UK records highest-ever 57,752 new Covid-19 infections as health expert warns London faces Tier 5

The latest record-breaking figures come as at least 11 anti-lockdown protesters were arrested in Hyde Park after they clashed with officers on horseback.

Crowds of between 200 to 300 people began to gather in Hyde Park, which is in a Tier 4 coronavirus area, at around 1.30pm, the Metropolitan Police said.

Most people dispersed but 11 people had been arrested for breaching Covid-19 regulations by 3pm.

A health expert has told of how London should be placed in a higher Tier 5 restrictions as the government tries to keep down infection rates.

Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia, told the Daily Mail : "Newham, Lewisham, Islington, Hillingdon, Havering, Haringey, Greenwich, Hackney – if anything (Tier 5) is going to be in London or predominantly in London.

"Whether it's the capital as a whole or particular local authorities within that, I'm not sure how they'll do it, but I expect it would be difficult to put some authorities in and leave others out."

After Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed that all London primary schools would be closed from Monday in the capital a Year 6 teacher in London has said “all schools should be closed right now”. 

She added that teaching remotely takes “far more work and time to prepare”.

Miss D, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “It is outrageous that the Government seem to have quietly devised sub-tiers within Tier 4 – if it’s not safe for children and school staff in London to be in school, then the same should apply to all of Tier 4.

“From next week, I will be teaching remotely. This is not the easy or ‘lazy’ option for teachers. It takes far more work and time to prepare and teach remotely. Most teachers would much rather be teaching in person but it simply isn’t safe.”

“To announce yet another major decision on a Friday evening during the annual leave is yet another example of the Government’s lack of consideration to school staff,” the anonymous teacher told the PA news agency.

“Teachers will now be scrambling this weekend to prepare remote learning.”