Britain’s infamous COVID-19 “sex ban” split the UK government at the time of its introduction, leaked messages have revealed.
A prohibition on couples living in different households from seeing each other during lockdown — billed as a “sex ban” by the country’s media and pundit class — caused controversy within government, leaked messages have reportedly revealed.
The revelations come amid the leaking of around 100,000 Whatsapp messages to The Telegraph largely revolving around the country’s former Health Secretary, Matt Hancock.
According to a report by the publication on Monday, some of these messages have revealed a significant degree of trepidation over a ban on inter-household romantic couples from seeing each other, with some feeling the ban would ultimately be unrealistic.
“[T]he biggest Q of the day for our finest political journalists is: can I see my boyfriend or girlfriend if we don’t live in the same household?” a spokesman for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote in one message, asking the country’s scientific experts to give their advice on what the government should do.
In response, England’s Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty explained that “realism” would be needed in regards to any lockdown restrictions, with the official saying that he feared people would not listen to advice telling them to avoid their significant other for many weeks.
“If it’s a regular partner I don’t think people are likely to listen to advice not to see them for 3 weeks or maybe more,” he wrote. “We could say; if they can avoid seeing one another they should, and if either of them has an older or vulnerable person in the house they must.”
However, despite their being agreement that this should be the stance taken by government, Matt Hancock and colleagues instead announced a much harsher ban later that day.
Instead of couples being asked to stay apart, deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries announced that couples would need to make a decision of either living together or remaining apart during lockdown.
“Make your choice and stick with it,” Hancock said, summing up the restrictions.
Hancock would go on to regret telling the public to “stick” with their romantic decisions though, with images of the married Health Secretary kissing his then-aide being leaked to the British press the following year.
Apart from being a salacious scandal in its own right, the kiss was also in breach of COVID guidelines at the time, something that resulted in Hancock ultimately resigning from his position as health secretary.
“I understand the enormous sacrifices that everybody in this country has made — that you have made — and those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them,” he said at the time. “And that’s why I’ve got to resign.”