Calls for a 'roadmap out of lockdown' made by North's Conservative MPs

The leader has been warned by a group of 54 Tory backbenchers representing northern constituencies that the pandemic is threatening his election pledge to ‘level-up’ the country.

More than eight million people in England – predominantly in the North – will be under the most stringent Covid-19 restrictions by the end of the week.

Tier 3 restrictions mean pubs and bars in the area must close unless they serve substantial meals, households are banned from mixing indoors or in private gardens and beer gardens, with betting shops, adult gaming centres, casinos and soft play centres closed.

The North-South divide in the tier system has sparked concern among Tory MPs, with the newly-formed Northern Research Group writing to Mr Johnson to express their fears.

The group – led by former northern powerhouse minister Jake Berry – urged Mr Johnson to set out a ‘clear road-map’ out of lockdown restrictions.

Mr Berry said: “The virus has exposed in sharp relief the deep structural and systemic disadvantage faced by our communities and it threatens to continue to increase the disparity between the North and South still further.

“Our constituents have been some of the hardest hit by this virus with many losing jobs, businesses, and livelihoods.

“Never has there been a more pertinent and urgent political and economic case to support people living in the North.

“However, instead of moving forwards on our shared ambitions, the cost of Covid and the virus itself threatens to send the North into reverse.”

A Number 10 spokesman said: “We are absolutely committed to levelling up across the country and building back better after coronavirus.

“We stood at the last election on a solemn promise that we would improve people’s lives, and although the pandemic has meant 2020 is not the year we all hoped it would be, our ambitions for the country are unchanged.”

Some 40 Conservative MPs have publicly signed the letter, while 14 have had their names redacted.

Warrington, Nottingham and the boroughs of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe will join the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Yorkshire in Tier 3 within coming days.

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