Boris Johnson successfully steered his Health Protection Act through the House of Commons last night, but was met with a sizeable rebellion voting against the measure.
The bill, which re-establishes the Tier-system after the national lockdown is lifted today, was passed 290 votes to 78.
However, 53 Conservative MPs voted against the bill, handing the PM his largest revolt since last year’s election.
Sir Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, voted against the bill and said: “Tonight I am voting against new Coronavirus tier restrictions.
“In the absence of a cost benefit analysis of lockdown, clarity about Trafford’s allocation to – and exit from – Tier 3 and sufficient justification for removal of fundamental freedoms, I have no choice but to oppose.”
Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer instructed Labour MPs to abstain from the vote, but 15 of the party’s MPs cast their votes in opposition to the motion, including two from Greater Manchester.
The tier system places Manchester back into Tier-3, which means that different households cannot meet indoors, and pubs and restaurants can only serve takeaways.
The COVID-19 case rate has been dropping in Manchester, with the latest figures from Public Health England showing a positive test rate of 202.2 per 100,000, below the average for England.
By way of comparison, Tower Hamlets in east London has a rate of 205.4 per 100,000 but has been placed into Tier-2.
Here is the list of all Greater Manchester MPs who voted against the bill:
Sir Graham Brady, Altrincham and Sale West (Conservative)
James Daly, Bury North (Conservative)
Chris Green, Bolton West, (Conservative)
Mary Robinson, Cheadle (Conservative)
Christian Wakeford, Bury South (Conservative)
William Wragg, Hazel Grove (Conservative)
Andrew Gwynne, Denton and Reddish (Labour)
Graham Stringer, Blackley and Broughton (Labour)
