On Sunday afternoon, the 32 leaders of London councils and their chief executives were at a meeting with London’s public health regional director Kevin Fenton who, LGC understands, told them to treat everything said in the meeting in absolute confidence. A London-wide, united approach to dealing with the disturbing surge in Covid infections in the capital was agreed upon. Later that same day, a letter sent to the prime minister signed by London mayor Sadiq Khan (Lab) and London Councils chair Georgia Gould (Lab) said the government must give “urgent consideration” to closing education establishments for children over 11 “a few days early” for the holidays and “keeping them closed longer after Christmas”.