Tom Harwood: Tory MPs would be right to demand Boris Johnson's resignation if post-Christmas restrictions go ahead

Indecision.That was the result of yesterday’s marathon, almost three hour long, cabinet meeting on the prospect of new restrictions.

Indecision that leaves families and businesses in the lurch.Indecision that allows the virus to continue to rip through the population each passing day.Indecision that stifles economic activity and raises the collective blood pressure of the nation.

But worse than the fact of this stuttering delay, is what the government’s new ‘holding position’ appears to be.According to most reliable reports, as the price for quote ‘saving Christmas’, we may be whacked with severe restrictions in January.

To repeat, the government is considering allowing the biggest weekend of intergenerational mixing of year, during the absolute peak of Omicron infection, only to then slam on restrictions after that fact.

Imposing no measures now and then harsh restrictions in time for the new year is the definition of shutting the doors after the horse has bolted.If there’s going to be unbearable pressure on the NHS, that will be created from Christmas day mixing. Doing nothing for Christmas then something after is beyond boneheaded.

It is to say younger people should not be concerned about mixing with their grandparents, but once Christmas is over and they return home to forbid them from mixing with their own generation.

This worst of both worlds half-way house makes no epidemiological sense.I genuinely cannot describe the scale my frustration at how incompetent this strategy appears to be. Either enact temporary restrictions before Christmas or don’t act.

The current government mindset is both going to kill more people and restrict our liberties more afterwards. How on earth has it got this far?The current thinking of this government is genuinely resignation worthy. The time for clear advice, potentially even limits on mixing is now.

The time for restriction is certainly not post-Christmas.I could live with time limited restrictions over the Christmas weekend. I really could.It is important to avoid have all older or more vulnerable people infected at the same time.

On the same weekend. One weekend of measures, or better yet clear concise advice and the incentive of alternate post-peak celebration, a January bank holiday perhaps to encourage mixing later on would not be the worst idea in the world.

What would be, in my view, the worst idea in the world is the trajectory we are currently on.The utility of post-Christmas restriction is close to nil. And the social cost incredibly high.

If the Prime Minister were to bring in post-Christmas restrictions that go as far as banning indoor mixing, not only would vast swathes of this country simply not comply, Tory MPs would be right to send in their letters and bring this stuttering administration down.