Anger as Wales hit by 2-week ‘firebreak’

WALES will be plunged into a two-week lockdown from Friday, despite its infection rate being half that of England.

The Labour-run administration last night came under fire for imposing the ‘firebreak’, with businesses and local politicians warning of devastating consequences.

The administration ordered its 3million citizens to stay at home and only to leave the house if essential.

As with the March lockdown, pubs, bars, restaurants and all non- essential shops will be forced to close, though supermarkets, pharmacies and banks can stay open.

Households will be forbidden from mixing indoors and outdoors, but parks and playgrounds will remain open. Those who live alone will be able to meet with one other household indoors. Schools will shut as planned over half-term, but while primary children will return afterwards, only year seven and eight secondary pupils will do so.

Halloween trick-or-treating and Bonfire Night will be cancelled, although Remembrance Sunday events can go ahead.

Indoor visits to care homes may be allowed but only in ‘exceptional circumstances’, such as end-oflife visits.

Driving to beauty spots is banned, and travelling to go on holiday will be against the law.

First Minister Mark Drakeford insisted the draconian 17- day lockdown is necessary to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.

He imposed it despite Office for National Statistics figures for last week putting the infection rate for Wales at one in 390 people – compared with one in 160 in England. The Welsh government has said that the R number is at 1.4 and the sevenday rolling incidence rate is more than 120 cases per 100,000 population.

But local politicians said the decision was ‘devastating’ and would hurt businesses in areas with low levels of the virus.

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Paul Davies said Mr Drakeford should answer questions in the Welsh Parliament and produce evidence the lockdown would work.

He added: ‘This is not a twoweek break to solve the pandemic, it is likely that we will see regular lockdowns across the rest of the year.’

Mr Davies said the measure was ‘not proportionate’ and would have a heavy impact on businesses in areas with low levels of Covid-19, such as Powys, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

Vale of Clwyd Tory MP Dr James Davies said it was a ‘devastating announcement’, adding: ‘Covid infection rates in North Wales have reduced slightly over the last week and are lower than the UK average – as are rates across Wales.

‘This is a pan-UK issue for which unilateral action by the Welsh Government will be futile. I am concerned that this is all about exerting power and making a political statement and that people’s businesses, wellbeing and livelihoods are being caught up in the process.’

Mr Drakeford also sparked fury by demanding extra cash from the Treasury and calling for ‘early access’ to the Job Support Scheme – despite introducing the lockdown unilaterally.

Treasury sources said they had told him that there would be no early access to the scheme, and had set out the financial support available.

David Chapman, of industry body UK Hospitality, said that he could see ‘a lot of business going to the wall’ in Wales unless sufficient financial support was offered. ‘We could lose up to 40,000 jobs which will be a massive impact in many rural and coastal communities.’

Westminster was also angered after Mr Drakeford imposed a travel ban on visitors to Wales from the places with the highest infection rate in England. It comes after Northern Ireland announced a circuit breaker, and Scotland imposed harsher measures, further fragmenting the united approach urged by Boris Johnson.

Announcing the lockdown from October 23 to November 9 yesterday, Mr Drakeford said it would be a ‘short, sharp, shock to turn back the clock, slow down the virus and give us more time’. He added: ‘The number of people being taken to hospital with coronavirus symptoms is growing every day, our critical care units are already full.’

Mr Drakeford said that ‘even more extreme measures’, such as an open- ended lockdown, would have to be implemented if action was not taken now. He said the lockdown would be ‘selfpolicing’, but police will have the power to levy a fixed penalty notice of £60. This will rise to £120 for a second breach.

Businesses affected will be supported with a fund of almost £300million.

‘This unilateral action is futile’ ‘Critical care already full’