London In Lockdown?

London was last night braced for full lockdown after Boris Johnson refused to rule out more sweeping measures to clampdown on the spread of coronavirus.

- Macer Hall

Many Londoners were expecting dramatic curbs on movement around the capital similar to those imposed on Paris by French President Emmanuel Macron in response to the rapid rise in cases.

Mr Johnson was reported to have asked government departments to draw up plans for a lockdown of London to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

The Cabinet Office has written to departments asking for recommendations about restrictions, how they could be implemented and how to ensure “compliance”.

The measures, which are being described as a “shielding plan for London”, could be introduced as soon as next week and see businesses closed and restrictions placed on travel.

Stringent

Following alarm that many Londoners were ignoring emergency health advice, the Prime Minister said: “We do not rule out, because it would be quite wrong to do so, taking further and faster measures in due course.”

Around a third of the 1,557 cases of infection recorded in England by yesterday were identified by health authorities in the Greater London area.