LOCK AROUND THE CLOCK
More police to be deployed to streets to fine Covid flouters as Priti Patel blasts ‘minority putting nation at risk’
STRICTER round-the-clock lockdown enforcement is on the cards if people continue to sneak out, sidestep police and flout Covid rules.
The warning came from Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday as she ordered more officers on to the streets.
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She told people to obey lockdown rules or face further measures within days.
Ms Patel said blame for a crackdown would lie solely with a minority of people who she accused of putting the health of the nation at risk with “endless egregious breaches”.
She added that discussions were ongoing within No10 about tougher restrictions.
She said: “These issues are live in government. The rules are always under review.”
It is understood fresh curbs could include an end to click-and-collect shopping and no longer allowing two adults to meet outdoors in a public place for exercise.
But ministers strongly denied claims that people could be ordered to stay three metres (10ft) apart.
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Last night, Downing Street insiders said all this could yet be stopped if everyone stayed at home as asked.
Speaking at a No10 press conference, Ms Patel said: “If you do not play your part, our selfless police officers will enforce the regulations and I will back them to do so.”
She revealed that almost 45,000 fixed penalty notices had been issued across the UK during the pandemic but warned that the police were going to get tougher.
She said they had orders to proceed more quickly to issuing fines rather than simply moving people on.
The Home Secretary was backed by the chairman of the National Police Chiefs Council, Martin Hewitt, who warned there would now be more bobbies on the beat.
He told the press conference: “At this critical time, we will have more dedicated police officers out on dedicated patrols to take action against the small few who are letting us all down.”
LARGE FINES
Mr Hewitt singled out the organiser of a £30-a-ticket boat party in Hertfordshire for particular criticism.
He also highlighted organisers of a minibus full of people who went to Wales for a walk and a £10,000 fine for a big party in Essex billed as a business event.
And he warned that while organisers would be slapped with large fines, punters would also be hit with financial penalties.
But his comments put him at odds with Britain’s top police officer.
Met Police chief Dame Cressida Dick said orders about staying local were vague and hard to police.
She said England should look to Scotland and Wales where a firm distance on how far you can travel from home was written into law.
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Her comments came after Boris Johnson was criticised after being spotted cycling seven miles from his home.
The PM faced claims he undermined the lockdown guidance to stay local.
His press secretary Allegra Stratton insisted that his cycle around the Olympic Park in East London on Sunday was permitted, saying he “acted in accordance with the guidelines”.
Downing Street has refused calls to say exactly how far people are allowed to travel to take exercise.
But it said the PM wanted to “encourage all members of the public to exercise once a day”.
Meanwhile, ministers finally confirmed you could get a takeaway tea or coffee when walking with a pal.
Policing Minister Kit Malthouse said: “If you’re getting coffee on your way to do exercise, or as part of your acquiring food, or one of those reasons you’re allowed to be out of the house, then that is legitimate.”
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Threats of a crackdown by police came as supermarkets Tesco, Asda and Waitrose yesterday vowed to deny entry to shoppers who refused to wear a mask unless they were medically exempt. It followed similar moves by Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
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Mr Malthouse had urged supermarkets to take responsibility for lax social distancing in stores.
The British Retail Consortium said pushing the burden on to shops put staff at risk, adding there had been a sharp rise in violence and abuse against workers.
Tough love saves lives
ANYONE who thinks the police enjoy questioning people in the street for drinking a cup of coffee is living in cloud cuckoo land, writes Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation.
We don’t want to stop people in parks to ask where they’re going or how far from home they are.
It is not in the British bobby’s DNA to enforce the law without compassion or common sense.
But we must show tough love to protect people so our policing by consent model has become one of enforcement along more military lines.
There’s still a hardcore of idiots out there.
We need the public to be understanding and also shoulder their own responsibility for staying safe.
UK has given more Covid vaccine doses than rest of Europe COMBINED as 2.6m jabs handed out
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