MPs want county treated separately from the city

TWO MPs say they will lobby the government to split the city from the county when tiers are next reviewed.

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire and Alicia Kearns, who represents Rutland and Melton, said they lobbied and will continue to lobby the government not to include their patches in Tier 3.

Cases in both areas are above the national average.

Mr Bridgen said: “If Leicestershire continues to be combined with Leicester, our constituents and businesses will start to lose hope of ever being released from Tier 3.

“Given the ongoing problems in the city and its Labour administration’s clear failings throughout the pandemic, I and my county colleagues will be lobbying government hard for partition of the city and county.”

Ms Kearns said: “I’m deeply disappointed Melton and Harborough have been grouped with all of Leicestershire and especially Leicester.

“Although our rates are above the national average, and there’s work to be done, they are far below Leicester.

“This grouping cannot remain long-term.

“I urge residents to get tested at new testing centre in Melton in early December and to strictly adhere to the measures in our tiers.

“I made the case to the Prime Minister and ministers consistently over the past two weeks that Leicestershire districts should not be grouped as one, and most certainly not with Leicester, and I am sorry not to have been successful.

“But I will continue to make the case.”

Some areas of the county were included when the local lockdown was originally announced 150 days ago, but neither Melton or North West Leicestershire have ever been subject to tougher restrictions before.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “The virus certainly does not recognise boundaries on a map.

“If we want these new restrictions to work, I don’t see how you can split the city from the county.”