BRADFORD East MP Imran Hussain has called on the Government to provide "clear reasoning and criteria" on how areas can move between different Covid restriction tiers.

His calls come the day before the Government's first re-assessment of the tier system of restrictions.

Bradford has been in Tier 3 since December 2, but in that time the Covid-19 infection rate has dropped significantly, and now stands below the national average at 169.5 infections per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 173.3.

Bradford Council and Conservative MP for Shipley Philip Davies have already called for Bradford to move to Tier 2, and now Labour MP Mr Hussain has said there is a "clear case" for this to happen.

But, he is calling on the Government to lay out in black and white the criteria areas have to meet to be placed into each tier of restrictions to provide clarity to local authorities and to the public.

Mr Hussain said: "With a sustained trend of declining infection rates across Bradford, there is a clear case for Bradford to be lifted out of Tier 3 restrictions.

"But, we have no idea whether this will be enough as the Government continue to refuse to set out the thresholds and reasoning that they are using to make their decisions.

“People across Bradford have made immense sacrifices since we were first placed under enhanced local restrictions in August.

"We have the right to know what is guiding the Government’s decision making, particularly when other areas which are under the lower Tier 2 restrictions are experiencing higher infection rates.

“If the Government decides tomorrow to keep Bradford under Tier 3 restrictions whilst other areas with higher infection rates are spared, they must tell us exactly what it will actually take to return to reduced restrictions, and they must guarantee support for those businesses they will keep closed at one of the busiest times of the year.”

It was revealed yesterday that London, South Essex and South Hertfordshire would be moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3 as cases in these areas continued to rise throughout the past two weeks.