Fiction: Guidance is law. The Police and public understand both. Law: The government guidance on lockdown 3.0 opens with apparently deliberate ambiguity: “You should follow this guidance immediately. This is the law.” The juxtaposition of those sentences, even with the link included, appears intended to suggest the law requires you to follow the guidance. Such …
Fiction: Lockdown is good for the nation’s health and follows an impact assessment. Law: From 5th November 2020 England dispenses with tiers and moves on with The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020. The regulations as made will cease to have effect after 28 days. By this stage, the various regulations settled …
Fiction: Groups of students and sections of the population can be detained for 14 days as a group in their halls or residence or apartment blocks under the new self-isolation regulations. Law: The ‘self-isolation’ restrictions came into force from 28 September 2020, although they relate only to tests conducted after that date, for 12 months. …
Self-isolation regulations (and ‘close contact’) Read More »
Fiction: Everyone must now wear masks everywhere, except offices and outside, and controllers of premises can always insist they are worn. Law: From 24 Sept, the places in which face covering must be worn, and by whom, has greatly expanded. However, rarely understood but significant ‘reasonable excuses’ remain. In England the wearing of a face …
Fiction: Feeling sad and low is reasonably to be expected of us all. Piers Morgan is right that we just have to put up with it. Law: “To avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm” is a ‘reasonable excuse’ exemption within most of the coronavirus restrictions. Government suggested lanyards and badges …
Low mood – a reasonable excuse to ignore coronavirus restrictions Read More »
Fiction: On return to the UK from named countries from time to time, everyone must stay at home and quarantine for 14 days. Law: The restrictions on arriving from abroad in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are constantly changing, most notably in terms of their lists of affected countries from where people are arriving. …
Fiction: Only rave organisers can be fined £10,000 for holding a rave. Law: Catching up with announcements of ‘fines from tomorrow’ made nearly 2 weeks ago, regulations have been published providing a fine of £10,000 for anyone ‘holding’ or ‘involved in holding ‘ an indoor rave. These apply from 28 August 2020. Going much further, …
Restrictions on Holding of Gatherings – from 28 August 2020 £10,000 fines Read More »
Fiction: You must test positive for Covid-19 in order to be asked to isolate, but track and trace doesn’t yet have force of law. (Update: see post Self-isolation regulations (and ‘close contact’)) Law: The Coronavirus Act 2020 gives powers of detention for screening and assessment for 48 hours, for isolation for up to 14 days …
Fiction: Introducing fines of up to £3,200 for breaching lockdown restrictions is a new measure. Law: Fines for breach of lockdown restrictions have been a feature of regulations since the start of lockdown. The regulations restricting gatherings of more than 30 people outdoors, and the further restrictions in specific areas such as the North of …
Fiction: Everyone must wear masks in shops and restaurants, controllers of premises can insist they are worn and the government had not always intended to increase the requirements for wearing masks. Law: The law in relation to wearing face coverings in shops has not changed in principle from 24th July 2020. We explain the law …
Face covering requirements expanded from 8th August Read More »
