Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon has confirmed MPs in the Greater Manchester region have been told their area will be placed under Tier 2 restrictions.
The Labour MP tweeted: “Call with the Secretary of State (Matt Hancock) confirms Greater Manchester will be placed in Tier 2 with household restrictions on meeting indoors in any setting, but not outdoors.
“Pubs serving food remain open.
“Oldham will be removed from its enhanced lockdown measures and brought into line with Greater Manchester at last.”
Labour MP for Wigan Lisa Nandy has criticised the way the Government has revealed details of the new restrictions system, saying she had not been invited to a briefing.
The shadow foreign secretary said: “Just learnt Greater Manchester will be placed into tier 2 restrictions via twitter. Apparently there was a government briefing for GM MPs but I can’t provide details because I wasn’t invited. I suspect this is because they don’t know where Wigan is. What an absolute shambles.”
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham tweeted that he was “glad the Government has listened” and avoided putting the region under the harshest lockdown measures.
He added: “But any restrictions will lead to loss of trade for businesses and challenges for councils. The PM must give all areas under restrictions full financial support. Anything less will see them levelled down.”
Tier two restrictions are expected to be similar to rules currently in place in Middlesbrough and parts of the North East, where indoor mixing of households is not allowed.
Two households may be allowed to meet in a private garden, as long as the rule of six and social distancing are followed.
