Boris Johnson will make the final decision on Covid tiers before Christmas at a crunch Cabinet meeting on December 16, he has told MPs.
And he promised to publicly set out details of what needs to change in an area for them to move down a tier. In a letter to Tory colleagues, sent as he faces down a revolt of up to 100 of his backbenchers over the new restrictions, the PM confirmed the timings for the final shake-up before the holiday.
In a bid to head off a damaging and embarrassing rebellion, he also confirmed a 'sunset clause' for the tier system, allowing MPs to vote on the measures at the end of January.
The PM confirmed the next review point after tiers are imposed on Thursday will be on December 16. In the letter, he confirmed he