[ad_1]
Matt Hancock was accused of trying to “bounce” Boris Johnson into shutting down the hotel industry in the North on Thursday, when he warned Britain was facing a “dangerous moment.”
In a speech at an NHS conference, the Health Secretary said he was “very concerned” about an increase in hospital admissions in recent days.
His comments came as Whitehall sources accused the Health Department of trying to “block” proposals to sweep restrictions on hospitality in hotspots in the north before they are agreed.
Downing Street denied reports that the prime minister had “signed” a package of restrictions that would shut down all pubs and restaurants in the worst hotspots next week.
Matt Hancock was accused of trying to “ bounce ” Boris Johnson into shutting down the hotel sector in the north on Thursday when he warned Britain was facing a “ dangerous time. ”
The prime minister’s official spokesman said ministers are still “considering a variety of options.”
Some of these stop before the full closure of the hospitality industry, including limiting opening hours.
Reports also emerged of a rift between Hancock and Rishi Sunak, and the Chancellor said he was furious that the government is going ahead with its proposed ‘traffic light system’ of restrictions for 13 million people in the north of England.
The news came as figures showed that there had been another 17,540 laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK.
That brings the total number of cases in the UK to 561,815, as the government also said another 77 people had died, bringing the total death toll to 42,592.
Separate figures released by UK statistical agencies showed that 58,000 deaths had now been recorded in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
A Whitehall source suggested that senior figures from the Health Department were trying to convince the government to take stricter measures by suggesting that they had already been agreed.
“Health wants him locked up now,” said the source.
Downing Street denied reports that the prime minister had ‘signed’ a package of restrictions that would entail closing all pubs and restaurants in the worst hotspots next week.
Reports also emerged of a rift between Hancock and Rishi Sunak, with the chancellor saying he was furious that the government is going ahead with its proposed ‘traffic light system’ of restrictions for 13 million people in the north of England.
“ They didn’t get what they wanted last time when they were pushing for the circuit break, so now they’re trying to block it by suggesting it’s a done deal. It is not.
The circuit disruption plan, which would have involved a temporary total lockdown, was proposed by Medical Director Chris Whitty last month, but dropped after protests by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Interior Secretary Priti Patel and Business Secretary Alok Sharma.
The leaked documents suggest that the PM is ready to unveil a new three-level system of lockdown measures designed to make the system easier to understand.
Areas with relatively low infection levels will be placed at level one, where only national restrictions will apply, such as the rule of the curfew at 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Level two will also include a ban on home visits and indoor socializing with other homes.
Options for the third tier include a total closure of the hospitality sector, a ban on staying overnight outside the home and the closure of places such as cinemas.
A Treasury source said the measures should be “as reticent as possible.”
A source close to Mr. Hancock said: “No one is trying to get the Prime Minister to do anything.”
Mr Hancock told the annual NHS provider conference on Wednesday: “We are at a dangerous time in the course of this pandemic.
“I am very concerned about the increase in the number of cases, especially in the North West and North East of England, parts of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and parts of Yorkshire.”
He added: ‘In some parts of the country, the situation is again very serious.
“Hospitalizations in the Northwest are doubling roughly every fifteen days. They have risen by 57 percent in the last week alone.
“ Unfortunately, we are seeing a dramatic increase in hospitalizations in the 1960s and the number of deaths from coronavirus as well. ”
Hancock suggested that localized crackdowns will be a part of life until a vaccine is found that works and can be implemented on a massive scale.
He said: ‘We know from bitter experience that the more the coronavirus spreads, the harder it is to do all the other vital NHS work as well.’
He continued: ‘The message to the public must be that we all have a role to play in controlling this virus.
“Our strategy is simple: suppress the virus, support the economy, education and the NHS until a vaccine can make us safe.”
Mr Hancock said his “message to everyone in the NHS is that we can and will get through this.”
“Sadly, there will be more difficult times ahead, but we will get through it together,” he added.
However, rather than introducing even more complicated restrictions, Sunak’s view is that the government should chart a clear path back to “normalcy” to avoid further devastation of the economy.
On Monday afternoon, the chancellor decided not to attend the cabinet subcommittee meeting to discuss a revision of the local lockdown rules on Monday afternoon.
Instead, he sent a junior minister, John Glen, to repeat his vehement objections to the “traffic light system.”
Rather than introducing even more complicated restrictions, Sunak’s view is that the government should chart a clear path back to “normalcy” to avoid further devastation of the economy.
For an hour, the discussion went back and forth, with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove presiding over the virtual proceedings from his office. When the meeting ended, Glen told his boss that “there had been a good and lively discussion” but that no decision had been made.
So it came as a surprise to the Treasury team Tuesday morning to see the headlines and hear the news bulletins touting that the government was going ahead with its traffic light system despite objections from some high-ranking ministers.
The Chancellor was furious. “If a decision was to be made at that meeting, I think it is fair to assume that Rishi would have come in person,” confided a senior Conservative deputy.
So what went wrong?
Westminster sources point to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who since the beginning of the pandemic has done much to put the nation’s health before economic wealth.
Had he informed reporters that the traffic light system was a fait accompli, that it surpassed the chancellor?
Whatever the truth, the rift between Sunak and Hancock is increasingly being felt in the cabinet, with Business Secretary Alok Sharma and International Trade Secretary Liz Truss just two of those lining up behind the chancellor.
