France and the Netherlands Added to Mandatory UK Quarantine List

"France is heading in the wrong direction...we have to act," Shapps told the BBC on Friday.

"The last thing we want to do is have people returning and bringing the infection with them," he said, adding that there were around 160,000 Brits due to return from France in the near future.

With more than 41,000 deaths caused by the Covid-19 disease, Britain is the worst-hit country in Europe and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been criticized over his handling of the crisis.

His government also announced on Thursday that casinos and bowling alleys will be allowed to reopen in England after being shut during the lockdown, but that those not wearing masks face harsher fines.

Complacency warning

Skating rinks will also be allowed to reopen, and pilot schemes of larger crowds at sporting events will be introduced following a two-week delay to the initial plans caused by a spike in cases.

"A number of remaining aspects of England's culture, sport, leisure and business sectors will be permitted to reopen from this weekend," said a statement from Johnson's Downing Street office.

"Two weeks ago the Office for National Statistics had expressed concerns about a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive. The situation now appears to have levelled off," it added.

Indoor theatres, music and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences.

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The piloting of crowd-attended sporting events will commence with the final of the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre on August 15 and 16.

We are able to announce some further changes which will allow more people to return to work and the public to get back to more of the things they have missed," Johnson said.

"However, as I have always said, we will not hesitate to put on the brakes if required," he warned.

Along with the easing of lockdown measures, the government also announced that the fine for those who "repeatedly flout face covering rules" will be doubled to a maximum of £3,200 ($4,200).

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