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Coronavirus: On the road with British police enforcing social distancing

UK Government advice is clear that non-essential travel should be avoided, but many continue to be confused about when and why they can go outside, whether it’s OK to walk their dog, and what’s the right way to exercise during the coronavirus pandemic.

Newsnight spent a day with police in Weston-super-Mare as they travelled round checking on the public, making sure Covid-19 measures were being followed and checking up on the vulnerable.

Sweeping powers brought in to address the spread of coronavirus allow them to regulate public space in an unprecedented way.

How comfortable should we be with the police using measures that in normal times would be considered authoritarian?

James Clayton reports, and Emily Maitlis is joined by Andy Marsh, Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary, and Nick Cohen of the Observer, and Lord Finkelstein of the Times.

Release date:

Duration:

19 minutes