£1,000 for pubs which do not serve food as PM tries to rouse Tory support for new restrictions

Boris Johnson has announced a £1,000 one-off payment for pubs which do not serve food as he tried to convince many of his own MPs to back him over the new coronavirus tiering system.

The Prime Minister faces a revolt on his own benches from MPs unhappy with the Government’s plans, including from Tory MPs Philip Davies (Shipley) and David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden).

Mr Johnson told the Commons the new tier restrictions, which see 99 per cent of the country in Tier 2 or 3: “This is not another lockdown. Nor is this the renewal of existing measures in England.

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“The tiers that I’m proposing would mean that from tomorrow everyone in England, including those in Tier 3, will be free to leave their homes for any reason.

Boris Johnson speaks in the Commons. Photo: PABoris Johnson speaks in the Commons. Photo: PA
Boris Johnson speaks in the Commons. Photo: PA

“And when they do they will find the shops open for Christmas, the hairdressers open, the nail bars open, gyms, leisure centres, swimming pools open.”

But he said people “cannot afford to relax” until a coronavirus vaccine has regulatory approval.

He said: “We have to be realistic and we have to accept that this vaccine is not here yet, no vaccine is here yet.

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“And whilst all the signs are promising and almost every scientist I have talked to agrees that the breakthrough will surely come, we do not yet have one that has gained regulatory approval.

“And we can’t be completely sure when the moment will arrive. And until then, we cannot afford to relax, especially during the cold months of winter.”

Mr Johnson said: “I’m not this afternoon seeking open-ended measures. On the contrary, these regulations come with a sunset clause… at the end of February 2 and at that point… we will have sufficient data to assess our position after Christmas.

“And though I believe these types of restrictions will be needed until the spring, they can only be extended beyond February 2 if this House votes for them.”

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He added: “We’ll review the allocation of tiers every 14 days starting on December 16… (MPs) have it in their powers, in our power to help move our areas down the tiers by throwing their full weight, throwing our full weight as leaders in our communities, behind community testing and seizing the opportunity to encourage as many people as possible to take part.”

On the hospitality sector, Boris Johnson reeled off a list of support already announced, before telling MPs: “Today we’re going further, with a one-off payment of £1,000 in December to wet pubs – that’s pubs that do not serve food.

“Recognising how hard they’ve been hit by this virus in what is typically their busiest month.”

But Simon Emeny, the chief executive of brewers Fuller, Smith and Turner, has said a one-off payment of £1,000 will not be enough to save many wet pubs forced to remain closed under the new rules for England.

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“A thousand pounds really doesn’t really go any way to solving the financial armageddon that many individual and independent operators are going to face,” he told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One.

“The challenge for wet-led pubs is if they don’t sell food they will find it impossible to operate, but you have still got bills to pay.

“They have still got to pay potentially rent, insurance costs, national insurance and the apprenticeship levy. That is far more than £1,000.”

Pubs will only be allowed to open in Tier 2 if they can act as a restaurant, while those in Tier 3 will only be permitted to serve takeaway.

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And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “Even allowing for today’s announcement on pubs which I think is the definition of small beer, many businesses are now receiving less support than they did during the first wave.

"That’s a huge strain for businesses particularly those that have been so long under restrictions.”

The Government is expected to win the vote on the new rules – which are due to come into effect the following day – after Labour said it would abstain, but a sizeable rebellion on his own benches would be embarrassing for the Prime Minister.

Some Labour MPs including Leeds East's Richard Burgon are expected to vote against the measures.

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