After the government openly admitted its plan to break international law, people are branding the Tories "hypocrites" for announcing a wave of lockdown laws for England on the same day.
It all started when Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis stood up in the House of Commons on Tuesday and confirmed the government’s plan to tweak the Brexit deal would be breaking international law:
Yes, this does break international law in a very specific and limited way.
Then Health Secretary Matt Hancock was asked if he was comfortable that a UK minister was willing to admit to wanting to break international law.
Hancock simply replied:
I am.
Hancock went on to try to justify breaking the international law in order not to disrupt peace in Northern Ireland.
Then came the announcement that England was implementing new lockdown laws about limiting social gatherings, starting on Monday.
The new law says social gatherings of more than six people at a time will be illegal, except for going to work, school, funerals, weddings and team sport.
The government expects the UK public to fully comply with this new rule.
In fact, Matt Hancock even told LBC on Wednesday morning that he expected university students to not socialise with more than six people at a time during Freshers week.
Half an hour apart https://t.co/sGRoWEnvrb— James Felton (@James Felton) 1599640176
Hopefully people will follow these new rules, because they are ultimately designed to keep us all safe.
But at PMQs, Boris Johnson was quizzed on why the public should bother, if government ministers don't feel like the law applies to them.
People on social media are baffled that the government is "lecturing" them on following these new laws, but also admitting that they are planning to break international law.
Matt Hancock on R4, lecturing us on being responsible and following the rules, goes on to say he's comfortable with… https://t.co/cu5GTZq084— Martin Johnes (@Martin Johnes) 1599636647
I’m not sure* that telling the public you’re ok with breaking the law on the day you want them to not break the law… https://t.co/cyQsn6IHRz— Mat Davies 🏴 (@Mat Davies 🏴) 1599644333
Matt Hancock: go out. Go to work. Get tested we can do 200,000 a day Same Matt Hancock weeks later: Young people a… https://t.co/gW0gSYhp43— Kate O'Brien (@Kate O'Brien) 1599649648
How can Matt Hancock be comfortable about breaking the law while urging everyone to obey the law?— Peter Smith (@Peter Smith) 1599642881
We can tell Matt Hancock/the Police we are only breaking the law in a 'limited and specific way'!— Michael Clark (@Michael Clark) 1599656849
How is it 2020 and the government in the House of Commons is saying it’s fine to break the law ‘in a very limited a… https://t.co/fHpsHRvUUp— Alana (@Alana) 1599601558
"Breaking the law is bad" says Minister for government that just admitted it plans to deliberately break internatio… https://t.co/A6kKilXKo3— James Morris (@James Morris) 1599636549
@BBCBreakfast So according to @MattHancock it would be wrong to break these rules but perfectly ok for the… https://t.co/W2dL6Z2iep— BT 🎸⚽️🌍 (@BT 🎸⚽️🌍) 1599647305
To be clear: we urge people to follow all laws that are designed to keep us all safe during this time.
But can you blame people for being a bit irked that it feels like it's one rule for the government, and another for them?