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Coronavirus: Regional leaders criticise ‘disappointing’ Tier 2 restrictions

Written by on 12/10/2020

The hospitality industry in the West Midlands will need “immediate financial support” after the government’s “disappointing” decision to impose Tier 2 restrictions, the mayor of the county has said.

Andy Street added regional leaders have not supported the move and the government should review the decision “as soon as possible”.

Mr Street tweeted the remarks after Boris Johnson outlined the new three-tier lockdown system for England on Monday.

Tier 2 restrictions mean people from different households cannot mix indoors.

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Mr Street wrote: “The most important change between our current restrictions and the new ones announced today is the ban on households mixing in hospitality venues.”

He added: “The main problem in the West Midlands remains transmission within household settings, and stricter measures for the hospitality industry will not solve that.

“I am urging the government to review this decision as soon as possible. In the meantime they must offer financial support to hospitality businesses, which are now set to suffer a loss of income.”

Mr Street also wrote: “Very disappointed that the new Covid tier 2 means stricter measures for the hospitality industry in the West Mids, which will now need immediate financial support.”

Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor for Liverpool City Region, said he agrees with the government that further measures are needed in his area.

However, he added he has not received scientific evidence to show the restrictions being imposed are correct.

Mr Rotheram also told Sky News he only found out Tier 3 restrictions would be imposed on the area “via a newspaper leak”.

He added: “That’s not the way to govern and it’s not the way in which we can have confidence in a government.”

Mr Rotheram had earlier said: “What would give us confidence is scientific evidence (which shows) that suite of measures are the right thing for the Liverpool City Region.

“We’re still waiting for the government to provide us with that information.”

Dan Jarvis, the mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said before Mr Johnson’s speech that the health secretary had told him South Yorkshire will be in the Tier 2 category.

Mr Jarvis tweeted: “We cannot afford this without additional support – otherwise we will languish in local restrictions with no clear way out.

“We’ve put a plan to government and are awaiting more details.”

Jane Stevenson, the Conservative MP for Wolverhampton North East, said she is “disappointed” Wolverhampton is going into Tier 2 despite the protestations of the council and all MPs.

She says her “fantastic pubs and restaurants have done everything asked of them” but now face “no financial support at all and a devastating effect on their viability”.

Mr Johnson says the Job Support Scheme is available to firms in her constituency who are open but not able to trade “as they normally would”.

Lee Anderson, the Conservative MP for Ashfield, said people have worked “incredibly hard” to the follow the rules in his constituency and he is “incredibly disappointed” the area has been place under Tier 2 restrictions.

He added: “This is not a fair reward for my constituents so could he reassure me our rates will be reviewed on a weekly basis and when they come down, we will be taken out of Tier Two?”

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Regional leaders criticise ‘disappointing’ Tier 2 restrictions