When Guido was the first to report the Government’s serious consideration of a London-specific lockdown back in March, No. 10 were keen to pour cold water on the subsequent media hype, with Boris’s Spokesman explicitly saying there was “zero prospect” of a London lockdown involving limits on movement. Eventually the whole country got the lockdown treatment…

No 10 says there is 'zero prospect' of a big lockdown of London - as we've been reporting there might be tightening of restrictions but remember that is VERY different from other suggestions of travel bans or the kind of total lockdowns some other countries have pursued

— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) March 19, 2020

Speaking to the entirely-electronic Health Select Committee this morning, Matt Hancock confirmed Guido’s original story, that the Government did consider having a London-specific lockdown, “and decided it was better to do it across the country as a whole”. The Health Secretary said the Government decided on a nation-wide approach to encourage national unity. Number 10 were at the time spinning the Lobby the impression that there was completely zero prospect of a London-only lockdown happening, when in fact it was, as our headline stated, “under active consideration”…