[ad_1]
Boris Johnson is expected to order new COVID restrictions next week in northern England pubs, which could include shutting them down entirely in Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.
In an announcement that could come before the end of this week, the prime minister is expected to unveil a crackdown in response to alarming increases in coronavirus cases in the most affected areas.
At the same time, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is finalizing a new coronavirus support package for the affected hotel industry, in response to demands from parliamentarians and local government leaders.
Sunak is expected to target businesses like pubs that are forced to close or face new rules restricting their opening hours.
But despite the Chancellor’s promise of a new version of the licensing scheme, with more generous donations than before, the new lockdown measures are likely to be met with furious reaction from many Conservative MPs.
Top Conservative MPs have already notified that they intend to rebel in a Commons vote on the 10 p.m. curfew next week, a threat that Sir Keir Starmer grew more potent, noting that Labor MPs were also fighting. they will oppose.
A close ally of the prime minister, former Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry, said the new measures would be “economic suicide” and former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said they would “paralyze the economy.”
The UK government crackdown follows measures announced by Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon, which include pub closures and limits on opening hours, and a £ 40 million endowment for affected businesses.
Revealing the government’s thinking, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Outside the home and socializing between homes, the highest place in the incidence of probable transmission, measured by where people have contacts, is unfortunately hospitality.”
“Now, obviously, that finding is not good news in terms of the political action we have to take for that sector.”
And in an interview with Daily Express, Hancock said: “We must not give in. Since the beginning of this global pandemic, the top priority of this government has been to do everything possible to support the NHS and save lives.
“I am well aware that the measures we have announced are very tough and many people have made great sacrifices this year. But we must stand firm.”
The new repression comes after the latest figures revealed 14,162 people were recently diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday.
The new rules announced by the prime minister are expected to divide England into three levels of risk and increased infections, with much of the north of England at the highest level, with the closure of pubs, restaurants and cafes.
It is believed that areas in the middle tier will likely face a simplified version of the current restrictions and the lower tier will likely see the current social distancing measures and the rule of six in effect.
:: Subscribe to the daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
But during a Commons debate on the most recent closure measures in the north of England, Conservative MPs expressed their anger at the curbs already inserted by the government and those now planned.
Leading the attack, Berry said: “I believe the Government has fallen into the fatal trap of making national decisions based on a London-centric view with London data.
“We want to remove the handcuffs of state control from our hands and feet, but we can only do so when we have defeated this virus.”
Berry later told The Sun: “The Scottish proposals for an effective ban on alcohol consumption represent a new low in COVID-19 restrictions. It would be an act of economic suicide for England to follow this path. “
Also speaking to the Sun, Duncan Smith warned Johnson that there would be a major conservative rebellion if he copied Sturgeon’s “draconian blockade”.
He said: “There is no evidence that this works, absolutely none.
“What there is evidence is that this will paralyze the economy and lead to more deaths, as has already been demonstrated on non-COVID issues. It is time to strike a balance and save our economy.”
