IN FULL: 'People are having Covid-19 parties,' blasts Luton councillor as Imam of town's biggest mosque calls for tougher enforcement

It was a warning from Conservative Bramingham councillor Gilbert Campbell to Luton Borough Council's health and wellbeing board on Thursday.

Luton has been designated as an "area for intervention" by the government after a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past two weeks.

News that three Labour councillors broke lockdown rules at a large gathering (see here) has added public anger, as well as concern, about the town's worsening coronavirus situation.

The council has agreed with the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, to rapidly bring in some extra testing for Luton over the next few days.

"The virus has not gone away," said councillor Campbell. "It's still around.

"People are having parties and some are having Covid parties. It's ridiculous - keep your distance!

"Stop having big gatherings, give these up unless you want to spread the virus.

"I'm annoyed people are not taking this seriously."

Labour Farley councillor Mahmood Hussain echoed similar worries about social distancing in the town.

He said: "We've got a number of festivals coming up, the Eid festival. There will be people at prayers.

"People not only need to wear their face masks, but also keep at a social distance.

"If it comes to it, the powers are given to local authorities to enforce that.

"I'm disappointed we've done one or two enforcements, but we haven't done as many as we should have."

Labour Saints councillor Javed Hussain said he had received a phone call from an Imam at the town's biggest mosque, asking the local authority to "put its foot down a little more".

"He doesn't want the mosque to be locked down," explained councillor Hussain.

"He wants us to be more visible with our enforcement and take a tougher stance."

There will be more enforcement against businesses which fail to comply with guidelines or show they are Covid-19 safe, according to the council.

Labour Challney councillor Khtija Malik called for alot more engagement with shopkeepers, saying they might have to be encouraged to stop people coming into their shops.

"That's a financial situation they face and they don't want to do that, but we have to persuade them to play their part," she explained.

The council's service director healthy lives and children’s integrated commissioning Lucy Hubber said: "Some choose to interpret it as some people being more at fault.

"It's absolutely not about fault. It's about recognising risk.

"When we're working at pace, we'll do the best we can as quickly as we can.

"It might not be perfect from the word go."

Council leader and Labour Lewsey councillor Hazel Simmons, who chairs the board, said: "It's very important we raise all of that."