Boris Johnson’s Downing Street record of U-turns

Boris Johnson managed to stage two U-turns in the space of a few hours on the controversial issue of LGBT conversion therapy.

Since entering Downing Street in 2019, the Prime Minister has been forced to stage numerous policy reversals and climbdowns despite a healthy Tory majority since his general election victory in December 2019.

2020

– May

Visa surcharge for overseas NHS staff

– June

Ending remote voting in Parliament

Reopening of primary schools before the summer break

Provision of free school meals over the summer

Plans for a centralised NHS Covid contract tracing app

– July

Allowing Huawei access to the UK 5G network

– August

Ending the ban on evictions during Covid

Awarding A-level grades by algorithm

– September

Ending the badger cull

Ending work from home advice

Exempting Parliament bars from a curfew on alcohol sales

– November

Closing the furlough scheme

Suspending the commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on foreign aid

Provision of free school meals over the Christmas holidays

Family gatherings over Christmas

2021

– January

Reopening of schools just one day after they were allowed back

Review of workers’ rights following Brexit

– March

– April

Immunity from prosecution for troops accused of war crimes overseas

Inquiry into the leak of Boris Johnson’s texts with Sir James Dyson

Resignation of Matt Hancock as health secretary after breaking Covid rules

Blocking MPs from voting on cut to foreign aid

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak refusing to self-isolate

Plans for an international travel “amber” list

Vaccine passports for nightclubs

Raising national insurance in breach of Conservative manifesto commitments

Suspending the pensions triple lock in breach of Conservative manifesto commitments

– October

Proposed reform of the planning system

Emergency visas for workers in key sectors

Discharge of raw sewage into rivers by water companies

Overhaul of Commons standards system after Owen Paterson found to have breached the rules on paid lobbying

Plans to go ahead with the eastern leg of HS2

– December

2022

Making the housing industry pay to remove dangerous cladding scandal

Mandatory Covid vaccination for NHS staff

– February

Banning mobile phones in schools

Scrutiny of trade deals by MPs

Ban on imports of fur and foie gras

Visas for Ukrainian refugees

MPs earnings from second jobs

Closure of fracking sites

LGBT conversion therapy

LGBT conversion therapy (again)