SCORES of local authorities in the South, including several which are home to the constituencies of Government ministers, remain without tighter restrictions despite having a higher rate than Bradford when it entered local lockdown.

When restrictions were introduced in Bradford with less than three hours’ notice, Bradford had an infection rate of 53.4 cases per 100,000 people.

It was third in the country with Blackburn with Darwen seeing the highest rate at 79.9.

In the latest data recorded up to October 4, the Telegraph & Argus has examined areas of the South of England which currently have the same or a higher rate of infection as Bradford back on July 31.

It comes amid ongoing criticism of strict measures in West Yorkshire, the North East and North West after Labour questioned the Prime Minister on the Government’s local lockdown approach elsewhere in the country.

One of the worst affected areas in the country, Exeter, has a steep infection rate of 338.6 yet Devon’s Director of Public Health has reassured locals that it is unlikely to face a local lockdown.

In comparison, Bradford has spent more than 10 weeks under restrictions and has a high, but significantly lower, infection rate of 272.3.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s constituency of Uxbridge & South Ruislip sits in the London Borough of Hillingdon, which has a current infection rate of 70.4, yet no local restrictions.

In former Prime Minister Theresa May’s constituency of Windsor and Maidenhead, the infection rate stands at 76.6, while in East Hertfordshire – part of a large area represented by three Tory MPs - has a rate of 75.5.

Great Yarmouth, represented by former Conservative Party chair and current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lews, has a current infection rate of 82.5 cases/100,000 people.

In 20 of the 32 London boroughs the current infection rate is higher than Bradford’s was in July 31, with the infection rate above 100 in Redbridge and in Richmond upon Thames.

The borough of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament, has an infection rate of 67.

Islington, home to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s constituency also has a higher rate than Bradford did, at 74.2.

Closer to home, Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Richmond constituency sits in Richmondshire, which now has a rate of 119.1 cases. 

None of the above are currently under local lockdown restrictions, at the time of writing.

Cases remain low in many areas of the South and the Midlands, but continue to see a gradual increase of cases, creeping up to the infection rate seen when Bradford was put under Covid-19 restrictions.

In the constituency belonging to Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the current infection rate has risen to 51.5, not far behind Bradford’s at the time of local lockdown.

Official figures showed today there were 6,273 confirmed cases in the seven days to October 4, up from 3,965 in the previous week.

Here’s a list of the London areas with the same or higher rate of infection as Bradford on July 31:
Kensington and Chelsea: 71.7
Richmond upon Thames: 103.5
Barking and Dagenham: 59.7
Redbridge: 103.9 
Barnet 79.3
Harrow 82.8
Hillingdon: 70.4
Hounslow: 79.2
Ealing: 93.6
Kingston upon Thames: 68.2
Waltham Forest: 71.8
Newham: 70.2 
Lambeth: 71.2 
Wandsworth: 65.8
Hammersmith and Fulham: 72.4
Brent: 74.9
Westminster: 67
Islington: 74.2
Hackney and City of London: 92.5
Haringey: 84.1