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LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce new measures to address the growing COVID-19 crisis on Monday (Oct 11), working more closely with local leaders in the worst affected areas of England.
With Johnson reluctant to repeat a national lockdown that would further damage a struggling economy, the government is trying to contain a surge in cases, as well as mounting anger, in parts of northern and central England.
England’s deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, described Britain as at a “tipping point”, saying the spread would soon translate into more deaths and the country should act now.
Robert Jenrick, Britain’s housing minister, declined to detail the new measures to be announced by the prime minister, but said they will focus on local areas. Johnson was expected to speak to ministers later Sunday.
“In addition to the simple ground rules that apply to the entire country, we are designing a framework for those places where the virus is very strong,” Jenrick told Sky News.
“We want the strongest working relationship possible now between the central government and the local government,” he said, “so it is right that we take action in those communities and design the measures together with the people who know those places best.”
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Jenrick said local leaders would be more involved in contact tracing after the robustness of Britain’s test-and-trace system has been repeatedly questioned, and that there would be more guidance on travel.
The government, local media said, could also introduce a three-tiered system to try and simplify the rules and messages, which opposition parties and some in the ruling Conservative Party say has been too confusing and could have contributed to the increase in cases.
But as many in the north of England have already lived with tighter restrictions for weeks, the government may have to do more to quell mounting anger over the new measures.
Local leaders said there was a “gulf” with the government over the best steps to take after complaining for months that they were being shut out of decision-making for what some called too centralized a strategy.
“We certainly don’t agree with them. I think there is probably a huge gulf right now between us and the government,” Richard Leese, the head of Manchester City Council, told Times Radio.
The Labor Party also urged the government to offer more financial support if companies are ordered to close, and that the opposition party will work to offer an alternative package to the one announced by Finance Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday.
“What we really want … is for the government to come up with a financial support package that allows people to comply with health restrictions,” Lisa Nandy, Labor’s foreign policy chief, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr program.
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