‘Shockdown’: what the Sunday newspapers are saying about the new Covid blockade in England | UK News

Sunday’s front pages are dominated by news that a month-long nationwide lockdown will be imposed across England from Thursday.

The observer describes the move as “an extraordinary U-turn” that comes amid allegations that the government’s indecision “will cost lives and livelihoods across the country.”

Under the new measures, nonessential shops and venues, as well as pubs and restaurants, will be closed, reports the Observer. Schools, colleges and universities will remain open. The public will only be told to leave home for specific reasons, such as work if you cannot work from home, to buy food and essentials, exercise, medical appointments, or care for the vulnerable.

The original licensing scheme under which the state paid 80% of workers’ wages will be extended for the duration of the new blockade. It is “another major change,” says the Observer, and has angered regional leaders who have spent weeks calling for additional support.

the Sunday Mirror it also reports on warnings that delays in imposing a blockade in England will cost lives and jobs. The headline: “SHOCKDOWN”.

“Fears of a ‘medical disaster’ forced the prime minister into a new lockdown,” says the Sunday time. The announcement came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK reached a dismal milestone, the newspaper reports. More than a million people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 since March.

“The closure unleashes the conservative civil war,” says the cover of the Mail on Sunday. Cabinet ministers and conservative parliamentarians believe the new restrictions will further devastate the economy and are furious that they learned of the new measures through newspaper reports.

the Sunday Telegraph The headline is “Four Week Lockdown ‘to Save the NHS’ As Millions Face Back to Licensing.” The newspaper also includes reports of anger among Conservative MPs. It features a comment from former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who describes the announcement of the shutdown as a “blow to the body for the British people” and accuses the prime minister of “yielding to the advice of his scientific advisers.”

The document cites a warning from Johnson that the health service may not be able to cope unless the virus is stopped.

the Independent asks: “Why did Boris Johnson take so long?” He notes that more than a month ago, Sage recommended a circuit breaker to slow the spread of the virus.

the Sunday Express it has “Lockdown 2 to avoid disasters”, and reports the “Prime Minister’s plea to save the NHS and Christmas”. He says the sudden change of mind was necessary to prevent the health service from being overwhelmed.

the Scottish Post SundayThe splash is ‘Close the border’, informing Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to close the border, with the caveat that no one should travel from Scotland to other parts of the UK.