Police to step up action as London goes into 'tier two' at midnight

16 October 2020, 08:35 | Updated: 16 October 2020, 08:38

Police in London say they will be stepping up patrols and taking increased action to crack down on breaches of coronavirus rules from this weekend.

Nine million people in the capital face Tier 2 restrictions from midnight tonight, with a ban on different households from mixing in any indoor setting.

The Met police reminded Londoners:

- People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
- People must not meet in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other space.
- People should aim to reduce the number of journeys they make where possible. If they need to travel, they should walk or cycle where possible, or plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, Met lead for Covid-19, said: “This is a critical moment in London’s fight against this deadly virus and over the coming weeks I know the vast majority of Londoners will make the right decisions in order to keep themselves and their families safe.

“Frustratingly, we have seen a small number of dangerous and reckless breaches of the regulations and as the alert level in London increases, we are adopting our policing approach.

"Communities across London can therefore expect to see an increase in our efforts to deal with the most deliberate, harmful and flagrant breaches of regulations.

"We will not hesitate to take action against those individuals or businesses who put people at risk.London Mayor Sadiq Khan has told Londoners who are being asked to make "monumental sacrifices" in the forthcoming local lockdown to "ignore Government politicians" who have flouted coronavirus rules.

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On the day extra restrictions were announced for areas including London, Essex and areas of Yorkshire, it was also disclosed that MP Margaret Ferrier will face no further action from police after travelling between London and Glasgow following a positive coronavirus test.

When asked if he was worried about how a lack of compliance by Ms Ferrier, as well as by the Prime Minister's chief adviser Dominic Cummings, might affect the willingness of Londoners to make more sacrifices themselves, Mr Khan urged Londoners to "do the right thing for our city".

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He said: "I know from anecdotal experience, speaking to Londoners from all walks of life, but also from polling done by independent polling companies, that the way the Prime Minister's chief adviser behaved led to people asking the question 'why should I follow the rules when he isn't?'.

"My advice to Londoners is to ignore what Government ministers do, or Government advisers do, or members of Parliament do.

"Do what is the right thing for our city and for your loved ones and for yourself.

"These restrictions are there because there are no good options, and this will slow down the spread of the virus, which means hopefully you not catching the virus, your loved one not catching the virus, and then not needing the NHS, which means the NHS can continue to treat patients who are non-Covid as well as those who have Covid."

Mr Khan added that he hoped Tier 2 restrictions mean the NHS Nightingale hospital in the London ExCeL Centre will not need to be placed on standby, as has been done in Harrogate, Manchester and Sunderland, while Belfast's coronavirus overspill hospital has reopened.

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He said: "I spoke today to the NHS London team, and because of the brilliant work of the NHS we currently have sufficient capacity in the NHS both in terms of general admissions, but also in terms of intensive care units.

"We're hoping because of these additional restrictions being brought in on Saturday first thing, there won't be a need to open the Nightingale because Londoners will follow the new rules."

On Thursday he also backed calls by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for a nationwide "circuit-breaker" lockdown, to give the Government time to "finally sort out the test, trace and isolate system".

He told the PA news agency: "The Government, frankly speaking, has failed us as a country by not sorting out test, trace and isolate, despite the passage of six months.

"What they should be doing is speaking to colleagues in South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and elsewhere, who have sorted out, to learn from them what needs to be done."

He has also written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, urging him to support businesses in the capital through the Tier 2 lockdown, by extending the furlough scheme, directing financial support to the sectors which have suffered the most, and extending the business rates holiday currently in place until March 2021 so that businesses can plan beyond then.