Boris Johnson says coronavirus won't stop UK 'levelling up' and 'building back better'

6 October 2020, 11:54 | Updated: 6 October 2020, 14:37

Boris Johnson said the virus would not "slow down" his plans to level up the country
Boris Johnson said the virus would not "slow down" his plans to level up the country. Picture: Conservative Party

By Asher McShane

Boris Johnson today pledged not to let the pandemic thwart efforts to 'level up' the country, saying the virus should act as a trigger for speeding up social and economic change.

The Prime Minister said that the virus would not impede efforts to "build back better," but added that "going back to normal" after the coronavirus crisis will not be enough.

Mr Johnson said: “After all we have been through it isn’t enough just to go back to normal. We have lost too much. We have mourned too many.”

He said Britain would see off the virus “just as this country has seen off every alien invader for the last thousand years”.

Read more: Boris Johnson pledges first time buyers to get 'long term fixed rate deals'

Mr Johnson used his Conservative Party virtual conference speech, delivered to an empty room, to say that the Government was working "night and day to repel this virus".

He said: "We can't define the mission of this government as to merely restore normality."

Boris Johnson says 'return to normality won't be good enough' after COVID-19 pandemic

"I don't know about you, but I have had more than enough of this disease that attacks not only human beings but so many of the greatest things about our country - our pubs, our clubs, our football, our theatre and all the gossipy gregariousness and love of human contact that drives the creativity of our economy."

He said he is confident that Britain will defeat coronavirus and pledged the Government is determined to "build back better".

"After all we have been through it is not enough just to go back to before. We have lost too much, we have mourned too many.

"We have been through too much frustration and hardship just to settle for the status quo ante to think that life can go on as before the plague and we will not.

"That is why this Government will build back better."

He also addressed his own personal battle with the illness and assured his party he was now in robust health.

Mr Johnson also joked about his weight loss, revealing he had lost 26lbs, saying: “And I am going to continue that diet, because you’ve got to search for the hero inside yourself.”

Mr Johnson is facing a Commons vote later today where a growing number of Tory rebels hope to overturn the 10pm curfew measure that they say is damaging businesses and causes crowding after hours, risking spread of the virus.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Rick Buckler

Rick Buckler, drummer of The Jam, dies aged 69 - former bandmate Paul Weller confirms

Kitchen knives on a magnetic bar holder on the wall

Round-edged blades safer alternatives than sharp-pointed kitchen knives, research shows - in bid to tackle knife crime

A large sinkhole has forced the closure of the high street in the Surrey village of Godstone

Homes evacuated and major incident declared after 65ft sinkhole appears in Surrey village

Lydia Mugambe

United Nations judge forced woman to work as slave after tricking her to come to UK, court hears

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

Did motorbike couple's 'happiness' survey prompt arrest on spying charges in Iran?

Abdirahman Ibrahim has been convicted of murder after driving into the back of Liam Jones

Killer driver mows down e-bike rider to 'teach him lesson' for doing wheelies

The Vatican says Pope Francis is being treated for 'bilateral pneumonia'

New scans show Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs but Vatican says he remains ‘in good spirits’

Meghan

Meghan Markle could face 'legal action' from Spanish town as her new luxury brand logo faces resemblance to coat of arms

The father of murdered schoolgirl Sara Sharif is reportedly being protected by a 'Muslim gang'

Sara Sharif's father protected by 'Muslim gang' in jail after being attacked with jagged tuna lid

Zhenhao Zou is accused of raping three women in London and 7 in China, whilst they were unconscious

PhD student 'discussed rape role-play' with alleged victim, trial hears

Exclusive
Senior Tories including Suella Braverman and Michael Gove have criticised the judge's comments

Senior Tories blast 'out of touch' judge for 'ludicrous attack' on Starmer’s migrant remarks

Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, died in an airstrike, Hamas said

Bodies of youngest Israeli hostage Kfir Bibas and his brother and mother to be handed over as family ‘in turmoil’

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Man suspected of fatally shooting wife outside pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said 'she's dead'

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned 'any appearance by armed forces under some other flag' in Ukraine would be 'completely unacceptable', in a dig at a peace plan floated by Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer’s Ukraine peacekeeping plan ‘completely unacceptable’, Russia tells US in Saudi Arabia talks

Rita Lambourne, 58, was “fatally wounded” at her home in Bayencourt South, Bexhill

Man charged with axe murder of woman in own home