Boris Johnson will on Sunday consider what further steps are needed to fight “a second wave” of coronavirus cases across the UK, as his health secretary Matt Hancock said the country was at a “tipping point”.
Hours after the government announced fines of up to £10,000 for those who break self-isolation rules in England, Mr Hancock warned new national Covid-19 restrictions would be needed “if that’s what’s necessary” to control the virus.
Mr Hancock said government officials would meet on Sunday with representatives from London’s City Hall to discuss possible new restrictions for the capital.
Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, has put the capital on alert for further measures, with one-fifth of the UK already living under tighter local controls.
Mr Johnson is weighing tougher action across the country.
The health secretary told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: “If people break the rules we are more likely to introduce national measures.” He said hospital admissions were doubling every eight days.
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He added that he recognised the economy would be hit hard by new national restrictions but insisted: “We have to be prepared to take action if that’s what’s necessary. I don’t rule it out and I don’t want to see it.”
In a sign of a tough new approach, Mr Johnson said it was vital for everyone to follow the existing rules. Fines will start at £1,000 for breaches of self-isolation restrictions, rising to £10,000 for repeat offenders.
“So nobody underestimates just how important this is, new regulations will mean you are legally obliged to do so if you have the virus or have been asked to do so by NHS Test and Trace,” Mr Johnson said. “People who choose to ignore the rules will face significant fines.”
“We need to do all we can to control the spread of this virus, to prevent the most vulnerable people from becoming infected, and to protect the NHS and save lives,” he added.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer told the BBC that his party would back Mr Johnson’s government in whatever course of action it took to tackle the rapidly rising infection rates but urged him to act swiftly.
“I don’t think a lockdown is inevitable but I now think it’s more likely because of the near collapse of testing,” said Mr Starmer, referring to the government’s failure to meet demands for Covid-19 tests over the past week. Fixing testing should be his “number one priority”, he added.
Meanwhile, people on low incomes would be paid a £500 lump sum to self-isolate at home in a carrot and stick approach to combating the spread of the virus.
“While most people are doing their absolute level best to comply with the rules, I don’t want to see a situation where people don’t feel they are financially able to self-isolate,” Mr Johnson said.
Anneliese Dodds, the shadow chancellor, said: “This payment depends on test and trace working, so it’s vital that the government sorts it out.”
Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, agreed last week that they would do everything possible to keep businesses and schools open in the next phase of the virus. Mr Johnson also told MPs a second national lockdown would be “a disaster”.
Government scientific advisers have called for a two-week “circuit breaker” of tough new national measures in England, possibly around the half-term school holidays in late October, or earlier.
Mr Johnson and his advisers are looking at less draconian measures, including more restrictions at a local or national level that would limit the country’s social life.
They could include rules that are already being implemented in parts of Britain under “local lockdown”, such as a limit on households mixing and the forced closure of pubs and other hospitality venues at 10pm.
Mr Johnson is awaiting evidence on whether the so-called “rule of six”, introduced last Monday, is helping to halt the spread of the disease. But government officials said scientific advisers were “extremely pessimistic” about the next few months.