UK coronavirus LIVE: London starts Tier 2 preparations as restaurants and pubs set to reopen on December 2

Boris Johnson has attempted to reassure people in England that the new tiered system will not be permanent when it comes into force next week.

Leading a Downing Street press briefing this evening, the Prime Minister insisted that “every area has the means of escape" from the toughest restrictions, as communities around England grapple with new post-lockdown plans.

His rallying cry to the nation “your tier is not your destiny” has already ruffled more than a few feathers among local leaders, as more than 55 million people across the country prepare to face tough new curbs from December 2.

London will move into Tier 2 when the shutdown ends, the Government has confirmed, after local leaders voiced strong opposition to the Tier 3 measures. But authorities in regions including Greater Manchester have protested at top tier hardships, with councillors saying continued closures in their cities will have “further devastating impacts” on jobs and businesses.