Boris Johnson promises £1,000 to pubs forced to remain closed

Boris Johnson is under fire from some of his own MPs Picture: House of Commons/PA

Boris Johnson promised £1,000 to pubs forced to remain closed under England’s new coronavirus restrictions as he sought to ward off a damaging Tory revolt over the plans.

The new arrangements will come into force on Wednesday, putting 99% of England in the toughest Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions, with the Commons almost certain to back the plans despite a Conservative rebellion.

But Mr Johnson’s announcement of a one-off payment for “wet” pubs which do not offer food was branded “derisory” by the trade at a time when landlords should be enjoying a festive boost to their takings.

And senior Tories lined up in the Commons to say they would not be supporting the measures replacing England’s national lockdown.

Pubs in Tier 2 areas – covering 57% of England’s population – can only serve alcohol with a “substantial meal” and are also covered by rules restricting households mixing indoors, severely harming trade.

In Tier 3, pubs and restaurants can only offer takeaway and delivery services.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that the hospitality sector had borne a “disproportionate” burden in the effort to reduce coronavirus rates as he announced the one-off December payment.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UKHospitality, said: “A one-off payment of £1,000 for pubs forced to close does not even count as a token gesture.”

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The British Prime Minister acknowledged concerns about perceived “injustice” in the allocation of tiers as he faced a series of Tory complaints.

“There’s no question people feel that they have been unfairly attracted, by proximity, into a higher tier than they deserve,” he said.

“People also feel that the tiering is not working for them.”

He indicated that the Government would look at a more focused approach when deciding arrangements in future – a key demand of Tories concerned that low infection rates in some areas were not being reflected in the restrictions being imposed.

“We will try to be as sensitive as possible to local efforts and to local achievements in bringing that pandemic under control,” he added.

The tiers will be reviewed every fortnight and Mr Johnson has also promised MPs a fresh vote on whether to keep the entire system beyond February 2.

The UK Government is expected to comfortably win Tuesday’s vote on the new rules after Labour said it would abstain.

But a rebellion on his own benches would be embarrassing for Mr Johnson, particularly if the numbers could have been enough to wipe out his majority.

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Tory MPs were left unhappy that impact assessments of the tiered system published on Monday did not include a detailed breakdown of the effects of the measures on different parts of the economy.