Bromley MP slams Matt Hancock’s decision to plunge whole of London into tier 2 lockdown together, saying “it’s neither targeted, nor appropriate nor proportionate”

By Lachlan Leeming, Local Democracy Reporter

The “broadbrush” approach of placing the whole of London into a tier 2 lockdown has been slammed by Bromley and Chislehurst MP Bob Neill, in a fiery question aimed at health secretary Matt Hancock.

Sir Bob fired the question to the Tory health boss in the Commons shortly after it was confirmed the entire capital would be placed in tier 2 measures from midnight today.

“A number of us in London regard it as neither targeted nor proportionate nor appropriate to use a London-wide average in so large a metropolitan area where so little commuting is now taking place,” he said.

“Will he reflect upon this in future and will he speak today to the Chancellor to see what support can be given to hospitality businesses in the London suburbs who are suffering as of now, as a direct consequence of his decision?”

The health secretary disagreed with his colleague’s thoughts on travel – saying a “huge amount” of commuting was still being done by the city’s workers – although acknowledging that rates “in his patch are lower than the London average”.

Mr Hancock added: “Nevertheless, unfortunately, they are rising sharply and so this action, we considered a borough-by-borough approach, but because of the integrated nature of London, and because unfortunately cases are rising fast across London, we decided the best approach was for the whole of London to go into level 2 together.”

The question from the Bromley area MP highlighted the frustration many figures in greater London feel as the entire capital is locked into more restrictive measures to combat Covid-19, despite many areas on the periphery of the city having lower and slower-growing rates of the virus.

Pictured top: Bromley and Chislehurst MP Bob Neill