Jeremy Corbyn’s brother Piers joins lockdown rule-breaking revellers in central London

Jeremy Corbyn’s brother joined revellers and protesters in central London on Friday as police were forced to break up big groups breaking new lockdown rules, and hours before the capital entered the “high” Tier 2 category. t

Large crowds gathered around bars and restaurants in Soho last night after the 10pm closing time as officers were forced to break-up the groups not adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Among the rule-breakers was Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who encouraged people to join him for “music, drinking and dancing” in the central London hotspot.

Piers Corbyn was fined £10,000 in August after helping to organise an anti-lockdown protest in London.

The activist posted on Twitter and said: “Ignore mad Govt diktats of tiers, curfews and circuit breakers! “#DrinkAgainstTheCurfew Join us tonight, in Soho, from 9.15pm for music, drinking and dancing.”

And on Saturday, Mr Corbyn also lead a group of “anti-lockdown” protesters around central London, with some members seen holding placards that said “no Gestapo policing” and “Covid-19 equals control.”

The capital moved into a tier 2 lockdown at midnight on Friday, meaning people from different households can no longer meet together inside.

New Scotland Yard said that officers were sent to Soho on Friday night, one of the capital’s busiest areas, to “reassure the public and ensure compliance with the Covid regulations.”

One person was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and another was issued a dispersal order and asked to leave the area.

Officers said the crowd of late night drinkers were separated shortly before 10.30pm.

In a separate incident, officers were sent to break-up a “block party” shortly before midnight in Camden, north London, where around 30 people were seen playing music in the street, dancing and breaking social distancing rules.

The new regulations banning households mixing indoors could be devastating for more than 5,000 pubs and around 8,500 restaurants in tier 2 regions, including the capital.

Businesses in tier 2 areas have voiced fears that they will have a lack of business but will also not be eligible for government support available to premises that have been ordered to close.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “The Met will continue to use the ‘4 Es’ approach of engagement, explaining the regulations, encouraging people to following them and only enforcing as a last resort. This will include working alongside London’s local authorities to ensure compliance with the regulations around licensed premises.”

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