Coronavirus: Govt facing calls for 10pm pub curfew to be urgently reviewed
Helen Whately points to a ban on household mixing as a newspaper says a government source claims the action "will have to come".
Monday 28 September 2020 17:25, UK
Tighter social restrictions could be imposed if coronavirus infections continue to rise, a minister has suggested.
Helen Whately said "we don't want to" bring in measures taking the UK back towards a second national lockdown but cautioned the government was keeping a "constant eye" on COVID-19 cases.
It comes amid a warning the new 10pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants could be "doing more harm than good".
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Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, called for an "urgent review" of the policy brought in last week because it "creates an incentive for people to gather in the street or more probably to gather in the home".
"I don't think this has been fully thought through," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Ms Whately called scenes of people partying and not distancing after leaving pubs at 10pm "worrying".
When asked if further changes were on the way, she pointed to the rules banning household mixing in parts of northwest and northeast England.
It follows a report in The Times that a "total social lockdown" could be enforced across much of northern Britain and London.
Measures reportedly being considered include more restrictions on people from different households meeting indoors, and shutting pubs and restaurants - initially for two weeks.
Schools, shops and offices would remain open, according to the newspaper.
It quoted a senior government source as saying the nation and Conservative MPs weren't "ready" for such action but it "will have to come".
Ms Whately did not deny the plan is being considered.
"We have an opportunity - a choice - as a country to get this back under control again," she said.
"This is our moment in time to make sure we're doing social distancing and the rule of six. That's how we control it."
The latest figures released on Sunday show there were 5,693 new coronavirus cases in the UK and a further 17 people who died within 28 days of testing positive.
Higher daily infections were reported earlier in the week - including the highest on record across the country.
Experts warn case numbers will be higher given testing capacity has been dramatically increased compared with the spring.