Matt Hancock has announced extra testing for international arrivals. (Parliamentlive.tv)
People entering England who break government coronavirus travel rules will face up to 10 years in prison, Matt Hancock has announced.
The health secretary said anyone who has lied on a passenger locator form about being in one of the government's 33 "red list" countries over the previous 10 days will face a 10-year sentence.
Hancock said the government will also impose £5,000 fines, rising to £10,000, for UK and Irish nationals who have been in red list countries and fail to quarantine in a government-designated hotel upon arrival.
Foreign nationals who have been in or through any red list countries over the previous 10 days are banned from entering the UK. However, this does not apply to UK and Irish nationals, who will instead have to self-isolate in quarantine hotels – and pay £1,750 – from Monday.
Hancock told MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday: “People who flout these rules are putting us all at risk.
"I make no apologies for the strength of these measures because we’re dealing with one of the strongest threats to our public health that we’ve faced as a nation.”
He also announced people entering England from abroad will have to undergo further coronavirus testing during their subsequent 10-day isolation period.
People will have to take a test two and eight days into their quarantine, and must book these in advance.
And Hancock said there will be a £1,000 penalty for any international arrival who fails to take a test, and a £2,000 fine for any international arrival who fails to take the second test.
Furthermore, anyone who fails to take a test will also see their quarantine period extended by 14 days.
Hancock also confirmed a person who tests negative five days after arrival could mix in the community again – within the rules – but would have to return to quarantine if their test on day eight returned a positive COVID-19 result.
The extra testing will be in addition to the current rules requiring a negative COVID-19 test up to 72 hours before arrival, with proof of this needed to be allowed entry.
People must also provide contact details of where they will be staying for the 10-day isolation period.
International arrivals into England will have to book further COVID tests two and eight days into their isolation. (Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
This is hard for the authorities to police, and so the imposition of mandatory extra testing – as well as the threat of huge fines and prison sentences for rule breakers – has been presented by the government as toughening its border stance, which has been repeatedly questioned in recent days.
The measures will be put into law this week, Hancock said.
Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth, responding to the announcement for Labour, said the public wants the government to “go further” on border quarantine measures. Yahoo News
Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter
Ex-Labour Minister and suspected land baron Petronella Kagonye has been arrested on land scams as the fight against graft intensifies.
President Mnangagwa declared zero tolerance to corruption saying the arrests of both the “big and small fish” without fear or favour should become the new normal until sanity has been restored.
Special Anti-Corruption Unit head Mr Tabani Mpofu confirmed the arrest and said further details would be released later. Herald
One man was stabbed to death and several others injured in what police described as a night of “abhorrent” violence in south London.
The Metropolitan Police enacted additional stop and search powers after the man was killed and nine others injured during the spate of knife attacks around Croydon.
Scotland Yard said that there was no information to suggest that the incidents were linked.
Officers were called to five reports of stabbings in the area between 6.56pm and 9.12pm on Friday.
One of two men reported to have been injured at a property in Wisbeach Road, Croydon - near the Selhurst Park home of Premier League football club Crystal Palace - died at the scene.
Passers-by tried to save his life using a towel thrown to them by residents of nearby flats to try and stop the loss of blood.
Samuel Henningham, 69, a builder who lives in the block of flats near where the murder victim was stabbed, said: "I came to the window and saw a guy run inside. I was inside my place and my daughter said 'something is going on downstairs,' so another guy rushed out to try and assist him.
"He was lying on the floor and he was bleeding. I think he'd been stabbed somewhere in the groin area.
"My daughter threw a towel down to the other guy so he could wrap it. He was still bleeding until the police arrived. It took them about 20 minutes."
The violence began shortly before 7pm, when police were called to Chapman Road, Croydon, to reports of a stabbing. Officers found one male victim, whose condition was later assessed as not life-threatening in hospital.
Fifteen minutes later officers were called after four men in their 20s attended a south London hospital suffering from stab and slash injuries, with one believed to be in a life-threatening condition.
Just after 8pm police attended the Wisbeach Road address, where paramedics were unable to save the fatally injured man, and at 8.51pm were again called to a south London hospital, after two males attended with stab injuries.
Around 30 minutes later officers were called to Dingwall Road, Croydon, to reports of a stabbing. One man was arrested on suspicion of GBH. The victim, whose condition was not life threatening, was also arrested.
A total of nine men were wounded, one killed, and two people arrested.
A section 60 order granting police additional stop and search powers was put in place across Croydon until 8am on Saturday.
Detective Superintendent Nicky Arrowsmith said: "Sadly, tonight we have seen a number of needless and completely abhorrent violent altercations, including one that has tragically resulted in a loss of life.”
She added: "Our officers continue to work around the clock to identify and pursue offenders, bring perpetrators to justice, support victims, take weapons off the street, engage and reassure the public, and keep our communities safe in London.
"But we are not complacent and cannot do this alone. We work closely with our communities as they are key to understanding and knowing what is occurring locally.”
Officers from the South Area Command Unit were on patrol throughout the night, backed by the Violent Crime Taskforce and Territorial Support Group to deter and prevent any further violence.
Police asked anyone with information that could help officers investigating these incidents to make contact.
"We need to hear from anyone who has information about crime, those who carry a weapon, or those who exploit others for gain or revenge, while putting young people's lives at risk - we need this information to help keep London safe,” said Det. Supt. Arrowsmith.
Steve Reed, the MP for Croydon North, described the multiple stabbings there as “absolutely horrific news that will devastate our community.” By Patrick Sawer, Yahoo News
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