TIER WE GO AGAIN
London lockdown – Capital & string of other regions will go into Tier 2 from midnight on FRIDAY, Matt Hancock announces
NINE million Londoners will be plunged into Tier 2 lockdown from midnight tomorrow with a ban on household mixing.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the threat from the bug in the capital was "grave and serious" as he announced the decision in the Commons this morning.
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Other areas moving into Tier 2 include Essex, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, York, North East Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield.
Both Manchester and Lancashire are also poised to be forced into Tier 3 lockdown rules later today.
Mr Hancock said this morning: "In London, infection rates are on a steep upward path with cases doubling every 10 days.
"We know from the first peak the infection can spread fast and put pressures on the NHS."
He added that he wants "the time London is in Tier 2 to be as short as possible" and ministers were already readying exit plans for the restrictions.
It means people will be told they can't mix with anyone from another household indoors, but can meet up in beer gardens and private gardens, where the national rule of six applies.
Travel is permitted to amenities that are open, for work or education, but people are advised to reduce their number of journeys where possible.
Schools, universities and places of worship are allowed to remain open, as well as offices and business venues.
All measures are subject to a review every 4 weeks.
The Health Secretary stressed that following a localised approach was critical to avoid "greater economic damage in the future".
It comes as:
- Anger mounted over Manchester and Lancashire being forced into toughest Tier 3 lockdown restriction
- It was revealed NHS consultants were paid £7,000 a DAY to work for fledgling Test and Trace system
- A Liverpool gym was stormed by cops to enforce Tier 3 lockdown rules
- Boris Johnson has been urged to have a press conference with the Government's chief economist to rival doomsday scientists
- A massive 89,874 people tested positive for coronavirus in the week to October 7 - a 64 per cent rise from the previous week.
As many as 12 of the capital's boroughs above the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 people.
The new restrictions will mean half the country is under tougher lockdown rules, with 26.7 million people and 1.6 million people in Liverpool under drastic Tier 3 measures.
However, analysis of London's figures show that although the number of infections is going up by hundreds every day, the proportional increase is shrinking each week - suggesting the outbreak's growth has slowed.
Department of Health figures also show that not one single borough in the capital has a higher infection rate than England's average — 160 cases in the week ending October 8 for every 100,000 people.
Ealing — the city's new Covid-19 hotspot — saw just 140 infections per 100,000 over the same time frame.
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Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said this morning: "The virus is spreading rapidly in every corner of our city.
"Hospital admissions are up, more patients are going into intensive care units, and sadly the number of Londoners dying is increasing again."
Mr Khan also repeated his demands for a national "circuit breaker" lockdown after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the punishing measures would be the only way to stop the spread.
He said: "I believe we also need action on a national scale, just as the Government's own scientific advisers have recommended.
"This is why I continue to call for a short national circuit breaker."
Chancellor Rishi Sunak last night warned that a national lockdown would cause an "economic emergency".
But not all London MPs were convinced of the need for more restrictions city-wide.
And Tory MP Andrew Rodsindell was outraged by the blanket tiers in London and called for a “borough by borough” approach.
He said: "I think it's wholly wrong.
"Greater London is not one place it's multitude of places and to have a blanket tier running across London with places like Tower Hamlet, has the same rules like places right on the edge, is nonsense.
“There needs to be borough by borough decisions on this based on the local needs.”
Mr Hancock said a borough by borough approach had been considered but "because of the integrated nature of London and the fact infections are going up across London, we thought London should go in together."
And Essex is also expected to be given Tier 2 restrictions from Saturday, after council leaders asked for new measures to act early to avoid further damaging measures.
Harlow MP Robert Halfon said he supported further restrictions for Essex.
The senior Conservative MP said: "I've worked hard with Essex council and Public Health England officials and the ministers at the department of health on these issues.
"Sadly I support the Tier 2 measures, if Essex does go into them, because otherwise if we don't act early we could face a situation, a real struggle, that sadly so many northern towns and cities are facing at this time.
"I will be writing to the Chancellor to ensure that, as far as possible, alongside the existing scheme, that businesses do not suffer financially because of the move to Tier 2.
"The key issue is if we don't do this now we could face the much higher restrictions in a few weeks which would be even worse for businesses."
FURY IN THE NORTH
The fresh restrictions in London comes as local leaders and MPs in Manchester and Lancashire resisted fierce pressure from Downing Street to have draconian Tier 3 lockdowns forced on them.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham blasted the PM this afternoon for treating Northern cities like "canaries in a coal mine for an experimental regional lockdown."
In a joint press conference with other local officials, Mr Burnham said: "(The Government) is willing to sacrifice jobs and businesses here to try to save them elsewhere."
Lucy Powell, Labour MP for Manchester Central, said there was "unanimous fury" over "the process, the evidence base and the economic support" offered.
She argued Manchester has "lived in tier two for weeks now and it has not worked".
The anger has flowed from across party lines, with Tory ministers slamming the proposals for new measures.
Tory MP for Hazel Grove in south Manchester William Wragg said: "The meeting we had earlier today was entirely pointless and we may as well have talked to a wall quite frankly.
“The closure of hospitality will drive people into private dwellings where they will mix, we do not thank goodness live in a police state for that is the only way to police it. Can they please listen to common sense and think again?”
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The average Covid infection rate across London is 94.15 cases per 100,000 people, according to the most recent Department of Health data — the equivalent of nearly one person in every 1,000 in the last week.
Richmond upon Thames (137.9), Hackney and City of London (128.2 ) and Ealing (144.8) had the highest daily new cases per 100,000 people in the week to October 8, according to the latest Government figures.
Croydon (72.7), Bromley (70.1) and Sutton (76.1) - all in the south - proved to have the fewest new cases per day — but all have seen a rise in infections over the past month.
The chief exec of the London Chamber of Commerce has said many hospitality venues would actually prefer Tier 3 lockdown measures so they can access grants and extra funding.
Richard Burge said: "With no non-household mixing allowed indoors and a reduction in journeys on public transport requested, Tier 2 will hit London's hospitality sector hard, particularly in its centre.
"There is bound to also be an impact on retail.
"Hospitality businesses are between the rock and hard place. Their trade is impacted by the restrictions, yet there's not sufficient support available to help them to stay open.
"Many would rather be in a Tier 3 area, as at least if they were required to close by law they would be able to access grants and the more generous furlough scheme."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Yesterday, coronavirus cases in Britain hit their second highest ever rise with another 19,724 infected by the deadly bug.
A further 137 people died in the last 24 hours - bringing the UK's overall covid-19 death toll to 43,155.
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