Is this the start of the lockdown rebellions?

We are frequently reminded of polls that show the majority of Brits supporting lockdown measures. In fact, often the public wants the government to go further than it has done. Local officials tend to reflect this sentiment. Mayors of two of the UK’s largest cities — London’s Sadiq Khan and Manchester’s Andy Burnham — have repeatedly accused the government of not going far enough with its Covid restrictions.

But are attitudes starting to shift? While there’s little data available about the public’s adherence to Covid rules, some evidence is starting to build. A comprehensive study from UCL and Kings College London found that only a fraction of people who said they would self-isolate if required have actually done so. Scottish police broke up over 300 parties last weekend, fining and even arresting people breaking the rule of six.

And this afternoon, we have the first signs of pushback from officials. Andy Preston, mayor of Middlesbrough, announced