Covid Tier 2 local lockdown restriction changes are confusing say Leeds Tories

The new rules came into force officially on Wednesday. The rules are very similar to the previous local lockdown restrictions except they ban household mixing in any indoor setting, but permit mixing in private gardens and outdoors as long as the rule of six is followed.

The full set of restrictions is listed here.The chief executive of Leeds Council said on Tuesday that the city could be heading towards Tier 3 restrictions as the number of cases continues to rise.

Council leaders in Leeds have said that the city is on a Government "watchlist" and could be placed under the highest coronavirus alert level as they enter further negotiations.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, Leeds City Council leaders said the current rate is 422 cases per 100,000 people, with cases rising across the city and the number of positive cases in hospitals doubling in the last week.

Council chief executive Tom Riordan said: "This is a really pivotal moment for us again and there is a prospect that we could go into Tier 3.

Coun Andrew Carter, CBE. (Leader of the Conservative Group) said: “It’s becoming difficult to follow what it is the Leader of Council actually wants. In September Councillor Blake called for a curfew on bars, now she’s calling for it to be scrapped, meanwhile the Labour frontbench in Parliament failed to vote either for or against it.

"Last week we had Council Leaders in the North calling for more localised decision making on tougher regulations, now Sir Keir Starmer is urging the government to impose a centralised national lockdown again. And amid all of that, Councillor Blake is again on the frontpages of regional newspapers suggesting that she is yet to be convinced that the tighter regulations, called for by her own party leader in Westminster, will stop the spread of infection.”

The Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer took to the airwaves yesterday to demand a two to three-week national lockdown as a so-called ‘circuit-breaker’.

MP Alec Shelbrooke, Member of Parliament for Elmet & Rothwell, said: “The people of Leeds want to do the right thing and follow the rules in order to get the infection rate down and get back to some sort of normality.

"Most residents would expect to see Leeds City Council and HM Opposition in the House of Commons working with the Government, rather than against them, on matters of public health. I urge the Leader of Council to put the politics to one side, pick a position and stick to it in order to convey clear and coherent messaging to the wider public”.

What's changed under Tier 2 rules?

- Now household mixing has been banned indoors anywhere. Before, you could mix households in pubs and restaurants. This is now illegal. You cannot mix households of any size indoors anywhere (apart from the exceptions below).

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Police are able to fine people breaking lockdown Tier 2 restrictions up to £10,000

- Outdoor mixing was banned, but is now legal again. You can meet in a private garden or in an outdoor setting (a street, a field) as long as you keep to the rule of 6 (groups no larger than six) and maintain social distancing.

All the previous rules still apply. So there is a 10pm curfew, the rule of 6, face masks in shops, and social distancing still in effect.