DOWNING Street has announced Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak WILL self-isolate after being alerted by NHS contact tracers.

In a dramatic U-turn, officials said the Prime Minister and the Chancellor would not be taking part in a pilot testing scheme which would have allowed them to skip quarantine.

At around 8am, Number 10 said the pair would take part in the special exemption programme, allowing them to continue working from Downing Street.

However, following a huge backlash, the decision has been reversed, meaning the Tory chiefs will have to isolate during England’s so-called “freedom day”.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson's humiliating U-turn intensifies backlash against Tory government

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has been contacted to say he is a contact of someone with Covid.

“He was at Chequers when contacted by Test and Trace and will remain there to isolate. He will not be taking part in the testing pilot.

“He will continue to conduct meetings with ministers remotely. The Chancellor has also been contacted and will also isolate as required and will not be taking part in the pilot.”

Sunak suggested that the reversal had been prompted by an angry public backlash.

He tweeted: “Whilst the test and trace pilot is fairly restrictive, allowing only essential government business, I recognise that even the sense that the rules aren’t the same for everyone is wrong.

“To that end I’ll be self-isolating as normal and not taking part in the pilot.”

READ MORE: 'Dangerous and stupid': Quarantine exemption for Johnson and Sunak sparks fury 

The farce began earlier this wekeend when Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced he had contracted the disease, forcing him to self-isolate just 48 hours before England’s so-called “freedom day”, when coronavirus restrictions end.

The Prime Minister is reported to have had a lengthy meeting with Javid at No 10 on Friday. Both he and the Chancellor were contacted by Test and Trace.

No 10 said initially that the pair would be "participating in the daily contacting tracing pilot to allow them to continue to work for Downing Street".

A spokesperson added: “They will be conducting only essential government business during this period.”

Downing Street claimed it is one of around 20 institutions which is piloting the "test-and-release" scheme, with officials naming the Border Force and Transport for London (TfL).

However, TfL revealed that it is yet to receive "formal notification" that it is part of the trial.

And yet Downing Street appears to have been running the scheme for several weeks.

Last month, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove sparked anger by using the testing programme instead of going into isolation.

He was notified he may have come into contact with someone who had coronavirus on a trip to Portugal. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster had gone to Porto with his son to watch the Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City.

Johnson and Sunak's embarrassing U-turn does not appear to have stemmed the deluge of criticism.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford tweeted: "It seems @BorisJohnson and @RishiSunak are now going to be self isolating, the strength of the backlash seems to have resulted in a climbdown. Such poor judgement that events have unfolded the way they have this morning. We are still in the situation of the virus rising sharply.

"Yet tomorrow sees England accelerating plans for social contact that will see numbers infected rise sharply. We can only conclude the aim is herd immunity but at what cost?"