London Mayor Sadiq Khan Joins Demands That 10PM Pub Curfew Be AXED, Weeks After Backing It

Sadiq Khan made an abrupt U-turn to demand an “ immediate ” end to the pub curfew at 10pm London today, having previously supported him to control the coronavirus.

The city’s mayor, who spearheaded the political push for tougher lockdown measures to be introduced in the capital, has now decided that it should be removed to help the restaurant trade rebound.

Under the Level 2 restrictions he pushed, introduced in London last Saturday, pubs and restaurants can only serve patrons from a single household, as long as they abide by the rule of six and close their doors at 10 p.m.

The curfew has previously been criticized by all political parties for its financial impact on businesses, as well as causing crowds to accumulate on the streets and on public transportation when customers leave the premises.

But Khan has been ambivalent about it before, telling Sky News on September 22: ‘Time doesn’t matter. There is nothing magical between 10pm and 11pm.

“The problem is the number of hours that people spend together where they could be asymptomatic and the virus is transmitted.”

And on Sunday he joined the Labor national call for a total “circuit breaker” lockout across England, which would include the complete shutdown of pubs.

However, in a statement today, he said: ‘I have said for a while that the current curfew rule should be quickly revised.

“We saw the worrying consequences of a greater social mix on the streets and on public transport in the capital around 10 at night immediately after its introduction.

“Now that London and other parts of the country have moved to Level 2 and higher restrictions, which prohibit household mixing, the current policy of a 10pm curfew makes even less sense and should be removed.

The curfew has previously been criticized by all parties for its financial impact on businesses such as restaurants (Covent Garden pictured)

The city’s mayor, who led the political push for tougher closure measures to be introduced in the capital, has now decided that it should be removed to help the restaurant trade recover.

“Immediately removing the 10 pm curfew would allow for more single-household sessions in restaurants overnight, helping with cash flow at a time when venues need all possible support.”

He added: ‘The government has not yet controlled this virus and has provided a working test and trace system.

Ministers must give businesses the support they need to survive as long as the restrictions are in place.

“This includes access to an appropriate job retention plan consistent with the 80 percent leave plan in effect at the start of the pandemic.”

Under Tier 2 restrictions, domestic mixing is still allowed outside, including in pubs and restaurants with outdoor seating, although the rule of six applies.

Last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted in the Commons that the curfew was a “matter of policy choice” to keep schools and workplaces open, rather than something driven by scientific advice.

He claimed there is “direct and approximate evidence” of the positive impact of limits on pubs and restaurants, citing a drop in late-night alcohol-related A&E admissions.

But Hancock insisted that the government’s desire to protect education and work “as much as possible” meant that they had to crack down on anti-socialization measures to try to slow the spread of Covid-19 transmission.

Khan backed the requests for a circuit breaker on Sunday.

Writing in the i newspaper, he said: ‘We hope that moving London to Level Two status will help slow the spread of the virus, ease pressure from the NHS and help avoid the possibility of a total lockdown lasting months, which would be the worst outcome. possible for Londoners and our economy.

However, given how far the virus has already been allowed to spread across the country, I still believe that we also need immediate action at the national level, as recommended by the Government’s own scientific advisers. That is why I will continue to ask for a brief national closure.

“If done soon, this could save thousands of lives, reduce the virus to manageable levels, and buy more time for the government to finally get its failed test and trace system under control.”