Police break up crowds of drinkers and make arrests in London as Tier 2 lockdown starts: Anti-lockdown protest in Soho as PM vows to force Manchester into Tier 3 on Monday even if Burnham objects
Police fought to enforce coronavirus laws in London last night as they faced defiance from both protesters and drinkers refusing to go home.
After being turfed out of pubs and bars at 10pm, crowds spilled on to the streets of Soho where anti-lockdown demonstrators had gathered, including Piers Corbyn who said: 'We're here to drink against curfew.'
Officers were seen leading people away in handcuffs after encountering an alarming lack of compliance just hours before Covid restrictions were tightened even further as the capital was plunged into Tier 2.
Londoners are waking up this morning to more curbs on everyday life, with two households now banned from meeting indoors unless they have formed a support bubble.
Boris Johnson yesterday thanked mayor Sadiq Khan for working with the Government to place the capital into the higher alert level - and urged Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to also cooperate.
Mr Burnham is resisting the Prime Minister's move to place the region into Tier 3 and is instead agitating for a nationwide lockdown, leaving negotiations with ministers deadlocked.
But Mr Johnson yesterday used a Downing Street press briefing to warn that he is prepared to elevate Greater Manchester unilaterally, with sources suggesting he could impose harsher measures as early as Monday.
Lancashire leaders yesterday struck a deal with Government and joined Liverpool in the most severe Tier 3 bracket, meaning all pubs and restaurants must close unless they can serve food.
As more than 28 million people in England began living under the top two tiers:
More officers took to the streets to put a stop to boozy gatherings that break the rule of six as well as to enforce the 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants. Pictured, crowds in Soho as pubs closed at 10pm
A man was handcuffed and bundled into the back of a police van in Soho by police officers after the night descended into chaos when revellers were asked to go home
At it reached 10pm protesters held up signs and gathered together to protest the curfew and increasing restrictions
One man laughed as he was dragged away by police officers after joining a protest in Soho, London, against lockdown measures this evening
Police officers marched through Soho as they tried to break up illegal gatherings of more than six people in central London
Piers Corbyn held up a finger as he spoke to police officers in Soho. The conversation appeared to be animated as the police officer held out a hand
At midnight last night people in London, Essex, York, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, North East Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield were placed into Tier 2.
In addition to following the nationwide restrictions - such as the rule of six and the 10pm curfew - two households will no longer be able to mix indoors, including pubs and restaurants.
Londoners were last night spared the double blow of also having the city's transport system grind to a halt after an eleventh hour bailout of TfL was struck after a day of high-stakes talks.
Some in the capital were left puzzled that they were being hit with new restrictions when data revealed that places such as Devon, Oxford and Coventry had higher infection rates but were in the lowest Tier 1.
Yet the capital's mayor Mr Khan has said ministers are not going far enough and called for a short national circuit breaker, which is also being advocated by Mr Burnham who yesterday refused to cave to the PM's threats.
The PM warned Mr Burnham he would impose Tier 3 measures on Greater Manchester if they could not reach an agreement as he warned of a 'grave' situation.
Speaking from Number 10, he said: 'I cannot stress enough: time is of the essence. Each day that passes before action is taken means more people will go to hospital, more people will end up in intensive care and tragically more people will die.'
Mr Burnham and council leaders across Greater Manchester responded by insisting they have done 'everything within our power to protect the health of our residents', and said people and firms need greater financial support before accepting the lockdown.
They also suggested in a joint statement that Downing Street had delayed discussions, adding: 'We can assure the Prime Minister that we are ready to meet at any time to try to agree a way forward.'
more videos
Alarming moment man tries to rip cross from top of church
Pfizer manufacture thousands of doses of Covid-19 vaccine
Muslim father complained about teacher for showing Prophet caricature
Parents and pupils lay flowers for teacher killed in attack
French resident films shooting of man who beheaded teacher
Marr asks SAGE advisor if tougher penalties are effective on compliance
PHE Director urges the public to comply with restrictions
Laurence Fox talks about 'critical race theory' in campaign video
Jon Voight asks his fans to vote to re-elect Trump
Trump attends church service in Las Vegas with Kayleigh McEnany
Thief crawls along floor of antiques store to steal jewellery
Meghan may tone down speeches to protect Harry's family relationship
A woman appears to shout and raises her fist into the air while police officers stand waiting for the crowds to disperse in Soho on Friday night
Crowds jeered and shouted at police officers in Soho as pubs closed on Friday night. One teenager was pictured filming an officer with the camera light turned on on his phone
Two police officers wore disposable masks as they led one man away after revelers started shouting and jeering at the police
Protestors held up signs, with one man singing and playing the guitar while a friend showed him the lyrics on his phone
One person help up a sign that read: 'Shut up you fascist Tories. No one tells me what time to go to bed'. Another was pictured holding what looked like a guitar
Scientists say up to one million Brits could be tested per day before Christmas
Britain could be carrying out a million coronavirus tests per day by Christmas with results in just 15 minutes, a scientist working on the testing scheme has said.
The source, who was not named, revealed the government is buying new machines capable of processing 150,000 tests per day with the aim of trebling the current capacity of 300,000.
Separately, trials of pregnancy-style tests which could provide results in just 15 minutes will begin in northern hotspots from next week.
'It’s going pretty well,' the scientist told The Times. 'They have really scaled up their capabilities. By Christmas we’ll be at a million a day, I think. That seems perfectly possible.'
Mr Johnson told a No 10 press conference on Friday that the new tests were 'faster, simpler and cheaper' and that work was being done to ensure they could be manufactured and distributed in the UK.
Despite talks with Greater Manchester ending in stalemate, a deal was done with Lancashire region's leaders where 1.5million people are now living under Tier 3 to stem the 'unrelenting rise' in cases in the North West.
Labour's council leaders in Lancashire said they had been forced to accept the measures, with South Ribble's Paul Foster saying they were 'blackmailed' and Blackpool's Lynn Williams adding they had 'no option' to agree, as they secured an extra £30million of funding.
Pubs and bars across Lancashire will close unless they serve food and alcohol as part of a sit-down meal, while stricter restrictions on socialising will also come into force.
People will not be able to mix with others in any indoor setting or private garden, as well as in most outdoor hospitality venues.
Casinos, bingo halls, bookmakers, betting shops, soft play areas and adult gaming centres will be forced to shut, while car boot sales will also be banned.
But gyms will remain open despite them being closed in the Liverpool City Region - the only other area under Tier 3 restrictions.
Yesterday 15,650 coronavirus cases were recorded in the UK and 136 more deaths as the country grapples with a second surge of the virus.
Sage said the reproduction number, or R value, of coronavirus transmission for the whole of the UK had nudged up to between 1.3 and 1.5.
The group also said there had been no change to the course of the pandemic in the last month, suggesting no effect from measures such as the rule of six.
However, at the Downing Street press conference, England's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the R was not growing as fast as it would be without the measures people were following.
The PM said he would try to avoid a national lockdown but was under growing pressure to impose a short circuit-breaker'.
Britain's biggest teaching union on Friday rowed in behind Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in calling for an urgent two-week circuit breaker.
The Education Union said the move, which would see secondary schools and colleges in England closed for two weeks at half-term, was urgently needed to bolster the test and trace infrastructure.
more videos
Alarming moment man tries to rip cross from top of church
Pfizer manufacture thousands of doses of Covid-19 vaccine
Muslim father complained about teacher for showing Prophet caricature
Parents and pupils lay flowers for teacher killed in attack
French resident films shooting of man who beheaded teacher
Marr asks SAGE advisor if tougher penalties are effective on compliance
PHE Director urges the public to comply with restrictions
Laurence Fox talks about 'critical race theory' in campaign video
Jon Voight asks his fans to vote to re-elect Trump
Trump attends church service in Las Vegas with Kayleigh McEnany
Thief crawls along floor of antiques store to steal jewellery
Meghan may tone down speeches to protect Harry's family relationship
A man appeared to shout as he was grabbed by two police officers and taken away during an outburst in Soho, London
A man was put into the back of a police van after he was arrested and handcuffed as the pubs closed in Soho on Friday
Some revellers took their drinks with them into the street. One man was pictured holding a wine glass as demonstrators complained about the harsh restrictions behind him
A group ignored social distancing and joined in on what looks like a can-can dance in the middle of Soho as pubs closed
As the sun set drinkers bought rounds of pints to ensure they had enough to drink before the clock struck 10pm and they were told to leave
Social distancing measures were completely ignored by these revellers who danced in the street in Soho on Friday
Revellers continued the party outside of the pubs as police desperately tried to break up the crowds in Soho on Friday
A man and women were pictured sitting on the floor as two police officers spoke to them in Soho as pubs closed on Friday
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: 'Heads, teachers and school staff understand the educational impact of this, but we also understand that in exponential epidemics early action is essential. Taking action now can avoid more disruption later.'
On Friday, figures from the ONS showed that the highest rates of infection in England continue to be among young adults and secondary school pupils.
Mr Courtney added: 'This should be no surprise to either the Prime Minister or the Department for Education - scientists have consistency told them that secondary students transmit the virus as much as adults, and we have warned them that because we have amongst the biggest class sizes in Europe we have overcrowded classrooms and corridors without effective social distancing.
'Our classrooms often have poor ventilation, leading to airborne transmissions, and in many areas we have also have overcrowded school transport where children are mixing across year-group bubbles.
'These children live in families and are part of communities, so even if they have few or no symptoms themselves they are still part of spreading the virus to others, including to teachers and other school staff.'
He added: 'Such a circuit-breaker could allow the Government to get in control of the test, track and trace system, and get cases lower to allow the system to work better.'
Mr Starmer has said a complete shutdown lasting two to three weeks could be timed to take place over half-term to minimise disruption but warned 'sacrifices' would have to be made to get the virus back under control.
The growing calls come as a raft of statistics published this afternoon showed cases are still surging in England by as many as 28,000 new infections per day, according to ONS estimates for the first week of October.
The row continued as people in Tier 2 or 3 areas in England, as well as the central belt of Scotland and the whole of Northern Ireland, were banned from entering Wales from 6pm on Friday.
Crowds of revellers teamed out of restaurants and bars at 10pm as the night ended. The crowds did not appear to be abiding by social distancing measures
Police officers stood in the middle of the street to monitor the situation and ensure it didn't escalate
Police officers tried to manage the crowds as revellers left the pubs and restaurants in Soho at 10pm this evening
People sit outside Comptons pub in Soho as they enjoy drinks with friends before the level of restrictions increase in the capital at midnight
Soho was packed with revellers making the most of the capital's final night in Tier 1 restrictions. Roads were covered in tables and chairs as customers were seated outside
Revellers wore coats and jackets to keep warm as they enjoyed drinks outside Bar Soho in the centre of the capital tonight
A group of six women all hold blow-up microphones and don sombreros for a night out in Newcastle on Friday night
Women posed for the camera after a night of drinking in Newcastle on Friday evening. Tier 3 restrictions hang over the city
During the peak of the crisis TfL's revenues dropped 95 per cent as people were instructed to work from home and footfall on carriages fell. It has risen slightly since lockdown was initially eased after the first wave, but today Mr Khan said passenger numbers will not return to pre-pandemic levels in the immediate future
Commuters wear face-masks during morning rush hour on the Victoria Line of the London Underground in central London today
Tube and bus passengers are rising, but Mr Khan said passenger numbers will not return to pre-pandemic levels in the immediate future
Coronavirus positive tests in London have increased dramatically since the beginning of September but changes in recent weeks suggest the rate of rise is slowing down, with a 37 per cent increase in the seven days to October 7, compared to the almost double 84 per cent in the third week of September
WHAT ARE THE THREE TIERS?
TIER 1/MEDIUM
TIER 1/MEDIUMTIER 1/MEDIUMTIER 2/HIGH
TIER 2/HIGHTIER 2/HIGHTIER 3/VERY HIGH:
Can I still meet friends in a pub garden? Should I cancel half-term trip to Cornwall? Your questions answered as Londoners are plunged into Tier 2 lockdown with parts of Essex, Surrey, Yorkshire, Cumbria and Derbyshire
By Mark Duell for MailOnline
Nine million people in London are set to face tougher coronavirus restrictions banning households mixing indoors - including in pubs - from 0.01am on Saturday.
And London is not the only area which will be hit with the Government's second-harshest lockdown level at midnight tomorrow.
Residents in Essex, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, York, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield and Erewash will also have the new restrictions imposed on them.
Tier 2 rules includes a ban on meeting socially with friends and family indoors and weddings will be limited to 15 and funerals to 30.
Gyms, shops, schools, universities and churches will stay open.
You can find out the current alert level in your area with the Government's postcode checker by clicking here, but note it may change this weekend.
Here, MailOnline looks at what it will mean for all regions under Tier 2 lockdown from Saturday:
Can I still go to my friends' house on Thursday or Friday night?
Yes. Friday will be the last day when you can visit a friend's house for now, but you must ensure no more than six people gather - and you leave before midnight.
Can I have my friends over from Saturday?
No. People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place.
Can I see my friends inside a pub or a restaurant?
No. You must not meet socially with friends and family indoors in any setting unless you live with them or have formed a support bubble with them.
This includes private homes, and any other indoor venues such as pubs and restaurants.
Can I meet my friends in a pub garden?
Yes. You can gather in groups of six outside at venues which are following Covid-secure guidance, including pubs, restaurants, shops, leisure and entertainment venues and places of worship.
At least one person in the group should give their contact details to the venue or check in using the official NHS Covid-19 app so NHS Test and Trace can contact you if needed.
Drinkers outside a pub in Westminster last month. You will only be allowed to have a drink with friends from a different household at the pub outdoors from Saturday - and not indoors
Can I see friends outside?
Yes. You may continue to see friends and family you do not live with (or have not formed a support bubble with) outside, including in a garden or other outdoor space.
When you do so, you must not meet in a group of more than six.
Do children count in the 'rule of six' outdoors?
Yes. This limit of six for meeting people outdoors includes children of any age.
Can I still meet inside with people from my support bubble?
Yes. You will still count as one household who can meet together indoors or outdoors.
A support bubble is where a household with one adult joins with another household.
Households in that support bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight, and visit public places together.
Informal childcare can also be provided via childcare bubbles (see below).
Is the support bubble affected by London changing tier?
No. Your support bubble is still valid despite London going into a higher tier, so you can continue to function as one household.
Can my friends visit if they are from outside London?
No. If you live in a 'tier two' area you also cannot meet indoors with people from outside of the area, unless exceptions apply (see final question below).
Can I go to stay at a hotel or Airbnb home within London?
Yes. You can still travel within high alert level areas to hotels and other guest accommodation, but you should only do this with people in your household or support bubble.
You can only stay in a private home - which includes self-catered accommodation such as holiday cottages, apartments or boats - with members of your own household or support bubble.
You can stay in a hotel or similar accommodation (for example, a hostel or bed and breakfast) with another household.
However you should avoid sharing rooms with people you do not live with or otherwise socialising indoors, for example in each other's rooms, in reception areas, or in restaurants and bars.
Can I still go on holiday outside London?
Yes, with exceptions. You can still go on holiday outside of high alert level areas, but you must only do this with people in your household or support bubble.
Can I still go on holiday to Wales?
Probably not. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford is proposing a travel ban on visits to Wales by people living in areas of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland with high levels of Covid-19 from Friday.
He said police in Wales could use number plate technology to catch people from UK coronavirus hotspots who illegally enter the country.
Can I still go on holiday to a tier three area like Liverpool?
No. You should avoid travelling to any part of the country subject to very high local Covid alert levels.
Can I still move home or look at a house in London?
Yes. You can still move home. Estate and letting agents and removals firms can also continue to work and people looking to move home can continue to undertake viewings.
Do I have to end my current holiday outside London if it's with another household?
No. At the time that the new local restrictions are brought in, if you are currently on holiday with another household outside London, but are from London, and are staying in a private home and it is not reasonable for you to curtail your stay, you should finish your holiday as planned.
The Government advises that until the end of this holiday you should 'make every effort to reduce socialising indoors outside of your household and follow local regulations and guidance'.
Can I still use public transport?
Yes, but with restrictions. The Government says you may continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, for work, voluntary, charitable or youth services, or to access education, but you should 'aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible'.
If you need to travel, the Government encourages people to walk or cycle where possible, or to plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport. This will allow you to practise social distancing while you travel.
People wearing face masks pass by market stalls at Covent Garden in Central London today
Do the tier two rules follow me if I travel outside my area?
Yes. The rules are based on the highest tier level out of a) where you live and b) where you are visiting.
Therefore, if you live in London, you must abide by London's rules wherever you go.
But if you are from a tier one area and are visiting London, you must abide by the rules for London.
Can I visit my parents in an area outside of London?
Yes. However you must follow the rules applying to where you live, so you would have to meet them outside and ensure there is not a group of more than six people.
Can I still commute into London if I live in a tier one region outside the capital?
Yes. The Government says people can continue to travel into a high alert area for work, but should 'aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible'.
Are the exceptions to the rule of six for children?
Yes. There are exceptions from legal gatherings limits for registered childcare, education or training, and supervised activities provided for children, including wraparound care, youth groups and activities, and children's playgroups.
This means you can continue to use early years and childcare settings, including childminders, after-school clubs and nannies.
Who can provide childcare support in private homes and gardens?
Registered childcare providers including nannies, people in your support bubble or people in your childcare bubble.
What is the definition of a childcare bubble?
A childcare bubble is where someone in one household provides informal (unpaid and unregistered) childcare to a child aged 13 or under in another household.
For any given childcare bubble, this must always be between the same two households.
Friends or family who do not live with you and are not part of a support or childcare bubble must not visit your home to help with childcare.
Childcare bubbles are to be used to provide childcare only, and not for the purposes of different households mixing where they are otherwise not allowed to do so.
Can I meet with a household from another flat inside the property where I live?
No. The Government's definition of a household is one person living alone, or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address who share cooking facilities and share a living room, sitting room or dining area.
A household can consist of a single family, more than one family or no families in the case of a group of unrelated people.
Therefore people who live in different self-contained flats cannot meet with each other.
Can I visit my grandparent in a care home?
No, with exceptions. You should not visit a care home except in exceptional circumstances, for example to visit an individual who is at the end of their life.
Will shops still be open?
Yes. Non-essential retail as well as essential stores will remain open for customers.
Will I be fined if I am caught having a meeting in a group that is illegal?
Yes. Meeting in larger groups is against the law, although there are certain exceptions (see final question).
The police can take action against you if you meet in larger groups, which includes breaking up illegal gatherings and issuing fixed penalty notice fines.
You can be fined £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.
If you hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over 30 people, the police can issue fines of £10,000.
The newly married Lucy and James Bone after their wedding at St Michael and all Angels Church in Ingram, Northumberland, on July 4 - the day that weddings were once again permitted
Can I attend a wedding?
Yes, with restrictions. Up to a maximum of 15 people can attend weddings or equivalent ceremonies and receptions where the organiser has carried out a risk assessment and 'taken all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of the virus'.
But receptions should be sit down meals to ensure people can keep their distance from each other, and must not take place in private homes.
Can I attend a funeral?
Yes, with restrictions. Up to a maximum of 30 people can attend a funeral. Wakes and other commemorative events are permitted with up to 15 people present, but these cannot take place in private dwellings.
Where food or drink is consumed, this should be in the form of a sit down meal.
Anyone working at a wedding, civil partnership ceremony, reception, wake or funeral is not generally counted as part of the limit.
People living outside of London in a tier one area can travel to the capital to attend an event, but they must not meet with another household indoors.
Can I still go to church?
Yes. You can still attend places of worship for a service in London. However, you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble.
Can I attend an indoor exercise class?
Yes, with restrictions. Indoor exercise classes and other activity groups can only continue provided that households or support bubbles do not mix. Where it is likely that groups will mix, these activities must not go ahead.
There are exceptions to enable disability and youth sport and physical activity indoors, in any number.
Can I still take place in sports activities outdoors?
Yes. In line with guidelines from national sporting bodies, you can take part in sport and physical activity outdoors.
Can I still have a street party?
Yes, but as long as it is outside and no more six people gather, following Covid restrictions.
Can a tradesperson come into my house?
Yes. A tradesperson can go into a household without breaching the rules if they are there for work.
What if I am clinically vulnerable?
The Government advises that those aged 70 or over, pregnant women or those with an underlying health condition can go outside as much as they like but 'should still try to keep your overall social interactions low'.
Should I share a car with someone from outside my household?
No, in most cases. The Government says it is difficult to socially distance during car journeys and transmission of coronavirus can occur in this context.
So you should avoid travelling with someone from outside your household or your support bubble unless you can practise social distancing.
Does the 10pm curfew still apply to pubs and restaurants?
Yes. Certain businesses selling food or drink on their premises are still required to close between 10pm and 5am.
Businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through. Orders must be made via phone, online or by post.
A group of women carry their drinks in London's Soho after the 10pm curfew began last month
Are hospitality venues at motorway services still exempt from the curfew?
Yes. Hospitality venues in ports, on transport services and in motorway service areas do not need to close at 10pm, but must not serve alcohol after that time.
Can I still go to work in the office?
Yes, with exceptions. The Government advises that 'office workers who can work effectively from home should do so over the winter'.
It adds: 'Where an employer, in consultation with their employee, judges an employee can carry out their normal duties from home they should do so.'
Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary.
The Government also says that 'anyone else who cannot work from home should go to their place of work'.
Those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable can go to work as long as the workplace is Covid-secure, but should still work from home wherever possible.
Can I still go to school or college?
Yes. The Government says it has 'prioritised ensuring all children can attend school safely, to support their wellbeing and education and help working parents and guardians'.
Can I still go to university?
Yes. Universities have welcomed students back and students are allowed to move home and travel to go there.
However those in tier two areas must not move backward and forward between their permanent home and term time address during term time – subject to limited exemptions.
Students living at their university term time address in a high alert level area should follow the same guidance on meeting other people and travel as others in that area.
Pupils wear protective face masks on the first day back to school at Outwood Academy Adwick in Doncaster on September 2 as schools in England reopened to pupils following the lockdown
Can I commute into London or another high alert level area to go to university?
Yes. Commuter students - defined as those who live at a family home and travel to/from university each day - should be able to continue to travel to/from their university as required, for education purposes.
However, you must not meet people you do not live with in their home inside the area, unless they're in your household, childcare or support bubble
You can also not host people you do not live with in your home, if they live in the affected area, unless they're in your childcare or support bubble
You must also not meet people you do not live with in their student halls, whether inside or outside of the area, unless they're in your childcare or support bubble.
If you move out of, or currently live outside of, an affected area you should not host people you do not live with in your home or student halls if they live in a high alert level area, unless they're in your household, support bubble or childcare bubble.
Will Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph go ahead?
Yes, with restrictions. Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph on November 8 will take place but will be closed to the public.
Crowds will not be allowed to go to the service and will be asked to mark the day at home. The usual Royal British Legion march past has also been cancelled.
It is expected that members of the Royal Family and dignitaries will still attend to lay wreaths to remember the fallen.
What are the exceptions on people from different households gathering?
How long will the rules be in place?
The Government must review which areas are subjected to the rules at least once every 14 days, with the first due to be carried out by October 28.
The restrictions themselves must be reviewed every 28 days, with the first due to be carried out by November 11. The rules themselves expire in six months.