Agreed - the new rules are not simpler (each tier is about 12,000 words and 30 pages) though in the medium term they may be simpler, geographically, for people to understand. Easier to know you are "Tier 1" than in some random collection of laws somewhere nobody can find...
But key point is that even the "very high" tier is hardly different to the current harshest regulations. Pubs and restaurants are hardly closing, the gatherings rules are almost exactly the same - so plainly there will need to be harsher rules soon if the govt wants them to be
One positive development is that there now seems to be a willingness by government, finally, to put these rules - and hopefully any future changes to them - to parliament for a vote. Won't be a chance to amend, and reality is they will be passed by large majority, but it's better
I am very skeptical, overall, that this kind of law making, attempting to legislate for every eventuality of human life, is helpful or even possible. My worry is that it is so complex people will (already have) given up trying to understand

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More from @AdamWagner1

14 Oct
Does the Welsh Assembly have the power to do this? Does it fit within its devolved health powers to ban people from parts of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland? Genuinely unsure how bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…
I doubt the Welsh coronavirus regulations could bind people not in Wales, so it would be something like "anyone from a Tier 3 are in England may not be in Wales". I can see how a person from England could be bound by restrictions in Wales, but to be prevented from entering?
Potential discrimination (on basis of nationality) argument, but also it sounds a lot like border powers rather than health. Does Wales control its borders (sorry, I don't know this)
Read 4 tweets
12 Oct
I messed up the thread so best thing to do is start from the end and you can see the whole thing
My overall thoughts on these: better to have three sets of regulations and then apply them to areas, rather than making new ones every time you bring in new areas. But, the idea that public and police will digest and understand these hugely complex rules is I think farcical...
And these regulations read as if, and I’m pretty sure this is what has happened, they have been drafted by an increasingly large but slightly random committee. There are so many exceptions, they become almost impossible to know or enforce...
Read 11 tweets
12 Oct
🚨Hot off the press, and for the first time to be debated before they come into force:

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (High) (England) Regulations 2020

I understand there will be 3 sets, one for each tier

legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1104…
So this is "Tier 2" - High.

The order has changed, so now we get penalties and enforcement section first

Fixed penalty notices starting at £100 but rising to £6,400 for a sixth breach

Business fines start at £1,000

The £10,000 starting fine I assume is for large gatherings
Areas to be reviewed every 14 days, the whole set to be reviewed every 28 - no requirement to publish the review or put before parliament 😠
Read 31 tweets
12 Oct
This is how they did plague regulations in 1665:

"all plays, bear-baitings, games, singing of ballads, buckler-play, or such-like causes of assemblies of people [were] utterly prohibited"

lawgazette.co.uk/legal-updates/…
As far as I can tell the source is not the laws themselves but Daniel Defoe's description of them

kneesofwiltshire.wordpress.com/2020/03/25/dan…
I like this one - progressive and sensible!
Read 8 tweets
12 Oct
Parliament should be given a *prior vote on the three tier system and where it is initially to apply. The government said that significant measures would from now on be debated and voted in parliament
This is why - laws which bypass parliament are open to abuse and illiberal outcomes. Parliamentarians should be screaming about this otherwise what is the point of them?
The Prime Minister has confirmed that the new three-tier regulations will be laid before Parliament today and debated and voted on tomorrow - before coming into force on Wednesday. This is progress, but won't give opportunity to amend, only to vote 'yes' or 'no'
Read 4 tweets
11 Oct
Not commenting on whether the restrictions are fair or not, but some positives here:
- 3 tiered system likely better and simpler than hodgepodge of local/national rules. Easier to understand, explain, advertise
- consultation with local mayors better than secret decisions...
- Sounds like the 3 tiers will be subject to a parliamentary vote, hopefully before coming into force.

Cautiously, this does sound like a better approach than the fairly random, secretive and largely unscrutinised (by Parliament) one we have had for the past 6 months
Also, if there are 3 tiers which are relatively well-known, it will be harder to change them iteratively and regularly without parliamentary/public buy-in. Entirely possible that govt will carry on using executive decree but the signal is positive in my view
Read 5 tweets

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