Boris Johnson's under pressure from Conservative MPs to outline a "road-map out of lockdown"
South Yorkshire's Alexander Stafford for Rother Valley and Nick Fletcher for Don Valley are among 50 Conservative backbenchers to have signed a letter to the Prime Minister demanding more support for the North.
Last updated 27th Oct 2020
Boris Johnson is under pressure from scores of Conservative MPs to detail a "road-map out of lockdown'' as more people in England come under the toughest coronavirus restrictions.
The Prime Minister has been warned by a group of 50 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, with Warrington the latest area to be placed in Tier 3.
The measures - which came into force in the early hours of Tuesday - mean pubs and bars in the Cheshire town must close unless they serve substantial meals.
Households are also banned from mixing indoors or in private gardens and beer gardens, while betting shops, adult gaming centres, casinos and soft play centres have been shut.
Nottingham and the boroughs of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe will move into Tier 3 on Thursday, with details expected to be set out later on Tuesday.
The two areas will join the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Yorkshire in Tier 3, placing 8.2 million people in England under the toughest restrictions.
The North-South divide in the tier system has sparked concern among Tory MPs, with the newly-formed Northern Research Group writing to the Prime Minister 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.