Sadiq Khan’s fury over ‘plans to quarantine London inside the M25’

London COULD be locked down: No 10 refuses to rule out sealing off capital to control coronavirus outbreak amid fury from Sadiq Khan’s fury at Boris’s ‘unacceptable’ unilateral M25 quarantine plan

  • Sadiq Khan has condemned the idea of sealing off the M25 around London if coronavirus cases rise again
  • The London Mayor complained that he has not been consulted by Boris Johnson on the dramatic prospect 
  • An M25 lockdown was among the options mooted at ‘war gaming’ session conducted by the PM last week 
  • Downing Street refuses to rule out the move but says the quarantine concept is not only applicable to London 

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No10 today refused to rule out effectively sealing off London if coronavirus cases spike as Sadiq Khan accused Boris Johnson of ‘riding roughshod’ over the city’s best interests.

The Mayor of London has written to the PM to voice ‘great surprise’ at suggestions a quarantine zone could be created within the M25, complaining that it has been 12 weeks since he was invited to a Cobra meeting and the lack of consultation is ‘unacceptable’.

Mr Johnson held a ‘war game’ session with Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week to run through possible options as fears mount over a second peak in the disease.

Measures considered included lockdown-like conditions for London, with the M25 acting as a barrier around the capital, according to the Times.

Downing Street said the government’s ‘Contain’ strategy set out that restrictions can be imposed on transport links ‘if there is an area that is particularly badly affected’. But the PM’s spokesman said that was not only a possibility for London – as any location could be subject to similar curbs.

In other developments today:

  • Health Secretary Matt Hancock has dismissed ‘inaccurate’ claims that all over-50s could be ordered to shield if the situation deteriorates; 
  • The government has launched its ‘eat out to help out’ scheme with 50 per cent discounts to encourage people to support restaurants; 
  • A top scientist has condemned the ‘shroud of secrecy’ around government decision-making on coronavirus; 
  • Civil servants are rebelling against Mr Johnson’s call for them to return to offices amid concerns about the risk of infection; 
  • New 90-minute saliva tests have been unveiled and hailed as a ‘game-changer’ by ministers. 

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured last month) has written to the PM to voice ‘great surprise’ at suggestions the capital could be effectively sealed off if there is a spike in coronavirus infections

Mr Khan said it was 'totally unacceptable' that contingency plans were being discussed without his knowledge

Mr Khan said it was ‘totally unacceptable’ that contingency plans were being discussed without his knowledge

A letter sent to Mr Johnson from Mr Khan and chair of London Councils, Peter John, said: ‘It is with great surprise that we read in the Sunday papers that Government held a critical exercise last week in which a major resurgence in Covid-19 infections in London was a central scenario.

‘According to media reports, the plans included using the M25 as a quarantine ring – effectively sealing off the city.

‘Our surprise is that such far-reaching contingency plans have been discussed and tested without the involvement or awareness of London’s government.

‘This is clearly totally unacceptable and an affront to London and Londoners.’

The letter also said the Government has been slow to take decisions or has taken the wrong decisions ‘time and again throughout this crisis’, adding: ‘This must stop.

‘Riding roughshod over democratically elected representatives who understand their communities better than central Government will lead to worse outcomes for Londoners, and the country as a whole.’

In a tweet, Mr Khan said: ‘Excluding local leaders in this way won’t help us control the virus and must stop now.’

Downing Street said the ability to impose travel restrictions had been set out in its strategy for preventing the spread of coronavirus but denied it was a plan specifically drawn up for the capital. 

The ‘Contain’ strategy sets out ‘the possibility of putting in place restrictions on travel if there is an area that is particularly badly affected’. 

‘One of the steps within that potentially includes closing down local transport networks,’ the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said. 

‘It’s there, it’s contained in the document, it’s not a new thing – we have informed the public and politicians of that being a potential action that we could take. 

‘But, to be clear, it’s not something that is specific to London or anywhere else.’ 

Meanwhile, a top scientist has slammed the ‘shroud of secrecy’ around the government’s coronavirus decisions.

Sir Paul Nurse, chief of the Francis Crick Institute, raised concerns that crucial choices seemed to be made by a ‘black box’ in Whitehall with the results sometimes ‘shambolic’. 

He insisted more transparency and scrutiny was needed to get the ‘best results’.

The intervention came as the government faces a fresh backlash about mixed messaging. Treasury subsidies for eating out at restaurants are launched today, and advice that everyone should work from home is being downgraded.

However, there are also mounting rumours about tightening coronavirus rules in some areas, with fears of a looming second wave.

Civil servants have complained they are being used as guinea pigs for the return to offices, with claims of more cases at the heart of government over the past fortnight.

Boris Johnson (pictured last week) held a ‘war game’ session with Chancellor Rishi Sunak to run through possible options if there is a second coronavirus peak