New rules in the North East may be hindering rather than helping?

Tighter lockdown restrictions are causing "doubt and uncertainty" in the North East of England, a council leader has said.

This comes as a new law preventing people from mixing socially, which will be implemented tomorrow, has a fine of over £6,000 for those breaking it.

A lack of detail on these measures and a warning of their existence has undermined "community consent", Nick Forbes, Newcastle City Council's leader stated.

He said: "The sense that we're all collectively buying into these measures because we can see that they protect us all - is if there's a gap between what's announced in headlines and the details that people can understand."

These new rules have been brought in by the government to counter the rise in coronavirus cases.

Gillian Keegan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, was unable to answer questions surrounding the new rules on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

She could not answer whether, under the new regulations, people were unable to meet outside in a pub or restaurant garden. When asked how the public was supposed to keep up with the emerging rules when MPs themselves could not, she replied: "I'm sorry I can't answer that question."

David Nabarro, a special envoy for the World Health Organisation, said that the stricter regulations might not be the right way to control the behaviour of the public.

He also told the Today radio show, that the "only way that we will come out ahead of this virus is if we're all able to do the right thing in the right place at the right time because we choose to do it".