Mayors 'struggle to see' how local lockdowns on scale larger than individual buildings would work

Local leaders have said they struggle to see how local lockdowns would work on a scale larger than an individual building, as they called for clarity from the Government.

Speaking at the Commons Transport Committee today, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said it would be “do-able” to put restrictions on a specific hospital, GP surgery, or care home.

But he said: “If it is applied to a community. I struggle to see how on earth that that would be enforceable in the current climate and I think if the Government want to go in that way, I think it's pretty urgent that they issue the guidance and the information as to how that would be brought about.

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“So we haven't had that at the moment and this is a bit of a pattern, the guidance on face masks on public transport, face coverings, I think came out on Sunday night, and obviously, it was coming in on Monday morning.”

A discarded face mask on Oxford Street, London, as further coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted in England. Photo: PAA discarded face mask on Oxford Street, London, as further coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted in England. Photo: PA
A discarded face mask on Oxford Street, London, as further coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted in England. Photo: PA

This was echoed by Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram who said: “There's some confusion over what local lockdown actually means and that's why sometimes Government's announcements would be better if they came after consultation, not the announcements and then a consultation period.

Mr Rotheram said Matt Hancock had specifically mentioned areas such as Manchester and Liverpool in a Downing Street briefing talking about local lockdowns.

He said: “It was a very confused and disjointed announcement.”

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He added: “I think we need to do is if there are suggestions about local lockdowns, we need to speak to our local authorities first to get their views and then we can, together, after consultation ensure that if there are to be local lockdowns, we could actually do it.

“Who would enforce it? The police haven't got the capacity to do it. Would we ask the military to come in? There are so many questions that this threw up, and if there's one plea through this committee it would be to Government that please consult before you make these hash decisions.”

Mr Burnham said: “I appreciate [it is a ] fast moving environment but the phrase local lockdown was put into the public domain two weeks ago, possibly longer, and we still don't really know what it means and under what powers it would be introduced.

“We're here, we're ready to work in partnership, we don't want to see the virus spreading in our communities. But talk of putting communities under lockdown is not particularly helpful, particularly when you have a situation where the virus is very linked to deprivation.”

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He said the term local lockdown was “fraught with difficulties”.

West of England mayor Tim Bowles added: “I think we need to do an awful lot more work with Government both around how they judge and announce things.”

The Local Government Chronicle reported this morning that the Government is preparing to issue guidance on how local and national Government can contain local outbreaks.

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