London mayor Sadiq Khan will meet council leaders today to discuss whether to implement tougher lockdown restriction measures for the city as Covid cases surge.
Sadiq Khan holds meeting as London Covid cases surge
The meeting will be chaired by the Mayor of London today in response to a significant increase in positive cases in the capital. In the last week the number of people with Covid per 100,000 has shot up from 18 to 25. England’s Chief medical Officer, Chris Witty, is set to give a televised speech today to say that we will have “a very challenging winter” ahead and that the current trend in Covid cases is heading in “the wrong direction”. Witty will be accompanied by the Government’s chief scientific advisor Sir Patrick Vallance.
One of the Mayor’s representatives released the following statement: “The situation is clearly worsening. Sadiq will meet council leaders and any London-specific measures will be recommended to ministers following that. The mayor wants fast action as we cannot risk a delay, as happened in March. It is better for both health and business to move too early than too late.”
Sadiq Khan is clearly extremely cautious about the spread of Covid as he has already cancelled the New Year’s Eve fireworks display, almost four months before they were due to take place. Khan has reportedly requested stricter lockdown measures from government ministers mirroring those implemented in the North East.
Matt Hancock seems to be thinking much the same having held a phone call with the Mayor at the weekend. The Health Secretary has not ruled out the possibility of a local lockdown for London.