Robert Jenrick says 10pm curfew is 'just common sense' when asked to explain science

The UK is taking a similar approach to other 'well-run, sensible, rational governments'
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A Cabinet minister today said the 10pm pub curfew was a “commonsensical view” when asked to explain the science behind the measure.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK’s approach was similar to other “well-run, sensible, rational governments”.

It comes as Boris Johnson is facing a mounting Tory revolt over the controversial coronavirus restriction. Sir Keir Starmer has urged the Prime Minister to publish the science which backs up the curb, ahead of a key vote next week.

Mr Jenrick told Sky News: “There is a commonsensical view that given that the virus thrives on human contact, the longer that you stay indoors, the more contact you have with other people, the more likely you are to transmit the virus. That’s just common sense.

“The scientific advisers, the chief medical officer agree with that. We are also not an outlier in this, other countries which have got good governments Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands they’ve chosen to take a similar approach.

People leave bars and restaurants at closing time in Soho, London on September 25
PA

“There are cities in Europe not dissimilar to London like Paris, like Brussels which have gone even further in terms of the restrictions they have on hospitality.”

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood said it was right for hotspot areas to have a focused approach but that it made "no sense" to impose the 10pm curfew on other areas.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “In Dorset, certainly in Bournemouth where we have a big hospitality industry, this 10pm rule makes no sense whatsoever.

“Let’s not forget it’s only about two to three per cent contributions to covid cases that come from hospitality.

"Therefore introducing this 10pm deadline which doesn’t seem to have SAGE approval - I think it was copied from other countries - is actually making people congregate at 10pm and that’s why I would like to see that 10pm rule removed.”

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood said the 10pm rule makes "no sense whatsoever" for his constituency
AFP/Getty Images

Kate Nicholls, chief executive UKHospitality, said they had not had any specific conversations with the Government about plans for England after Nicola Sturgeon’s pub crack-down was announced.

She told Today: “Hospitality venues are very highly regulated, they have strictly enforced social distancing restrictions, space, sanitation, ventilation. We are doing everything we can to make sure that those are safe venues.

“Levels of infection did not increase when hospitality reopened on July 4 in England and later in the month in Scotland.

“Clearly there is a wide range of places where infection will take place, it does seem very unfair to penalise and target a particular segment of the economy without providing the necessary support to get those businesses and those people through what will be a very difficult period.”

Kate Nicholls says it is: "Very unfair to penalise a particular segment of the economy" (UK Hospitality)

It has been suggested that there could be a two-week “circuit breaker” in England and Wales to coincide with half-term in a bid to tackle the rising levels of coronavirus.

But Ms Nicholls said the hospitality industry would need to return to at least a “full furlough” if there was a two-week shutdown of venues serving alcohol.

She also said half term was usually a very busy trading period that was as important as Easter.

During Wednesday’s PMQs , Labour leader Sir Keir singled out the controversial 10pm curfew saying the government had failed to provide any “scientific basis”.

Sir Keir hinted that his party could join the Tory rebels in opposing the rule in a crucial vote next week which raises the prospect that the government could lose.

Among ideas now under discussion in Whitehall are a later closing time, a drinking-up period, and measures designed to disperse customers more slowly from premises to avoid crowding on pavements and public transport.

Sir Keir told the Commons: “One question is now screaming out - is there a scientific basis for the 10pm rule? The public deserve to know, Parliament deserves to know... if there is, why doesn't the government do itself a favour and publish it?

“If not, why doesn't the Government review the rule?”

Asked if he would commit to publishing the scientific data, the Prime Minister replied: “The basis on which we set it... is to reduce the spread of the virus.”

A number of videos and images have emerged since the restriction came into force which show diners flooding onto the streets or crowding onto public transport after the 10pm kick out.

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