Boris Johnson tells MPs that 'whatever happens', lockdown in England will end on December 2

Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon (Monday, November 2), Boris Johnson told MPs that England’s second Covid-19 lockdown will end on Wednesday, December 2 “whatever happens”.

He highlighted that further measures after that date will be decided by Parliament but the country will return to a tiered system.

It is unclear if we will see a return of the three tiers which have already been introduced or if a further fourth tier will come into play.

When questioned about the latest lockdown, Mr Johnson said: “The R is above one but it is not much above one and if we work hard between now and December 2, I believe that we can get it below one.

“But whatever happens, these restrictions end on December 2 and any further measures will be a matter for the House of Commons.”

The national lockdown for England will see non-essential shops and the hospitality industry close, along with gyms, leisure centres and entertainment venues for four weeks.

Unlike the lockdown in March, schools, colleges and universities will remain open throughout November.

The leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, confirmed to the Commons that Labour MPs will support the Government when a vote is held on Wednesday, November 4 over the new lockdown measures.

During his statement, the Prime Minister insisted that a national lockdown had to reintroduced and that there was an “existential threat” to the NHS.

The PM commented: “Faced with these latest figures, there is no alternative but to take further action at a national level.

"If we allow our health system to be overwhelmed then that would not only be a disaster for thousands of Covid patients, we would also reach a point where the NHS was no longer there for everyone.

“Doctors and nurses could be forced to choose which patients to treat, who would live and who would die.

“And this existential threat to our NHS comes not from focusing too much on coronavirus, but from not focusing enough.”

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