Johnson to take ‘direct control’ of UK’s coronavirus approach in shake-up: Report

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is aiming to take “direct control” of the government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak in a Downing Street shake-up, the Telegraph reported late on Tuesday.

The move will see two centrally run committees, covering strategy and operational delivery, shaping the British government’s approach to the outbreak, the newspaper added.

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The committees will substitute four ministerial implementation groups, which were formed at the start of the coronavirus crisis and covered health, foreign affairs, economy and business and public services, the Telegraph reported.

Johnson will chair the strategy committee while Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove will chair the new operations committee, according to the report.

Read more: Britain says coronavirus-related deaths rise to 48,000

The changes will free up some members of Johnson’s top team to concentrate on Brexit talks ahead of July’s deadline, when Britain determines whether to stretch the transition period beyond this year, the report said.

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The newspaper also reported that a regular COVID-19 government meeting, which has been held every morning, is being axed.

The shake-up could also weaken the influence of the prime minister’s top adviser, Dominic Cummings, whose long road trip at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown provoked outrage across Britain, The Telegraph reported.