The legal challenge to the Government’s curfew spearheaded by the owner of London and Manchester’s G-A-Y bars, along with the Night Time Industries Association has advanced today, with its hearing now set for the December 3rd, the first day of post-lockdown freedom. In a statement this afternoon G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph said:
“The court date is perfect for us to challenge the curfew if the government decides to reinstate it following the current lockdown. G-A-Y Legal team plan to do everything they can during the lockdown to persuade the government to see sense and not re-impose the curfew. We would much rather not have to go to court. However, if the government decide to bring it back, we are able to challenge them through our hearing immediately.”
After first pushing for it, Sadiq Khan has now come out against the curfew, and Sir Keir has tentatively dipped his toe in the anti-curfew water. It is fair to say the loudest opposition to the measure, which has no scientific research behind it, has been from the Tory back benches. Covid Recovery Group deputy chairman Steve Baker tells Guido that he is “highly confident that the vast majority of Conservative MPs will not be in favour of the curfew continuing in principle”. How they would vote on it however is another matter…
The owner of iconic London gay clubs G-A-Y and Heaven has this morning launched a legal challenge against the Government’s hospitality curfew. G-A-Y CEO Jeremy Joseph has instructed Kings Chambers barristers, including Sam Karim QC, Sarah Clover and Leo Charalambides, along with Dan Rosenberg of Simpson Miller Solicitors to challenge the counterproductive curfew that is crippling the the Hospitality and Entertainment Industry in particular. In a statement, Joseph said:
“This Government has failed to show why the 10.00 pm curfew was put in place and has published no scientific evidence to substantiate its implementation…”
“Enough is Enough. Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson have to be made accountable and today we have instructed our legal team with the support of the NTIA to serve the Government with a Pre-Action Protocol for Judicial Review to challenge the decision to implement the national curfew of 10.00pm on the hospitality sector.“
The action, supported by the Night Time Industries Association, stresses how Joseph has been supportive of other decisions made by the Government naming “social distancing and other measures to protect the safety of their patrons“, and stresses the “arbitrary” and illogical nature of the curfew. Tory backbenchers are finding unlikely allies in the fight for freedom…
