Westmorland MP Tim Farron has urged the Government to support local businesses as Cumbria is put into Tier 4 of the coronavirus restrictions.
Mr Farron said: “With much of the country, including Cumbria, being placed into tough Tier 4 restrictions, we return to a familiar old message – we must stay at home to protect our NHS and saves lives.
“But it’s also critical that a return to a March-style lockdown must come with March-style support for our local businesses, particularly in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries and for those workers and self-employed people who have been excluded from support for the past 10 months.
“Today’s phenomenal vaccine news truly is the light emerging at the end of the tunnel – we must protect as many lives and livelihoods as possible as we work to reach it.”