Tiers may be eased in face of Tory revolt
Anger grows after latest wave of local restrictions
CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS could be eased in parts of England before Christmas, Ministers have signalled, as they attempt to head off a growing Tory revolt.
Boris Johnson faces a Commons showdown with his own MPs next week amid spreading anger on the Conservative benches over the latest system of tiered local controls.
The Prime Minister acknowledged people felt frustrated, particularly in areas with low infection rates that now face tighter restrictions than before the lockdown.
Among the areas hoping to have restrictions eased is York, where leaders criticised the Government for placing the city in Tier 2, along with the rest of
North Yorkshire, despite having lower rates than its neighbouring districts.
West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Humber have all been placed in Tier 3, meaning pubs and restaurants have to stay closed except for deliveries and takeaways
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick suggested some areas could be moved into a lower tier when the first 14- day review of the measures takes place in midDecember.
He said: “At that point we, advised by the experts, will look at each local authority area and see whether there is potential to move down the tiers.
“Therewereanumberofplaces which were quite finely balanced judgments where they were on the cusp of different tiers. Those are the places that are more likely to be in that position.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the data would
be kept under constant review. “Obviously it will be our hope to allow areas to move down into a lower tier. For that to happen, we would need to see the transmission rate of the virus continue to decline,” the spokesman said.
But while the infection rate is slowing, with the latest R number for the UK thought to be between 0.9 and 1, overall case numbers remain high and scientists advising the Government believe there is little scope for widespread changes in the next couple of
weeks. Professor John Edmunds, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies – Sage – said that by December 16, the review date, it would still be too soon to know if the new tiered restrictions were proving effective.
“I think we will still be seeing the effect of the lockdown at that point,” he told the BBC.
“I can’t imagine there will be huge changes, simply because I don’t think we will have accumulated much data by then.”