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Coronavirus: Home visits banned in parts of northern England Coronavirus: Home visits banned in parts of northern England
(about 1 hour later)
Separate households will not be able to meet indoors from Friday in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire, the government says.Separate households will not be able to meet indoors from Friday in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire, the government says.
Matt Hancock said those areas had seen an "increasing rate of transmission", which was "largely due" to people not following social distancing. The health secretary said the areas had seen an "increasing rate of transmission", "largely due" to people not following social distancing.
Labour criticised the government for a lack of clarity over the restrictions and for announcing it "late at night". Labour criticised the government for a lack of clarity over the measures and for announcing them "late at night".
Details of the new rules were published two hours after the announcement. More details were published two hours after the initial announcement.
Millions of people in Greater Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale, Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will be affected by the tightening of restrictions. More than four million people in Greater Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale, Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will be affected by the tightening of restrictions.
The new measures mean different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens, but single households will still be able to go to pubs and restaurants. The new measures mean different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens, but individual households will still be able to go to pubs and restaurants.
The health secretary also said in Leicester, where a local lockdown has been in place for the last month, the same restrictions would also apply. Health Secretary Matt Hancock also said the same restrictions would apply in Leicester, where a local lockdown has been in place for the last month.
But pubs, restaurants and some other facilities will be allowed to reopen from Monday, as some of the stricter measures are lifted. However, pubs, restaurants and some other facilities will be allowed to reopen in the city from Monday, as some of the stricter measures are lifted.
The new lockdown rules for parts of northern England come nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England and people were allowed to meet indoors.The new lockdown rules for parts of northern England come nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England and people were allowed to meet indoors.
Mr Hancock said: "We take this action with a heavy heart but unfortunately it's necessary because we've seen that households meeting up and a lack of social distancing is one of the causes of this rising rate of coronavirus and we'll do whatever is necessary to keep the country safe." Mr Hancock, who tweeted the announcement at 21:16 BST, said: "The spread is largely due to households meeting and not abiding to social distancing. So from midnight tonight, people from different households will not be allowed to meet each other indoors in these areas.
Labour leader Keir Starmer tweeted that announcing measures "affecting potentially millions of people late at night on Twitter is a new low for the government's communications during this crisis". "We take this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of Covid across Europe and are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the move but the criticised the way it was handled, saying measures "affecting potentially millions of people late at night on Twitter is a new low for the government's communications during this crisis".
He added: "When the government ended the daily press conferences, they said they would hold them for 'significant announcements', including local lockdowns. It's hard to imagine what could be more significant than this."He added: "When the government ended the daily press conferences, they said they would hold them for 'significant announcements', including local lockdowns. It's hard to imagine what could be more significant than this."
The latest announcement in detail The latest announcement in detail:
The government always warned it would slam on the brakes if it had to.The government always warned it would slam on the brakes if it had to.
Now it has - on an unprecedented scale, with two-and-a-half hours notice.Now it has - on an unprecedented scale, with two-and-a-half hours notice.
Liberties recently returned, almost instantly snatched away.Liberties recently returned, almost instantly snatched away.
And snatched with a rebuke from the health secretary for England - Matt Hancock - who repeatedly said this was necessary because some in the areas affected had failed to stick to social distancing rules.And snatched with a rebuke from the health secretary for England - Matt Hancock - who repeatedly said this was necessary because some in the areas affected had failed to stick to social distancing rules.
I'm told the change comes without a time limit, but will be reviewed every week.I'm told the change comes without a time limit, but will be reviewed every week.
And don't be surprised if the government, from the prime minister down, make the case that this could happen elsewhere too if people are cavalier about the rules.And don't be surprised if the government, from the prime minister down, make the case that this could happen elsewhere too if people are cavalier about the rules.
And yet, in Leicester, the local, more severe restrictions imposed there are to be eased.And yet, in Leicester, the local, more severe restrictions imposed there are to be eased.
The baby steps back towards normality are going to be hesitant and faltering; messy in their detail and messy in their geography.The baby steps back towards normality are going to be hesitant and faltering; messy in their detail and messy in their geography.
The virus has robbed us of many things.The virus has robbed us of many things.
It continues to rob us of any certainty.It continues to rob us of any certainty.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester - a city with a population of about 2.8m - said there had been a "marked change in the picture" with regard to the spread of Covid-19 in the area.Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester - a city with a population of about 2.8m - said there had been a "marked change in the picture" with regard to the spread of Covid-19 in the area.
"We have gone from a falling rate of cases in nearly all of our boroughs last week to a rising rate in nine out of 10 affecting communities across a much wider geography," he said. "In Rochdale, the one borough where cases have fallen, they are still too high.""We have gone from a falling rate of cases in nearly all of our boroughs last week to a rising rate in nine out of 10 affecting communities across a much wider geography," he said. "In Rochdale, the one borough where cases have fallen, they are still too high."
He said all residents "young and old alike" should "protect each other" by observing the requirements, which will be reviewed weekly.He said all residents "young and old alike" should "protect each other" by observing the requirements, which will be reviewed weekly.
This means "the more we stick to them, the quicker they will be removed", he said.This means "the more we stick to them, the quicker they will be removed", he said.
"This is a place which prides itself on looking out for each other. We now need to be true to that by not acting selfishly and keeping the health of others in mind at all times.""This is a place which prides itself on looking out for each other. We now need to be true to that by not acting selfishly and keeping the health of others in mind at all times."
Jonathan Reynolds, shadow secretary for work and pensions and an MP in the Greater Manchester area, said the figures were showing an increase in infections including in Tameside where positive tests per 100,000 population has gone from 4.9 to 16.3.Jonathan Reynolds, shadow secretary for work and pensions and an MP in the Greater Manchester area, said the figures were showing an increase in infections including in Tameside where positive tests per 100,000 population has gone from 4.9 to 16.3.
BBC News correspondent Judith Moritz said the government's announcement was "a shock" but the data had been "pointing this way for some time".BBC News correspondent Judith Moritz said the government's announcement was "a shock" but the data had been "pointing this way for some time".
She said residents "will find it hard to deal with" especially those with a significant Muslim population looking to celebrate Eid on Friday.She said residents "will find it hard to deal with" especially those with a significant Muslim population looking to celebrate Eid on Friday.
The restrictions are not as strict as those that were imposed in Leicester, she said, but Thursday's announcement covers a much greater area.The restrictions are not as strict as those that were imposed in Leicester, she said, but Thursday's announcement covers a much greater area.
Leicester introduced a strict local lockdown at the beginning of July because the city's seven-day infection rate had risen to 135 cases per 100,000 people. It has since fallen and the lockdown was lifted for some suburbs of the city.Leicester introduced a strict local lockdown at the beginning of July because the city's seven-day infection rate had risen to 135 cases per 100,000 people. It has since fallen and the lockdown was lifted for some suburbs of the city.
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said the decision to ban households in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and West Yorkshire from meeting indoors was the "right" one.First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said the decision to ban households in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and West Yorkshire from meeting indoors was the "right" one.
She said the UK government was "right to act quickly", adding: "This is a sharp reminder that the threat of this virus is still very real."She said the UK government was "right to act quickly", adding: "This is a sharp reminder that the threat of this virus is still very real."
Miqdaad Versi, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, said the restrictions were likely to have a "large impact" on Muslim families celebrating Eid on Friday.Miqdaad Versi, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, said the restrictions were likely to have a "large impact" on Muslim families celebrating Eid on Friday.
"Unclear why such short notice provided but important that this message is cascaded as quickly as possible given it goes live within a few hours," he tweeted."Unclear why such short notice provided but important that this message is cascaded as quickly as possible given it goes live within a few hours," he tweeted.
On Thursday, a further 38 people in the UK died, bringing the total number of Covid-19 associated deaths to 45,999.On Thursday, a further 38 people in the UK died, bringing the total number of Covid-19 associated deaths to 45,999.
And 846 cases were reported - the highest number of cases in a day for a month.And 846 cases were reported - the highest number of cases in a day for a month.
In other developments on Thursday:In other developments on Thursday: