start of the new restrictions - dubbed ‘plan B’ - which were drawn up for new waves of infections before the new variant was reported to the world’s health agencies by South Africa.
He said 568 cases of Omicron had been recorded across the UK but that “the true number is certain to be much higher”.
“What we’re doing today ... is something we set out in September,this is not a deviation from the position that we thought we might find ourselves in as winter set in,we always reckoned that we’d see a spike in disease and infection,” he said.
“Actually,Delta has been remarkably stable. The problem has been this sudden emergence of Omicron and the real spike that it’s producing and,given the potential numbers that Omicron could produce,we just have to respond today in the way that we are.”
But the Prime Minister said people could still go to their Christmas parties.
“We don’t want Nativity plays to be cancelled,we think it’s okay to keep going with Christmas parties,” he said.
Cases in Britain have remained steadily high with the seven-day average currently about 47,000. More than 7000 people are in hospital with the virus but this has declined from a peak of around 9000 in October.
Before the vaccination rollout took effect more than 39,000 beds were occupied by people with COVID-19.
England’s new rules:
- Masks required in theatres and cinemas from Friday. They are already required on public transport and in shops but not in hospitality.
- Working from home where people can from Monday.
- Proof of two COVID-19 vaccines or a negative lateral flow test to enter unseated indoor venues with a capacity of more than 500,outdoor venues with a capacity of more than 4000 and any venue with a capacity of more than 10,000.