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Newspaper headlines: 'Mutant' Covid strain as London 'plunged' into tier 3

By BBC News
Staff

Published
image captionVirtually all of the newspapers lead on the news that London and parts of south-east England will be placed into the toughest Covid restrictions on Wednesday amid a warning from ministers that a new strain of the virus may be driving a surge in infection rates. The Times quotes Health Secretary Matt Hancock as saying there was "not a moment to spare" as he put 11 million people into tier 3.
image caption“Mutant Covid” is the front-page headline on the Metro, which says the new variant of the virus has been linked to an “exponential” rise in infections in the South East.
image captionIn addition to the capital being "plunged into the toughest tier", parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will also move into tier 3, notes the Daily Telegraph, meaning pubs, restaurants and theatres must close. The paper says there are warnings the economic consequences will be "catastrophic".
image captionThe government's decision means more than 60% of England is to face winter under the toughest curbs, notes the Guardian. The paper quotes Mr Hancock as describing the situation as a "salutary warning for the whole country" following a week of uplifting news around the vaccine rollout.
image captionWith the virus surging in parts of the South East, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been urged to rethink the easing of Covid rules over Christmas, reports the i. The paper notes that Mr Hancock refused to rule out cancelling the relaxation of measures during a Downing Street briefing.
image captionThe Daily Mail goes further in asking whether Christmas gatherings might now be in jeopardy. The paper says scientists fear the planned easing of rules for five days over the festive period could fuel the new Covid variant. It quotes a source as saying: "The Christmas rules might change", though it notes that Downing Street has insisted there are no such plans in place.
image caption"New strain and more pain" is the Daily Mirror's headline. But the paper also manages to squeeze some good news on its front page, noting that GPs began Covid vaccinations on Monday.
image captionThe Daily Express splashes on the "fears" over the new Covid strain. But its front page also features a photo of Boris Johnson in a phone conversation in the back of a car, noting that the prime minister said Brexit trade talks were "still difficult".
image captionThe Daily Star focuses on news that thousands of school children in London have been sent home from schools amid rising infection levels. The paper says it comes after ministers had said schools were safe.

Will the rise in coronavirus cases in the south of England put "Christmas in jeopardy?" asks the Daily Mail in its front-page headline.

Urgent talks are said to be taking place in Whitehall, with one source telling the Mail the rules could change - a suggestion dismissed by Downing Street.

The i's front-page headline also suggests the prime minister is being urged to rethink the Christmas bubbles.

Other front pages focus on the new coronavirus strain - dubbed "Mutant Covid" by the Metro - and which is causing what the Sun calls the "nightmare before Christmas".

The Times reports that the variant originated from Kent and that some scientists have suggested masks should be worn in London's busy shopping streets - an idea taken up the city's mayor, Sadiq Khan.

But the paper questions whether there's scientific evidence that face coverings work, saying any decisions on them are political.

The Financial Times examines in its main story what it describes as the "anger and despair" of businesses facing tier three restrictions in London.

The FT reports that an estimated 14,000 pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes in the capital will be forced to close for everything but takeaways.

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On its front page, the Guardian picks up on a suggestion by the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, that a post-Brexit trade deal is within reach.

An EU diplomatic source tells the Daily Telegraph that Mr Barnier was a lot less gloomy than he had expected and suggested an agreement could be reached this week if both sides could "come out of their trenches on fish".

But the Daily Express pictures a serious-looking prime minister, a mobile phone pressed to his ear, looking over his glasses under the caption "trade talks 'still difficult'".

Amid questions over how some government contracts were issued during the pandemic, The FT reports that the government is to overhaul its procurement rules.

The Cabinet Office is to announce a consultation proposing that contract competitions should be run with greater scrutiny during future emergencies.

Both the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail report "unconscious bias" training for civil servants is to be scrapped.

A review of the courses, aimed at teaching people to overcome any hidden prejudices, found little evidence that they worked.

In fact, the study indicated that they could even have negative consequences. The decision has been welcomed in the Mail by the Conservative MP, Ben Bradley, who led a revolt against unconscious bias training for MPs.

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And finally, a row has broken out in Leeds, according to the i, over plans to dig up half of the city's bowling greens.

The city council is consulting on proposals to scrap 31 of the city's 61 greens to save help fill a black hole in its budget. The secretary of one bowling club tells the Yorkshire Evening Post that it is terrible - saying older people who enjoy the sport are being picked on as an easy target.

The council says it is paying thousands in subsidies and many greens have few members. But players suggest attendance will pick up when the pandemic subsides.