Treasury deep-cleaned on eve of Budget after official’s partner tests positive for coronavirus
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The Treasury was deep cleaned last night on the eve of today’s Budget announcement after an official’s partner tested positive for coronavirus.
Officials have been told they can work from home today, despite it being one of the biggest days in the fiscal calendar.
The Treasury confirmed a Buzzfeed report that the unnamed official has tested negative for coronavirus but is self-isolating.
New chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to present his first budget today, in truly trying circumstances.
Sunak only took on the job less than a month ago after Sajid Javid quit after refusing to accept a humiliation curtailment of his powers by Number 10.
The new chancellor has also had to deal with the spread of coronavirus and an oil price war that has tanked markets around the world and left both the UK and global economy looking at uncertain futures.
Yesterday, health minister Nadine Dorries became the first MP to test positive for coronavirus.
In a statement yesterday Dorries, the first MP to test positive for the virus, said “Public Health England has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice.”
The news led to fears that Dorries, who voted in two parliamentary divisions last week, could have inadvertently infected further MPs and officials with the virus.