Boris Johnson orders police to enforce face mask laws

Boris Johnson has ordered more police officers onto the streets to enforce the wearing of face coverings which will become compulsory by law in most indoor settings from August 8.

The Prime Minister said the plans to extend face coverings to venues like museums, cinemas and places of worship would require a “greater police presence” to enforce the rules and levy £100 fines on those who refused.

A Government source said: “You are going to see more police out and about, not only doing their policing duties but more active in their role enforcing these Covid-19 rules.”

It is likely to put Mr Johnson at odds with some policing leaders who believe compulsory face coverings are “impossible to enforce.”

It emerged yesterday that police handed out just 13 fines to passengers not wearing masks on public transport across the country in June - and only one outside the south-east. Face coverings became mandatory on trains, buses, Tubes, coaches, trams, planes and ferries on June 15.

Mr Johnson voiced his concerns about the apparent failings in enforcement yesterday when he revealed he had asked Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, “to work with the police and others to ensure the rules which are already in place are properly enforced.”

He added: “That means local authorities acting to close down premises and cancel events which are not following Covid Secure guidance.

“And it means a greater police presence to ensure face coverings are being worn where this is required by law.

“Most people in this country are following the rules and doing their bit to control the virus. But we must keep our discipline, we must be focused and we cannot be complacent.”

It means face coverings will become compulsory in indoor settings where people are “likely to come into contact” with others they do not know in England from August 8.

Currently people in England are only expected to wear a mask when using public transport, at indoor transport hubs such as airports and rail stations, in shops and supermarkets, indoor shopping centres and banks and post offices.   Masks should be worn before entering any of the above premises and only removed once the person has left the venue.

New guidance is expected to be issued by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and a Government source said it was intended police should adopt a similar role as during lockdown where they were visible in parks and other open spaces to help enforce the rules.

However, Ken Marsh, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said the mixed messaging that had come from the Government over past months meant it would be virtually impossible to police.

“I doubt 50 per cent of people walking into shops are wearing facial coverings. Nor have I seen any signs saying you need to wear face coverings by law,” he said.

“We give fines to people but we have been massively criticised for that so my colleagues are reticent doing that. This could have been very straightforward if it had been done in stages and explained it as we went along but there have been all sorts of ambiguities.”

Police chiefs would prefer the onus to be put on shopkeepers to act against those without face coverings and only turn to the police as a last resort.

Chief Constable Dave Thompson, NPCC vice-chair, said: “All businesses, local authorities and responsible agencies should play their part in encouraging the public to comply with the regulations or enforcing them where appropriate.”

John Apter, chair of the national Police Federation, said: “Where people are not wearing coverings we expect the owner of the premises or local authority to advise and act.”

Richard Drax, a member of the Commons defence committee, warned: “I am anxious at the authoritarian side of the debate.

“ We are going to have to live with this thing and making things mandatory sets the police against those they need to take care of, customer against shopkeeper and citizen against citizen. If people want to wear a mask they should and if they don’t want to then you shouldn’t have to.”

Tobias Ellwood, the committee’s chairman, called on the Government to deliver more “robust” messaging around masks, explicitly stating that “wearing masks helps break the chain in contagion”.

“The choice in defeating the spread is simple - return to full lockdown or learn to adapt with conditions,” he added.

Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons education committee, impressed the need for people to keep wearing masks despite the warm weather.

“We’ve got to be out in the fresh air, we’ve been locked down for so long, but it’s common sense to keep the mask on, it’s not a big imposition,” he said. "Of course people are reluctant to wear them but what’s the choice? We risk a second spike and we are locked in again or we go out, enjoy the fresh air and wear the mask. Put a t-shirt on if you’re hot."