Boris Johnson seeks to mollify Tory MPs dismayed by U-turns

PM admits government has backtracked on multiple issues but insists it is on right course

• What are Conservative backbenchers' main grievances?

Boris Johnson has moved to mollify angry backbenchers disillusioned by the number of government U-turns, admitting the government has been forced to backtrack on multiple issues throughout the pandemic but insisting it is on the right course.

The prime minister has been facing a restive party as MPs return to Westminster, with several senior Conservatives expressing public dismay over the disaster of A-Level grading and chaotic communication over quarantine periods and the use of masks in schools and shops.