(PA)
Boris Johnson is expected to face a damaging Tory rebellion today when MPs vote on a new toughened system of tiered coronavirus restrictions for England as the end of the second national lockdown nears.
Scores of Conservative MPs have expressed concerns about the extent of the restrictions, which will affect 99 per cent of the country and put some constituencies under tighter controls than before the lockdown.
However, the government is expected to win the vote after Labour said it would abstain.
Sir Keir Starmer said his party had “serious misgivings” about the plans but added that it would not be in the national interest to vote them down as restrictions were still necessary.
At a Downing Street press conference on Monday, health secretary Matt Hancock said he hoped some areas would be able to move into lower tiers when the measures are reviewed on 16 December.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has confirmed that he will vote against the government’s new tiered system for coronavirus restrictions today:
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 08:54
Gove in a pickle over ‘substantial meal’ rule
There is more confusion this morning over what the government believes counts as a “substantial meal” for drinkers in areas under Tier 2 coronavirus restrictions.
Under the new rules, pubs in such areas will only be allowed to open if they function as a restaurant and alcohol can only be served as part of a “substantial meal”.
On Monday, environment secretary George Eustice suggested Scotch eggs would count as a meal if necessary.
However, Michael Gove has now upped the requirement to two Scotch eggs “with pickle on the side”…
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 08:51
NHS workforce ‘could not cope’ with coronavirus third wave
The government has admitted that the NHS in England does not have enough nurses and doctors to deal with a third spike in coronavirus cases in the new year.
An analysis released by Downing Street warned that even with a 6 per cent growth in NHS staff since August 2019 and extra funding there would be a “trade-off between the NHS’s ability to deliver Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 care” if coronavirus hospitalisations rise.
Our health correspondent, Shaun Lintern, has the full story below:
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 08:36
Welsh government lifted restrictions ‘too expansively’, Gove says
The Welsh government lifted coronavirus restrictions “too expansively” after its 17-day firebreak lockdown ended on 9 November, Michael Gove has said.
“I’ve got enormous sympathy with the difficulties that the Welsh Government are wrestling with,” Mr Gove told BBC Breakfast.
“But it looks, with the benefit of hindsight, as though immediately after their two-week lockdown they lifted restrictions too expansively.”
He added: “As a result of doing that the virus once more got out of control, so they’ve had to slam the brakes on again.
“That’s one of the reasons why we’re exiting the lockdown cautiously [in England].”
Wales first minister Mark Drakeford announced on Monday that Welsh pubs, restaurants and cafes would be banned from serving alcohol from Friday and unable to open to customers beyond 6pm.
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 08:26
Lewis Hamilton tests positive for coronavirus and will miss Sakhir Grand Prix
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain after testing positive for coronavirus, officials have said.
Mercedes confirmed that Mr Hamilton woke up on Monday with “mild symptoms” and was tested for Covid-19.
Our sports correspondent, Jack de Menezes, has the full story below:
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 08:15
Gove says he is ‘confident’ another lockdown can be avoided
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has said he is “confident” that another national lockdown can be avoided but added that the government could not rule out the measure.
“I am as confident as confident can be that we won’t need one because the tiers that we have now are pretty robust,” Mr Gove told Sky News.
On the possibility of a third lockdown, he added: “You can never rule anything out in politics, but, as I say, I’m pretty confident on the basis of the rigour with which these new tiers are applying that we can prevent a national lockdown.
“One thing I fear though would be that if we were to relax the situation too rapidly then we would have the situation which we have had in some other countries, and, indeed, in Wales, where you have to slam the brakes on again.”
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 08:04
Gove denies vaccines will be compulsory for pubs and entertainment venues
Michael Gove has insisted that people will not be turned away from pubs or entertainment venues if they refuse to get vaccinated for coronavirus.
His comments came after the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested some businesses would be able to deny entry to people who have not been vaccinated next year.
You can find more on this breaking story below:
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 07:58
Johnson facing substantial Tory rebellion over coronavirus tiers
Boris Johnson is facing a substantial Tory revolt today over his plans for new coronavirus restrictions after a government assessment of their economic impact failed to win over sceptical backbenchers.
MPs said the document, which was published on Monday, did not satisfy demands for a full cost-benefit analysis of the potential damage from the three-tier system on the economy.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 07:51
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic today.
Conrad Duncan1 December 2020 07:44
