UK coronavirus LIVE: London starts Tier 2 preparations as restaurants and pubs set to reopen on December 2

Coornvairus - Thu Nov 26, 2020

(PA)

Boris Johnson has attempted to reassure people in England that the new tiered system will not be permanent when it comes into force next week.

Leading a Downing Street press briefing this evening, the Prime Minister insisted that “every area has the means of escape" from the toughest restrictions, as communities around England grapple with new post-lockdown plans.

His rallying cry to the nation “your tier is not your destiny” has already ruffled more than a few feathers among local leaders, as more than 55 million people across the country prepare to face tough new curbs from December 2.

London will move into Tier 2 when the shutdown ends, the Government has confirmed, after local leaders voiced strong opposition to the Tier 3 measures. But authorities in regions including Greater Manchester have protested at top tier hardships, with councillors saying continued closures in their cities will have “further devastating impacts” on jobs and businesses.