Downing Street has said it is the Government’s “intention” to go back to a regionalised system of coronavirus restrictions when the current national lockdown in England ends next month.
It comes after senior Tory backbenchers formed a resistance group putting pressure on the Government not to extend the national lockdown.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “When the current national measures come to an end on December 2 we will be returning to a regional tiered approach.
“And we’re committed to setting out our proposals for what that system will look like the week before the current regulations lapse on December 2, so MPs will have the time to consider them and to vote upon them.
“But in the meantime the PM continues to urge everyone to come together and follow the rules which we have in place to help to get the R rate down.”
Asked to confirm that the current lockdown restrictions in England would not be extended, the spokesman said: “It is a statement of fact that the regulations lapse on December 2 and we’re committed to giving MPs a vote on the system which will replace them.
“And as we’ve indicated a number of times, it is the intention to go back to a regionalised approach.”
