Government says it would not issue ‘Plan B’ Covid restrictions for whole winter

The prime minister’s spokesman has told journalists that the government’s plan B restrictions would not risk a loss of £18 billion to the UK economy, as claimed in a leaked government document.

‘Plan B’ was laid out by ministers earlier this year, and would bring back compulsory mask-wearing for crowded spaces and encourage working from home.

He said the analysis was based on a scenario when the restrictions had been in place for five months, something the spokesperson says the government was force for five months, and the spokesman said this was not government policy and “not…planning to” do.