Boris Johnson in retreat as Tory revolt over Covid lockdown

British PM hints at looser restrictions for millions and whole-county lockdowns could be scrapped.

A woman wearing a face mask tucked under her chin, walks past a giant snowman in Kent. As part of the government's "COVID Winter Plan". Kent has been placed in Tier 3, the highest, or most strict, of the restrictions. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has capitulated to Tory MPs, announcing that he would reform his new coronavirus crackdown before Christmas after threats by backbenchers to vote down the government’s plans.

In a sign of disarray in Downing Street, Mr Johnson on Saturday night wrote to MPs, signalling that millions of people who will be hit with the toughest restrictions this week will see them eased on December 19.

He announced that the new rules would be scrapped altogether in February unless MPs want them to continue — putting an end to claims that tough restrictions will continue until Easter.

Millions of people whose towns and cities will be placed in tier 3 this week will be downgraded to tier 2. That will allow people to go to pubs and restaurants with those in their family bubbles as long as they eat a meal.

Mr Johnson writes: “Where evidence shows the disease is in sustained decline, areas will be moved down.”

Those expected to benefit include 16.4 million people living in 88 boroughs in tier 3 where the COVID-19 infection rate is lower than for some areas in tier 2.

Mr Johnson’s move came after 70 Tory MPs said they were prepared to vote against his plans when they come before parliament on Tuesday — putting the Prime Minister at the mercy of Labour.

Behind the scenes it is understood that Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has been privately reassured that his region, home to 2.8 million people, is likely to be downgraded from tier 3 to tier 2.

Boris Johnson looks at a sample at the Lateral Flow Testing Laboratory at Porton Down science park on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told MPs in Leicestershire that low-infection rural areas will be “decoupled” from the city of Leicester, which has a much higher incidence of the virus.

Mr Johnson’s change of heart was hailed as “constructive” by former minister Steve Baker, commander of the Tory rebels.

But it raised new questions about his approach. Hours earlier Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove had published a 2000-word article in The Times insisting that tiers must apply to entire counties because “casting the net wide is more effective”.

He also said hospitals could be overwhelmed without the curbs. But Tory MP Tobias Ellwood told the Observer that Mr Gove had been “completely disingenuous because every one of our Nightingale (temporary hospitals) is underused. They are largely dormant.”

Other MPs said Health Minister Nadine Dorries had told them finding staff for the seven Nightingales was difficult because they were seen as “dark and dingy”.

The move put Mr Johnson on a collision course with scientists and health chiefs.

England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said last week that while tier 3 would cut infections, tier 2 was capable only of “holding the line”.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said: “Any decision taken now to relax the restrictions in the run-up to Christmas would be premature and full of risk. If the government gets this wrong there’s a real risk of a third surge in COVID cases in January or February, just when winter pressures on the health service are likely to be at their worst.”

The Times