Boris Johnson and most of his frontbench choose not to cover faces in packed parliamentary chamber
Cabinet ministers have been accused of undermining Covid advice and putting MPs’ and parliamentary staff’s safety at risk by declining to wear masks, as they packed the Commons chamber full to debate Afghanistan’s takeover by the Taliban.
Just two government frontbenchers chose to wear a face covering when parliament was recalled on Wednesday – the Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove, and the new security minister, Damian Hinds – despite official guidance recommending they are worn in “crowded and enclosed spaces”.