London may be days away from new coronavirus restrictions
Sadiq Khan is reportedly rallying the government to impose new lockdown restrictions on London in the coming days.
City Hall sources are also indicating that the mayor may tell Londoners that they should start working from home from next week.
Coronavirus cases jumped by 3,899 today, after cases jumped by 4,422 yesterday.
Health secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News today that the UK was “at tipping point” and that new restrictions would be introduced if people did not follow the government’s Covid guidelines.
The increase in infection rates led the government to impose more stringent lockdown conditions this week in a swathe of northern towns and cities.
Khan said in a statement yesterday that London restrictions were “increasinngly likely”.
“It’s clear that cases in London are only moving in one direction, we are now just days behind hotspots in the North West and North East. We can’t afford more delay,” a mayoral source said.
“Introducing new measures now will help slow the spread of the virus and potentially prevent the need for a fuller lockdown like we saw in March, which could seriously damage the economy once again.”
The mayor addressed Labour’s virtual conference today, blaming government “incompetence” for the emerging second wave.
“The UK has suffered the highest excess deaths in Europe and the deepest recession of any major economy,” he said.
“We’re now bracing for a second wave – but still without a functioning test, track and isolate system – which is making another lockdown ever more likely. This isn’t an accident or coincidence.”