No “Legal Compulsion” to Wear Face Masks after July 19th, Says Minister

2 min read

The Telegraph reports this morning that mask-wearing in indoor settings will continue to be advised by the Government even after we leave lockdown (whether that will be on July 19th or later). But there will be no “legal compulsion” to wear a mask once restrictions are lifted, according to Environment Secretary George Eustice, who says he will personally ditch his mask when the rules are changed.

Sky News has the story.

George Eustice said the Government wants “all of the legal requirements to do things to be taken away completely” at step four of its roadmap for lifting Covid measures, which is currently scheduled for July 19th.

“Whether there will still be some people who might choose to wear masks or whether it may be advisory in some settings, that’s a separate matter,” he said.

“But the objective of that final stage is to remove the legal requirement to do these things.”

Asked if he would continue to wear a face covering beyond that point, the minister replied: “I wouldn’t, no. I have to be honest, once I’m told it’s safe not to, I want to get back to normal.

“I think a lot of people will want to shed those masks.

“But while it’s contributing to controlling the pandemic, yes I will wear my mask like everybody else and do my bit.”

Recent polling from Ipsos MORI suggests that, whether we are legally required to wear masks after July 19th or not, a significant proportion of the population will continue to do so. It showed that more than one-fifth of British adults aren’t looking forward to “not wearing a mask in public places”. Continued “advice” on the matter will likely ensure that this figure does not significantly drop.

The Sky News report is worth reading in full.

Stop Press: Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he will ditch his mask “as soon as possible” once the mandate is ended. The Telegraph reports:

Rishi Sunak has said he will ditch his face mask at the earliest opportunity when it ceases to be a legal requirement. 

Asked if he would stop wearing a face covering if it only becomes advisory after July 19th, the Chancellor told a summit: “Yes, as soon as possible.” …

Mr Sunak also stressed his “strong expectation” that coronavirus restrictions will be lifted in England on July 19th, adding “things are looking good” for getting back to normal. 

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108 Comments
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mojo
mojo
5 years ago

Eustace is part of the problem we are in this mess because he has bought into the propaganda. It is why I no linger have any respect for politicians. If they had any sense of democratic rule and any sense of history, they would have been asking sensible questions and seeking advice from real virologists. Not Government advisers who have only ever worked in an academic field.

We have to accept that our politicians are there for career purposes and have no real ability to discern truth from fiction. If people like Eustace had asked intelligent questions from the beginning, done a little research into paper and cloth masks, looked at the virus particles and then held the Government to account for their ignorance, we would mot be in this position today. As it is we are now on the brink of becoming the socialist state so beloved by the Remainers/leftwing that the Brexiteers voted to avoid.

Occams Pangolin Pie
Occams Pangolin Pie
5 years ago

The masks work is done now the blood work is well underway. The fear largely engendered and sustained by the masks led successfully to the frit population bending over for the toxic injection (and all that flows from that).
Coming next: the badges. V or Un-V

(I wonder how the Royal College of Psychologists is getting on with justifying their honourable members’ wholehearted participation in this brutal Godless psyop.)

Health Seeker
Health Seeker
5 years ago

I suspect this is one area where government will be doing a cost benefit analysis. The benefit of attempting to maintain mask mandates from their point of view, is the way they serve as a visual reminder of how compliant people are. The cost is the risk of a tipping point being reached where non-compliance becomes the norm, and compliance more generally collapses. More seriously, all sorts of things start to be questioned. The government might calculate its own authority is better served by permitting a return to sane behaviour, than by waiting for people to take the initiative. Initiative is dangerous to authority.

paul smith
paul smith
5 years ago

Me, I like masks.
I have a face for masks.
(Rather like having a ‘face for radio’, that.)
Heck, if I could get away with it, I’d wear a full bondage hood – zip mouth and all – both at play AND at work.
Of course, this might frighten children and little old ladies.
So…BONUS!

CarrieAH
CarrieAH
5 years ago

Never worn one in daily life. Never will. Had to wear one on the plane as otherwise I wouldn’t have been allowed to fly, even with an exemption lanyard, so I was prepared for that and bought 2 ultra thin one layer cheesecloth masks off eBay. See through but that kept the airline happy and I breathed easily. Which just shows what a lot of nonsense it all is!

ellie-em
ellie-em
5 years ago

Is this unmasking on the 19 July a definite or a maybe definite or not a chance in hell definite?

X - In Search of Space
X - In Search of Space
5 years ago

Unfortunately, for a lot of people/organisations, guidance/advice is pretty much synonymous with law itself.

crisisgarden
crisisgarden
5 years ago

The ones who continue to wear them.. we should all pretend not to hear them when they speak (which is what I did as a teacher to encourage the kids to remove theirs)

Ruth Sharpe
Ruth Sharpe
5 years ago
Reply to  crisisgarden

I do this any way, as I’m hard of hearing. My reaction to people in masks, as the year has gone on, has got progressively more pronounced! Mask wearing is evil & has made my life very unpleasant in the past year.

thedarkhorse
thedarkhorse
5 years ago

I was out and about today around Dursley (not my home area); pretty quiet, a lot of shops seemed to be closed (the camera shop, forexample); some twats wearing masks outdoors, generally everyone I saw still being very compliant. I do agree though with a comment further down, that if they start trying to ramp up the infection numbers again in a few months’ time, it’ll be blamed on “removing the masks” and the bastards will bring them back again. I hope folk will resist, because if indeed four-fifths of people truly do want to get shot of them, then they’ll have to stand and fight.

Stevey
Stevey
5 years ago

Ok. Never worn one. Don’t know why anyone wore one, it always struck me that the guidelines were so broad that everyone was exempt if they wanted to be.

I am Spartacas
I am Spartacas
5 years ago

As someone who has never worn a mask but was under some pressure to wear an exemption card around my neck to justify my refusal to wear a mask I suggest that anyone still wearing a mask after July 19 should be forced to also wear a t shirt with the word ‘WANKER‘ printed on it .

RickH
RickH
5 years ago

I asked ‘What’s the catch?’ when this was first posted, cynic that I am.

One thought – the timing would be about right for the expected autumn rise of respiratory infections to be blamed on the relaxation of the bullshit. – ???

DanClarke
DanClarke
5 years ago

It showed that more than one-fifth of British adults aren’t looking forward to “not wearing a mask in public places”. Good, the 4/5th’s majority want them gone

I am Spartacas
I am Spartacas
5 years ago

Never wore those ghastly things from the start – as soon as I heard that they were going to be required to enter stores etc I immediately purchased my exemption card and have worn it ever since.

Which reminds me – today I saw a sign on the door of a store that I occassionally go into that said ‘medical proof of exemption must be provided before entering the shop‘ – I thought that demanding medical proof of exemption was illegal? I thought this was descrimination?

I could be wrong – I’ll try and snap a photo of the sign tomorrow and post it on here but whatever legality surrounding this kind of request regarding mask-wearing, I won’t be shopping there ever again thats for sure.

DanClarke
DanClarke
5 years ago
Reply to  I am Spartacas

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
Those who have an age, health or disability reason not to wear a face covering should not be routinely asked to provide any written evidence of this. Written evidence includes exemption cards.
Seems to say it all, updated in April ’21

huxleypiggles
huxleypiggles
5 years ago
Reply to  I am Spartacas

That is illegal and could breach the Equalities Act 2010.

ConstantBees
ConstantBees
5 years ago
Reply to  I am Spartacas

Should be conspicuous when you photograph it. Do it from several angles. Hopefully, they’ll come and question you. Then say you’re gathering evidence for the lawsuit.

LMS2
LMS2
5 years ago

Read the replies to Kay Burley’s tweet.
We know she’ll have a specific audience, but the number of idiots proudly announcing that they’re going to keep their masks “until everyone has been double vaccinated” and “case numbers drop significantly” because the Delta++ variant “kills in a couple of days.”
And they think we’re the idiots.

Annie
Annie
5 years ago

i was shopping in Narberth this afternoon. Nice little town, normally.
Nobody using hand gunk, nobody distancing, but everybody knickered except me. I’m quite certain they don’t know why they are doing it. I suspect they don’t even know that they are doing it. It’s like dogs pissing against a lamp post.

Annie
Annie
5 years ago

I’m contemplating setting up a street corner stand, selling dummies dunked in golden syrup to comfort the maskless.
Or I would, if Dungford didn’t intend to keep the Welsh Gulag muzzled for ever.

Julian
Julian
5 years ago

I find it interesting that those ministers say they will ditch theirs, but there’s also some indication that there will continue to be advice to wear them. So will govt ministers be ignoring the advice of their own govt? I suppose it would be consistent, if nothing else.

epythymy
epythymy
5 years ago

The government saying all sorts can happen “once restrictions are lifted” knowing full well they won’t be 👌🏻

Lucan Grey
Lucan Grey
5 years ago

Wearing a mask says “I believe I’m infectious and I should be in bed”.

Treat such people as dangerous and conspicuously avoid them. Bar them entry to places and generally infer to them that they are not welcome.

Most will get the message.

Some won’t.

Jaguarpig
Jaguarpig
5 years ago

I have the choice to wear a lump of shit on my head if I wish about as likely as a fucking jamrag face mask I don’t need your consent to make my choices fuck off cunt pigs.

FlynnQuill
FlynnQuill
5 years ago

Where do they find these people who still want to be muzzled? If they want to live in a authoritarian country fuck off to North Korea.

I was in my local Sainsbury last night and I’d say 95% were maskless. F@cking YOUGOV bullshit.

mishmash
mishmash
5 years ago

There are new starters at my job who I have worked around for weeks now, but I still have no idea what they look like because I’ve never seen them without a mask.
Imagine kids starting year 7, already anxious about the new setting and being split from their group of friends, not even seeing the faces of their new classmates or teachers.
This is deliberate.

iankl00t
iankl00t
5 years ago
Reply to  mishmash

it’s downright evil

miketa1957
miketa1957
5 years ago

It showed that more than one-fifth of British adults aren’t looking forward to “not wearing a mask in public places”

Tough. I don’t alter my behaviour because there are paranoid schizoprenics out there, though they deserve help. I’m not going to alter behaviour for that one-fifth either (though in their case, I don’t think they deserve any help!).

Silke David
Silke David
5 years ago

Sadly I heard several references where people actually like wearing masks as it hides a physical feature of their face which they do not like and are self conscious about. What will it take to make them feel self conscious for wearing a mask? When they are the only one and get stared at for that?

Our market stall selling masks yesterday only had a small selection available. I guess he is phasing it out as no-one buys any anymore. Although I am always surprised how many wear surgical ones. I guess it is easier to just take a new one than bother to wash a cloth one, or do they think it offers more protection?

I am also very disappointed that every person who walks past my window after leaving the Pub next door is just in the process of removing their mouthnosecovering after they walked the five steps through the pub to leave.

RickH
RickH
5 years ago
Reply to  Silke David

I encountered the pub stuff last weekend.

The patent absurdity of the rules (the virus will get you when you have a pee, and operates above 4ft) are barmy beyond belief. I reckon those who devised them had to be just having a laugh.

LMS2
LMS2
5 years ago
Reply to  RickH

We met up with another couple at a riverside pub last week. None of us had masks. None of us filled out the T&T forms that had been left out for everyone.
We went inside the pub to use the toilets, sans masks, and none of the staff were bothered.

RickH
RickH
5 years ago
Reply to  LMS2

Undoubtedly, it varies.

Fingerache Philip
Fingerache Philip
5 years ago
Reply to  Silke David

I’m as ugly as sin but I still don’t want to wear bloody face nappies.

mishmash
mishmash
5 years ago

A few breadcrumbs now to corral the peasants for another month.

Marmalade
Marmalade
5 years ago

There is no legal comulsion to wear one now, there never was. Everyone is exempt, the Government would never pass a law to restrict everyones breathing!

mishmash
mishmash
5 years ago
Reply to  Marmalade

And it won’t stop companies mandating masks for employees, so I see very little changing.

RickH
RickH
5 years ago
Reply to  mishmash

That is a major problem – although it would weaken their case in law, I think.

Jaguarpig
Jaguarpig
5 years ago
Reply to  Marmalade

Yes they would

maggie may
maggie may
5 years ago
Reply to  Marmalade

Always interests me what would have happened if millions of people like us had exempted themselves and not worn one. Do you think the government would have changed the rules so you had to have a doctor’s certificate to be exempt or just made it mandatory like in other countries?

Jolly Green Giant
Jolly Green Giant
5 years ago

The disclaimers on packs of masks actually spell out just how useless they are. The small-print is always words to the effect of “These masks are not medical devices and are unsuitable use as PPE”. Just a shame that sheep can’t read.

DoctorCOxford
DoctorCOxford
5 years ago

Freedom to do as you like as long as the costs do not overwhelm the benefits is essential to a liberal society. So, yes please.

But I have a feeling within 6 weeks of the mask mandate removal we will be down far below 20% mask wearing. Yes, people are paranoid, but we are also social, and once you stand out from the crowd, people begin to want to move back into the mainstream. We saw it with outdoor wearing. We’ve seen it in America. It’s why the “Powers” are loathe to lose the role of masks as control agents to begin with.

RickH
RickH
5 years ago
Reply to  DoctorCOxford

Yes indeed – it will be ‘interesting’.

The issue is that the psy-op has been tremendously successful in using Fear and Pressure to convince people to wear useless masks.

The self -satisfied virtue-signalling of ‘Well, I don’t – they’re all morons’ (and yes, I sometimes indulge in the fruitless ranting, too) isn’t going to do the business. After all, it has had little effect up to now, so the question is how de-programming can be achieved.

You may well be right, that the gradual growth of bare faces will be strong enough to reverse the social pressure element. Let’s hope so.

But there are those for whom the main motivation is Fear – genuine Fear. It will be interesting to see how this deprogramming works out when the two impulses are in conflict rather than alignment.

Julian
Julian
5 years ago
Reply to  DoctorCOxford

“as the costs do not overwhelm the benefits” Well yes, but a lot depends on who is calculating the costs and the benefits, as we have seen. As Mark was saying the other day, draconian restriction of freedom should in general be restricted to those crimes that have been seen as morally wrong and meriting punishment since time immemorial – murder, rape, assault, theft. Once you start to move away from those, you need to be careful what you consider justifiable restrictions of freedom.

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