UK Covid- 19 tipping point

Mayors oppose tougher new measures as country battles to contain latest spread

BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce new measures to tackle a growing coronavirus crisis today, moving to work more closely with local leaders from England’s worst affected areas.

With Johnson reluctant to repeat a national lockdown that would further hurt a struggling economy, the government is trying to contain a surge in cases, as well as growing anger, in parts of northern and central England.

England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van- Tam described Britain as being at a “tipping point”, saying the spread would soon translate into more deaths and that the country should act now.

Robert Jenrick, Britain’s housing minister, said the measures would focus on local areas.

“In addition to the basic simple rules that apply to the whole country, we are designing a framework for those places for where the virus is very strong,” he said. “We want the strongest possible working relationship now between central government and local government,” he said. “So it’s right that we take action in those communities and design the measures in conjunction with people who know those places best.”

Jenrick said local leaders would be more involved in contact tracing after the robustness of Britain’s testand- trace system has been repeatedly questioned, and that there would be more guidance on travel.

The government, local media said, might also introduce a three- tier system to try to simplify the rules and the messaging, which opposition parties and some in the governing Conservative Party say has been too confusing and might have contributed to rising cases.

But with many in northern England having already lived with tightened restrictions for weeks, the government might have to do more to quell growing anger over any new measures.

Local leaders said there was a “gulf” with the government on the best steps forward after complaining for months that they were being left out of decision- making by what some called an overly centralised strategy.

The leaders of Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and Manchester are reportedly gearing up for a revolt.

They lambaste the looming “draconian clampdown” that might see swathes of the virus- hit north- west and north- east automatically falling under Tier 3. The latter presupposes pubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses shutting down.

The lockdown measures will see the north of the country transformed into a “permanent open prison”, claim the regional leaders, as the measures might see people facing fines if they travel between high- and lower- risk areas.

Mayors argue that regionally differentiated measures such as the ones slated to be imposed by the government would serve to fuel a “vast new north- south divide”.

Labour also urged the government to offer more financial support if businesses were told to close, and that the opposition party would work on offering an alternative package to one announced by finance minister Rishi Sunak on Friday.

“What we really want … is the government to come forward with a package of financial support that enables people to comply with the health restrictions,” said Lisa Nandy, Labour’s foreign policy chief.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s new bailout package, suggested as cushioning the blow for those people hit the hardest by the lockdown measures, was slammed as “stingy” and condemning 10 million people to hardship.

The city leaders have issued a call to Tory MPS to back them for a vote in Parliament on the new support proposals, adding the measures “would surrender our residents to hardship and bring an economic blow that would level down the north”. Manchester mayor Andy Burnham added: “I would not rule out a legal challenge.”

Burnham laid out his demands in an open letter also signed by Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram and the mayors of Sheffield and North of Tyne.