By Tony O’Riley-
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed that 4,200 Britons have been referred to the police for breaking the mandatory 14-day quarantine rule on their return from a number of destinations abroad.
It follows the addition of three more countries to the removal from the UK’s holiday “green list”. Only 52 countries are now exempt from the compulsory period of self-isolation.
Mr Shapps told Times Radio: “Well I know that the police figures or the border force figures come out retrospectively so I don’t have those.
“But I can tell you that 4,200 cases have been referred to the police for breaking the quarantine.
“And a reminder that you are in danger of getting a criminal record as well as the fine if you break the quarantine, it is a serious matter.
“More than that though, you are in danger of putting other people’s lives at risk and that of course is a much more serious matter.”
The 1922 Committee chair told the Telegraph he had been “unpersuaded” by the reasoning behind extending the lockdown by a week, but before he had received the data being used to support this move the council then sought to extend the lockdown by two weeks.
Eased Restrictions
Restrictions on social gatherings between different households has been eased in parts of the Uk where localised flares in Covid 19 were observed. Restrictions in the Trafford area of Greater Manchester are to be removed, despite the local council recommending they should stay for the immediate future in light of advice from its own director of public health.
Councillor Andrew Western, Labour leader of Trafford Council, said: “It is apparent that for all of their claims of working in collaboration with local authorities, the Government has decided to overrule the council and lift restrictions in Trafford.
“This action by Government makes a mockery of the claims of locally led decision making and once again shows that local government is being ignored in spite of being on the front line of this crisis.”
Restrictions on mixing between different households in homes or gardens in Burnley and Hyndburn are also to be lifted from next Wednesday in line with the rest of England, according to public health officials in Lancashire.
Lancashire’s director of public health, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, said that while those affected will be pleased by the lifting, “this should not lead to complacency” following a decrease in the area’s caseload.
Restrictions in Preston and parts of Pendle will continue, with residents still banned from visiting others in their homes or gardens, but they can continue to meet in groups of up to six in public if outdoors.
People living elsewhere in Pendle and in the northern part of Blackburn with Darwen will still not be able to socialise with anyone outside their household and should only use public transport if essential.