UK PM Johnson to announce new measures to deal with Covid-19 crisis

[Sobia Anjum]

World News

New measures to deal with a growing COVID-19 crisis will be announced by the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday, moving to work more closely with local leaders from England’s worst-hit areas. 

The UK government is trying to prevent a rise in coronavirus infections, as well as growing anger, in parts of northern and central England. 

UK's housing minister Robert Jenrick on Sunday refuted the details of new measures which would announce by the Johnson, but suggested that further work would be done with local leaders from affected areas. 

"In addition to the basic simple rules that apply to the whole country, we are designing a framework for those places for where the virus is very strong," Jenrick told Sky News. 

"We want the strongest possible working relationship now between central government and local government," he said. 

"So it's right that we take action in those communities and  design the measures in conjunction with people who know those places best." 

Jenrick said local leaders would be more closed in contact tracing after the robustness of Britain's test-and-trace system has been repeatedly questioned, and that there would be more guidance on travel. 

The government, local media said, might also introduce a three tier-system to try to simplify the rules and the messaging, which opposition parties and some in the governing Conservative Party say has been too confusing and might have contributed to increasing cases. 

But the government might have to do more to quell growing anger in northern England, where some areas have been under tightened restrictions for weeks.

"What we really want ... is the government to come forward with a package of financial support that enables people to comply with the health restrictions," Lisa Nandy, Labour’s foreign policy chief, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show. 

"We will try and frame the terms on a debate and vote in the House of Commons, so there is an opportunity to put forward an alternative support package.

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