Up to 100 of Johnson's lawmakers are unhappy with COVID lockdown, minister says

LONDON: Up to 100 lawmakers in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party are unhappy with his COVID-19 tiered lockdown measures so the government may have to rely on the Labour Party to get it through parliament, Environment Secretary George Eustice said on Monday.

“The chief whip will be talking to those MPs who have concerns,” he said.

“I’ve seen suggestions there could be up to a 100 or so people that have got concerns, but the prime minister and other ministers will be working very hard to reassure them about the steps we are taking.”

Last week, it was reported that London would be placed into the second highest COVID-19 risk category when a national lockdown ends on Dec. 2, while much of England remains under the toughest level of restrictions to control the spread of the virus.

Read more: London to be placed in second highest COVID-19 risk category

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced that blanket restrictions in England will end after a month-long lockdown, to be replaced by a system of regional restrictions to try to insulate the worst-hit areas.