Tougher coronavirus restrictions could be on the way for the North
Boris Johnson's expected to announce further measures on pubs and bars in northern England in the coming days.
Swathes of northern England are facing the prospect of tough new coronavirus restrictions - including the possible closure of pubs and restaurants - amid fears the disease is spiraling out of control.
Ministers were said to be considering the new measures, which could come as early as Monday, as infection rates continue to soar in cities such as Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Parts of West Yorkshire are already under tighter local measures, including a ban on people mixing in homes and gardens with other households.
The move, if confirmed, would be another body blow for the hard-pressed hospitality industry in the regions already reeling from the imposition of the controversial 10pm curfew.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is finalising a package of financial support for the sector, the Financial Times reported, amid fears of a fresh wave of job losses.
Downing Street and the Department of Health and Social Care both declined to comment on the reports.
However Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham reacted angrily, tweeting: "No discussion. No consultation. Millions of lives affected by Whitehall diktat. It is proving impossible to deal with this Government.''
At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer backed calls by northern city leaders for the Government to pass control of the test and trace system to local authorities.
The leader of Leeds City Council Judith Blake has joined other Northern leaders in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle in writing to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to warn the current measures were "not working''.
Sir Keir said that of the 20 areas which had come under local restrictions in the past two months, 19 had seen rising infections.
"Simply pretending there isn't a problem is part of the problem,'' he said.
"In the end, the only way through this is to have a test, trace and isolate system that actually works because that provides you with the intelligence that tells you what measures are actually working.''
In the Commons, Mr Johnson acknowledged that cases were rising - not just in northern England - and called for a "concerted national effort'' to combat the virus.
"I wish I could pretend that everything was going to be rosy in the Midlands or indeed in London where, alas, we are also seeing infections rise,'' he told MPs.
"That is why we need a concerted national effort, we need to follow the guidance.''