A GOVERNMENT spokesman has confirmed that new guidance affecting eight Indian Variant hotspot areas is ‘not statutory’.

No 10 said it wanted to move away from “top-down edicts” as lockdown restrictions ease, and stressed it was for individuals to make a judgment on how to behave.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It is important to emphasise that this is guidance, these are not statutory restrictions placed on those local areas.

“We have talked before about where we are at this stage in the pandemic in the UK, where we are able to move away from top-down edicts from the Government and start transitioning to a position where we have moved back to where the public are able to exercise their good judgment, as they have done throughout.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Downing Street said there would be no extra financial support made available for the hospitality sector, local authorities or other businesses in the hotspot areas beyond what is already available.

The spokesperson also this afternoon told reporters that the Government had been upfront about the ‘extra risk’ posed by the Indian variant following the publication of new guidance – which local authorities said they were not consulted about – for eight hotspot areas in England.

They said: “Throughout we have been clear that people in these areas should recognise the extra risk posed by the variant and exercise their judgment.

“The Prime Minister talked about this during his press conference on May 14, Government has reiterated a similar message since.

“We are in contact with local authorities and that will continue.”

READ: Coronavirus Indian variant: New stricter advice for Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley

The affected areas are Bedford Borough Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, Burnley Borough Council, Kirklees Council, Leicester City Council, London Borough of Hounslow and North Tyneside Council.

The government says anyone in these boroughs should meet outside rather than inside where possible, keep two metres apart from people that they don’t live with (unless they have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family they don’t live with and avoid travelling in and out of affected areas unless it is essential.