Thread by @AdamWagner1

It’s Valentine’s Day this Sunday. In this thread I show that private meetings and sex between consenting adults who don’t live together has mostly been illegal in England for almost a year... 💔

https://twitter.com/AdamWagner1/status/1358463275063779329

... if you are in Leicester indoor meetings for dating/sex between people who don’t live together it has been illegal since 26 March 2020. In Manchester, it’s almost the entire time since 26 March.

I think that’s in this respect England has had the strictest regime in Europe and possibly the world. As I understand it, European states tend to allow meetings between two people who do not live together for any reason indoors.

Some people will have been ignoring the rules, some won’t know. But many single people have had a hugely difficult time as a result. Everyone has had to change their behaviour due to the virus but still important to understand the unintended side effects

Sorry, not just single people. Also those in relationships who don’t live together and can’t for a linked household.

Here is @zoesqwilliams’ article based on my research on the legal position and interviews with people who have been affected theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…

“Bootleg sex”

This I think is very important. I am pretty sure that the way in which government have set the rules, almost entirely without parliamentary debate or prior votes, has led to lockdown rules privileging those who are represented in the small, tight circle setting the rules