Khan told London lockdown is ‘madness’

LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan was warned last night of the catastrophic economic consequences of shutting down the capital.

The city was put on the national lockdown watchlist due to a spike in coronavirus cases and hospital admissions, with the Mayor urging Boris Johnson to ban household visits for its nine million residents.

But former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said another full lockdown would mean ‘ millions would become unemployed’, adding: ‘We would kiss goodbye to London as an economic powerhouse.

It’s madness. If he [Mr Khan] had half a care for London he would realise this will literally destroy much of what’s left of our economy in the capital.

‘The capital’s West End – which contributes to the UK economy as much as financial services do – will be dead if he locks down again.

‘There is no need to lock down at all. Make sure people are doing the right thing – social distancing, washing hands, protecting the vulnerable. That’s good enough.’

Mr Duncan Smith said Britain had yet to see the effectiveness of banning social gatherings of more than six people, adding: ‘That basically means most households don’t mix together already.’

The Mayor has warned that a 43 per cent fall in testing in London between August and September could mask the severity of soaring infections. But while cases increase in London, its rates are far from the highest in the country.

Mr Khan’s proposed ban on households mixing has already been imposed in Scotland, Wales and several parts of England.

Around 17million Britons are living under tougher restrictions than the rest of the nation after health chiefs confirmed extra measures for Wigan, Stockport, Blackpool, Leeds and parts of Wales. Council bosses in London warned last week that its response would be escalated. Tougher measures won’t be imposed yet, but health chiefs have pledged to boost testing capacity.

According to Public Health England, 2,080 people in London tested positive in the seven days leading to Sunday, September 20 – up from 1,078 in the week up to August 23.

But the capital’s outbreak appears to have plateaued since spiking at the start of September. It is also far worse in certain boroughs, with the highest proportion of cases in Redbridge, East London.

‘Millions would become unemployed’