London and other vital cities across England could see tough travel restrictions imposed under local lockdowns amid concerns of a winter resurgence of Covid-19.
Downing Street confirmed on Monday that powers to restrict people’s movements and potentially close local transport networks may be enforced under government plans to tackle the virus over the coming months.
The confirmation came as the latest data released by the government showed that there had been an additional 938 Covid-19 cases in the UK on Monday — the biggest daily rise since June 26.
With concerns over a second wave of the virus growing, Boris Johnson’s government on Friday postponed plans to further ease lockdown restrictions in the UK just hours after more than 4m people in the north west of England were told they would not be able to visit people from other households in their homes.
Nevertheless Mr Johnson has pressed ahead with plans to give greater powers to employers to ask staff to return to work from Monday.
Responding to reports the M25 motorway could be used as a “quarantine ring” around the city of London, No 10 said the policy of restricting travel was “not something that’s specific to London or anywhere else”.
Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, has complained that he is not being kept fully informed of the UK government’s plans, and said it had been 12 weeks since he had been asked to attend a meeting of Cobra, the government’s emergency planning committee.
In a letter to Boris Johnson on Monday, Mr Khan said it had been a “great surprise” to read reports in Sunday newspapers that ministers had discussed contingency planning for a major resurgence of infections in London.
“Our surprise is that such far-reaching contingency plans have been discussed and tested without the involvement or awareness of London’s government,” he said. “This is clearly totally unacceptable and an affront to London and Londoners.”
A spokesman said the government’s “Contain” strategy published two weeks ago had been “clear” about the possibility of putting in place “restrictions” on travel.
“One of the steps within that, potentially, includes closing down local transport networks. It’s there, it’s contained in the document, it’s not a new thing. We’ve informed the public and politicians of that being a potential action that we could take.
“This is something which, if it were to be used, would be because there had been a specific outbreak in a particular town or city or more localised area.
“The Contain strategy doesn’t reference specific locations. But it does set out the possibility of a power to restrict people’s movements and potentially close local transport networks.”
Health secretary Matt Hancock denied on Monday that ministers were considering asking millions of overweight or unwell over-50s to shield in the event of a second wave as part of their plans to contain the virus.
Dismissing what he described as “inaccurate” reports, Mr Hancock told Sky News “we’ll always do whatever is necessary to keep people safe”.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiP2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZ0LmNvbS9jb250ZW50L2U2Y2MxMzQ1LTQ1NTMtNGIxMS05MzBkLTZiNjlmZjViYjgzNNIBP2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmZ0LmNvbS9jb250ZW50L2U2Y2MxMzQ1LTQ1NTMtNGIxMS05MzBkLTZiNjlmZjViYjgzNA?oc=5
2020-08-03 17:55:00Z
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