Coronavirus: Newcastle and Gateshead reject 'stay alert' message

England has moved on from "stay at home" to "stay alert"

Two councils in the north-east of England are refusing to use the government's new "stay alert" slogan.

Newcastle and Gateshead councils fear the coronavirus lockdown has been eased too soon and that the new message is confusing.

Gateshead Council said it would be sticking to the previous "stay at home" directive still being used in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Labour leader Martin Gannon said the new measures would have "consequences".

"We do not have the same legislative powers as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in the North East, but if we did I would be doing exactly the same as what they are doing and staying with the lockdown."

The changes to the lockdown could result in another peak in the virus, he said.

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The government said it had taken "the right steps at the right time" and compliance with social distancing rules meant "we can begin to gradually reopen our society".

But this would only happen "if everyone stays alert, continues to follow the rules, and the rate of infection stays down", a spokesperson said.

Newcastle City Council is also not repeating the "stay alert" phrase on its social media channels, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Labour council leader Nick Forbes said the change of message was "extremely confusing" and the guidance created some "nonsensical situations".

"I'm worried that the lack of clarity about the rules means that the virus will start spreading quickly again, meaning we will see a second spike and face another period of total lockdown," he said.