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Hancock announces Covid restrictions in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside Hancock announces Covid restrictions in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside
(about 1 hour later)
More than 2 million people will be banned from mixing with other households indoors in latest local lockdownMore than 2 million people will be banned from mixing with other households indoors in latest local lockdown
More than 2 million people in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside will be banned by law from mixing with other households indoors in the latest extension of lockdown restrictions.More than 2 million people in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside will be banned by law from mixing with other households indoors in the latest extension of lockdown restrictions.
The decision was announced by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, in the Commons after a meeting chaired by Boris Johnson on Thursday. The measures were announced as coronavirus cases continued to rise sharply in the north-west and north-east of England.
Under the new rules, which are an extension of the powers introduced in north-east England earlier this week, it will be illegal for families to meet others they do not live with in all indoor settings including pubs, bars and restaurants. The new rules mean it will be illegal from Saturday for nearly 5 million people in those regions to meet others they do not live with in all indoor settings including pubs, bars and restaurants. Similar rules came into force elsewhere in the north-east earlier this week.
The measures will apply across Merseyside as well as Warrington, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “I understand how much of an imposition this is. I want rules like this to stay in place for as short a time as possible, I’m sure we all do.
The restrictions are due to come into force at midnight on Friday.
Hancock told MPs: “We recommend against all social mixing between people in different households. We will bring in regulations, as we have in the north-east, to prevent in law social mixing between different households in all settings except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality.”
The rules will also recommend against all but essential travel on public transport, attending amateur or professional sports events, and only visiting care homes in exceptional circumstances.
Hancock said a £7m support package would be made available to councils in all affected areas.
He added: “I understand how much of an imposition this is. I want rules like this to stay in place for as short a time as possible, I’m sure we all do.
“The study published today shows us hope that together we can crack this and the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool and the north-east back on their feet.”“The study published today shows us hope that together we can crack this and the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool and the north-east back on their feet.”
Hancock also announced the reopening of Bolton’s hospitality industry, two days after the town’s Conservative council leader told the Guardian the area had been “forgotten” since its pubs, restaurants and bars were restricted to takeaway-only trade three weeks ago. There was an immediate backlash from local leaders who said the £7m financial support for local authorities was “a drop in the ocean”. Middlesbrough’s mayor took the extraordinary step of saying he rejected the new measures and was prepared to defy the government.
Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said he supported the new measures but that areas needed urgent financial support otherwise “existing inequalities, which themselves have a health impact and allow the virus to thrive, will be exacerbated”. Andy Preston, the independent mayor of Middlesbrough council, said his authority and Hartlepool council had asked for a ban on households mixing in their own homes, but that the government’s measures went much further. They were based on “factual inaccuracies and a monstrous and frightening lack of communication, and ignorance,” he said.
He added: “People need clarity as well. Areas like Leicester, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bradford have had restrictions imposed on them for months now. Millions of people in these local lockdown areas just need some reassurance that an end is in sight.” Mike Hill, the Labour MP for Hartlepool, said he was “totally angered” by the government’s “absolutely disgraceful one size fits all approach”.
Hancock was unable to say when restrictions would be lifted in those areas but said the measures were “vital for suppressing the virus”. The restrictions also caution against all but essential travel on public transport and attendance of amateur or professional sports events. Visits to care homes should only take place in exceptional circumstances.
After the announcement, the Liverpool mayor, Joe Anderson, said he was “deeply worried” there was no financial support for businesses and described the £7m for local authorities as a “drop in the ocean”. Merseyside’s 14 Labour MPs, six council leaders and the mayor of the Liverpool city region, Steve Rotheram, said they welcomed the action being taken but questioned whether it was enough to contain the virus.
They said they were seeking urgent talks with the government to understand the scientific evidence behind the restrictions and to plead for a significant cash injection to prevent economic disaster.
Liverpool council estimates that its budget deficit is £45.6m in a best-case scenario because of coronavirus, rising to £66m in a worst-case scenario.Liverpool council estimates that its budget deficit is £45.6m in a best-case scenario because of coronavirus, rising to £66m in a worst-case scenario.
Anderson said he recognised the infection rate was “basically out of control”, but added that hotels, bars and restaurants werein danger of closing. Liverpool’s mayor, Joe Anderson, said he recognised the infection rate was “basically out of control”, but added that hotels, bars and restaurants werein danger of closing.
He told BBC Merseyside: “It’s nowhere near enough, £7m wouldn’t be enough for Liverpool alone, let alone across the city region. It’s got to be in the hundreds of millions that we need to support businesses to survive just for a matter of weeks.He told BBC Merseyside: “It’s nowhere near enough, £7m wouldn’t be enough for Liverpool alone, let alone across the city region. It’s got to be in the hundreds of millions that we need to support businesses to survive just for a matter of weeks.
“A local lockdown is fine if it helps curtail the virus but there has to be a local furlough financial scheme for local businesses to survive. Hancock also announced the reopening of Bolton’s hospitality industry, two days after the town’s Conservative council leader told the Guardian the area had been “forgotten” since its pubs, restaurants and bars were restricted to takeaway-only trade three weeks ago.
“The city and the city region are in a desperate position financially and we need that financial support and we need it now.” Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said he supported the new measures but that areas needed urgent financial support. Otherwise “existing inequalities, which themselves have a health impact and allow the virus to thrive, will be exacerbated,” he said.
Coronavirus cases in Merseyside are averaging more than 200 per 100,000 people – more than four times the England average – with Liverpool and Knowsley recording the highest infection rates in England. “People need clarity as well. Areas like Leicester, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bradford have had restrictions imposed on them for months now. Millions of people in these local lockdown areas just need some reassurance that an end is in sight.”
Measures that restrict social gatherings in pubs, bars and restaurants – such as those introduced in part of north-east England – will have a particularly significant impact on the Merseyside economy given its reliance on hospitality and tourism. The industries account for half of the business rates that fund public services in Liverpool. Hancock was unable to say when restrictions would be lifted in those areas but said the measures were “vital for suppressing the virus”.
Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor of the Liverpool city region, and six civic leaders, warned on Wednesday that Merseyside’s public finances were “at breaking point” and they needed a “comprehensive package of financial support” from the Treasury when new lockdown measures are imposed. Coronavirus cases in Merseyside are averaging more than 200 per 100,000 people, more than four times the England average. Liverpool and Knowsley have the highest infection rates in England.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday: “All of our figures are going badly in the wrong direction. We’re seeing exponential growth in the number of cases, we’ve seen hospital admissions start to be impacted now. We will unfortunately see the resulting deaths.” Measures that restrict social gatherings in pubs, bars and restaurants, such as those introduced in part of north-east England, will have a particularly significant impact on the Merseyside economy given its reliance on hospitality and tourism. The industries account for half of the business rates that fund public services in Liverpool.
However, Rotheram said it was important that the government set out a “roadmap” for exiting the restrictions because other areas had been stuck in what he described as a “Hotel California situation” where they can never get out. Rotheram and six civic leaders said Merseyside’s public finances were at breaking point and needed a “comprehensive package of financial support” from the Treasury.
George Eustice, the environment secretary, said local restrictions would be lifted once the infection rate in those areas “gets back more in line with the national trend”.