Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter

Two Leicestershire MPs have revealed they will lobby the government to split the city from the county when the tier allocations are next reviewed.

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire and the representative for Melton, Alicia Kearns, said they lobbied government not to include their constituencies in tier three restrictions.

Both Melton and North West Leicestershire have seen their infection rates and confirmed cases drop.

In Melton, the seven-day infection rate up to 22 November was 250 per 100,000 people, down from 371 the week before, with 128 cases down from 190 in the same period.

North West Leicestershire recorded a rate of 279.9 - down from 393.8 - according to official figures, registering 290 cases of coronavirus.

In Leicester, rates are higher but they too have decreased - from 512.4 to 383.4 - with 1,358 confirmed cases. The average weekly rate for England was 202.4.

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Bridgen (pictured) said: "If Leicestershire continues to be combined with Leicester with regard to the Covid risk, our constituents and businesses will start to lose hope of ever being released from the tier three restrictions."

Alicia Kearns added: "Although our rates are above the national average, and there's work to be done, they are far below Leicester city. This grouping cannot remain long-term."

Some areas of the county were included when the local lockdown for Leicester was originally announced in June, but neither Melton nor North West Leicestershire have ever been subject to these tougher restrictions.

Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby disagreed with the MPs, saying it is not practical to split the county as the virus "knows no boundaries".

He said: "If we want these new restrictions to work I don't see how you can split the city from the county."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A Nottinghamshire health boss has said the county managed to "avert catastrophe" by increasing restrictions when Covid rates spiked last month.

Jonathan Gribbin, director of public health for Nottinghamshire County Council, praised the hard work of residents and said the gains had been "very hard won".

With lockdown due to end next week and the county set to enter tier three restrictions, he said this was not the time to "squander" those hard gains and urged people to stick to the measures in place.

Image source, PA Media

A briefing with local health bosses earlier on Friday heard the number of people being admitted to Nottinghamshire hospitals with Covid has gone down, along with the number of Covid-related deaths.

However, there are still significantly more people in hospital with the virus than during the first peak in April.

Dr Andy Haynes, the executive lead with the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System, said the local NHS is ready to start administering a vaccine once one is approved by regulators.

It has taken on 214 new members of staff to work on the vaccination programme that will aim to administer 80,000 Covid vaccines a week.

Nottinghamshire club captain Steven Mullaney has signed a new deal to run until the end of the 2023 season.

Leicestershire seamer Will Davis signs a contract extension for the 2021 season.

Some residents say the decision will affect livelihoods, with one describing it as heartbreaking.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday one way areas could ensure they quickly moved out of tier three was with mass community testing.

The MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston Neil O'Brien said he is pushing for a roll-out of mass Covid testing as soon as possible across the district and beyond.

Part of his constituency was previously in tier one before the national lockdown, while Oadby and Wigston is currently in the top 10 in England for high infection rates.

Image source, UK Parliament

"We have already got a bit of access to testing but the question is really how much more of it we can get and how quickly," said Mr O'Brien.

"That's what I'm taking up with the health secretary and talking to him about, trying to see how quickly we can get that moving."

East Midlands Today

Business leaders in the region worry they'll miss crucial Christmas trade after most areas were placed in the highest level of restrictions when national lockdown ends.

It means serious restrictions on the hospitality industry at typically one of their busiest times.

Chris Hobson, from the East Midlands Chamber, said: "Businesses need time to plan, they need time to order stock, they need time to talk to staff, to talk to customers.

"We need much greater clarity and much clearer timescales from government in terms of decisions being made so people can try and charge back out of this."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Communities secretary and Newark MP Robert Jenrick has said "there will be a meaningful review" of the tiers allocation next month.

He said some areas could see their restrictions change before Christmas.

Hugh Casswell
Political reporter, BBC Radio Nottingham

Council leaders had a ministerial briefing yesterday in which they were told it's very unlikely Nottinghamshire will come out of tier three when the allocation of tiers are reviewed on 16 December.

It is more likely that will be in the new year.

One leader described the review to me as "negligible".

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

The leader of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council says there is a lot of "head scratching" among residents who have seen themselves move from tier one before the national lockdown into tier three.

Liberal Democrat Stuart Bray said: "Many of my residents are saying to me we have gone literally within a few weeks from the lowest tier to the highest tier.

"So there's a lot of head scratching going on among residents and a lot of disappointment as you would imagine."

Image source, Google

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Council leaders in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire have complained about not being consulted over the new tier allocations for the counties.

Both found out yesterday they would be need to follow the strictest coronavirus regulations under the government's three-tier system.

Barry Lewis, the leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: "I'm fairly disappointed we've ended up in tier three.

"We had falling numbers, a decline in infections in the county and it really gave us hope we'd come out in tier two."

He also said he needs to understand the "disparity" between tiers two and three that allow gyms and hairdressers to open but not pubs and hotels.

The deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council said he was "deeply frustrated" to be in tier three as the area had also seen a decline in the rate of coronavirus infections.

Michael Payne said: "It obviously wasn't enough, from the government's perspective, to get us over the line."

He also wants urgent clarity on a potential route map out of tier three.

BBC Radio Derby

The owner of Derby Brewing Company, which has three pubs in the city, believes tier three will be the end for many Derbyshire businesses in the hospitality industry.

Pubs and restaurants - except those doing takeaways and delivery - will have to shut on Wednesday after the national lockdown ends and tier three measures come into effect.

Paul Harris says it just doesn't seem fair.

Image source, Google

"It's just appalling the way the government has handled it because they have made those businesses who are struggling spend money because they have told us we are reopening, then they have effectively left us in a lockdown," he said.

"It's like a separate lockdown just for hospitality which is just ridiculous."

The government says hospitality premises are places where infections are more likely to spread.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Local leaders in Nottingham have urged the government to make it clear how the area can exit tier three.

The whole of Nottinghamshire will be subject to the toughest coronavirus measures after the national lockdown ends on 2 December, with restrictions due to be reviewed two weeks later.

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, said: "We need clarity on when and how our city will transition to tier two, as well as a guarantee to fix test and trace, and of proper financial support for businesses, self-employed people, and those who need to stay at home to self-isolate."

Lilian Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South, said ministers needed to explain "what criteria have to be met for us to move down into a lower tier when the situation is reviewed in a fortnight's time".

Meanwhile, Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen struck a note of optimism, saying: "I have no doubt that we will continue to drive down infection rates and be able to leave tier three and enter tier two very soon.

"The tiers are being reviewed every 14 days so the hope must be that we could be into tier two before Christmas."

BBC Weather

Today will be cold and mainly cloudy with fog lingering in places, which could be dense in some places this morning.

However, locally, some brightness is possible.

Image source, Curly Claire

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Muahmmed Jonaid, 36, from Aspley, admitted he was unclear what the tier three rules were - and believed he was not alone.

He said: "I think a lot of people aren't even sure of the rules in the different tiers. The difference between them baffles me."

He added: "Looking at how busy it is here now [in Nottingham city centre] it feels like we're in tier three [rather than a national lockdown] already, I'd rather just stay in this."

A full breakdown of the rules for 2 December onwards is available here.

BBC Radio Derby

The owner of six pubs which are all in a tier three area said "it’s hard for me to digest what has happened today".

Connie Eleftheriou, who has four pubs in Derbyshire and two in Warwickshire – all called The Bubble Inn - said: “I was expecting tier two - I wasn’t expecting tier three.

"Tier two would have been very difficult anyway."

He added: "I think the government have everything completely wrong and back to front.

"I think it is all ridiculous to be honest with you. I am not just thinking about myself. I'm thinking of customers, OAPs, people who suffer with anxiety and depression. It’s not doing anyone any favours.

"They’ve opened London up… they’ve put them in tier two. It’s ridiculous."

Image source, Connie Eleftheriou

Mr Eleftheriou said running a takeaway service – which is the only option available for him to keep trading in this highest tier - does not work for him.

He said: “For us to be charging takeaway prices and offering restaurant quality, it just isn’t worth it."

Tony Roe
BBC East Midlands political editor

So now we know. But the political chorus is how do we get out of ‘very high’ tier three?

People living in Leicester know more than anyone how hard it is to escape Covid-19 restrictions because they’ve been stuck with them since March.

The Shadow Health Secretary, Jon Ashworth, is also a Leicester MP and in the Commons he asked "what is the exit strategy?!"

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary said it’s "to keep the virus suppressed with minimum damage to the economy and education". He did concede Mr Ashworth’s suggestion of some sort of scorecard so people could have a point to aim for might be a good idea.

The Conservative leader of Derbyshire County Council, Barry Lewis, made a last ditch plea to the Prime Minister last night for Derbyshire to be placed in tier two for the sake of the hospitality and tourism businesses.

He is frustrated that the decision comes as the spread of the virus is slowing, but the announcement has been made, and now all wait to see if the new tiers make enough of a difference to escape tier three on 16 December - to perhaps bring a bit more cheer before the Five Days of Christmas.

Police thanked members of the public for their patience and co-operation with the investigations.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Rick Blackmore, East Midlands director of the Confederation of British Industry, said going into toughened tiers while waiting for a vaccine to be rolled out would feel like "suspended animation" for businesses in the region.

“Some parts of the economy, such as retail, can begin to reopen and look towards a recovery," he said.

"It gives our high streets a chance to rescue some of the vital festive trading period.

“But for other businesses the ongoing restrictions in tiers two and three will leave their survival hanging by a thread.

"Hospitality will remain frozen and supply chains that cross regions in different tiers will be hit even if they don’t face direct restrictions."

“It’s vital that these firms receive the financial support they need to make it through to the spring.

"Clarity about ongoing employment support, including the Job Retention Bonus, will help protect as many jobs as possible.

"Businesses need to know what support will be there through to March and beyond in advance, rather than taking it down to the wire."

Matthew Thomas killed passenger James Jennings after the car he was driving hit a tree.